Misogyny & Homophobia in HipHop

Earlier this month, a friend and I attended a class of a women's lecture series at UD. Here are my notes on the presentation. Very interesting, indeed. However, I would comment that the presenter needed to refine her topic further so that the issue she is trying to consider would be valid. I will admit tha some of my own reactions are strewn throughout the paper. Eh, its my blog, so who cares! Enjoy.

A New Look at Misogyny and Homophobia in Hip-hop
Dr. Antonia Randolph (BA from Spelman, PhD from Northwestern (sociology))
Women’s Research Series
October 8, 2008

Dr. Antonia Randolph (BA from Spelman, PhD from Northwestern (sociology))
Check out her publications! Her dissertation was on education. “How Race and Ethnicity Affect Teacher Perceptions…”
Received a grant to study this particular study
Doing a content analysis of lyrics and videos
Conducting a focus group with music producers and sellers in Baltimore
Hypothesis: rap, by and for men a source of misogyny

Intro: Lollipop BET Long Version (YouTube)
What are the lyrics to the song?
How did Lil Wayne become one of the top sellers in the music industry?
The research looks at popular music, mainstream rap, as defined by platinum sales.
Why do men and women like misogynist music even though it is considered taboo?
THERE IS MISOGYNY IN HIP HOP >>>>> The question is how/why?

Overlooked Questions about Misogyny in hiphop
Origins (when did this become popular?) a comparison over time
Spread (which artist and genres participate)… there is a whole range of rap, what is normative is not what is portrayed in the media, an underlying question is not only what is normative for blacks, but IF there is a normative in rap…. Misogyny as a means of displaying their ultimate masculinity
Persistence (it happens despite social stigma)
Hip hop presents itself as misogyny is an inherent way that black men treat women. Today that is true, but originally not the case look at Run DMC…etc…
Why would women like to listen to Lil Wayne? (Aside from the “false consciousness” that people like things that they know are bad for them)

Production of Culture Perspective (look this up)
Look at the Social Organization of rap music
Look at rap from a systematic and structured view including its genres, eras, labels, and commercial success.
Genres: gangsta/street rap, “backpack” rap (identified by Kanye West and lyrical skills?), “conscious” rap
Label: NWA as an example>>> they began on an independent label, they moved to Ruthless Records (Easy E’s label), started marginal and became mainstream
Label relates to commercial success… how does a song get recorded made and distributed (this is the goal of the focus groups and look at industry literature like magazine

Misogyny: the fear, hatred and suspicion of women and femininity

Research Question: Why did misogyny become so prominent in commercially successful hip hop?

Hypothesis: Rap sells “authentic” black masculinity and misogyny has become a prime symbol of authentic masculinity.
-saying that misogyny has been the authentic black symbol
-authenticity is a claim…. Not a truth but a social construction, there is no standard that dictates REALNESS… claim it
Rap began as something that was to keep the party going. Look at old LL Cool J, Run DMC, Kid N Play … all different types of masculinity

Images of “REAL” (slide shows Run DMC and 50 Cent)
What are the differences?
50 Cent more sexualized
50 Cent depicted as violent
Run DMC looks as if they might smile

Searching for “real” black masculinity
Misogynist masculinity gains popularity as the most authentic black masculinity: out machos other versions
Rise of male-dominated rap crews and primacy given to male-bonding encourages misogyny and homophobia

Origins
Since 1988: decrease in popular female rappers (solo and group), increase in male-dominated rap crew as mode of production, debates over “real” masculinity dominates lyrics search for the real v. fake

The claim is that 1988 was the year that the male crews began to explode.

Popular authentic masculinity narrows… (a look at Run DMC, Dumb Girls)

To mean misogynist masculinity. (Championship Bottles, Lil Wayne & Birdman)

Misogyny spans Genres:
MC Hammer from “U Can’t Touch This” (1990) to “Pumps in a Bump” (1994)

“being feminine not appreciated in this sphere”

Persistence
Black women’s ambivalence towards misogyny
One of the only forums that treat black women as desirable
“real” nigga seen as sexier than more conscious rappers
solidarity with men over who’s a “hoe”

“Bust it Baby” by Plies