Week 4 Summary article Fashionisting black female sexuality in hip-hop culture- girl power or
overpowered?
Introduction: Hip-hop, black sexuality, and fashion
•Over the past few decades, numerous studies have been conducted exploring the cultural and
historical trends effecting African American women’s sexuality and its correlation to their search for
self-identity and self-control. The music industry, particularly the hip-hop genre, is an important site
for examining the sexualisation of women in popular culture.
•Missy Elliot and Nicki Minaj, two power players in the hip-hop genre, but very different in their
rhyming style and visual aesthetic, are excellent examples of what it means to be a woman in a male-
dominated genre, and how personal style and its different interpretations affect how one is
perceived by society at large.
•This article looks at the fashion aesthetic, imagery, and celebrity culture of these two major African
American female hip-hop megastars to examine how the sexual politics of hip/hop culture has
helped to define their sexuality, agency, and subjectivity.
Theoretical framework
•This article borrows from diverse theoretical frameworks that include objectification theory,
scripting theory, and black feminist epistemology.
•Utilizing the theoretical tenets of black feminist thought allowed for expanded critiques of African
American female behaviour that reflects the interests of black women, who have developed a
distinctive standpoint, by using alternative ways of producing and validating knowledge.
•The author employs objectification theory as a lens through which we can understand the
consequences of being a female in a hip-hop culture that consistently sexually objectifies the female
body. From a feminist perspective, objectification theory refers to a woman’s body being treated
as a scrutinizable object by being separated from her persona.
•Jackson argues that scripting refers to the assignment of bodies, as understood by the scripter
(e.g. media), to certain locations being followed by the script imposed on them.
•The author contends that Nicky Minaj has clearly taken agency in defining her personae and thus
encapsulates the essence of the sexual entrepreneur.
Black female sexuality.
•Sexuality is socially constructed through the sex or gender system on the personal level of individual
consciousness and interpersonal relationships and the social structural level of social institutions.
•James reminds us that many black feminists have long noted that black female sexuality is
stereotypically represented as inherently abnormal and excessive.
•Beliefs and attitudes about African American women´s sexuality appear to be sanctioned by a
culture that continues to embrace stereotypes about race and sexuality.
Black female sexuality: the hip-hop controversy
•Originally created as the voice and a vehicle for political, social, and self-expression for the
underprivileged and disadvantaged minorities of the black American urban ghettos, hip-hop’s fight
against political and social norms of the time quickly grew from a marginal tool of cultural and
political expression to a mainstream multimillion dollar global industry.
•Although considerably male dominated, women have played a large role in the development of the
hip-hop music genre and culture, not only as female rap artists but also as participants in all aspects
of the culture. Unfortunately, as hip-hop grew to be a more popular form of expression and part of
the norm that it was once fighting against, the image of women seemed to take on a more gender
inferior, sexually demeaning, and provocative role.
•Gow contends that for female artists, physical appearance and sexuality tend to be emphasized
overpowered?
Introduction: Hip-hop, black sexuality, and fashion
•Over the past few decades, numerous studies have been conducted exploring the cultural and
historical trends effecting African American women’s sexuality and its correlation to their search for
self-identity and self-control. The music industry, particularly the hip-hop genre, is an important site
for examining the sexualisation of women in popular culture.
•Missy Elliot and Nicki Minaj, two power players in the hip-hop genre, but very different in their
rhyming style and visual aesthetic, are excellent examples of what it means to be a woman in a male-
dominated genre, and how personal style and its different interpretations affect how one is
perceived by society at large.
•This article looks at the fashion aesthetic, imagery, and celebrity culture of these two major African
American female hip-hop megastars to examine how the sexual politics of hip/hop culture has
helped to define their sexuality, agency, and subjectivity.
Theoretical framework
•This article borrows from diverse theoretical frameworks that include objectification theory,
scripting theory, and black feminist epistemology.
•Utilizing the theoretical tenets of black feminist thought allowed for expanded critiques of African
American female behaviour that reflects the interests of black women, who have developed a
distinctive standpoint, by using alternative ways of producing and validating knowledge.
•The author employs objectification theory as a lens through which we can understand the
consequences of being a female in a hip-hop culture that consistently sexually objectifies the female
body. From a feminist perspective, objectification theory refers to a woman’s body being treated
as a scrutinizable object by being separated from her persona.
•Jackson argues that scripting refers to the assignment of bodies, as understood by the scripter
(e.g. media), to certain locations being followed by the script imposed on them.
•The author contends that Nicky Minaj has clearly taken agency in defining her personae and thus
encapsulates the essence of the sexual entrepreneur.
Black female sexuality.
•Sexuality is socially constructed through the sex or gender system on the personal level of individual
consciousness and interpersonal relationships and the social structural level of social institutions.
•James reminds us that many black feminists have long noted that black female sexuality is
stereotypically represented as inherently abnormal and excessive.
•Beliefs and attitudes about African American women´s sexuality appear to be sanctioned by a
culture that continues to embrace stereotypes about race and sexuality.
Black female sexuality: the hip-hop controversy
•Originally created as the voice and a vehicle for political, social, and self-expression for the
underprivileged and disadvantaged minorities of the black American urban ghettos, hip-hop’s fight
against political and social norms of the time quickly grew from a marginal tool of cultural and
political expression to a mainstream multimillion dollar global industry.
•Although considerably male dominated, women have played a large role in the development of the
hip-hop music genre and culture, not only as female rap artists but also as participants in all aspects
of the culture. Unfortunately, as hip-hop grew to be a more popular form of expression and part of
the norm that it was once fighting against, the image of women seemed to take on a more gender
inferior, sexually demeaning, and provocative role.
•Gow contends that for female artists, physical appearance and sexuality tend to be emphasized
