Ok so the Hip Hop industry we know is very Male dominated, Even as we enter 2010 men still steal the spotlight when it comes to Rap and Hip Hop… and still portrays women in a very sexual light. But what happened to the Women who held such a dominant and empowering role within the scene? Monie Love, Queen Latifah, Salt and Pepper? These ladies where doing their thing and keeping it real in the sense of not portraying themselves as sexual objects … with the occasional acceptance of Salt and Pepper, However even they still flipped it and kept the element of self-respect in check.
Over the last 20 years the scene as far as women are concerned has changed in the mid 90’s we had artists such as Foxy Brown and Lil Kim… Now although they portrayed themselves as strong and in control they were both part of male dominated crews and seen as the girl from ‘The Firm’ or ‘Bad Boy’. Although both building up reputations of their own and cementing solid places in the Hip Hop History book’s, the stories and scandal that surrounded the two will always remain. Without denying that they are both great artists both of their image’s and lyrical content still puts them in a frame of Women who have been molded by a sexist male dominated Industry.
Following in the footsteps of some of the Original women of Hip Hop in 2002 in the UK out stepped Female MC Miss Dynamite. She blew up promoting positivity and self-respect for women. Her message was clear she would not be made to sell out and become sexually orientated to appeal to the masses she was going to do it with meaning, depth and retain her credibility… and it worked. She has created the same impact that a lot of the greats have with a short yet powerful career and her Platinum selling, Mercury prize-winning debut album entitled ‘Dig a little Deeper’ will in the eyes of many be a classic.
Whenever a female MC in the UK steps on to the scene Miss Dynamite is still the artist who they are compared to, which in 6 years says a lot about the popularity of female MC’s. Speech Debelle who was the 2009 Mercury Music prize winner comes with a flow that is classic and real giving a much-needed revamped perspective of Females through Hip Hop, Still although winning the award she is still yet to blow up, lets hope 2010 is her year.
When it comes to females not only in the UK Hip Hop Scene but on global scale the past 2 years have belonged to one woman and that is West London Born Estelle. Collaborating with such artists as Kanye West and John Legend have put our homegrown Lady on the Map and still her over all image regarding the portrayal of women is one of pure talent that simply speaks for its self.
On the other side of the spectrum and on the other side of the Atlantic we see Artists such as Trina, who’s catchphrase is ‘I’m the Baddest Bitch’. Also Miss Nicki Minaj who I personally am a huge fan of, however she fits in to the whole ‘Crew first lady’ position in Cash Money and Portrays herself as the Female lil Wayne whose style, even though selling countless amounts of records, is Vulgar to say the least! Nicki Minij brings out sex appeal and slaps you in face with it proclaiming that she is ‘Nicki Lewinski’ and lil Wayne is the ‘President’ also calling herself the ‘Barbie Bitch’. She is somewhat of a feminists Nightmare lol. Being Tipped as the 2010 Lil Kim already having a huge following before releasing her own single (Including Myself). Will she be as influential as some of the Hip Hop greats on the next generation of female’s aspiring to be in the Industry?
It seems to me that the UK when it comes to females has kept it real. Maybe it is just that we are so far behind the times and we are now only just producing our Queen Latifah’s of today but from Monie Love to Estelle we Ladies in the UK are definitely keeping it real and building up a respectable name within not just the Hip Hop Industry but the Music Industry as whole. It seems Hip Hop In America has a slightly more restricted view of women in Hip Hop and I am yet to see, and would love to see, a female American Rapper in the current day with the classic style of some of original women of the genre. If there is one out there (which I am sure there is) Let me know, after all it is Rhythmic AMERICAN Poetry! 
xXx Peace and Love xXx
No comments:
Post a Comment