The Words Have Changed But the Ideology Remains the Same: Misogynistic Lyrics in Rap Music Author(s): Terri M. Adams and Douglas B. Fuller Source: Journal of Black Studies, Vol. 36, No. 6 (Jul., 2006), pp. 938-957 Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40034353 . Accessed: 14/10/2011 11:41 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Sage Publications, Inc. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Black Studies. http://www.jstor.org THE WORDS HAVE CHANGED BUT THE IDEOLOGY REMAINS THE SAME Misogynistic Lyrics in Rap Music TERRIM. ADAMS DOUGLAS B. FULLER Howard University Rap music emergedas an aestheticculturalexpression of the urbanyouth in the late 1970s. It has been denoted as the poetry of the youth who are often disregardedas a resultof theirraceandclass status.Since it firstcame on the music scene, rap has gone througha numberof phases, and it has been used as a mediumto expressa varietyof ideas, feelings, andemotions. Hope, love, fear,anger,frustration,pride,violence, andmisogyny have all been expressedthroughthe mediumof rap.This articleexaminesthe use of misogynisticideology in gangstarapandtracesthe connectionbetweenits prevalencein rap and the largerculturalpictureof how AfricanAmerican women have been characterizedhistorically. Keywords: misogyny;hip-hop;rap music; women The misogynistlyrics of gangstaraparehatefulindeed,butthey do notrepresenta new trendin Blackpopularculture,nordo theydiffer fundamentallyfrom woman-hatingdiscourses that are common amongWhitemen. The dangerof this insightis thatit mightbe read as an apology for Black misogyny. -Johnson (1996) Music historicallyhas been a mediumfor humansocial expression. This social expression can take many forms, from triumph andhope to utterfrustrationanddespair.Regardlessof the catalyst thatcreatesit, music servesto stimulatethe mind, stirthe soul, and JOURNALOF BLACKSTUDIES, Vol. 36 No. 6, July 2006 938-957 DOI: 10.1177/0021934704274072 © 2006 Sage Publications 938 Adams, Fuller/ MISOGYNISTICRAP LYRICS 939 elicit emotions.It has been saidthatmusic is a reflectionof the culturaland political environmentfrom which it is born. Rap music emergedas anaestheticculturalexpressionof urbanAfricanAmerican youth in Bronx, New York, in the late 1970s. It has been denotedas the poetry of the youth who are often disregardedas a resultof theirrace and class. As Rose (1994) states, tonegotiatetheexperiences HipHopis a culturalformthatattempts of marginalization, truncated andoppression brutality, opportunity, of AfricanAmericanandCaribbean withintheculturalimperatives history,identity,andcommunity, (p. 21) Since its emergenceon the music scene, raphas undergonea variety of transformations.It has been used as a mediumfor expressing a varietyof ideas, feelings, and emotions. Althoughrapmusic has been on the open commercialmarketsince the late 1970s, overt misogynyin rapdid not emergein this genreof music untilthe late 1980s. Lyricistssuch as Ice T, N.W.A., and 2 Live Crew weaved suchlyrics into manyof theirrapsongs. Since its emergencein rap, misogynyhas become a constantfeaturein the worksof severalartists. This articleexaminesthe use of misogynisticideology in rap music and traces the connection between its use in rap and the largerculturalpictureof how AfricanAmericanwomen have been characterizedhistorically. WHAT IS MISOGYNY AND MISOGYNISTIC GANGSTA RAP MUSIC? Misogyny is the hatredor disdain of women. It is an ideology thatreduceswomen to objects for men's ownership,use, or abuse. It diminisheswomen to expendablebeings. This ideology is widespreadandcommonthroughoutsociety. As JoanSmith(1991) has stated, Misogynywearsmanyguises,revelsitselfin differentformswhich aredictatedbyclass,wealth,education, race,religionandotherfacis its pervasiveness, tors,butits chiefcharacteristic (p. xvii) 940 JOURNALOF BLACK STUDIES/ JULY 2006 Misogyny in gansta rap is the promotion,glamorization,support, humorization,justification, or normalizationof oppressive ideas aboutwomen.In this genreof rapmusic, women(specifically AfricanAmericanwomen)1are reducedto mere objects- objects thatareonly good for sex and abuseand areultimatelya burdento men. In rap, this ideology reveals itself in many ways, from mild innuendoesto blatantstereotypicalcharacterizationsand defamations. Whateverform the characterizationstake- whethermild or extreme- provides the listener with derogatoryviews of women. These views ultimately support,justify, instill, and perpetuate ideas, values, beliefs, and stereotypesthatdebase women. Much of what is consideredto be misogynistic rapusually has one or moreof the following six themes:(a) derogatorystatements about women in relationto sex; (b) statementsinvolving violent actionstowardwomen,particularlyin relationto sex; (c) references of womencausing"trouble"for men;(d) characterization of women as "users"of men;(e) referencesof womenbeing beneathmen;and (f) referencesof women as usableanddiscardablebeings.Although this list is not exhaustive,the categoriescapturethe essence of the generalthemes expressedin this genre of music. The gist of these themesreflectshow women in misogynisticraparereducedto subhumanbeings, subjectsnot worthyof respect,love, orcompassion. THEROOTSOF MISOGYNISTICIDEOLOGY Misogynistic ideas expressedin music are not a unique or new phenomenon.Themusicworldhasbeen saturatedwithmisogynistic imagery- fromcountrymusicianslamentingabouthow some "no good woman kicked him out, sold his truck,took his money, and slept with his best friend"to rock-n-rollersscreamingabouttheir latest groupie sexual conquest- misogynistic convictions have alwayshad a home withinthe music industry.Likethe misogynistic music before it, misogynisticraphas been acceptedandallowedto flourish, generatingwealth for some of the artistsand the music industryas a whole. Lyriciststhatuse misogyny get plenty of airtime on the radio, and their videos are often in heavy rotationon Adams, Fuller/ MISOGYNISTICRAP LYRICS 94 1 music video television stations(i.e., MTV andBET). Althoughthe expletives are often edited, the misogynistic overtonesare overtly clearto the listener.Manyof these artistsaretoutedas greatcelebrities (i.e., Dr.Dre,Ice T, SnoopDogg, andIce Cube).Thepopularity of theseindividualshas openedthe doorsfor lucrativecareersin the film industry,with many rapartistsstarringin films in which they mirrortheirmusic personas. Thereseems to be a definitetrendamongsome rapartists(not all rapartists,of course),wheremisogynisticthemesareused in a variety of forms,frommild innuendoesto extremeandexcessively blatant defamations.In some rap songs whose overall theme is not misogynistic, artistsoften referto women as bitches or hoes- Jay Z's "Money,Cash,Hoes" and Kurupt's"WeCan FreakIt"aretwo of manyexamples.Althoughthe overallthemesof the songs arenot aboutwomen,these songs use derogatorytermsto referto women. Although music is powerful, music is only a reflection of social relations and culture; thus, misogynistic views have a cultural ratherthana musicalvalue.As RobertaHamilton( 1987) has stated, Misogynyis not a wordusefulsimplyfor describingparticularly butratheritdirectsustoa setof relations,attinastybitsof behavior, tudes,andbehaviorsthatareembeddedwithinallothersocialrelations,(p. 123) Thus,misogynyin its variedformsdoes not exist in a vacuumbutis insteada partof a largersocial, cultural,andeconomic system that sustainsand perpetuatesthe ideology. To properlyanalyzethe culturalcomponents,one mustnot look at small subsetsof culturefor answers;rather,one mustlook at the dominantculturethathas an immeasurableinfluenceon all aspects of society and subsets of the dominantculture.This leads one to question,Whatcausedthis developmentof misogynisticlanguage in gangsta rap, and why is there such intense hatredfor African Americanwomen in this genre of music? To understandthis, one mustunderstandthe developmentof misogynistic values in correspondencewith the historyof the Africanin America. 942 JOURNALOF BLACK STUDIES/ JULY 2006 In discussingmisogynyin gangstarap,we mustnot divorceourselves from the historyof misogynisticideology, for this is an ideology thatreachesfar back into history.However,for the purpose of this article,therewill be a limiteddiscussionof the historyof this phenomenonwithin the confines of the United States and its relation to AfricanAmericanwomen. Misogynistic orientationshave a long history in the United States- one intricatelytied to racializedthemes.The imageryprojected in misogynistic rap has its roots in the developmentof the capitalist patriarchalsystem based on the principles of White supremacy,elitism,racism,andsexism.A systemthatis patriarchal not in the sense of family lineage being tracedthroughthe father, but patriarchalin the sense of dominationand rule by men. This system was the blueprintused for the economic, political, and social structuringof the United States (hooks, 1981): - formedthebaseof the Institutionalized sexism,thatis, patriarchy Americansocial structurealongwithracialimperialism. Sexism was an integralpartof the socialpoliticalorderwhitecolonizers homelands,(p. 15) broughtwiththemfromtheirEuropean Withinthe confines of capitalism,the doctrineof misogyny has become a fine-tunedsystematizedideology thathas permeatedall aspects of society and culture. This philosophy historically has been legitimatedand perpetuatedby the economic, political, and social structuralinstitutions, which ultimately is reflected and supportedin culture.These types of convictions have oppressed women of color, the poor, and women of all colors alike. Use of misogynisticideology in rapis a resultof widespreadracist and sexist dogmas (for example, the images of the Sapphire, Jezebel,etc., which will be discussedlater)colonizingthe mindsof African Americansand Americansin general. Racializedmisogyny has permeatedandbecome a partof America'sconsciousness, and it has had a profoundeffect on the inner psyche of African Americansas the ideology feeds off of not only hatredof women but also hatredtoward Blackness, which serves as a two-edged Adams, Fuller/ MISOGYNISTICRAP LYRICS 943 sword. These beliefs have their roots in the racially and sexually oppressivecapitalisticpatriarchalsystem (hooks, 1994): Thesexist,misogynist,patriarchal waysof thinkingandbehaving valthatareglorifiedingangstaraparea reflectionof theprevailing uesin oursociety,valuescreatedandsustainedby whitesupremaAs thecrudestandmostbrutalexpression cistcapitalistpatriarchy. of sexism,misogynisticattitudestendto be portrayed by thedominantcultureas anexpressionof maledeviance.In realitytheyare of patriarnecessaryforthemaintenance partof a sexistcontinuum, chalsocialorder,(p. 2) Whereasmisogynyis presentin variousformsin culturesaround the globe, to understandhow it is relatedto the demonizingof African American women in America, one must realize how it was "raciallyloaded"in Americain orderto obtainmaximumeffectiveness. By raciallyloadingmisogynisticideology,the AfricanAmerican woman has been hated for being both Black and woman (White, 1985): Theuniquenessof theAfricanAmericanfemale'ssituationis that shestandsatthecrossroadsof twoof themostwelldevelopedideologiesin America,thatregardingwomenandthatregardingthe Negro,(p. 27) Thisracializedhatredandsexism has its rootsin some of the myths thatwereused, andcontinueto be used, to stereotypeandsubjugate AfricanAmericanwomen. Since the beginningof the institutionof slavery,AfricanAmericanwomenhavebeen majortargetsof racial and sexual stereotypicaland detrimentalpropaganda. Since the foundingof the United States, myths and stereotypes were createdto legitimize the racialand sexualoppressionof African American women. Being both Black and female, African American women became the ultimate "other,"which allowed White patriarchyto use this difference as justification for their oppressivebehaviors.In hercritiqueof earlyAmericanliteraturein Playing in the Dark, ToniMorrison(1993) explainshow the presence of Africans created for the White American mind a broad 944 JOURNALOF BLACK STUDIES/ JULY 2006 rangeof contractpossibilitiesto upholdWhitenessin directopposition to Blackness: Blackslaveryenrichedthe country'screativepossibilities.Forin couldbe foundnot theconstruction of blacknessandenslavement The result wasa playground the not free the not-me. but, also, only fortheimagination. Whatroseupoutof thecollectiveneedsto ally wasanAmeriinternalfearsandtorationalize externalexploitation - a fabricated canAfricanism brewof darkness,otherness,alarm, anddesirethatis uniquelyAmerican,(p. 38) Thus, Black women served (andcontinueto serve) as the ultimate other in the Americanimagination,whereby White women were exaltedfor theirdifferencein the backdropof theirown oppression as women.Thispositioningprovidedthe spaceforWhitewomento feel auspicious in the face of their own oppression, while at the sametime they felt free to ignorethe oppressionof theirdarkersisters underthe guise of racial supremacy. It was out of this process thatracializedmythsaboutwho Black women are were created and accepted by the Americanmasses. Images such as the Mammy,the Sapphire,the tragicMulatto,the Matriarch,and the Jezebel were createdto predisposethe general Americancultureto the acceptanceof the racialandsexualoppression of AfricanAmericanwomen. For the purposeof this article, we will discuss the Sapphireand the Jezebel stereotypes.These images are regularlyfound (in theirmodernizedversion)in many misogynistic rap lyrics. The image of the Sapphireis analogousto the Mammyimage. That is, the Sapphiregrew out of the perpetuationof the Mammy image. The Mammy figure has a long history in the American mind, as she is perhapsthe most notable stereotype.She is generally depictedas an overweight,dark-skinnedwoman who appears to be asexual.Her majormission in life is to please the Whitefamily she worksfor, andshe enjoys tendingto Whitechildrenmoreso thanshe does her own. Morton(1991) refersto the Sapphireas the "postwarMammy";she was the Black female figurein the popular radioand latertelevision series, "AmosandAndy."Morton,in her book DisfiguredImages, states (1991), Adams, Fuller/ MISOGYNISTICRAP LYRICS 945 With"coloredfolks"this caricaturedfigurebecame a bossy "black bitch,"althoughremaininga faithful servantto the white family. Thus, the Mammy became an explicitly matriarchalfigure who "wore the pants"in her own home and made a fool of her man. Althoughlikenedto the Mammyfigure,the sapphireis not asexual, (p. 7) According to this stereotypical view, the Sapphire (in rap, referred to as "the bitch") is an African American woman who dominates her entire household including her man. The Sapphire can be described as a socially aggressive woman who tries through manipulation to control her man. She is filled with attitude, has a fiery tongue, and she squashes the aspirations of her man or men in general. The Jezebel (referred to as the "ho" [whore] in rap) represents a loose, sexually aggressive woman. The Jezebel wants and accepts sexual activity in any form from men, and she often uses sex as a means to get what she wants from men. This image provides a rationale for the history of sexual assaults on African American women. Lerner (1972) states, To sustainit (sexual exploitation),in the face of the nominalfreedom of blackmen, a complex systemof supportivemechanismsand sustainingmythswere created A mythwas createdthatall black women were eager for sexual exploits, voluntarily"loose"in their morals and, therefore, deserved none of the consideration and respectgrantedto white women. Everyblack woman was, by definition,a slutaccordingto thisracistmythology;therefore,to assault her andexploit her sexually was not reprehensibleand carriedwith it none of the normalcommunal sanctions against such behavior, (p. 163) The Sapphire and the Jezebel images (along with other derogatory images of African American women) have blended together to create a mythology that has cast African American women as the enemy of African American men, White women, and the general American public. These images serve the purpose of not only justifying the actions of the power elite, but they also have the power of casting blame for economic, political, and social subordination on 946 JOURNALOF BLACK STUDIES/ JULY 2006 the victim ratherthanthe perpetrator.Thatis, the racist,sexist, and elitist capitalistsystem is not viewed as the core perpetratorof the living conditionsof many AfricanAmericans,but insteadAfrican Americansthemselves are blamed for not fitting into the proper structuresof society (Collins, 1990): By meshingsmoothlywith systemsof race, class, and gender oppression,they[negativeimagesandstereotypes] provideeffective ideologicaljustificationsfor racialoppression,thepoliticsof andthe economicexploitationinherentin gendersubordination, capitalisteconomies,(p. 78) The Sapphireandthe Jezebel images, along with otherdepictions, haveseepedinto the consciousnessof America(in boththepastand the present)andareacceptedas truthsby many.Althoughindividuals may say, "I don't buy into stereotypical ideologies," some aspect of theirconsciousness taps into this mythology. The acceptance of these myths and stereotypes is evident throughoutdominantAmericancultureand literature.For example, drawingon the stereotypeof the matriarch,E. FranklinFrazier ( 1948) andPatrickMoynihan( 1965), in theirfamousstudieson the Black family,suggestthatthe deteriorationof the Black familywas due in partto the Black woman'sdominancein the family andher failure to fulfill her traditionalwomanly duties, thus placing the blamefor certainproblemsin the AfricanAmericancommunityon the shouldersof AfricanAmericanwomen.Anotherexampleof the acceptanceandusage of stereotypicalcharacterizationsof African Americanwomen is witnessed in William Julius Wilson's book, The TrulyDisadvantaged(1987), which was touted as a seminal work in urbansociology among many scholarsand the American press. In this examinationof the AfricanAmericanurbanpoor in Chicago,theportrayalsof poorinner-cityAfricanAmericanwomen and their"ghettospecific"behaviorsrely heavily on stereotypical depictionsof AfricanAmericanwomen as welfare queens. Evidenceof the continuedperpetuationof the stereotypicalpropagandaaboutAfricanAmericanwomen can be found when one dissects the political attackon the welfaresystem in the late 1990s. This attacklargelyrestedon the myths of both the welfaremother Adams, Fuller/ MISOGYNISTICRAP LYRICS 947 and the Jezebel- the face placed on thatissue was thatof a single unemployedAfricanAmericanwoman who has had a numberof childrenbornout of wedlock. Variousmediumsdepicteda preponderanceof African American welfare recipients despite the fact thatWhites accountedfor the majorityof individualson welfareat the time of the attackon the system.The depictionsmentionedhere areonly a few of the manypossible examplesof how stereotypical characterizationsof African American women have tapped into America's predisposition to accept racist and sexist ideologies aboutwho AfricanAmericanwomen areas a group.Thus,the negativeandstereotypicalimagesof AfricanAmericanwomenarestill pervasive- and they continue to carry a great deal of social and political power. RAPPIN' TO OPPRESS: MISOGYNY IN RAP MUSIC Currentillustrationsof racistandsexist mythscanbe seen in various forms of literature,music, television programming,and general social interaction.Althoughthe terminologyandpresentation have changed, the content of the original idea has remainedthe same.These mythscame from outsidethe AfricanAmericancommunity and serve the purpose of empoweringthose who created them. As a result of the great shapingeffect the dominantculture has on all componentsof society, many in the African American communityhaveinternalizedthesemythsandstereotypes.RodgersRose (1980) states, anduse suchfalsedefiniIt is easyforBlackpeopleto internalize hasinternalized tionsof themselves.Totheextentthatanindividual withtheoppositesex thesedefinitions,his/hermodeof interaction will be affected,(p. 253) Thus, we see these internalizedmyths and stereotypesin gangsta rap. Myth versus reality has been a battle that African American womenhavehadto contendwith for ages. Steadily,the Jezebeland 948 JOURNALOF BLACK STUDIES/ JULY 2006 the Sapphireimages have been replacedby the termsbitch andho in the use of languageand imageryas a means of oppressingAfrican Americanwomen in misogynistic rap.These termshave been aroundfor ages, but theiruse has increasinglybecome a means of defining women. Today, the Sapphire concept, represented as the bitch in misogynistic rap, takes the form of a money-hungry,scandalous, manipulating,and demandingwoman. The bitch is a woman who thinksof no one but herself and is willing to do anythingto obtain materialpossessions. Currently,the Jezebelconceptis represented as the ho. In rap,the ho is very much like the bitch. These images areoften synonymous.The ho is illustratedas a sex objectthatcan be used and abusedin any form to satisfy the sexual desires of a man. The ho's entire self-image is wrappedup in doing anything for a man, often for the attainmentof materialpossessions. She is generallydepicted as a person with no conscious, no self-esteem, and no values. Rap artistswho use misogynistic imageryin theirmusic probably do so for a varietyof reasons.First,misogynisticlyricists,like other Americans,have been influencedby the dominantculture's views aboutwho AfricanAmericanwomen areas a groupand,particularly,aboutwho they are sexually.As statedearlier,manyhave internalizednegativestereotypesand images of AfricanAmerican women. Using such lyrics allows the male artiststo boost themselves while degradingtheirfemale counterparts.The subjugation of African American women allows these artists to exalt themselves in a world thatconstantlyoppressesthem. Thus, the degradationof AfricanAmericanwomen lyricallyprovidesthese artists a means for assertingtheir masculinity.As stated by Zora Neal Hurston(1995), "[Blackwomen] arethe mules of the world."African Americanwomen have been and continueto be the means by which others assert their sense of importance.As hooks (1981) states, In patriarchal societymen are conditionedto channelfrustrated aggressionin the directionof thosewithoutpower- womenand children,(p. 15) Adams, Fuller/ MISOGYNISTICRAP LYRICS 949 It is also evident from the sales records of such artistsas Jay-Z, SnoopDoggy Dog, andKurupt(who use suchlyrics in theirmusic) that this ideology is lucrativein the music industry.Some artists may use such lyrics to gain status,recognition, and high volume sales- whentheymaynotpersonallybelieve in whatthey espouse. CAN YOU FEEL THE PAIN? EXAMPLES OF MISOGYNISTIC RAP LYRICS The following are excerptsfrom misogynistic rap songs. These lyrics provide examples of how misogynistic ideology manifests itself in rap.Whereasthe lyrics arehighly controversialand offensive, they displaythe type of materialthathas been andis currently being produced by major recording studios. It should be mentioned thatoften in rapmusic, as with the historicalusage of these characterizations,the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, suchthatthe Jezebel/hoandthe Sapphire/bitchhave sharedcharacteristics.So what is importantis not how well these characterizations fit a particulardefinitionbut ratherhow they reflect misogynistic ideology as a whole. Althoughthe termsbitch and ho and theirdefinitionsare being used to describe a certaintype of woman (as some artistsclaim), their use and the images they create oppress women as a group. This is because the blurringof the lines between bitch and ho can also lead to the blurringof the lines of varyingfemalepersonalities. Thereis a doublestandardfor men andwomen, andwhatis acceptable for a man might label a woman in derogatoryterms. The first excerpts come from N.W.A.'s last and final release, Niggaz 4 Life.N.W.A. was one of the firstcelebratedgroupsto use misogynyin theirlyrics, andthey becamesynonymouswith "hardcore"lyrics. Althoughwe will only deal with one of N.W.A's creationsin this article,the CD in its entiretyis a dedicationto murder, rebellion, and misogynistic ideology. The first example is an excerptfrom a song entitled,"She SwallowedIt"(N.W.A., 1991). The entiretyof this song discusses women in termsof humiliating, degrading,and violent sexual acts: 950 JOURNALOF BLACK STUDIES/ JULY 2006 Thisis a bitchwhodidthewholecrew. . . Andshe'lllet youvideotapeher Andif yougot a gangof niggaz Thebitch'11let yourapeher The woman depictedin this song is characterizedas a Jezebel/ ho, as the lyrics describe a nymphomaniacwho can be used and abusedsexually.Furthermore,it suggests the idea thatwomen (or arguably,some women) are subhumans,who willingly perform degradingacts. Last, the lyrics suggest that rape is an activity in which women voluntarilyparticipate. The next excerptfrom a more recentlyproducedsong entitled, "Headin Advance,"from the CD Juve the Great, performedby Juvenile(2003), is anotherexampleof the celebrationof misogyny, as the lyricist boasts about using violence against women. This exampleillustratesthe use of violence againstwomenas a meansto confrontwhatis deemedimproperbehavior.It shouldbe notedthat the lyrics of this song also have sexual overtones,anotherexample of the fusion of sex and violence. I likehavingrelations I puncha bitchin theheadforplayingwithmy patience I makea localhoe turnhashinhadme atthe station TheyhatingsayingthatI violatedmy probation The third example is from a song entitled, "Bitches From Eastwick,"from the CD Money,Power,& Respect, performedby the groupknown as The Lox: FromtheJacuzzito thebed Wefuckeduntilbe bothgot woozy. . . I smeltbreakfastin thekitchenbutwherewazthebitch I walkedin thereit wascheeseeggs andgritson thetable. . . Witha notesayinsorryI hadto robyoubabybut I needcashlikeyouI ain'tno ordinaryslut. . . The woman describedin this song is depictedas both a Jezebel/ho anda Sapphire/bitch.She is a Jezebel/hobecauseher sexualvalues Adams, Fuller/ MISOGYNISTICRAP LYRICS 95 1 areplacedinto questionas she is depictedas havingsex with a man she hardlyknows; at the same time, she is also a Sapphire/bitch because she uses this encounterto steal money. The last example,"Busta Nut,"fromthe CD UncleLuke,is performedby the lateNotoriousB .I.G.andLukeCampbell( 1996, also knownas Uncle Luke)- who was atthe forefrontof the debateover the right to freedomof expressionin musical content in the early 1990s (as his lewd and misogynistic lyrics came underattackby political activistsand politicians): I got a bitchthatsuckmy dick 'tillI nut Spitit on my gutandslurpthatshitup Ain'tthata slut,(hellyeah)sheeventakeit in thebutt Fuckforaboutanhour,nowshewanta goldenshower Youdon'tknowthatwe be pissingon hos,bitch. . . In this example, the African Americanwoman is not only somethingto be used sexually,but she is also the recipientof degrading acts, disrespect,and violent behavior.The woman in this song is characterizedas a Jezebel/howho is an objectto be passedalong to other men, to be used and abused, as the lyrics describe using women sexually until they are physically injured. The aforementionedlyrics arebuta few examplesof the manyin the music world. Although it is necessary to show the offensive natureof the misogyny expressedin rap,it is importantto note that the hatredand disrespectdirectedtowardwomen in rap music is only an outgrowthof the culturalacceptanceof misogyny at-large, particularlywhenit is directedtowardAfricanAmericanwomen.It is therefore imperative to differentiate between the source of misogynistic ideas and the manifestation of such ideology in gangstarap.Althoughthis genre of music has been embracedby a wide varietyof consumers,it is importantto emphasizethatit can havenegativeeffects on young people who in generaltendto be the primaryconsumersof rapmusic. 952 JOURNALOF BLACK STUDIES/ JULY 2006 THE POWER IN THE MUSIC: POSSIBLE EFFECTS Although the possible effects misogynistic music can have are numerousand questionable,music is a powerfulartform thathas the potentialto be influential,particularlywhen it is supportedby a structuralsystem and culturalideologies. In this article, we will deal with three effects that misogynistic rap can have in conjunction with a system that makes such an ideology viable. These effects are the devaluation effect, the defining gender relation effect, and the desensitizationeffect. The contemporaryuse of derogatoryimages of AfricanAmerican women in rapmusic serves to perpetuatehistoricalmyths and stereotypesaboutAfricanAmericanwomen.The usage of the negativeimageryandcharacterizationsof AfricanAmericanwomenin gangstarapcuts AfricanAmericanwomendeeply,as the craftersof this attackaretheirmale counterparts,who shouldbe cognizantof the detrimentof negativeimagesbecausetheyhavealso beenunder a similarideological attack.Misogyny in rapmusic serves to supportthe ideological andsocial systemsthathavehistoricallyplaced AfricanAmericanwomen at the bottomof the social strata. It has been said that "raphas become a forumfor debatingthe natureof genderrelationsamongAfrican-Americanyouth"(Lusane, 1993). However, what also needs to be added is that rap has the potentialof becominga meansfor defininggenderrelationsamong the youth. That is, one must consider the potential shapingforce that misogyny in rap may have on how young people may view themselves and the relationsbetween the sexes. For many young people who do not have what some may call "positivesocializing agents,"outsideinfluences(such as "thestreets,"otherpeerforces, or the mass media) sometimesbecome the replacementagents of socialization. If what an impressionableyouth sees and hears is negative, society should not be surprisedto see the youth act accordingly.Young women can internalizethese views, incorporate them into their consciousness, and act out in self-destructive ways. Youngmen may also internalizethese characterizationsand Adams, Fuller/ MISOGYNISTICRAP LYRICS 953 incorporatesexist and misogynistic ways of being into their own way of life. As Alix Dobkin (1987) stated, Even though large numbersof women are victims of violence by husbandsandlovers,the culture,especiallythis music [misogynistic pop music], encouragesmen to beat up women, to controlwomen, to dominatewomen. People are taughtthat dominanceis a man's right.Some boys may not wantto dominate,but feel they oughtto, in orderto measureup to the culture.And they've got the music to back them up. WadeandThomas-Gunnar(1993) reportthatmorethanhalf of a sampleof young educatedadultmales "agreedthatrapaccurately reflects at least some of the reality of gender relations between blackmales andfemales"(p. 58). Thus,the influenceof music, and particularlythis genre of rap music, must be taken seriously as it continuesto dominatethe music scene. The embracingand use of such myths and stereotypesby AfricanAmericansandthe American public,in general,createfalse definitionsof who women areas a group, ultimately operating as a divisional force between the sexes (Rodgers-Rose,1980): Suchmyths,then,havefunctionedto divideBlackmen andwomen, and they have served as rationalizationsfor the statusquo. Myths keep the individualfocused on criticismratherthanon the interplay between the critical and the creative aspects of any male-female relationship,(p. 253) Last, misogynistic music also serves as a means to desensitize individualsto sexualharassment,exploitation,abuse,andviolence toward women. In addition, it serves as an ideological support mechanismthat legitimizes the mistreatmentand degradationof women.Althoughthe termsbitchandho speakto a specific type of woman(so some rappersclaim), theiruse andthe images they create oppresswomen as a group. 954 JOURNALOF BLACK STUDIES/ JULY 2006 Every time an artistwho uses misogynistic overtonesis given a platform(e.g., T.V.awardshows) to spoutmisogynisticideas, this ideology is furtheredlegitimated- andthe listeneror vieweris furtherdesensitized.Furthermore,each time music critics or the like referto misogynisticrappers(e.g., Dr. Dre) as "aninnovatorin the music industry,"furtherlegitimizationanddesensitizationis given to this ideology.Althoughthe verdictis still out on the directeffects of lewd raplyrics, some social scientistscontendthatthis medium of music can have a negativeeffect on individualattitudes.Wester, Crown,Quatman,and Heesacker(1997) reportthat afterrespondents with little priorexposureto gangstarapmusic were exposed to the music, they exhibited greater"adversarialsexual beliefs" thanthose who were not exposed to such lyrics. Because of the aforementioned,it is easy to concludethattherap artistsand recordproducersmust assume complete responsibility for the lyrics they produce.Althoughthis is true,it only holds up to a point. As Reebee Garofalo(1993) has stated, Whilerapshouldnotbe let off thehookforits sexism,it shouldbe notedthatsexismhasneverbeena stranger to anygenreof popular musicor,forthatmatter,anyaspectof life in America,(p. 115) The ultimateburdenof responsibilitymust be placed on the social structuresof society andthe dominantculture,which created,supports, and makes this ideology viable. Only throughchallenging andchangingthese aspectsof social life will misogynisticideology be able to be dealtwith in a realisticandtruthfulmanner.If misogyny continuesto be ignored,it will only continueto manifestitself in all arenasof social life. Rape, spousal abuse, and otherviolent actsagainstwomenareall manifestationsof misogynisticideology. CONCLUSION Misogyny has been and continues to be a constant force in Americanculture.The misogynisticideology directedtowardAfrican Americanwomen has been particularlyinsidious, as a whole Adams, Fuller/ MISOGYNISTICRAP LYRICS 955 system of myths and stereotypes was developed to justify the exploitationof AfricanAmericanwomen. These stereotypeshave seeped into the consciousness of the generalAmericanpublic and the AfricanAmericancommunityitself. The wordshavechangedbutthe meaningsstaythe same,as negativeimages aboutAfricanAmericanwomen have materializedin theirmodernizedversions in rapmusic. Whereasthe myths of the Jezebel and Sapphirearecommonlyfound in gangstarap,these as well as otherscan be found in variousaspects of Americansocial life. Artistswho incorporatemisogynyin theirmusic act as individual agents,but the lyrics they createare a reflectionof the unconscious acceptanceof negative categorizationsof women and, in particular,African American women by the general American public. It is imperativethat we as a society move beyond the beat and seriously consider the effect that negative imagery produced in misogynistic rap can have on the African American community and society at large. Scholarsand activists alike must continue to confrontthe issue, and expose and critically analyze the vehicles thatare used to express this ideology. Continuedscrutinyof these mediumsas well as continueddialogueon the relevanceandprevalence of negativeand detrimentalcharacterizationsis importantto dismantlethe hold these myths, and the practicesthey engender, have on Americansociety. NOTE 1. Althoughthe misogynyin gangstarapis degradingto all women,the characterizations of womenin this genreof music specificallytargetAfricanAmericanwomen, as the images of women portrayedin the songs, on the CD covers, and in the music videos are most often thatof an AfricanAmericanwoman. 956 JOURNALOF BLACK STUDIES/ JULY 2006 REFERENCES Collins, P. (1990). Blackfeminist thought.New York:Routledge. Dobkin,A. (1987, August).Misogyny andracismtop the charts.USAToday(SpecialNewsletterEdition),116, p. 14. Frazier,E. F. (1948). TheNegrofamily in the UnitedStates. New York:DrydenPress. Garofalo,R. (1993). Crossing over: 1939-1992. In J. L. Dates & W. Barlow (Eds.), Split image: AfricanAmericansin the mass media (pp. 57-127). Washington,DC: Howard UniversityPress. Hamilton,R. ( 1987, Summer).Does misogynymatter?Itsreproductionandits consequences for social progress.Studies in Political Economy,23, 123-139. hooks, b. (1981). Ain't I a woman:Black womenandfeminism. Boston: South End Press. hooks,b. 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Adams, Fuller/ MISOGYNISTICRAP LYRICS 957 TerriM.Adams-FullerPhD, is an assistantprofessor of administrationof justice in the Departmentof Sociology and Anthropologyat Howard University.Her areas of expertiseincludeviolentcrime,womenand crime,misogynyin popular culture,and GeographicInformationSystems(GIS) technology.Her researchprimarilyfocuses on the examinationof the effects of violent crime on womenand the intersectionof social and economicfactors and violent crime. Douglas B. Fuller,Ph.D., is a graduateof HowardUniversity'sDepartmentof Sociology and Anthropologyand an associate scientist at Abt Associates, Inc., in Bethesda,Maryland.Whileat Howard,he specialized in urbansociology and race and ethnic relations,focusing his dissertationworkon the mediadepictionsof African Americansinfour majornewspapersources.At Abt, he has been involvedin a numberof healthserviceprovisionprogramstargetinghistoricallyunderservedpopulations as well as substanceabuse research,includingThe Centerfor Integrating and Developing TraumaServicesfor Women(SAMHSA),TheMental Health HIV/ AIDSServicesCollaborativeProgram(CMHS),TheW K.KelloggMen'sHealthInitiative,and TheArresteeDrug AbuseMonitoringProgram(NIJ).
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