mintgreenelephant
Blog Post 2
5/4/20
In her journal article, “Histories and "her stories" from the Bronx: excavating hidden hip hop narratives,” Oneka LaBennett argues that “hip hop's "creation story" is one that marginalizes the role of women like Cindy [Campbell], instead presenting men as miraculously giving birth to the hip hop infant with little help from women” (LaBennett). She claims that women’s influences in hip hop, and arguably all genres, have been made to be invisible in the historical narrative of music. In the case of Cindy Campbell, the party that was known as the origin of hip hop was credited to her brother, DJ Kool Herc, without any mention of her significant role in the party’s creation. This story of erasure is also present through hip hop’s culture and its inability to accept female artists as hip hop artists.
LaBennett’s claims are supported by Kyle Fleck’s article “The Rise of Seattle Hiphop: An Incomplete Timeline of How Rap Replaced Rock as Seattle's Dominant Musical Force.” He writes that “The godfather of the local rap scene, along with Sir Mix-A-Lot, ... was unquestionably radio DJ Nasty Nes” (Fleck). With this, there is a glaring lack of recognition for women artists that influenced the beginning of the Seattle hip hop scene. This shows how creation stories of local hip hop scenes are also exclusive to women. Towards the end of the article, however, Fleck does briefly mention the female artists/groups: Gifted Gab, THEESatisfaction and DoNormaal who have influenced the genre more recently.
DJ Selections:
Salt-N-Pepa are unapologetic and demanding of respect as hip hop artists, incorporating feminist themes into their music, while being extremely influential in shaping hip hop’s sound (within a male dominated genre). Their song Shoop is an example of how Salt-N-Pepa flipped the narrative of men singing about their desires towards women to women singing about their desires towards men.
LaBennett’s claims are supported by Kyle Fleck’s article “The Rise of Seattle Hiphop: An Incomplete Timeline of How Rap Replaced Rock as Seattle's Dominant Musical Force.” He writes that “The godfather of the local rap scene, along with Sir Mix-A-Lot, ... was unquestionably radio DJ Nasty Nes” (Fleck). With this, there is a glaring lack of recognition for women artists that influenced the beginning of the Seattle hip hop scene. This shows how creation stories of local hip hop scenes are also exclusive to women. Towards the end of the article, however, Fleck does briefly mention the female artists/groups: Gifted Gab, THEESatisfaction and DoNormaal who have influenced the genre more recently.
DJ Selections:
Salt-N-Pepa are unapologetic and demanding of respect as hip hop artists, incorporating feminist themes into their music, while being extremely influential in shaping hip hop’s sound (within a male dominated genre). Their song Shoop is an example of how Salt-N-Pepa flipped the narrative of men singing about their desires towards women to women singing about their desires towards men.
Beyoncé’s album Lemonade demonstrates the impact that women artists can have on contemporary hip hop, and how the narrative of influential artists to the genre is changing. Her song formation incorporates messages about black female empowerment alongside symbols of black wealth and police brutality.
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