Patriarchy In Hip Hop

The Patriarchy within Hip-Hop
In the twenty-five years since introducing hip-hop into the music scene, only few artists (known commonly as rappers) have successfully been able to provide a respectable image of black women to listeners around the world (Chadwick, n.d, p. 1). Unfortunately, many talented artists chose to trade in their respect for women, especially women of African-American decent, at the start of their careers, just to harvest money as entertainers of the current generation. Audiences of famous rappers, such as Jay-Z and Nelly, have become accustomed to their misogynistic lyrics. Forced to acknowledge their unfair representations in hip-hop alone, black females are overheard or forgotten completely in any attempt at protesting

against the genre of music. Hip-hop artists have had a long history of creating false representations and stereotypes of black women, which spread through the media and the minds of young generations and hurt all African-Americans by making the fight to escape cultural barriers even more difficult to achieve.

A main reason why the misogyny of rap music has been such a problem in this generation, is because as the years pass, each generation evolves and becomes more accepting of race, non-existent gender roles, and equality between men and women. These evolutions are prevalent in the everyday lives of black women, however, artists in the hip-hop genre clearly have never gotten that memo. Black women have found it hard enough to escape the social barrier between races and stereotypes, without rappers’ attempts to diminish their self-worth. Mike Klocke (2007), author of the article “Let’s take the rap for what we listen to,” has stated that hip-hop music found “objectionable” would be easier to ignore, and easier for black women to overcome, if the music wasn’t so anticipated and “in your face” (p.

1). Sadly, the media widely receives hip-hop, and, as Klocke has said, by spreading the messages deep within that form of music, the media is “perpetuating stereotypes and compounding problems” among young generations that were finally learning acceptance of all people and cultures (Klocke, 2007, p. 1). Subjective music should not refer to music that favors hip-hop patriarchy, misogyny, or chauvinism. How much longer must men reign supreme in hip-hop, while their misogynistic roles in songs and videos are forced upon black women that never agreed to portray themselves in that way? Being as rappers target African-American women in their lyrics, the stereotypes spread throughout their music and the media can be influential in the way those women are perceived. To rappers that take advantage of cultures and use an influential patriarchy to their advantage, nothing has ever mattered more than making the most money and producing the most disrespectful songs, even though the media and society force black women to crumble their self-worth as a consequence.
Not only has hip-hop disgraced women, but the African-American males that dominate as rappers in that genre produce music so vile and misogynistic, that it has disgraced the black community as well. How is it possible to treat women, and black women to be particular, as equals, when men of their own race and ethnicity have trashed them a thousand times over again, for apparently having too much sex appeal? Editors of Essence, a leading African-American women’s magazine, have stated that “in videos we are bikini-clad sisters gyrating around fully clothed grinning brothers” (Byrd & Solomon, 2005, p. 1) Watching videos such as this, where many almost-naked women are surrounded by one or two clothed men, have viewers creating the assumption in their minds that presumably all black women act like that. The magazine went even further by adding that “the damage of this imbalanced portrayal of black women is impossible to measure,” and editors have also pointed out the sad fact that “an entire generation of black girls are being raised on these narrow images” (Byrd & Solomon, 2005, p.1). These portrayals form a certain view of African-American women that many find impossible to shake off. Unfair stereotypes of women have certainly been easy to create by black male hip-hop artists, however, the women that they affect have a struggle in showing their true selves amidst such misogyny. Lyrics such as “….Hoes coming up short? Hoes finna get cursed out!” from Timbaland’s song, entitled “Considerate Brotha,” have placed black women in a social caste far below men (Colbert, n.d, p. 2). However, the situation is even more disheartening, because black men are attacking their own ethnicity, which, in all actuality, means they are tearing themselves down, to make more money. Jennifer Mclune (2006) has not been ashamed to call herself “an angry black woman” when fighting for equality within hip-hop in her article “Hip-Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women” (p. 223). She has argued the point that “any attack on the women in [the black] community is an attack on us all,” and she has also stated that “until hip-hop does right by black women, everything hip-hop ever does will fail” (McLune, 2006, p. 223). Hip-hop as a genre has seemingly thrived off of black males ripping apart black females, which could also include their mothers, sisters, grandmothers, and friends, for appearing to come off as sexual floozies who always need men to hang on, and the entire African-American population is facing the consequences as a result.
While the misogyny of black women in hip-hop songs is apparent in the media and around the world, hope is existent in the form of protests against rappers and the genre.

Spelman College, a black liberal arts college for women, has taken a stand against the patriarchy in hip-hop, starting with black rapper Nelly (Holsendolph, 2005, p. 1). Feminists within the college, upon watching the rapper’s music video, entitled “Tip Drill,” held protests against allowing him to “present his plan to promote his bone marrow education program” at the school (Holsendolph, 2005, p. 1). When Nelly decided to cancel his presentation, protesters took a major step in the fight against misogyny, which fueled the idea that with enough effort, other misogynistic rappers would realize the harm they were doing to the black female population (Holsendolph, 2005, p. 1). The college has since joined with Essence magazine to sponsor “Take Back the Music” (Holsendolph, 2005, p. 1). This initiative lasted one whole week, and focused on “the controversy over hip-hop images” (Holsendolph, 2005, p. 2). Moya Bailey, a student and leader of the Spelman movement against the controversy of rap, has stated that the battle for a more appropriate representation of black women in hip-hop was formed on a “personal” level (Holsendolph, 2005, p. 2). She has been quoted to believe, along with many other students attending Spelman, that “out of the many issues [hip-hop raises with respect to black women] is the question of

‘who we are’” (Holsendolph, 2005, p. 2). This question has been a haunting reminder of the steps left to take towards equality all forms of media and entertainment. Due to the fact that music, and the underlying messages within music, play a major role in how women see themselves, media outlets should appreciate the protests against rappers and a genre that has only ever spread negative messages about black women. However, years may pass before the misogyny hip-hop artists are enveloped in can dissipate.
The entertainment industry can no longer represent womanhood with the help of men who have shown no respect for any gender but their own. While famous black female rappers have been able to break through the misogyny in hip-hop to make music worth listening to, the songs that classify as top hits in the industry almost all have lyrics that hypersexualize African-American women. Salt-N-Peppa have given black women, and all women, confidence through their lyrics, and Missy Elliot has taught young girls the importance of owning who you are; for many women, these artists created a step forward for gender equality (Byrd & Solomon, 2005, p. 1). Nevertheless, the special treatment male rappers have received compared to female rappers over releasing new music--even if male rappers tend to produce disgracefully inappropriate songs about women—has been overwhelmingly obvious in the entertainment industry. The real challenge in recognizing the misrepresentation and unfair treatment of black women in the music industry has been dealing with the fact that rappers who have produced misogynistic music in the past, are also known to make the most money and attract the most fans. Activist and author Kevin Powell, when being interviewed by Essence magazine in 2005, stated that he has asked black boys and black men the question of “what other men on this planet are allowed, or even encouraged—for the sake of keeping it real or making a profit for their record labels and themselves—to refer to females in their lives as bitches, hos, chickenheads, skeezers, [or] sluts…?” (as cited in Byrd & Solomon, 2005, p. 3). Black women have been used since the creation of hip-hop for the benefit of entertainers that care about money over their usage of misogyny. By having created a profit off of trashing everyday black women, hip-hop rappers have become top predators against prey that cannot protect themselves from false representation.
As a retaliation against the protest directed towards him from Spelman College, Nelly attempted to explain that “Part of the reason rap artists come under fire more than any other group is because people don’t respect what we do as art” (as cited in Byrd & Solomon, 2005, p. 3). He went on to state that “As for how women are shown in the videos, I don’t have a problem with it because it is entertainment” (as cited in Byrd & Solomon, 2005, p. 3). For one, rap artists do not and have never come under fire because people do not respect their form of art. What is can be deemed “unrespectable” within their genre is the misogyny they use in songs to make big bucks. Secondly, of course mega-famous hip-hop artists, including Nelly, have had no problem with representing black women as sleazy sex bags in their videos, because who is racking in the money? No matter what rappers say to justify their usage of black women in hip-hop songs and music videos, and no matter how much the media supports the overwhelming patriarchy within entertainment industry, all women should know that no excuses can ever cover the misogynists that write solely for money. While every argument has two sides, no justification has or ever will make up for the misogyny that dominates hip-hop.
How could black women ever feel fully confident within their skin if hip-hop artists criticize them, using stereotypes that ruin their self-esteem and damage their chances of being respected by other males. Not only have these money-making rappers demeaned the key roles women play in society, but they have also thrown what morals they have aside for fame and acknowledgment. If the twenty-five years since hip-hop became popular is not enough time to change the patriarchy within the music industry, how are black females ever to hope for a time when they are just as respected as men (Chadwick, n.d, p.1)? Fortunately, black women have grown tired of the degradation directed at them through hip-hop. Hope for a greater, and less stereotypical future for black women has been restored by protests against derogatory rappers, such as the protests at Spelman College. African-American women have had too many culture barriers to come across in the past, only to be segregated yet again (by their own race) within the current generation. The time has long arrived for hip-hop artists to sing a new tune, and give all black women the respect they deserve, because the misogyny has become a bit repetitive.