Overlooked: Feminists Impact on Rap

Since rap music began to grow in popularity and became “the record industry’s highest-grossing genre of music,” feminist’s accomplishments are under minded according to Katherine Cheairs’ Radical Women: Women, Feminism & Hip Hop. 

The development of rap music has overshadowed women’s barrier-breaking accomplishments in hip-hop.

As rap music’s explicit content became notorious for its uncensored misogynist lyrics, obsession with 

materialism and fashion; the importance of hip-hop’s origin faded away.

Early femcees, such as Lauryn Hill, Queen Latifah, and Sojourner Truth, spoke out against the racist and sexist views in the rap industry. These revolutionary femcees used the genre of music that was dominated by masculine ideals and used it to empower themselves as well as the objectified African American women.

The lack of respect men show for the Black female body is rooted back to slavery. Black female slaves were judged and sold on their physical appearance which displayed the woman’s ability to produce more unpaid workers.

Dating back to 1851, Isabella Baumfree, also known as Sojourner Truth, gave her “Ain’t I a Woman” speech during the Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio, highlighting the out-dated chivalrous description of how women should been treated.

Not only does she point out the death of chivalry towards women, but she’s aware the definition of a woman is already being challenged, altered, and perceived differently. Below is an excerpt from her speech.

“That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman?”

Cheairs compared the timeliness and impact of Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman” speech and Queen Latifah’s single “U.N.I.T.Y.” stating that both addressed social inequalities women strived to overcome.

Yet, rap music attempted to eclipse women’s resistance against the preconceived notions about their image.

Rap music did this by perceiving women as sexual objects in its lyrics and videos. Outraged Black women began revolting against the rappers who promoted the sexualized image of women.

For example, African American female students from Spelman College protested rapper Nelly’s scheduled school concert due to his blatant lack of respect for women shown in his music video to his song “Tip Drill.”

The music video showed Nelly swiping his credit card between the butt of a video vixen with no recognition of the reality of how demoralizing his action was.

The women’s protest not only worked and cancelled Nelly’s performance, but gained media recognition as well. A major part of the protest not highlighted in the media’s coverage was the presence and support female protestors received from male students.

Resistance shown in protests, like the one in Spelman, is the forward step feminist took in attempts to suppress the ugly side of rap. Although, there is little revolt against the corporate enterprises that funnel money into rappers whose lyrics are predominately about sex and violence.

With Time Comes Change: From Better to Worse

As some femcees sparked feminist movements with their music in the world of hip-hop, others exploited their body to receive acceptance from male rappers and monetary gain in record sales.

A femcee who shared similar views with Queen Latifah was Brooklyn native, MC Lyte. The two femcees, along with Roxanne Shante, created a female rap group named “2 Live Crew.”

MC Lyte spoke of how drugs lead down a path of destruction and should be avoided at all costs.

In her song entitled “Cappucino,” MC Lyte details the lethal consequences of being associated with drugs and alcohol.

“In the wrong place, at the wrong time/it was a drug sale, I could feel from behind/death, it was gettin’ closer… But was it really time for me to go?”

MC Lyte spread her message further by attending schools speaking to students and fans about drug awareness. Although MC Lyte’s efforts were commendable, she had doubt that the message wouldn't catch.

“Sometimes I get discouraged when I do songs like [Cappucino] and they don't get as popular as others,” said MC Lyte.

MC Lyte’s rebellious music against hip-hop’s objectified view of women would soon influence a femcee, Lil’ Kim, whose raunchy lyrics and sexually provocative attire further damaged the identity of women in hip-hop.

Lil’ Kim fit the stereotype of what rappers desired in a woman. Her music was based on sex, materialistic possessions, and embracing insults.

Not saying she enjoyed being insulted, but had little concern with the value of words, specifically “bitch.” 

Lil’ Kim turned its meaning into something a woman would pride herself on being called rather than being offended.

She named herself and the title of a song “Queen Bitch,” taking on a masculine persona to avoid any signs of weakness. Instead of preaching against objectifying woman; Lil’ Kim encouraged it.

Lil’ Kim uses the word ‘bitch’ both positively and negatively in “Queen Bitch.” When referring to herself as 

“Queen bitch/supreme bitch… I’m rich/Ima stay that bitch,” she not only labels herself a ‘bitch,’ but infers the word carries dignity.

Lil’ Kim’s songs were imbedded with mixed messages. In her song with Christina Aguilera entitled “Can’t Hold Us Down,” Lil’ Kim explains the inequality of only women being judged for their sexual activities when men get praised for it.

“If the guy have three girls then he's the man/he can either give us some head, sex her off/if the girl do the same, then she's a whore.”

Lil’ Kim then counters her previous statement saying “the table’s about to turn,” referencing the acceptance of hyper-sexual women.

Lil’ Kim’s emphasis on materialism, sex, and her image changed the way female rappers were perceived in hip-hop, as well as the consumer.

Queen Latifah Says “No” To Being A “Hoe”

Hip-hop is criticized for its vulgar music that highlights misogynist ideas that are instilled in the listener’s mind. 

Little is highlighted of the few women in the hip-hop community who refused to be objectified or referred to as a “hoe” or a “bitch.”

One female emcee (femcee) who refused to be victimized by hip-hop’s misrepresentation of women was 

Queen Latifah. Instead of selling herself for popularity, she, unlike most male and female rappers, used hip-hop as her voice tell women how to rise above the discrimination. 

In her 1993 track “U.N.I.T.Y.” off her album Black Reign, Queen Latifah explains how sexual harassment, male insecurity, and the misrepresentation of hip-hop’s message destroying the image of women.

The title “U.N.I.T.Y.” screams ‘women’s equality’ backed by Queen Latifah’s groundbreaking lyricism made listeners aware not only of the misogyny in hip-hop, but everywhere.

Queen Latifah tells a story of being sexually harassed while walking down her street. She begins by describing wearing cutoff shorts because of the weather being “crazy hot.”

Mentioning the alibi for her choice of clothing is important and highly overlooked. Queen Latifah made sure to do so to avoid the misogynists, playing devil’s advocate, who would blame the women’s skimpy clothing on the way men perceive women.

After being sexually harassed, Queen Latifah punched the harasser “dead in the eye” for verbally and physically violating her. She created an image of hope for women refusing to be degraded and objectified.

Queen Latifah also encouraged physically victimized women to not be afraid to tell the police, regardless of his reason for being abusive.

“Bad days at work, give you an attitude then you were rough/and take it out on me, but that's about enough/you put your hands on me again, I'll put your ass in handcuffs.”

Although Queen Latifah is angered when she hears men call women “bitches,” she admits there are exceptions to this rule implying some women are deserving of the title.

She also points out a reason why the defamation and physical abuse of women has been ongoing.

“I was scared to let you go, even though you treated me bad.”

This song was a direct message to the victimized women of hip-hop to stand up for themselves and for women to stop encouraging in it.

 Queen Latifah also criticizes listeners for attempting to change themselves in order to fit the image of what she calls a “gangster bitch.”

“I peeped you out the window jumping girls after school/But where did all of this come from?
A minute ago, you was a nerd and nobody ever heard of ya.”

A problem with the majority of music, but specifically in rap, is the listener’s intention to reenact what they hear. 

Queen Latifah warns that this attempt at adapting to a different lifestyle can be life threatening.

 “There's plenty of people out there with triggers ready to pull it/why you trying to jump in front of the bullet, young lady?”

Although Queen Latifah’s lyrics hold a powerful message, it was non-profitable or appealing in the hip-hop industry. Her call for gender equality in hip-hop was quickly smothered by upcoming female rappers whose content lacked substance.

Queen Latifah’s attempt at unity was overwhelmed and outsold by upcoming female rappers’ promiscuous appearances and sexually provocative music.