Hip Hop Feminism is an interesting topic as hip hop culture and feminism both play integrated roles within one another. Throughout the years and development of hip hop, these concepts have been explored and challenged amongst feminists and even society as a whole. Women are often sexualized (and depending on one’s viewpoints and opinions on the topic, women are “exploited” by men in hip hop through music videos, lyrical content, etc.), and are associated with gender-specific expectations pertaining to their expected behavior and their predetermined roles in the overall hip hop culture and content within. Throughout the class, we have explored content where women take over and embrace their sexuality and femininity despite men and society’s beliefs in what a woman can and can’t do. In feminine hip hop, women take pride in embracing their womanhood, dressing how they want in their music videos, speaking in terms of men as they speak in terms of women (sleeping with men and leaving them – “How Many Licks?” by Lil Kim, etc.). Historically, women are oppressed beings in society and many territories are deemed unfit for women as this is not her role in society. Sexuality is deemed for men as they are the dominants, however, in hip hop culture, women embrace this shift and sense of take over as they explore that women are capable of everything that men do in hip hop.

The song “How Many Licks” by Lil Kim and music video reinforced this idea that women can be just as sexual, and play the part of the player and having sexual relations with various men women from different cities and leaving, etc., essentially reinforcing societies thoughts that women are disposable sex toys for men, however, women do not fear reversing these roles as per feminine hip hop. Furthermore, even the videos we viewed in class pertaining to our reading about the break dancing women (B-Girls and B-Boys), women express their determination to be just as good, if not better at such things as men. Rockafella (B-girl), expresses being a part of the guy’s team was a good feeling for her (“Rockin’ with the fellas), even when they weren’t helpful when it came to her picking up what they were working on when it came to choreography, and how the fact that the guys were so “mean” to her, only strengthened her and empowered her as a woman; especially when she mastered different moves on her own essentially, etc.

All in all, Hip Hop and Feminism go hand-in-hand, especially today as more and more women are becoming comfortable with embracing their femininity and sexuality, and they exercise these factors to the fullest.

http://https://images.app.goo.gl/DAnu5AqiVKRbRyFcA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhCD9qxlczo