...Portrayal of Women in Rap and Music Videos :: 4 Works Cited Length: 1724 words (4.9 double-spaced pages) Rating: Blue Price: $24.95 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Misogyny and degradation of women is present in almost every genre of music, yet the one genre that completely revolves around demeaning women is rap. Over the years rap and rap music videos have continually become more sexual and degrading towards women. Rap has been criticized numerous times for this reason, and that is because rap is one of the most popular genres of music for the younger generations. It is more than a genre of music, it is a complete industry filled with clothing and other merchandise. The reason this constant demeaning of women exists is because rap as a genre that rewards the objectification of women. The excuses used to justify the misogyny in rap are incomplete and lack accurate support. The most effective way for this continuous cycle ends, is if the fight and protest comes from the women themselves. Men are the problem in the objectification of women but in order for it to stop, women need to step up and take control of the situation. Women need to act sooner rather than later because in recent years the rap industry has become more and more sexual. Ra... ... middle of paper ... ...Society 113 (2000): 255-69. JSTOR. 29 November 2009 . McLune, Jennifer. "Hip-Hop's Betrayal of Black Women." Perspective on Contemporary Issues. 5th...
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...Rap music contributes to violent crime due the offensive statements on its lyrics. Most of its songs contribute to women’s devaluation thorough stereotype, discrimination and illustrating them as objects. As a matter of fact, rap music is supported by this society throughout the use of languages that devalued women and by treating women’s bodies as objects. Tran R. (2016) argues, since childhood men are taught to see women as objects, but they are people with feelings, wants, and needs. Also, men are taught how to be a proper man and that women are weak, which make them feel superior than women. These are the principal factors that cause the violence against women, which creates indifference regarding women’s rights and safety. From a long...
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...The Transformation of Hip-Hop African American playwrights are writing about difficult topics that affect the hip-hop generation. In this paper, I will focus on the transformation of hip –hop through theatre in the work of Robert Alexander, A Preface to the Alien Garden, and the work of Kamilla Forbes, A Rhyme Deferred. These playwrights reflect the evolution and different elements of the hip-hop culture. There are many similarities and differences between them regarding themes, intent, definition of hip hop generation and black theatre, the impact each play has on the hip-hop generation, and the historical context of each play. Both playwrights do an amazing reflecting an accurate depiction of the hip-hop generation, which embodies gangster rap, regular hip-hop music, dance, and music. Kamilla Forbes is an actress, director, and playwright who wrote and directed Rhyme Deferred. She is the Founding Artistic Director of the Hip Hop Theatre Junction where she focuses on producing and creating works reflecting the hip-hop generation. Her thoughts and passion for hip hop and theatre and the idea that the new hip hop generation was not reflected through theatre, sparked her to began her story and write the play Rhyme Deferred. This highly energetic play engages the audience through dance and breaking down the “third wall” between the actors and the audience. Rhyme Deferred is the story of two brothers, both rappers. The older brother, Kain, is a mainstream rapper and becomes successful...
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...Rap/Hip-Hop: The Effects on Today’s Youth Brenda L. Williams-Capers Columbia Southern University English Composition II Professor Dana Taylor December 11, 2011 Abstract Rap/Hip-Hop first became popular among African American and Latinos among youth in the streets of New York during the 1970’s. It was their way of expressing themselves in a friendly manner in the form of speech, fashion, and personal style. Rap/Hip-Hop music was a way for them to get their message out, by telling stories of their lifestyles. However, over the years Rap/Hip-Hop music has become much more popular for its explicit lyrics, reference of drugs, alcohol and sexual explicit videos. Many may ask “Could Rap/Hip-Hop music have a negative influence on today’s youth, because of its unhealthy messages”? This research paper will examine the effects of rap/hip-hop music on today’s youth and whether or not it has a negative influence. Brenda L. Williams-Capers Professor Dana Taylor English Composition II December 11, 2011 Over the year’s many researchers have conducted studies on the effects of rap/hip-hop on today’s youth. The results have been mixed; however there are indications that some forms of Rap/Hip-Hop music could have negative influence on today’s youth. This is due to the fact that youth start to adapt the negative aspects of the gangster rap, by displaying aggressive behaviors and committing crimes of violence. Rap gets a bad rap because some songs contain explicit lyrics...
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...What would you do if I Rhymed out of Tune? One of the main channels where Americans speak out about race, violence and culture, is Hip-Hop music. This is a place where the music is dominated by black artists, yet most of its sales/profits are to whites in America. Is it because white people just like the beat and lyrics of the music, or are they trying to identify with a society they have never known? in spite of its popularity among white listeners, you don’t see the murder rate among young white males increasing because they identify with it. Some might argue that music could never inspire an individual to act in a certain way or someone to kill. However, some could also debate, if music can make you feel happiness or tranquil, then it might also motivate one to violence or invoke aspirations to kill. Byron Hurt, the Filmmaker of “Hip-Hop, Beyond beats and Rhymes,” talks about a “Box” that Hip-Hop puts men in with its lyrics and by the gangsters the music videos embody showing what a real man should desire to be, in his film. “In order to be in that box, men have to be strong, tough, have a lot of girls and money. Men have to be a player or pimp, they have to be in control and dominate other people, because if men are not those things, then they are called soft, weak, a pussy, chump or faggot, and nobody wants to be any of those things so they stay inside the box.” (Byron Hurt) Hip-Hop’s impractical ideas of manhood have become a box resembling a prison, the same...
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...Throughout the decades, notably from the 1970s to the present, America has experienced its changes through the influence of hip-hop culture. Cultural hip-hop talks about real-life experiences of subjects such as gangster mafia violence, drugs, degrading of women, and many other realistic, pessimistic values, whether the artist has experienced those situations or not. Currently, the public has opened their ears to a whole new level by listening to the ludicrous lyrics of some of the mediocre, modern-day hip-hop and rap artists. Due to much of the publicity, some of these artists are put on such a high pedestal that they go to extremes by acting out their music and wind up being horrible role models, ruining the names they made for themselves. On the other hand, some artists in hip-hop culture see a political trend form and decide to incite it with heart-grasping lyrics that pertain to the governmental issues. From the 1970s to current times, there is a pattern emerging that Americans are willing to listen to politically subjected songs that hip-hop artists have written as signs of political trends. America’s changes through hip-hop culture have had some influences on the government and public as a whole through significantly realistic lyrics, violence, and trend-setters. Since 1979, when Sugarhill Gang came out with “Rapper’s Delight”, hip-hop music has been “all the rage” for about three decades (Blanchard 1). Hip-hop came from the different genres of jazz, gospel,...
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...intend to distinguish the mass outlook of black people in America. It is incredible that this single genre of music has transformed into a vital communication mechanism for an entire race and may even become larger in future generations of African American people. The other races, in America, have gotten an idea of African Americans through the controversial rap music in which black people use to communicate with each other, and outsiders; the non-blacks. The study revolves mainly around the attitudes which have deemed as common in the black culture; rap music has always been open for interpretation which can lead to danger. The music has become so popular and influential to the youth that many crimes have been linked to the music which fuels an efficient form controversy in America. Do people receive the negative aspects of rap more than the positive aspects? If so, then why? Also, why are the positive approaches of hip hop not made commercial rather than the sex, drugs, and violence? There is belief that the music has a great influence on how the other races in America view the black culture. It is not certain whether rap music is more negative than positive, but it is obviously a notorious topic for many reasons, no matter the race. The studies propose that the behavior of blacks in America is greatly influenced by hip hop music that can easily be perceived in forms of criminal activity, sex, greed, and ignorance. This is also a problem that can be observed in any environment...
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...Music Video Effects on its Listeners EN 1320 / Composition I Music Video Effects on its Listeners Some would argue that these videos are simply a way for musical artists to express themselves in a way that they normally could not with just music, but statistics and research would argue otherwise. Studies have shown that a vast majority of music videos today have a negative impact on adolescents. These videos have a large influence on how teens view themes such as sex, drugs, violence and even influence their behaviors like how they see themselves and how they think they should fit in by establishing gender stereotypes. These themes are very dangerous as most of today’s youth get their information from the media. While some music videos are seen as an art form, they force much of today’s teens to hold very unrealistic views of life by skewing what their priorities and goals should be. Today’s music and its videos have a huge influence on many factors of a young adolescent’s life. One aspect in particular is sex. Studies have shown that sexual content appears in more than 75% of the videos being viewed (Ashby, 2005). Needless to say, this is a very high exposure of sexual content in music videos. The dangerous part of this is that young impressionable minds are viewing these videos and getting most of their information about sex and life decisions from the media instead of from parents. The danger is shown in other...
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...Violence is one of the most damaging acts that society often faces. By instilling fear and creating distrust, violence has become a prominent problem in society. Gangs use violence as a primary operating procedure to gain power and regulate drug sales. Gang violence is a domain expansion of the general social problem of violence. Gang activity is very prevalent in lower income neighborhoods and ethnic ghettos where underprivileged children are often recruited. Economic hardships often fall on families with children under the age of 18. Poverty stricken adolescences commonly resort to gangs because a gang can give youth a sense of control and a way to make money. Youth that are craving a role model can seek this out in a gang. Uniting as a gang is a way many oppressed individuals overcome prejudices. A gang can offer its members a sense of protection and belonging. Many of the inequalities that gang members fight against stem from racism and from the fact that they are of a minority group. In this nation there is a high value placed on being "white". Ore claims that inequality stems from the values we as a society attach to the differences we see between us and other people. The key way that gangs lash out against this inequality is through violence. Violence has become a standard operating procedure with in gangs. "Gang violence appeared to be motivated by a desire for material gain and a related desire to exert control over public facilities and resources." (Miller 1977) The...
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...statement. In regards to its contribution, literature from famous black authors has served to better achieve integration through education of its audience on the black reality. Secondly, high school and university courses such as African Studies classes also illustrate how nowadays integration is achieved through cultural text as opposed to political agitation. Additionally, scholarly writings such as the article “The Multicultural Wars” by Hazel Carby serve to educate the audience on the impact of black popular culture on achieving integration and the needed continuing efforts to achieve full integration. Lastly, black popular culture has also used the channels of movies and television to achieve integration rather than resort to violence and political agitation to achieve the same outcome. However,...
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...THE MEANING OF 'INDEPENDENT WOMAN'' IN MUSIC MiA MOODY Introduction Rapper Roxanne Shanté's 1989 rendition of "Independent Woman," explored relationships and admonished women not to dote on partners who do not reciprocate or to buy into the fairytale dream that a man would always take care of them. The definition of an "Independent Woman" in the Urban Dictionary, a predominantly African American written and defined Web site, is "A woman who pays her own bills, buys her own things, and does not allow a man to affect her stability or self-confidence. She supports herself on her own entirely and is proud to be able to do so." Another depiction of independence is found in Tina Portis' video clip titled the "Deception of the Independent Woman" posted to YouTube in 2010. Portis, an entrepreneur and former single mother, offers her opinion on statistics showing 42% of U.S. black women have never been married and are "independent" because they focus on achievement, often waiting too long to compete for the small number of black men who are equal in status (Johnson, 2010). In the video, she asserts that independent women do not need a pat on the back for doing what grownups are supposed to do: pay their bills, buy houses and cars, etc. She adds that independence discourages relationships as people begin to believe they can do everything alone, so they do not need a mate. Mia Moody, PhD, is a professor of journalism at Baylor University. She is the author of ...
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...society, the genres of rap and R&B are one of the most popular forms of music. Conversely, the ideas and lyrics of many songs fall into these genres tend to be violent, offensive, vulgar and sexist. We can see that sexism in rap music is apparent through the negative portrayal of women found in both the lyrics and music videos. This is an important issue because rap is so popularized today that these negative depictions of women, especially African American women, is potentially giving its viewers the idea that it is acceptable to treat women in such demeaning ways. Most of the time, we do not comprehend the message that is being sent through songs we listen to. We as society need to become more conscious of the music we listen to. Over the years, rap and rap music videos have repetitively become more and more sexual and degrading towards women. Rap has been criticized various times for this reason. The excuses used to justify the misogyny in rap are inadequate and lack accurate support. The most effective way for this continuous cycle to end is if the fight and protest comes from the women themselves. Men are the problem in the objectification of women but in order for it to stop, women need to step up and take control of the situation. Misogyny and degradation of women does exist in almost every genre of music, yet the Elmhorst 2 one genre that completely revolves around belittling women is rap. The topic of women being negatively portrayed in rap music is a topic that...
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...IS HIP HOP DEAD? Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………………..2 1.FOOTSTEPS/ BRIEF HISTORY ……………………………………………………….3 2.THE HIP HOP GAME/ INDUSTRY ………………………………………………….7 3. UNDERGROUND ………………………………………………………………………..10 5. SAMPLING …………………………………………………………………………………11 6. CREATIVITY IN THE TWO WORLDS ……………………………………………..13 7.SALVATION …………………………………………………………………………………16 CONCLUSION …………………………………………………………………………………17 BIBLIOGRAPHY INTRODUCTION The phrase “Hip-Hop Is Dead” can be found everywhere around hip hop community discussions during the last years. Rapper “Nas” titled his eighth album in 2006 with this statement, and has caused a controversy among rap artists and listeners all over the world. But comparing today`s hip hop music with the roots of hip hop can we really claim that hip-hop is really dead? If so, what are the facts that lead in the death of hip hop? What does its demise mean for the average fan? How to bring it back? Does it mean the genre will go down in irrelevance like what happened in disco music? All these questions will be investigated during this paper, and to understand this complicate statement itself, we should figure out what the statement really means. Maybe it is the fact that most of the genre’s songs and music videos look exactly the same. Maybe it’s the mainstream hip-hop game’s emphasis in ridiculously shinning jewelry, the sexism and the focus on money and women. Better yet, according to Mickey Hess, “hip-hop’s...
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...the record business and eventually finding Atlantic records with Herb (Greenfield, 2011: 40; Goodman, 1997). But not all independent record labels were third rate crooks, Morris Levy, started from an independent record company, Roulette and was an important figure in the early stages of the music business (Dannen, 1990). He was described as the octopus of the music industry with his influences and connections, especially with the mafia who were heavily influential in many parts of the States. This would set the precedent for the future rap industry in which the themes of alcohol, stripper, violence and drugs are common and run by gangsters. Also part of Levy’s powers also came from his understanding of copyrights of tracks and the fundamental roles as the core business assets in which Levy would leverage. One of the people that was influenced by Levy was Peter Grant, the manager of Led Zeppelin (Welch, 2003). Welch explores the influential roles that Grant played in Led Zeppelin’s ascend to fame and also the relationship...
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...issues are increasing continuously. Technology was originally invented to make our lives easier and less demanding but as it keeps advancing, our social and physical well being also environment keep on worsening. This paper examines the roles of media in helping the degradation of society in the digital period and ways for society...
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