Week 4 Summary article Black women and black men in hip hop music: misogyny, violence and the
negotiation of (white-owned) space
Introduction
•Many of us abhor the misogyny in the music and videos; the unabashed glorification of crime and
the unrelenting objectification of black women.
•Often, the treatment of black women in hip hop is brought up only to highlight the alleged moral
depravity of artists or the wantonness of so-called black ghetto culture rather than as a critical and
necessary discussion of patriarchy and violence.
•Specifically, it would be wise to examine the place that black women and men occupy in relation to
one another within the genre as well as the place that the genre occupies in relation to white
American culture. This article then explores the space afforded to both black women and men in hip
hop music in an effort to unravel and examine the role that white centered structures play in the
making and marketing of the music to the mass public
Rap music: the basics
•Rap originated in the late 1970s in the South Bronx during a time marked by extreme political
conservatism and economic downfall. According to Rose, it began as a political party music played in
gatherings in public parks or in individual homes.
•Rap quickly became one of the premier forms of expression for the youngest members of the inner
city black and Latino communities in New York.
•Rap, then, irrespective of its particular subject matter and stated purpose during its initial stages,
must be viewed as an important socio-political innovation.
•It is important to note that a considerable portion of rap music produced for radio and video airplay
does contain obscene amounts of sexist talk and images.
•The popularity of rap music has been both the cause and the product of the music’s increased
commercialization.
•According to Kitwana, when it comes to mainstream and commercial portrayal of rap music and its
stars, often highlighted are those aspects of rap which reinforce negative stereotypes about blacks.
•Furthermore, although at first glance the high number of black-owned record labels would lead one
to believe that the genre is mostly at the hands of African Americans, larger, white-owned
corporations continue to control the music’s distribution channels.
•Considering that what has been and continues to be marketable is the image of the young, poor,
foul-mouthed black male with a criminal or otherwise violent past offering consumers a sneak peak
into his life, we must question as to what degree is hip hop a reflection of gender relations and
patriarchy within urban poor black communities?
•Hip hop music has an especially complex relationship with single mothers. On the one hand, the
presentation fo baby mamma drama and single mothers as gold-diggers is a misogynistic devaluation
of black women, and obscures the actual challenges single mothers face in the US society. On the
other hand, hip hop music is not the cause of increased numbers of single mother households or the
supposed disintegration of families.
The music’s in crisis.
•There is no doubt that hip-hop sells. The genre, however, is in crisis. The growing acceptance and
commercial appeal of this music style and culture has led to the increased homogenization of the
music and lyrics for the purpose of mass consumption.
•Thus, while it is true that this hip hop sub-genre is problematic and troubling as it pertains to its
exponents’ treatment of women, for example, the music and its artists are put under fire more for
what they are perceived to be because of their race than on account of what they actually say or do.
negotiation of (white-owned) space
Introduction
•Many of us abhor the misogyny in the music and videos; the unabashed glorification of crime and
the unrelenting objectification of black women.
•Often, the treatment of black women in hip hop is brought up only to highlight the alleged moral
depravity of artists or the wantonness of so-called black ghetto culture rather than as a critical and
necessary discussion of patriarchy and violence.
•Specifically, it would be wise to examine the place that black women and men occupy in relation to
one another within the genre as well as the place that the genre occupies in relation to white
American culture. This article then explores the space afforded to both black women and men in hip
hop music in an effort to unravel and examine the role that white centered structures play in the
making and marketing of the music to the mass public
Rap music: the basics
•Rap originated in the late 1970s in the South Bronx during a time marked by extreme political
conservatism and economic downfall. According to Rose, it began as a political party music played in
gatherings in public parks or in individual homes.
•Rap quickly became one of the premier forms of expression for the youngest members of the inner
city black and Latino communities in New York.
•Rap, then, irrespective of its particular subject matter and stated purpose during its initial stages,
must be viewed as an important socio-political innovation.
•It is important to note that a considerable portion of rap music produced for radio and video airplay
does contain obscene amounts of sexist talk and images.
•The popularity of rap music has been both the cause and the product of the music’s increased
commercialization.
•According to Kitwana, when it comes to mainstream and commercial portrayal of rap music and its
stars, often highlighted are those aspects of rap which reinforce negative stereotypes about blacks.
•Furthermore, although at first glance the high number of black-owned record labels would lead one
to believe that the genre is mostly at the hands of African Americans, larger, white-owned
corporations continue to control the music’s distribution channels.
•Considering that what has been and continues to be marketable is the image of the young, poor,
foul-mouthed black male with a criminal or otherwise violent past offering consumers a sneak peak
into his life, we must question as to what degree is hip hop a reflection of gender relations and
patriarchy within urban poor black communities?
•Hip hop music has an especially complex relationship with single mothers. On the one hand, the
presentation fo baby mamma drama and single mothers as gold-diggers is a misogynistic devaluation
of black women, and obscures the actual challenges single mothers face in the US society. On the
other hand, hip hop music is not the cause of increased numbers of single mother households or the
supposed disintegration of families.
The music’s in crisis.
•There is no doubt that hip-hop sells. The genre, however, is in crisis. The growing acceptance and
commercial appeal of this music style and culture has led to the increased homogenization of the
music and lyrics for the purpose of mass consumption.
•Thus, while it is true that this hip hop sub-genre is problematic and troubling as it pertains to its
exponents’ treatment of women, for example, the music and its artists are put under fire more for
what they are perceived to be because of their race than on account of what they actually say or do.
