For those who haven’t observed by now, this 12 months has been an enormous second for the tradition. It’s the fiftieth Anniversary of Hip Hop and I’ve seen so many various occasions and commemorations going down. The Smithsonian’s Nationwide Museum of African American Historical past and Tradition hosted a Hip-Hop Block Get together in August. In October, One Music Fest in Atlanta is having a particular stage that includes artists spanning generations in honor of hip-hop’s fiftieth anniversary as nicely. The E book of Hov exhibit debuted on the Brooklyn Public Library, honoring Jay-Z as one of the crucial iconic rappers and documenting his rise to fame and affect. Even the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) obtained concerned! In New York, commemorative MetroCards that includes portraits of New York hip hop icons – LL Cool J, Cam’ron, Pop Smoke and Rakim – have been made obtainable for buy as a part of a collaboration with Common Music Enterprises and Hip Hop At 50 – Honoring 50 Years of Hip Hop: A Legacy of Rhythm, Revolution, and Soul. As a Brooklyn native, I couldn’t wait to go residence to go to the Jay-Z exhibit, and get a Pop Smoke metrocard. Hip hop has turn out to be so entwined inside Black tradition. It’s how artists categorical themselves, it’s what we hearken to throughout many moments in our lives, how we characterize the place we’re from, and there’s no denying the affect it has had on our vogue as nicely. However in all of this celebration of Hip Hop’s fiftieth Anniversary, there’s a number of concentrate on the male icons, and never a lot for the ladies of Hip Hop. At Remedy for Black Women, we prefer to name the ninth month of the 12 months Intercourse Constructive September. So, what higher strategy to spotlight intercourse positivity and rejoice hip hop than to debate the Sexuality of Black Ladies in Hip Hop?
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The Authentic
After I started this text, my plan was to take a look at how Black ladies have been sexualized in hip-hop, how Black ladies have reclaimed their sexuality, and the psychological well being affect that has on us as a complete. However as I began this text, I used to be reminded of the Netflix mini collection, Girls First: A Story of Ladies in Hip Hop. I might be remiss if I didn’t watch the collection earlier than ending the article. In simply the primary episode alone, I used to be reminded of how a lot ladies have influenced hip hop, with and with out their intercourse enchantment. From the start of hip-hop, ladies have been there constructing the muse. Not as video vixens, however as MCs, managers, producers, and extra. They used hip hop as a secure house to course of the every day stressors and ache they have been experiencing in their very own atmosphere, rising up through the crack epidemic, apartheid and gang violence. MC Sha Rock is taken into account the primary feminine rapper of hip hop, Roxanne Shante broke rap battle limitations at simply 14 years outdated regardless of her grownup male counterparts sexualizing her, and MC Lyte was the primary girl to have a solo hip hop album. As soon as they set the usual, they paved the way in which for artists like Queen Latifah, Salt & Peppa, Yoyo, and extra to hold the torch within the 80s.
The Remix
Whereas male hip hop artists have all the time sexualized Black ladies and integrated misogyny of their lyrics and movies, the 90s and early 2000s was the start of ladies beginning to take that narrative again and reframe it on their very own phrases. Artists like Lil’ Kim, Cunning Brown, and Trina to call a couple of, got here out with express and sexual lyrics, exhibiting off their physique with confidence and reaping the advantages of their intercourse enchantment. Whereas they grew to become well-known and rose to the highest, they obtained loads of backlash and criticisms of being too vulgar, too raunchy, too attractive, and many others. It wasn’t widespread for ladies to debate their sexual experiences and even admit to being sexual beings typically. They characterize a second in historical past when ladies started to take again their company and personal that they take pleasure in intercourse and pleasure simply as a lot as males do. Male rappers had been discussing their sexual escapades for years at that time, however when ladies started to do the identical, the double requirements of patriarchy and sexism have been loud and clear.
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The Encore
Whereas Lil’ Kim, Cunning Brown and Trina might have been the catalysts, artists like Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, and loads of others nonetheless carry the torch. They proceed to embrace their sexuality of their movies and lyrics, making house for different younger ladies to do the identical. There’s usually this disgrace that Black ladies obtain when they’re vocal about loving their our bodies and being sexual beings. We frequently obtain messages as younger ladies about not being “too quick” or not permitting our our bodies to be exploited. On one hand it’s a standard phrase in our tradition that intercourse sells, however however ladies are seen as irresponsible after they truly faucet into their intercourse enchantment and use it to their benefit. It appears to me that it’s high quality when males revenue off of our sexuality, however once we do, that’s not okay.
The Mic Drop
I’ve heard loads of individuals who imagine ladies artists who make express songs and movies are having a destructive affect on the kids rising up on this present technology. When Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion created WAP, they have been being mentioned on media retailers for weeks. Chastised and judged by the plenty. However as a therapist, I provide one other different: that these ladies could be highly effective examples of confidence and self love. To be clear, these examples of ladies rappers embracing their sexuality doesn’t recommend that everybody has to do it in the identical method. To not point out, there are many different ladies rappers within the recreation proper now who embrace their our bodies and shift the narrative in their very own method. This may be an thrilling time for ladies as they reclaim what they’ve usually been made to really feel responsible for. There are many psychological well being advantages that happen when one embraces their sexuality. It reduces disgrace, which ends up in decreasing stigmas, guilt, and bottling up feelings and experiences. It may well promote a constructive physique picture, which inspires self-worth, constructive self speak, and affirming others our bodies as nicely. Final however not least, it permits for ladies to have company of self. Being intercourse constructive doesn’t imply you must be loud and proud about having intercourse. It means embracing your sexuality – in no matter method you select to specific it – and being assured in your self and the way you present up. It additionally means permitting your self to manage the narrative of your physique as an alternative of permitting others to create the narrative of what you “ought to” do or be for you. As acknowledged in Girls First, feminine rappers characterize potentialities for Black womanhood and put forth new narratives about who Black ladies could be.
