The article “Hip-Hop Betrayal of Black Women” was written by Jennifer McLune and appeared in Z magazine Online in the July 2006 issue. McLune argues that sexism in hip-hop’s culture is a big part and has helped make the industry what it is today. This article can be divided into 5 different sections. In the first section, she talks about Kevin Powell and how he writes how men talk about women in hip-hop. McLune goes on to say that even wealthy white boys talked about African American women in their songs, yet its okay with society. The second section she gives examples of entertainers that…
In her essay “Hip-Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women” Jennifer McLunes states that “Hip-hop owes its success to the ideology of woman-hating”(222). She states that hip-hop condones an attitude of objectification, sexism, and homophobia. That rarely does an artist break the mold of rampant sexism. While she is right that some lyrics may be interpreted as chauvinistic and perhaps even sexist, this is not majority of the music. McLunes argument is not valid because hip-hop’s artists, the environment it is born from, and its culture is a celebration of materialism not misogyny.…
There is no set “rules” for Hip-Hop, each cultural background and differences can bring their own take on Hip-Hop and at the end of the day, this is the greatest strength Hip-Hop has to offer. Each person’s interpretation on Hip-Hop is what makes it art. This is showed when Schloss states that, “Hip Hops strength lies precisely in the diversity of its concept and practices” (7). Schloss believes that B-Boying has been mainly overlooked in scholarship terms is due to it being so culturally dependant. There is no set rules or theory that holds true to really understand B-Boys or B-Gils culture.…
In his article, Powell poses poverty as the explanation for the sexism found in hip-hop today. McLune believes that, Powell’s explanations of hip hop are one way to silence those that are critiquing it. McLune begins to explain that Kevin’s argument, “completely ignores the fact that women, too, are raised in this environment of poverty and violence, but have yet to produce the same negative and hateful representation of black men” (McLune 214).…
1.) School violence occurs daily, openly or discreetly, most believe that school shooting is an epidemic by social media coverage of some serious school crime such as the Columbine and Roy High School. People believed that these school shooters are all alike being motivated through revenge of being bullied by their peers. Mythically they are always alone and have interests in weapons or characteristic of secluded behaviors. This often leaves them to become depressed and angry.…
In Hip-Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women published in Z Communications online magazine July 1, 2006, Jennifer Mclune responds to Kevin Powell’s Notes of a Hip Hop Head by vividly expressing to feminist and African American women that “Hip Hop owes its success to the ideology of woman hating. It creates, perpetuates, and reaps the rewards of objectification.”…
In “Hip Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women”, McLune addresses the influence of hip hop’s choice of words towards African American women and females. McLune’s article is written in response to Powell’s opinions in “Notes of a Hip Hop Head”, along with various other hip hop artists, that black females are the leading cause of poverty and racism why black men undertake racism and poverty, as if women do not face these struggles from day to day. McLune disagrees with this remark and states that this is just one of many excuses that men use. McLune addresses an audience that is well educated along with informed with the different sexism opinions towards women in our society, though many men feel that some of their statements or opinions are not affecting women. Therefore, McLune’s article deserves to be recognized in PopMatters. With all the arguments and comebacks she had, “Hip Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women” should be considered for the top prizes for persuasive essays due to the problems that our African American society faces on a daily basis.…
If you listen to almost any rap song especially from the big time platinum selling artists, basically their lyrics are going to be about one of two things…the money they have or about bitches and hoes. Besides the fact that with today’s many technological advancements that it’s hard to be successful in the music industry with the illegal downloading, leaking etc. If you want to make a name for yourself and maintain your fan base at the end of the day you have to sell records…Especially being a new artist you’re going to be judged heavily on how well your first single goes which ultimately determines how well your album will sale but all that’s based on if people feel your music and how well your image is put out to the public. So the dilemma comes when artist are faced with the question are you going with the norm? Or are you willing to branch out and jeopardize your career? Many times you see artist that are labeled “one hit wonders” that can’t produce another hit and then the only way to redeem themselves it to feature themselves with a more well-known artist to help boost their credentials. So instead of taking that chance and being different and not playing into “the dominant chorus of misogyny” (Mclune 297) they easily revert back to the common vernacular mandates that are in every song as somewhat of a safety net in order to be considered a “down, hip and mainstream artist”. As stated in the article those who decide not to join the…
Hip hop has changed drastically over the course of years. In the earlier ages, Hip hop artists valued plenty of originality by creatively expressing themselves in a positive way to their surroundings. Now it seems as if artists are preying on women as if they’re animals by lacking its true originality and being ran over by commercialism. Hip hop represents a tree gradually losing its leaves over time. Somehow, the hip hop culture has evolved from “From the heart it’s a start, a work of art, to revolutionize, make a change nothing 's strange people we are the same (Ridenhour, Carlton)” by Public Enemy to “Spit on a bitch, punch on a bitch after I eat some steak, have…
““I said ‘Bitch, why you such a stupid hoe?’ You lil’ bitch, you never could fuck with this. And every bitch that don’t like it, she can suck my dick.” These lyrics were taken from the song “Call her a bitch” by the rapper Too Short. With song lyrics like this one, it is very difficult for people both biased and unbiased to hip hop to even try to defend it. Although it is not the only music genre to have lines objectifying women, it is once again, as with other less than glorious topics, associated with the hip hop/rap genre the most. Throughout this chapter Rose makes very valid points with supported reasoning. As long as the public continues to support the objectivity of women, why would hip hop artists making good money stop?…
A part of the learned mainstream American culture is sexism and misogyny. Hip-hop culture is frequently condemned for its misogynistic exploitation of women, but this misogyny has its roots in the culture in which we live. Hip-hop but can be explored and used as a valuable tool in examining gender relations. It brings to surface the issues that face many young people, such as discrimination, peer relations, and self-worth, that can be considered in order to bring about change in the misogynistic aspects of hip-hop culture and American culture, in general. For young people that do not hold sexist ideals, mainstream hip-hop may influence them to do so…
This article, written by Shanara R. Reid, discusses the over-sexualization of women in rap/hip hop songs and music videos, and the possible social causes of this. It has become apparent nowadays that women are heavily degraded in all kinds of media in order to appeal to the male viewing audience. Scantily clad women partaking in provocative dance routines and actions has become a norm of music videos. Machismo ideals that stress the extreme superiority of men over women and encourage the representation of women almost as an item prevail among lyrics. African-American women are especially susceptible to this kind of treatment, and many, including the author of this journal article, believe that more should be done by these women to protect the good name of their own class of people.…
Hip Hop has had an inundating influence on the black community in America, as well as society holistically. Hip Hop is more than music, Hip Hop is a culture. Over the past three decades, Hip Hop has influenced and uplifted America, verbalizing up for generations and providing a voice to a group of people endeavoring to distribute a message. However Hip Hop does have some major imperfections. The relationship between rap music and women has always been a tricky one to digest. Although misogyny and homophobia has plagued rap culture throughout its existence, hip-hop has changed American’s way of life.…
I think that the Electoral College is not a fair way of choosing the President because even though we are the ones voting for the president in the end THEY choose who the president will be in the end. Our vote is more of a reference and it’s taken into consideration, because one candidate can win the popular vote but it can end up that the other candidate wins. Each vote should count and count equally. We should be able to choose who WE want to run OUR country because it is OUR country. The people’s opinion should always be taken into consideration and it should matter. In a democracy majority rules so whoever the people choose is who we should get. Is it not our choice? The Electoral College is basically a way for the government to control everything as usual. States should be treated as equally as possible when it comes to choosing someone to run how we decide things for potentially the next two years. The Electoral College creates the possibility for the loser of the popular vote to win the electoral vote. If that’s the case then there is more of a re4ason for the people to ask, why do we vote? Or why does it matter? Everyone pushes us to vote, vote, vote but when you look into it and see that your vote may not matter then it discourages those people. The choice of who we want to run should be our choice, because then if something bad happens then we only really have ourselves to blame. So as my opinion stands the Electoral College is not a fair or Democratic way of choosing the president.…
There are many issues with health care spending predicting the upcoming years. There are many questions individuals ask, such as will the premium and deductible be affordable? How will it affect the health care spending? And will it reduce health care cost? After reviewing the article Health Care Reform 2 it describes important issues with the Obamacare. The article states the Obamacare will not reduce health care spending because the Obamacare the achievement source will begin next year. However, it does not show the government how successful the Obamacare will be or either shows how it will benefit the economy. The author opinion of the Obamacare will not decrease health care spending he feels like it would increase the health care spending. His predicts in 11 years Americans will spend $1.8 trillion on the new government funding for the poor and middle-class individuals uninsured to obtain health insurance and to increase. In review from the author point-of-view the Obamacare law does not address or control the sudden increase of health care cost. The next question was stated was will the Obamacare reduce reimbursement for Medicare physicians? The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid department has predicted Americans will spend $36.8 trillion over the next 10 years in health care. “The author’s opinion without passing the Obamacare law, the country will spend less than $500 billion in the next ten10 years” (Howard, 2013, p. 1) If the Obamacare is passed will families and employers face raising cost? The article states from the time when the Obamacare passed it have increased health care by 11.3%, Depending on the family size working families will have to add in 27%, more on his or her part. By dropping out-of-pocket cost for consumers the Obamacare will decrease incentives of the health care cost for the consumers. Overview of the author point of view he…