The hyper-sexualized and derogatory images of women, particularly black women, has been ingrained in hip hop as a genre. It has been shown that if we trace the origins of hip hop back, Jeff Chang notes that the party known for starting hip hop was Cindy Campbell’s idea. She created a space for people to listen to music, dance and share their art (Oneka). She is by no means central to the creation of hip hop in many of the creation stories. Generally, these stories about the creation of hip hop are recounted without acknowledging the inclusion of women or their influence.
In the essay “Histories and "her stories" from the Bronx: excavating hidden hip hop narratives”, Sharplet-Whiting is mentioned as she references the “basic formula for most hip hop videos; numerous, scantily clad young Black and Latino women, whose rear-ends and breasts fill almost every frame, and who appear to have no other desire than to give sexual pleasure to the male rap star” (Oneka). Oneka the author of the essay, is also an anthropologist who examines how the artistic process for hip hop hasn't always been “predicated on violence or misogyny” (Oneka). The women she interviews instead voice how they wanted their art, struggles, and experiences to be voiced and heard by a larger audience. Oneka in her piece exemplified beautifully how hip-hop as a cultural practice has become so much more than just beatboxing or emceeing.
Hip-hop has become an art form. It requires patience and encourages a focus on the lyrical development of a piece of music that has become so critical to the genre. This anthropological look at hip-hop as it relates to women proved to be a political tool for women and girls to speak up to what they believed in and resist the more stereotypical idea that hip-hop is strictly hyper-masculine and aggressive in its messages. Jeff Chang in an interview with Theresa Riley says that, “Although not all hip hop is exclusively political, a good amount of it speaks to the kinds of pressures that young people have been facing because of globalization, changes in policing and the incarceration of youth and oftentimes, the breakdown of institutions and structures in the communities that hip hop comes from” (Riley). The roots of hip hop truly did focus on these wicked social problems. Public Enemy for example was a catalyst for many artists, as they breeched the concept of relating their work to social movements, even more so one could say that our generation of artists is doing.
With that being said however, there are still artist who steer away from the hyper-sexualized, misogynist concept of hip hop and instead focus and bring light to most wicked problems of our time; race and human rights for example. Donald Glover, also known as, Childish Gambino and M.I.A are two artist who use their intersectionality to raise important ideas in their music and challenge the ever-present stereotypes of what hip hop usually highlights; sex, drug and violence.
Childish Gambino
“This is America”
M.I.A.
“Borders”
References:
Bill Moyers Show interview, Theresa Riley with Jeff Chang, Q & A: Still Fighting the Power
LaBennet Oneka, “Histories and ‘Her Stories’ from the Bronx: Excavating Hidden Hip Hop Narratives” Afro-Americans in New York Life and History. July 2009, Vol. 33, issue 2, p109
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