Paper Topic:

Come up with your own examples of hip-hop, pop, rock or country artists and write an essay assesing the extent to which the artist or artists you discuss challenge or reinforce traditional gender roles.

Women in Hip-Hop : Challenging Traditional Gender Roles

Introduction

Hip-hop is an oppositional cultural sphere deeply rooted in the historical , socio-economic , and political consciousness and experiences of disadvantaged urban black youth of the late twentieth century (see George , 1998 . Hip-hop culture , an intersection of yearning , prophetic imagination , and social alienation (Rose , 1994 , encompasses not only rap music and videos but also particular forms of attitude , language dance , and dress is described as the new global cultural dominant . In addition , it represents the voices and visions of the culturally politically , and economically

marginal and disenfranchised . Since the beginning , women have played important roles in the evolution of hip-hop culture , especially rap music (Veran , 2001 . They have played pivotal roles as artists , performers , producers , and industry executives . There is also no doubt that women have largely influenced rap technique and style , ultimately shaping aesthetic standards and technological practices

Another important role of women in the hip-hop culture is that , through their music , women artists challenge conventional gender roles in the society . The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate , through the examination of women 's rap music , that women in hip-hop try to provide alternative views about the role of women in the society . In particular this essay will discuss some discursive strands that serve to highlight how women hip-hop /rap artists confront traditional gender roles . These strands include talking back to men in defense of women and demanding respect for women , and women 's empowerment , self-help , and solidarity This essay assesses the extent to which the music of such artists as Roxanne Shante , Salt-N-Pepa , Eve , and TLC defy gender norms

Defending Women and Demanding Respect

Women 's defense of themselves against sexist assault takes many forms in hip-hop . In many of their songs , women present playful taunts and boasts in attempts at reclaiming women 's respect and restoring injured pride . Here , women rappers are guided by the classic feminist theme of fighting patriarchy . Their lyrical messages counteract and contradict masculine power assertion and serve to raise women 's consciousness about their plight . One of the earlier women rappers whose songs talked back to men , in attempts at protecting themselves , getting back their respect , and fighting sexism is Roxanne Shante . It is widely recognized that her 1984 response to U .T .F .O 's Roxanne , Roxanne ' launched the dis ' tradition in rap - a convention wherein artists respond to one another 's recorded boasts and taunts , and attempting to establish their own credibility as the best

Basically the purposes of dis songs are to reclaim the respect of someone who has been put down to put a person exhibiting hubris in his or her place or to bait another person and rustle up drama . In Shante 's Roxanne 's Revenge , these purposes were invoked . The song conveys that Roxanne is not just easy prey , thus establishing women 's respectability . In addition , the song knocks all men with too much confidence down a few notches , all while conveying to the world at large that...

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