Critical investigation
“The representation of female hip hop artist have changed over a period of time ,how have artist like Nicki Minaj shown an alternative representation in this specific music industry?”
Nicki Minaj is a female hip hop artist who was signed to young money in august 2009, since then she has proved to show an unique image of females within the hip hop industry. She has shown to embraces homosexuality with her alter egos , created different looks in other to represent other cultures and also changed the way female hip hop artist are being represented today. The New York Times called Minaj "The most important new female voice in hip-hop since Missy Elliott"[2] Some people may disagree that the changes she is making are not good for the representation of females within the hip hop industry, where else others may appreciate this change. Within this essay, I will be investigating how Nicki Minaj has shown an alternative representation of females within the hip hop industry, and also how they have done this.
I will also be linking the reasons back to political, social, economic and historical reason in order to have a more valid research.
The way Female hip hop artist are portrayed within the industries can also be connected to the historical a political factors within society. Diva Whispers an online blogger quoted “The lack of female representation in hip hop is appalling. The things women feel they have to do to get on, makes me angry!!!! I hope things turn around soon for women in hip-hop because we need a change”.[3]
One of my historical text compare to Nicki Minaj was Queen Latifah. When Queen Latifah was established, issues about power for black females were a hot topic. Therefore the representation for females within the hip hop industry was stronger and determined as they were fighting for rights and issues. Queen Latifah was projected quite masculine within the hip hop error and wasn’t objectified the way hip hop artist are today." Studies in the late 1970s and early 1980 saw a continuation of these trends, with men often shownat work and women as housewives. Nevertheless, it became somewhat more common for men to be shown at home as well, in the role of husband or father. The range of women in occupation has increase[4]" this quote was taken from the representation of genders in the past. This quote can also express upon why the representation of females within the hip hop industry has changed as there were more females staying at home, they are most likely to watch television. By having songs about female equality and power can boost the ratings of the videos and can lead to an increase of sales. However as the roles slowly change up, and there were more men staying at home looking after their children and homes whilst the females became the bread winners. This lead to more men watching television hence there was a change of representation within the hip hop industry as female rappers like Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj were now being objectified in order to appeal to the male gaze according to Mulvey. Artist like Nicki Minaj started to dress provocatively and change the masculine appearance of females in hip hop like Queen Latifah. Brian McNair calls this the sexualisation of culture ‘strip tease culture’.[5]
Women can also interpret laddism as a sign that men would prefer them to go back to being more traditionally ‘feminine’ since men feel they are being more ‘masculine’.Waghorn,J (1999). A message for the media[6]:young women talk.London: Livewire pg48 . can express the reason why the representation of females within the hip hop industry has changed as men , prefer then to go back to being more feminine. According to David Gauntlett , “ women in great Britain spent more time shopping and domestic work in 2005 rather than paid work. Men spent more time on paid work”[7]. This can also show a reason upon why female hip hop artist have changed their representations as men will have more money as they spend more time on paid work where else females do domesticated work .Also Looking upon the political factors , as more black people gain equality in society , more of them are able to achieve their dreams. As more black people are working in society , for example music directors , it can also change the representation of black females expressed within the hip hop music videos. The objectification of black women’s bodies in hip-hop music videos, according to Jones (1994), is particularly disturbing
because these videos are produced primarilyby black men.[8] This can explain upon why females within hip hop have changed the way they are represented as it could be due to the music videos being produced by black men. Furthermore this can connote that black men are producing videos on how they would like to see their women look like , not considering the other consumers. The black music video producers are trying to show society that this is how females should look like , making it a gratification for both males and females. Males can enjoy the voyeuristic pleasure where else females can imitate this contrary like the bobo doll theory. According to Bandura , the theory of the Bobo Doll , where children were shown a film of adults behaving aggressively towards the doll and when the children were left alone with the doll they imitated the same type of behaviour.[9]
because these videos are produced primarilyby black men.[8] This can explain upon why females within hip hop have changed the way they are represented as it could be due to the music videos being produced by black men. Furthermore this can connote that black men are producing videos on how they would like to see their women look like , not considering the other consumers. The black music video producers are trying to show society that this is how females should look like , making it a gratification for both males and females. Males can enjoy the voyeuristic pleasure where else females can imitate this contrary like the bobo doll theory. According to Bandura , the theory of the Bobo Doll , where children were shown a film of adults behaving aggressively towards the doll and when the children were left alone with the doll they imitated the same type of behaviour.[9]
Economic factors can also lead onto why Nicki Minaj has changed the way females are represented within the hip hop industries. “CD album sales fell by 13% to 86.2 million discs. Overall, 6% fewer albums were sold than in 2010”.[10] , therefore in order to get more revenue, female artist have to push harder in order to appeal to the customers more. Nicki Minaj has resorted into having more revealing clothing and explicit lyrics to attract more attention. For example in her music video “Stupid Hoe”, she is repeating “You a stupid hoe”, in order to cause controversy. This contradicts Queen Latifahs song “U.N.I.T.Y, which is one of my pre-historic texts. One of the lyrics within the song states “ You aint a bitch or a hoe”, this shows how Nicki Minaj has changed the representation of females within the hip hop industries as she is giving degrading labels to females where else queen Latifah was rejecting these labels. There are also scenes of Nicki Minaj within her latest Music video of her being in a cage wearing fish net tights , and a tight pvc corset. She is shown dancing In the cage trying to appeal to the male gazes. This can also link to “The Hidden Persuaders” (1957), “expose the way ordinary people were being manipulated into buying consumer goods without being conscious of the persuasive techniques in question[11]”. This can be the economical reason upon why Nicki Minaj has changed the way females are represented within the Hip Hop Industry as wearing revealing clothes can appeal to the male gaze. Appealing to the male gazes is highly important as males are said to be generally paid more in society than females, therefore males will actually have the money to go buy albums against females. According to the daily mail “The average male manager is paid a basic salary of £41,337 but the average female boss is only on £31,306[12]. Therefore in order to appeal to the male gaze is highly important as people are likely to purchase luxury things like music, when they have a higher income , which in this case are the males.
Nicki Minaj has changed the way females are represented within Hip Hop is the appearance of how she looks. Recently , Nicki Minaj has started to change her African American appearance to a more Caucasian race . This new look consist of wearing lighter hair wigs like blonde , making the appearance of her nose thinner in contrast to the African nose that she had before. She has also resulted into wearing contact lenses in order to make her eyes look blue/green which is another typical Caucasian feature, of light hair and light eyes. This can all conclude onto the reason on her trying to appeal to the white target audiences. If she makes herself look like this target audience, they can relate to her more which would result into them listening to her music and buying her albums which will lead onto her having a higher sales revenue and more popularity. Another craze that many black celebrities are doing is bleaching their skins to look lighter. As historian Elsa Goveia puts it, the structuring principle of Caribbean societies is 'the belief that the blacker you are the more inferior you are and the whiter you are the more superior you are.'[13] This could show that Nicki Minaj is changing her appearance in order to gain more respect and recognition as she is black and also a female, which shows it is tougher for her to get equality within the music industry.
As white people have better job prospects they will have more money to spend on luxuries like albums and tours that hip hop artist may be on. “Because such a small proportion of Caribbean men and women are living with each other in nuclear families, more detailed analysis of family structures has to start with women[14]”. Black people have a high rate of lone parent families which shows that they carry less income within their homes and not much educational support where else, white people consist of mainly nuclear families where both parents are within the home and whilst the father is a bread winner the mother can play a role of helping with homework and providing support to the child through their education which can then lead to better job opportunities when they are older. “The key feature of family life in the Caribbean community is the low rate of marriage. Caribbean’s are less likely to live with a partner than white people”, expresses Richard Berthoud, a social and economic research.[15] Also an article in the daily mail discussing how people from different ethnic backgrounds are trying to copy the Caucasian race look , said that “Surveys in the U.S. have proved that, all things being equal, the lighter skinned that people are, the more chances they get in life, and the more respect they receive.” [16] This can lead to a zitgaze, where people start imitating this popular look that many celebrities do in society today.
The music video “Super bass” shows Nicki Minaj showing dominance yet still being portrayed as a sex object due to clothing which is worn. Nicki Minaj is wearing a body suit in the beginning of the music video where all her body is covered up. This can show that she is trying to show an alternative representation of females within the music industry showing that you don’t have to wear revealing clothes in the beginning of a music video in order to captivate the attention of the viewers, however in the next scene she is shown wearing hot pants with a tight vest top whilst showing her underwear. She goes back to the typical representation of a female within a music video by wearing clothes and showing sexuality. Mulvey argues “this is unconscious, idea is that a male power and dominance over a female is his penis, and his dominance is threated by a woman if she does not arouse this”[17]. This point expresses why females still haven’t changed their stereotyped representation in society.Within this context three primary research interests have emerged: the objectification of black women’s bodies for the voyeuristic pleasure of men (Hill
Collins, 2004; hooks, 1994; Jones, 1994);[18]
Collins, 2004; hooks, 1994; Jones, 1994);[18]
According to David Gauntlett , “ women in great Britain spent more time shopping and domestic work in 2005 rather than paid work. Men spent more time on paid work”. [19]This can also show a reason upon why female hip hop artist have changed their representations as men will have more money as they spend more time on paid work where else females do domesticated work .
Society has changed from the historical times , when Queen Latifah was producing music , issues like power for black females was ideal. However as times have changed and revolved , Issues like sexuality have become a main topic of discussion. As gay weddings were legalised in the UK in 2005 and 6 states including New York where Nicki Minaj is from have legalised Gay Marriages [20], more people started to accept it. Nicki Minaj was one of the first hip hop artist to embrace Homosexuality and accept it. This can show an alternative representation of females within the Hip Hop industries. Nicki Minaj has shown within one of her alter egos called “Roman”. This is a gay male “trapped” within Nicki Minaj. In order to get a wider audience Nicki Minaj has resulted into creating a Gay ego so she doesn’t alienate any audiences and she can still appeal to her Barbs (female listeners) , Kens (male listeners) , and KenBards( gay listeners). “ Within the masculine culture of hip-hop and Hollywood ,there is a well-known gay subculture that industries insiders are keenly aware but choose to hide”, according to Terence Dean author of Hiding in hip-hop. [21]Therefore by Nicki Minaj not hiding about homosexuality and also including lesbian references within her lyrics for example “only stops for pedestrians, or real real bad lesbian." This was from her song go hard which shows that she is showing homosexuality and not hiding it.‘ There is social prohibition against the feminization of men, there is almost none against the masculinization of women’ ‘A woman attired as a man may be seen as ‘power dressing’ or as adapting the mannerism of lesbianism’ [22]. Therefore by Nicki Minaj opening the doors for homosexuality within Hip Hop it can wider her consumer audience and also help gay and lesbian listeners be more comfortable. This shows an alternative representation of females as within the hip hop industry as Hip Hop is seen to be homophobic as it is like a masculine and male dominating industry.
Female rappers are lyrically juxtaposed by using profanity within their lyrics. Nicki Minaj has changed the representation of females both physically and vocally in many ways. Going back to my pre historical text of Queen Latifah , the lyrics are portraying female dominance and equality. In her song “U.N.I.T.Y”, Queen latifah states “ You aint a bitch or a hoe” , Nicki Minaj shows an alternative view of females in hip hop by writing songs which state “ Ima bad bitch” and “You a stupid hoe”, this shows how lyrically Nicki Minaj has changed the representation of females as it is extremely vulgar ,labelling and degrading females. Other forms of alternative representations come from another rapper Lil Kim, her song “how many licks” talks about Lil Kim’s sexual encounters and how her album can be a sexual gratification to males. “This one’s for my n***** in jail”, this shows that she is trying to appeal to the males voyeuristic views. “Magazines, like how I look in the magazines, get your Vaseline”, this lyric expresses how she is trying to objectified herself in order to make her appealable to the males in society.Gwendolyn D.Pough quotes “Sexuality explicit lyrics of these women rappers offer black women a chance to be proud of and indeed flaunt their sexuality.[23] This can express how females can get recognition by showing of their sexuality as it appeals more to the male gaze according to Mulvey[24]. Again contrasting this point back to males who earn more in society , it can be more beneficial by doing this as males are the main consumers of media as they have more money and earn more. Hill Collins (2004) notes that many African American women rappers “identify female sexuality as part of women’s freedom and independence” , maintaining that being sexually open does not make a woman a tramp or a “ho,” which is a common term placed upon women in hip-hop[25]. This expresses how females in hip hop are lyrically trying to show the world that sex isn’t something which is degrading. By displaying sexual lyrics within songs , it can show other females that not to be ashamed of sex.Rachel Mayanja the special advisor to the security - general said on gender issues officially summarised it by saying "women remain largely invisible , their voices are unheard". [26]Therefore female rappers put their points across in a way which they can be heard. By having controversial lyrics , more people will be more willing to listen to the music which is being produced. It is a message which is sent through songs. As females feel that they can express their views and opinions within their music.
Therefore in conclusion , the representation of females within the Hip Hop industries has changed over a period of time due to many characteristics. Nicki Minaj has changed the way females are represented in Hip Hop in both lyrically and physically in order to adapt to all of the changes in society and the hip hop market today. Yet economical, historical , political and social issues can help contribute to why the females within hip hop have changed. “30 years ago it was enough to look beautiful; now a women has to have a tight , toned body, including her buttocks and thighs , so that she is good to touch , all over[27]” quotes ibid 22 . Due to the demands of the consumers and in order to stay relevant, the females within hip hop are willing to do whatever it takes in order to stay at the top.
Word count - 2629
Work cited
Books
Brian McNair calls this the sexualisation of culture young women talk London: Livewire pg48
Media, gender, and identity: an introduction. London: Routledge. Gauntlett, D. (2002).
GENDER RACE AND MEDIA REPRESENTATION
By Dwight E Brookes and Lisa P Herbert
Hiding in hip-hop. By Terence Dean Atria Books, 13 May 2008
Check it while I wreck it: Black womanhood, hip-hop culture, and the public sphere
By: Pough, Gwendolyn D..
Northeastern University Press
2004
By: Pough, Gwendolyn D..
Northeastern University Press
2004
Media , Race, and media representation Hill Collins 2004
Media, gender, and identity: an introduction. London Routledge. Gauntlett, D. (2002).
Representation of genders in the past - ibid 22
Family formation in multi-cultural Britain: three patterns of diversity. Colchester: Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex. (Page – 1) Berthoud, R. (2000).
Websites/ articles online
[1]REPRESENTATION OF GENDERS IN THE PAST page 59 David Gaunlett
https://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/bandura.htm( Bobo doll theory)
[1]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16382648 ( increase /decrease of purchase of CD’s)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1378767/Why-men-paid-women-Its-competitive-aged-FOUR.html#ixzz1mVLtTbIx ( FIONA MACRAE Why men get paid more than women: It's all because they are more competitive aged FOUR
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16382648
(UK album sales fell in 2011 but digital downloads rose 2nd January 2012)
https://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/bandura.htm( Bobo doll theory)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1378767/Why-men-paid-women-Its-competitive-aged-FOUR.html#ixzz1mVLtTbIx ( FIONA MACRAE Why men get paid more than women: It's all because they are more competitive aged FOUR)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1356490/Gay-lesbian-couples-right-marry-church.html (Gay lesbian couples right to marry in church)
Why I believe Beyonce is betraying all black and Asian women- YASMIN ALIBHAI-BROWN
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1358119/Beyonce-Knowles-Why-I-believe-betraying-black-Asian-Women.html#ixzz1pbSpuTil
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1358119/Beyonce-Knowles-Why-I-believe-betraying-black-Asian-Women.html#ixzz1pbSpuTil
So white it's wrong: Skin bleaching products unveiled FOR MEN
Moving text
Nicki Minaj Super base -Sanaa Hamri , Young Money USA publish in May 2011 2011)
Lil Kim how many licks , label - Queen Bee, Universal 1999 Francis Lawrence (USA)- Queen Latifah - U.N.I.T.Y 1993( motown records) directed by Mark Gerard USA
Nicki Minaj - itty bitty ( young money records) september 2009
Work Consulted
Books used
The Vinyl Ain't Final: Hip Hop and the Globalization of Black Popular Culture: Hip Hop and the Globalisation of Black Popular Culture
by Dipannita Basu and Sidney Lemelle (Paperback - 20 Apr 2006)
GENDER RACE AND MEDIA REPRESENTATION (6/11/2006)
By Dwight E Brookes and Lisa P Herbert
Sexual teens, sexual media
(Jane Delano Brown, Jeanne R. Steele, Kim Walsh-Childers 2002)
cant stop , wont stop by Jeff Chang they have a right to speak in the way its coming up. Hip hop is the voice of the generation. Even if you didn’t grow up in the Bronx in the 1970 its still there for you.
Feminine: Film, Feminism and Psychoanalysis
By- CREED, BARBARA Monstrous 1993 routledge (usa)
Media, gender, and identity: an introduction. London: Routledge. Gauntlett, D. (2002).
Slam school: learning through conflict in the hip-hop and spoken word classroom. Low, Bronwen E.. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 2011. Print.
Representing black Britain: black and Asian images on television., Malik, Sarita. 2001. Print.- London: SAGEWhen Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: A Hip-Hop Feminist Breaks It Down
by Joan Morgan(Paperback - Feb 2, 2000)
Music Video and the Politics of Representation… (Paperback)
Refashioning the body page 215 Barthes
Rose (1994) demands a more multifaceted analysis of black women’s identity and sexuality within rap music, while Perry (2003) asserts that any power granted to female rappers based
upon their being labeled attractive in conventional ways limits the feminist potential
of their music.
Pimps up, ho's down: hip hop's hold on young Black women
(T. DeneanSharpley-Whiting – 2007)
Female Hiphop.Realness, Roots und Rap Models.
Schischmanjan A. und M. (Hg.) Wuensch Jet
Working Girls : Gender and Sexuality in Popular Cinema Magazine February 21, 2000: Hottest Female in Rap Music: Eve, Lil' Kim, Sole, Foxy Brownby Various(Paperback - 2000)
TASKER, YVONNE Working Girls 1998 TASKER, YVONNE
Interrogating postfeminism: gender and the politics of popular culture by - Yvonne Tasker 2007
The television studies reader. London outledge, 2004. Print. Allen, Robert Clyde, and Annette Hill.
Media, gender, and identity: an introduction. London Routledge, 2002. Print. By Gauntlett, David.
. Slam School Learning Through Conflict in the Hip-Hop and Spoken Word Classroom.. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press, 2011. Print. By - Low, Bronwen
Sexual teens, sexual media investigating media's influence on adolescent sexuality. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Brown, J. D., Steele, J. R., & Childers, K. (2002).
. Can't stop, won't stop: a history of the hip-hop generation. New York: St. Martin's Press. By Chang, J. (2005)
The monstrous-feminine: film, feminism, psychoanalysis. London: Routledge. Creed, B. (1993).
TV living television, culture and everyday life. London: Routledge in association with the British Film Institute. Gauntlett, D., & Hill, A. (1999).
Representing women: myths of femininity in the popular media. London: E. Arnold ;, 1995. Print.Pough, Gwendolyn D.. Check it while I wreck it: Black womanhood, hip-hop culture, and the public sphere. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 2004. Print. Macdonald, Myra.
· Home girls make some noise: hip-hop feminism anthology. Mira Loma, Calif.: Parker Pub., 2007. Print Pough, Gwendolyn D., Mark Anthony Neal, and Joan Morgan.
Moving text
1. Nicki Minaj Super base -Sanaa Hamri , Young Money USA publish in May 2011)
2. Nicki Minaj Your love directed by Megaforce January 2011.USA)
4. Foxy Brown Hot spot directed by Joseph Kahn and Foxy Brown1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group USA.
5. queen latifah U. N.I.T.Y 7 Oct 2009 ... Music video by Queen Latifah performing U.N.I.T.Y.. (C) 1993 Motown Records,(USA)
Online articles
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/nov/01/popandrock.urban?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/sep/02/truth-women-hip-hop?INTCMP=SRCHIs this the truth about women in hip-hop?- Rosie swash
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/may/09/hip-hop-homophobia?INTCMP=SRCH Is hip-hop homophobia at a tipping point?Alex Macpherson
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jul/16/urban.hattiecollins?INTCMP=SRCHFemale MCs go back to rap –hattiecollins 2008
http://virgin-research.blogspot.com/2007/12/laura-mulvey-and-male-gaze-summarised.html
The.www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/nov/28/nicki-minaj-interview-hermione-hoby?INTCMP=SRCH( Nicki Minaj interview nov 2010)
[1] Nicki Minaj – Itty Bitty Piggy
[3]http://www.divawhispers.com/?p=14451
[10]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16382648
(UK album sales fell in 2011 but digital downloads rose 2nd January 2012)
[12]. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1378767/Why-men-paid-women-Its-competitive-aged-FOUR.html#ixzz1mVLtTbIx ( FIONA MACRAEWhy men get paid more than women: It's all because they are more competitive aged FOUR
[13] So white it's wrong: Skin bleaching products unveiled FOR MEN
[14] Family formation in multi-cultural Britain:
three patterns of diversity - Richard Berthoud page 7
[15] Family formation in multi-cultural Britain:
three patterns of diversity - Richard Berthoud page 1
[20]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1356490/Gay-lesbian-couples-right-marry-church.html (Gay lesbian couples right to marry in church)
[22]Refashioning the body page 215 Barthes
[23]Gwendolyn D.Pough Check It while I wreck it
[25] Media , Race, and media representation Hill Collins 2004 page 127
[26]Gauntlett David , media gender and identity - Rachel Mayanja
[27]Representation of genders in the past - ibid 22
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