Queen Latifah Song Analysis

The Hip Hop music industry is infamous for being controversial. In the article Hip Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women there’s a debate on whether the exploitation and constant verbal slander of women should be acceptable just because it sales records. It presents the question that why is it that male poverty breeds sexism? Even though women may have lived in the same environment males still see women as the enemy in their music in an effort to sell records.

In the essay, “Hip-Hop’s Betrayal Of Black Women”(221), by Jennifer McLune, she vents her feelings regarding hip-hop songs that are rhythmically diminishing the value of black women. She provides example on how the lyrics are being voiced and how hip-hop artists do not seem to care. Kevin Powell in “Notes of a Hip Hop Head” writes, “Indeed, like rock and roll, hip-hop sometimes makes you think we men don’t like women much at all, except to objectify them as trophy pieces or, as contemporary vernacular mandates, as baby mommas, chicken heads, or bitches” (221). There have been apologizes for what the rappers have said but nothing to resolve the dehumanization of black women. McLune informs the readers that hip-hop singers belittle black women and make them invisible. Jay-Z, a popular hip-hop artist is brought to center stage by McLune. The essay shows the example of a part of Jay-Z song that says, “I pimp hard on a trick, look Fuck if your leg broke bitch hop on your good foot” (222). This lyric is a perfect example of how hip-hop artist have no remorse in the words they sing. The hurt feelings and loss of self-esteem black women suffer, is of no concern to the rappers. McLune expresses that those who are underground hip-hop artist follow the footsteps on being sexist and using crude words in their lyrics just because they yearn and dream of being in the spotlight. Upcoming rappers want to be loved like Jay-Z and other famous notorious rappers.

In Joan Morgan’s article “Fly-Girls, Bitches and Hoes: Notes of a Hip Hop Feminist”, she shows the way rap music has changed through it popularity. The widespread appreciation of rap had negative impacts upon the black community. Morgan talks about this through her Feminist point of view. She focuses the topic on what rap music says about the African American culture in Hip Hop. Rap music and Hip Hop were invented through the pain of African Americans. Hip Hop and the Rap industry use sexism and machoism to express the long years of oppressive pain they went through by the hands of the white people. Especially for the black brothers who continue that oppression by using provocative words that degrade the black sisters. Morgan states that blame isn’t only on the brothers

Songs have been portraying society as far back in history as we can research. A song that exemplifies society in a positive way is the song “Straight Outta Vagina” by Pussy Riot on the album XXX. This song portrays women as strong and independent, it also outlines some of the amazing things women have done throughout history. This is shown though the imagery of women portrayed as vaginas. Throughout the song, there are many examples of how Pussy Riot defies gender stereotypes, fights gender norms, exemplifies gender performance, power, and violence.

Women have decided to consume hip hop regardless of the sexism and machismo of their rap artist spouses. Historically, black women who have sex with other women haven’t been recognized in the Black community. Also, the expectations are the same in hip hop culture because men reject lesbians. An example is the murder in 2003 of Sakia Gunn after she declared her lesbian identity to a group of males. We all know that in hip hop culture men predominate and precisely masculine. Women can achieve a higher professional success than men regarding no matter their sexual orientation. In other hand, women represent different controlling images like the whore, the mammy and temptress. Homophobia in hip hop is translated into forms of oppression, discrimination and violence for gays, lesbians and transgender. “Black women rappers interpret and articulate the fears, pleasures, and promises of young black women whose voices have been relegated to the margins of public discourse.” Their voices are in constant dialogue with the public and men rappers about sexual promiscuity, emotional commitment, infidelity, the drug trade, racial politics and black cultural history. If we pay close attention to female rappers, we will notice that they address questions of sexual power, economic opportunities and the pain of racism and sexism. Women rappers has been promoted as sexually progressive, antisexist voices because of “an understanding of male rappers as uniformly sexist.” Discussions of women

The essay, “From Fly-Girls to Bitches and Hos,” discusses the pervasive misogyny found in hip-hop lyrics.The author, Joan Morgan, argues that by comprehending what is occurring in the hip-hop culture to generate

Latifah states in the book, Hip Hop: Queen Latifah, “Sex sells: that’s common sense. It shows you’re lacking in talent. Positivity takes a bigger push. My positivity can sell (Snyder 26).” Words are not only influential but they can be very powerful when using the proper verbiage. These were words that African-American women desperately needed to know that they were worthy and deserving of respect. “Ladies First” a song by Latifah, is an illustration of centralizing a strong public black voice. Being the first political rap song by a female artist revealing how life as woman is powerful and how she does not need to indulge herself in the stereotypes that have been created for women of color. The words are proclamations for Black female unity, independence and power. Latifah’s lyrics signified ways in which African-American women can demand respect while having the talent to create intellectual

There are so many people in this world with no money; some of these people have the talent who also respect their money. Lorde is one of those people; her real name is Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O'Connor. She expresses in her song “Royals” she was not a wealthy person, and goes off to explain that she wants to rule the celebrities themselves because she thinks she is better than them. In her song, Lorde uses examples of a celebrity life style to criticize celebrity culture, and she claims she will not result to their culture because she was raised differently.

Tupac addresses both women and men in this first verse. His first point is to empower woman and let them know that they should be treated with respect. When they’re able to realize this they need to get out of any situation where a man is mistreating them. Once they’ve realized they’re worth more they’ll recognize their capable and strong enough to do anything on there own (like raise a child) without a man, especially one who disrespects them. Men are also addressed in the song as he encourages them to change they’re ways. Issues such as abortion, welfare, single parenting and rape are brought up in this verse. These are all heavy issues that directly affect women ultimately because of men, and certainly cause hardships in there lives. He

These types of women are typically disregarded as “hoes” in hip-hop culture so Trina employing this script to create rap music had the potential to be a targeted

An example of sexism in “HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats & Rhymes” is when rapper Nelly takes a credit card and slides it down a women’s buttocks. This is very demeaning to women because it shows a person as an object rather than a human being. The action that Nelly takes part in is almost like he is saying that a women is worth no more than a credit card machine. This goes back to the objectification of women, seeing them as tools of pleasure. Byron Hurt also shows how every day fans of hip-hop treat women in a negative way as well.

Latifah, presumably, denounces her role in the stereotype of the young, single, black mother, proclaiming that she is “livin’ positive/Not out here knocked up”. She later attacks the stigma surrounding black women on welfare, how they’re shamed

Although the genre of music is fairly new, the idea of rap is very old. What is classified as rap and hip-hop music was created thousands of years ago. Ancient African storytellers or “groits” used handmade instruments while communicating their stories in a fashion similar to what is seen as modern day rap music. The concept of speaking over music is rap music in its most rudimentary form. Rap has been created to provide an outlet for individuals to expose injustices, the artist’s thoughts and feelings of oppression, and their reaction to a dominant culture. They present those ideas in an artistic medium to a wide audience, those within their community and those far from it. Most commonly, rap aims to expose and comment on socio-political injustices, nationalism, or self-esteem. The rap genre was originally created by men, however female involvement; Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah and MC Lyte were some of the first female rappers, emerging on the previously male dominated scene in the 1980’s. Although the genre is typically male dominated, the involvement of women is bringing a new perspective and vision to the genre, instead of using blatant machismo, their life experiences as women are tied throughout their lyrics.

Throughout this semester, we’ve looked at different artists and their music. Much of hip hop and rap isn’t exactly woman friendly, and some could be called misogynist. This summer, a new rapper called Fetty Wap came onto the scene with his unexpected hit song “Trap Queen”, an ode to his significant other, who he pledges allegiance to, going on to say that she’s the love of his life and will get rich along with him by being his partner in the drug business. MC Lyte even calls him a “hip hop feminist”, saying that "He may have a very unique way of presenting his ideas, but he does love women". While Fetty Wap is part of a tradition of a select few hip hop artists who pen romantic odes (think Ja Rule, LL Cool J, and the Cash Money Millionaires),

Hip Hop is an artistic and cultural movement that emerged in the South Bronx’s African American and Caribbean communities in the 1970’s. The movement was embraced by various cultures in the United States and around the world. It served as an escape goat for the social, political, and economic turbulence in the South Bronx. With the outbreak of drugs, poverty, and gangs, Hip Hop became a tool for expressing complicated truths in the world. Thus, Hip Hop destabilized and reconfigured racial, gender, and ethical issues while influencing social and political movements in the world. This essay will examine why Hip Hop developed in the South Bronx, the process of creating the movement, and the changes that helped Hip Hop become the empowering culture it is today.