“My little sister’s birthday…For a gift I had ten of my boys take her virginity.” These are lyrics that Bizarre rapped in Eminem’s “Amityville”, and they’re not as unusually disturbing as you would expect to emerge from the hip-hop industry. Regardless of its problematic nature, rap is one of the most popular genres of music among today’s young listeners. It’s catchy, contagious, and can be motivating. I will admit that I enjoy belting out entire rap verses without stumbling; it brings a rush and feels like an achievement. I do, however, find myself conflicted when I’m confidently reciting hip-hop lyrics and notice they insult me as a feminist, and as a woman. You should, too.
It is not news to say that rap music is notorious for its misogynistic lyrics. Women have been objectified in this culture for decades—from Biggie’s “Hypnotize” to Juicy J’s “Bandz A Make Her Dance” and many in between. Women are constantly referred to with derogatory names and are often only mentioned when male rappers describe their sexual relations with them. Countless hip-hop songs feature rappers bragging about how many women they can sleep with, including more imagery about the women’s sexualized body parts than would ever be given for their personalities, successes, or independence. It leaves women to be perceived less as equal human beings and more as objects to be conquered.
Some rappers have even proudly promoted lyrics praising acts of rape and domestic violence on women. Rick Ross’s “U.O.E.N.O.” lyrics brag about date rape, saying, “Put Molly in all her champagne, she ain’t even know it/I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it”. Eminem raps about instances of domestic violence in many of his songs throughout the years. An example is from his song about his ex-wife, “Kim”, where he says, “Daddy’s so proud of you/Sit down…if you move again I’ll beat the sh*t out of you”. These lyrics, used in popular songs by admired artists, trivialize the pain and trauma experienced by victims of rape and domestic abuse. This form of bragging in hip-hop is dangerous for young listeners who are still so impressionable and listen to music with lyrics like this on a daily basis. The severity of these heinous crimes becomes desensitized through constant exposure, causing young men to think that these acts are common, accepted, and empowering.
Women should not be viewed as equal to the money and lavish possessions that rappers own and brag about in their music. It is important for hip-hop fans to acknowledge the tremendous amount of misogyny that continues to exist in most famous hip-hop singers’ lyrics. Listeners should not passively accept this culture; it should be known that these attitudes presented by adored rappers should not be emulated by any means. Rap music does not need to be offensive or derogatory to be popular. Its motivating and dance-provoking nature can be used to validate all admiring listeners, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, or any other factors. Just listen to Drake’s “Make Me Proud”, which highlights a woman's individuality and success, for proof…it’s a start.
