I am an avid fan of hip-hop. Not only do I enjoy the rhythm and fashion style that encapsulates the culture, but I also admire the powerful message brought through lyricism. Often sending messages of empowerment to people going through hardships. They propose an idea of hope that one day the struggle will all be worth it, and they will be rewarded for their success.
However, I never truly paid attention to the role that women play in hip-hop. After all, I’m far too preoccupied by screaming the lyrics “shawty got low, low, low” with my friends at the club to even think about the misogynistic undertones. After learning about the correlation between hip-hop and feminism (two entities which I never thought would coincide), I learnt how women are not only disparaged by objectifying music videos, but by the industry.
Recently, for one of my assignments, I chose to answer the question “Can hip-hop be feminist?” I originally planned to set out my essay arguing that it is, and how many powerful cultural icons, such as Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, prove this.
However, about 20 minutes of idle research led me to the disappointing conclusion that this is not the case. Hip-hop has historically and remains an industry shaped by patriarchal and capitalistic structures, which essentially reward misogyny. As a result, women are objectified and portrayed purely as sexual objects rather than multifaceted individuals with their own agency.
Think about any hip-hop music video, and what can you picture? Women in revealing outfits, twerking as if their sole purpose is to make the male artists appear more desirable and sought after. I dare any woman reading this to watch Candy Shop by 50 Cent and try not to feel as though our gender has been set back 50 years. Furthermore, videos like this are abundant in hip-hop, perpetuating stereotypes that men occupy positions of power and wealth while women are stereotyped as gold-digging sexual prizes. More concerningly, the use of stereotyping not only affects women negatively within the genre but also encourages prejudice within wider society.
Another technique used by male rappers to heighten their sexual prowess is the use of token lesbianism. Female relationships are often trivialised, leaving valid sexual identities such as lesbianism to be reduced to a mere phase. This eradicates queer identity from the ironic genre, as many male rappers love to sprinkle the words “no homo” within their songs. Using a blatantly homophobic phrase to allow them to explore their femininity and sexuality without being labelled as gay themselves.
All of this begs the question: can I be a feminist and listen to hip-hop? However, in my opinion, that’s like saying, “Can I be feminist and exist in the world?” Of course, we can. The problem is not our choices, but the structures around us.
Furthermore, as women, we should know better than to stigmatise others based on their choices, as it goes completely against the objectives of feminism. Men who write and perform those sexist lyrics, or the ones who pay hundreds of pounds to see them performed live, are never scrutinised for such behaviour. Nor do they stop to think whether what they’re doing may potentially cause harm to others. So why should women feel the need to stop doing something they find entertaining just to compensate for a culture men created and continue to benefit from?
Fortunately, there are artists currently who ignore the previous harmful portrayals of women within their artistry, such as Dave. For example, in his song “Lesley”, he uses his voice and platform to openly speak up about domestic violence against women. Instead of framing them as passive objects. He facilitates an image of womanhood as strong and resilient. Seeming to care deeply about women on both a political and personal level.
However, as we already know, women are not Disney princesses, and we do not need a male saviour to rescue us. A prime example of this is female artists such as Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, notorious for their use of sexual imagery within their work. Rather than allowing themselves to be portrayed by men, they actively use their sexuality as a force of resistance against patriarchal values of women, taking advantage of stereotypes previously used to define their identity.
This does not come without limitations. Their work has sparked controversy, with some saying the sexual references further enable patriarchy and set a bad example for young girls. But doesn’t this just go to show how the industry is entirely sexist? Male rappers are far less likely to receive criticism or be shamed for their portrayal of –women in their videos. I see it as a way of flipping the script of hip-hop’s sexist depiction of women and, in turn, putting women at the forefront of their own sexual desires.
So, to answer the question, no. Hip-hop is not inherently feminist as it continues to reproduce patriarchal, misogynistic and racialised societal standards which have defined the genre for decades. However, hip-hop can be feminist, but only when women reclaim their space in an industry which has spent decades denying them.
Amelia MacLennan
