The common notion that all Hip Hop music is misogynistic, violent, and sexist is an unfortunate over generalization of a widely varied music style. There are artists who have pushed back against these stereotypical constraints and addressed the sexism of Hip Hop, even if in doing so they forfeited radio stardom. LaBennet addresses some of the unknown pioneers of Hip Hop, which are usually left out of the male centered “creation narratives”. Through oral history research and interviews, she provides the uncommon story of Hip Hop, in which for the Bronx female artists she interviewed, “hip-hop represents a means for demonstrating a feminist consciousness and for claiming racialized belonging” (LaBennet). Using Hip Hop as a tool for political activism as a women of color defies many of the codified “rules” of sexism and hyper-masculinity ingrained in Hip Hop. For Hip Hop to grow and evolve into a genre which more beneficial than it is harmful, artists like La Bruja, Lah Tere, and Patty Dukes need to be recognized and appreciated. One way to do this is through events that showcase these artists and community members like Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen where they have a chance to be acknowledged and connect. Similarly, 50 Next: Seattle Hip Hop Worldwide achieves this through, “generating and promoting inter-cultural, inter-generational and international connectivity,” (The Compilation). These events and the recognition of “hidden narratives” are vital in restructuring the popularized harmful aspects of a Hip Hop.
The songs I chose are “Roxanne’s Revenge” by Roxanne Shante and “Poor Georgie” by MC Lyte, because they were pioneers of feminist hip hop, and rapped about subjects important to female empowerment.
References
“The Compilation.” 50 NEXT SEATTLE, www.50nextseattle.com/.
“Histories and ‘her stories’ from the Bronx: excavating hidden hip hop narratives..” The Free Library. 2009 Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier, Inc. 12 Feb. 2019 https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Histories+and+%22her+stories%22+from+the+Bronx%3a+excavating+hidden+hip+hop…-a0203022048
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