The Differences Between Women and “Bitches”

Both female and male rappers have used the word “bitch” as a derogatory term while describing other rappers. The literal definition of “bitch” refers to a female dog. 

The word has impacted hip-hop’s perception of women and caused confusion in regards to the definition of the word.

At first “bitch” was constantly being used by male rappers to deflect their insecurities while establishing their dominance over women in hip-hop. “Bitch” was also used in describing women who failed to fit rappers’ stereotypical description.

Rappers, such as Jay-Z, recognize the multi-meanings behind using the word “bitch” and have explained that no matter how you say it; “bitch” belittles women.

In his 2003, Jay-Z sampled N.W.A.’s “A Bitch Iz A Bitch” and listed the differences between a woman and a “bitch” in his track “Bitches and Sisters” off his album The Blueprint 2.1.

During the beginning of the song, Jay-Z labels woman “bitches” that act like they’re high class and fake a hard demeanor. He also labels woman “bitches” that have sex with men solely on the fact they’re famous. 

Regardless if women had sex prior to their partner’s fame; Jay-Z states there’s a possibility she can still be a bitch.

Jay-Z further justifies his use of “bitch” saying that a woman’s sexual encounter with someone famous, besides rappers, is a failed attempt to higher her status as a woman.

“You ain’t no better cause you don’t be fucking rappers/you only fuck with actors, you still getting fucked backwards.”

Jay-Z questions and answers why he, among other rappers, disrespects women by labeling them as “bitches.”

“Say Jay-Z, why you gotta go and disrespect the women for, huh?

Sisters get respect, bitches get what they deserve/sisters work hard, bitches work your nerves/sisters hold you down, bitches hold you up/sisters help you progress, bitches’ll slow you up/sisters cook up a meal play they role with the kidz/bitches in the street with they nose in ya biz/sisters tell the truth, Bitches tell lies/sisters drive cars, bitches wanna ride/sisters give up the ass, bitches give up the ass/sisters do it slow, bitches do it fast/sisters do they dirt outside of where they live/ bitches have niggas all up in your crib/sisters tell you quick "you better check your homie"/bitches don't give a fuck, they wanna check for your homie/sisters love Jay cuz they know how 'Hov is/I love my sisters, I don't love no bitch.”

These lyrics paint an evil image perceiving women as manipulative, money hungry and sexually driven savages that will only bring men down.

Rappers point out extreme faults in women using it as a scapegoat to justifiably use “bitch.” To justify the rappers’ use of the word further, femcees countered these rappers using “bitch” to describe males.

Women who attempt to positively spin “bitch” by using it nonchalantly between themselves is counter-productive in taking away its negative definition.

Normally reverse-psychology has its benefits, but not in the case of femcees using “bitch”, a word that has continually oppressed their gender’s image in hip-hop. Femcees’ use of “bitch,” regardless of its contextual meaning, continued to reinforce the same misogynist ideals that kept women’s voice out of hip-hop.