The power of the spoken word called hip-hop! By: Erykah Achebe

"Hip hop is the perfect verse over a tight beat." Who cannot remember the earliest memories of hip hop when it started in the late 70's to early 80's? Artist that made their mark from a political standpoint include artist such as Grandmaster flash and the furious five who took a hard look at social issues and it's portrayal of black inner-city life. Some other artist that helped pave the way for future Mc's include artist such as KRS 1, Run DMC, Doug E. Fresh and the Sugar Hill gang who are legendary for their song entitled Rappers delight.

When hip-hop started, it was not about how much money you had or how big your rims were on your car, it was about standing for the black movement. One of the major events that mark the beginning of the hip hop era is the freestyle battles. During freestyle battles, one opponent would show off his lyrical ability, poetically flowing about events that are affecting society and human empowerment. Today rappers are glorifying this thug image and "ghetto mentality" instead of trying to improve the situation.

After attending the Media and Communication arts, hip-hop conference that was held at Clark Atlanta University I was honored to get the opportunity to hear what some of the panels of presenters had to say about their viewpoints on hip-hop and how it has evolved. The first presenter was Rabiyah Karim- Kincey, author of Nommo Rhyme & Reason. She describes the Nommo principle as "the power of the spoken word"

During her presentation, she discussed the significance of hip-hop culture in the African American community, and also made a notion that instead of black people putting each other down and destroying our race in hip-hop lyrics that we can create, rebuild, and encourage each other with positive words and act as positive role models. Another presenter was Thurman Garner who is an Associate Professor at the University Of Georgia. Mr. Garner brought up a topic for discussion when he asked the question "why is more than half of the hip hop music purchased by a predominately white crowd? Another point that Mr. Garner presented was to encourage teachers to allow students to bring their music to class and discuss the lyrics and its significance if any that it has on their generation. Mr. Garner made said " hip hop is our economic survival and acceptance in to a white society." Today we have artist that try to keep hip-hop music alive such as Common, Talib Kweli, and Mos Def who are known as conscious rappers (those who are concerned with things that are affecting our society). Modern day hip-hop includes artist such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Nas, who still try to maintain their hip-hop credibility by challenging and changing the way their lyrical content is presented to the mass public. Another legendary artist was the late Tupac Shakur. Tupac raped about things that were affecting the African American community. Some of the songs that he is highly credited for include Brenda's got a baby, Me against the world, Keep your head up, Changes, Dear mama, and many others.
One of the modern day movies that depict how hip hop has lost its touch is the movie Brown Sugar, directed by Rick Famuyiwa. I don't think that hip hop is dead but I believe if we don't start getting real MC's that rap about more than materialistic things then hip hop will loose its touch. I believe we will be able to expand in hip-hop culture if rappers diversify and challenge the perception that the media presents of African Americans





culture

The Hottentot Venus has transformed into the modern day Video Vixen... By: Erykah Achebe

Why was I so surprised that such violence exist towards women? Because
it's hidden in slick beats and amazing rhythms. With big butts on
public display in videos and the words "bitch's" and "hoe's" all but
commonplace in hip-hop lyrics, one particularly sad and disturbing
case comes to mind, Sarah Baartman. Over the course of a few decades
the Hottentot Venus has transformed in to the modern day "Video
Vixen," "Hip Hop Honey," "Video hoe," "Eye Candy", and other
derogatory and demeaning names." The image of rap videos exploiting
shot after shot of women shaking what their "mommas" gave them has
became too much to ignore. African American women experience misogyny
and the exploitation of "self" in Hip Hop songs and videos.
Many of the lyrics in Hip Hop music today use misogyny to negatively
depict African American women. An example of misogyny displayed in hip
hop songs is, Pimping All Over The World, by Ludacris. The lyrics
characterize women as possessions. The fancy cars/ the women and the
caviar. The rapper tries to dismiss the fact that he uses her for sex;
by saying he takes her places. Ludacris raps, […] don't always think
I'm try'na get in your pants/ cause see me my pimpin's in 3/ I'm
taking you places you only see on TV. It's clearly stated in the
lyrics that sex is just another thing to buy. The lyrics further go on
to describe that a women's value is placed at little to nothing. […]
It's plenty women to see, so if yo ass don't show up its more women
for me… These lyrics blatantly exploit women as sexual objects. Well
known feminist scholar bell hooks stated that the issue concerning
misogyny in Hip Hop music is a matter of concern, due to the sexist
depictions of women and the exploitative and violent way in which
women are represented in the songs and music videos. hooks goes on
further to say that it's not just about focusing on the lyrics and
music video itself, but connecting the image to larger systems of
exploitation.
The use of women as hyper-sexualized props for the fantasies of male
rappers is endemic in hip hop music videos. The famous BET uncut scene
of Nelly's Tip Drill video exposes the image of a man swiping a credit
card through the crack of a black female's backside. Tip Drill exposes
the way these rappers, the recording industry and their eager
clientele view black women as (a) commodity/property. "The value is
only determined by the degree that they can be violated (Rose 117)."

Everyday Black women are being assaulted by Black male rappers, Hip
Hop culture, and the recording industry that condones, supports, and
profits from the sales of such harness acts. "Tip Drill is a ghetto
colloquialism for the proverbial ugly girl with a nice body. In the
context of Nelly's video, such a women is only good for one
thing-and–even then, only then only from the back. Tip Drill is a
representation of a world where young Black men often view young Black
women as "chicken heads," "skeezers," "gold-diggers," "birds," and a
host of other unsavory adjectives. The common demeanors are that such
women are viewed as being solely motivated by their desire for money
and are only valued as sex objects, hence the highlighting of cash and
carry relationships (Hutchinson 173)." Bakari Kitwana, a former
executive editor of the Source and the author of The Hip Hop
Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African American Culture
stated that Nelly and his fellow cohorts fail to realize that for
everytime they swipe a credit card through a Black females behind and
cash in on this oppressive profit- making scam, someone else is
swiping one through there own asses as they remain bent in the
position of submission to a system that views them as property to.
Most Hip Hop artist do realize it and just fail to care, given the
amount of fame and fortune that has come their way.
Black women are portrayed in Hip Hop videos as profane, in the way
that their bodies are used as commodities. The messages in the videos
tell Black women what they should do to be desired and respected.
There is a connection between those messages and how young women view
themselves or behave in social settings. An example of this is
displayed in Ja Rules song, Down Ass Bitch.[…} If you'd lie for me,
like you lovin me/ baby say yeah/ If you'd die for like you cry for
me/ baby say yeah/ If you'd kill for me/ like you comfort me/ baby say
yea/ girl I'm convinced, you're my down ass bitch. The current trend
in Hip Hop music today is to rap to about the 'ride or die chick,' a
girl who will do anything for her man. "Music can create a mindset for
some people and right now, there are is a growing prison population of
women in jail for selling drugs and committing crimes for their
boyfriends (Morgan 74)."

Lyrics and music videos promoting hatred, objectification, and
exploitation of women are increasingly accepted as authentic forms of
artistic expression- particularly in rap and hip hop music. An example
of this kind of image is displayed in Eminem's songs. The first song
titled, Kim says […] Don't you get it bitch/no on can hear you/now
shut the fuck up and get what's coming to you/you were suppose to love
me/now bleed bitch/ bleed. As a society we are told that we are
suppose to embrace this type of music and even praise it. The music
industry gives approval to this type of behavior by creating award
shows, such as the Grammys, BET awards, etc. "Music executives,
producers, writers, and artist are attempting to cash in on this
negative display of subjugated Black female sexuality. As this
capitalist assembly line production of CDs, DVDs, and magazines
accounts to a gang rape of Black female identity (Baker 36)." In 2001
Eminem's album The Marshall Mather LP had been nominated for the
prestigious album of the year. According to C. Michael Greene, the
Grammy organization's president, the nomination was intended to
recognize Eminem's music and not his message.
The third song that exposes the rappers promotion of hatred, and
objectification of women is his song titled, Bitch Please II, You must
have a mental disease/assume the position and get down on your knees.
"The limited subversive capacity of Eminem's music is reflective of
the current state of Hip Hop culture. Eminem's attempts at social
critique are undermined by his glorification of violent misogyny,
homophobia, and machismo (Rose 117)."
Pro-Pimping cues are explicit in some of the most commercially
successful Hip Hop. One of the most popular Hip Hop songs of 2005 was
P.I.M.P by rapper 50 cent. The single was released on The Massacre
album that was nominated at the Grammys as the best album of 2005,
with over 4.85 million copies sold. 50 cents single P.I.M.P talks
explicitly about sending women out to sell sex for money (synonymous
with a prostitute). The rappers lyrics says […] bitch hit that track/
catch a date/ come a' paid the kid/ look baby this simple/ you fucking
with me/ you fucking with a P.I.M.P. During the 2005 Grammy award 50
cent performed his song in front of a live audience with Snoop Dogg as
the featured artist. As the song was being performed on stage a member
of 50 cents entourage was walking on stage with two women with dog
leashes around their neck as if they are on public display. They used
female characters to behave as "female dogs."
"We live in a culture in which racially and sexually edgy material is
often- legitimately-considered brilliant comment, even art (Fiske
96)." What does this image say about Black America? How can we come to
a consensus that music containing these lyrics and images are hurtful
if our society promotes it? Another video that exposes the
glorification of the Pimp lifestyle and how women are objectified is a
song by Jay-Z entitled Big Pimping. The Big Pimpin' video portrays
Jay-Z as the pimp. He has halfnaked women swarming around him as he
raps about his "bitches" and "hoes." The rappers lyrics says, You know
I thug em/ fuck em / love em / leave em / Cause I don't fuckin need
em/ take em out the hood/ keep em lookin good/
But I don't fuckin feed em/… I'm a pimp in every sense of the word,
bitch… Just like the black exploitation films of the 1970's, many
rappers today have copied those same styles. Many lyrics discuss the
Pimpin' "game" and how the artists themselves are the biggest players.
From the lyrics on the radio to the music videos on You-tube, Black
male rappers have engaged in a visual assault on the minds and bodies
of Black women. An example of this imagery is displayed in west coast
rapper, Nate Dogg's song, I need me a bitch […] I need me a bitch who
ain't scared to flirt/I need me a bitch in the middle of the grocery
store she'll lift up her skirt/I need me a bitch like I need my crew/I
need me a bitch to pass on to my boys soon as I get through. The
suggested message in these lyrics is that women are simply seen as
objects through a Black male's interpretation and a White male lens.
Nate Dogg makes a reference to passing his "bitch" along to his
homeboys.
The uses of the word "hoes" and "bitches" have been used so rampantly
in Hip Hop culture. Snoop Dogg displays this demeaning connotation in
his song titled, Ain't No Fun […] I have never met a girl that I loved
in the whole wide world/ well if I gave a fuck about a bitch/ I'd
always be broke/ I'd never have no motherfuckin' Indo to smoke/ I have
no love for her/ that's something that I had in the past/ you're just
the latest ho/ now that pussy is mine/ so I'll fuck it a couple mo
times/ and then I'm through with it/ there is nothing else left to do
to it/ Pass it to the homies/ It ain't no fun if the homies can't have
none…




The term "bitches" and "ho's" that is displayed in the lyrics
replicate sexism and oppression within the Black community. "This
imagery shows that an underclass is not necessarily an enlightened
class (Mos Def 1999)."
Two music videos that clearly support the idea that African American
women experience misogyny and the exploitation of the body in Hip Hop
songs and videos. Juvenile's video, Back That Ass Up, overtly exposes
the image of a women being viewed as a sex object. The only thing that
the video highlights is the female's back side. Some of the faces of
the females in the video are never seen in the camera. The rapper
says, […] Girl you looks good/ won't you back that ass up you's a fine
motherfucker/ won't you back that ass up call me big daddy/ when you
back that ass up. Hoe who is you playing with/ back that ass up…
"These lyrics blatantly represent women, or a certain girl, as nothing
more than objects that men use for their pleasure (Shelton 107-116)."
Another music video that exposes women as none other then a object is
the song by Ludacris, titled: Money Maker. This video displays women
as money-hungry "bitches." There value in this video is placed at
little to nothing a less there measurements are 34-24-38. The rappers
lyrics says, […]you looking good in them jeans/ I bet you look even
better with me in between/ I keep my mind on my money/ money on my
mind… Let me give you some swimming lessons on the penis/
backstroke/ breaststroke/ stroke of a genius...
"The theory in some hip-hop songs desensitizes individuals to misogyny
and normalizes sexism (Coates 104-110)."





culture