Post by mecca on Mar 11, 2007 19:34:56 GMT -5
COMMENTARY: Are female MCs an endangered species?
By Veronica Hilbring
Daily Egyptian (Southern Illinois U.)
03/02/2007
COMMENTARY: Are female MCs an endangered species?
(U-WIRE) CARBONDALE, Ill. -- When you think of popular rap music artists today, who do you think off? Jay-Z. 50 Cent maybe. I guarantee that many people don't think of a female artist.
Where are the women in hip-hop? Back in the day, women were at the forefront of the hip-hop movement. There was Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shante and Salt N Pepa among many others.
I asked my editor to name a female rapper and he was at a loss for words. He could literally only name one: Missy Elliot.
That's ridiculous.
When I think of active female rappers only two come to mind: Shawna (because she's from Chicago) and Remy Martin, the only female rapper nominated for a Grammy this year.
The closest things we have to female MCs are Fergie and Gwen Stefani, which is all very good. But their music lacks the depth and deep lyrics of the old female MCs.
I remember growing up with Da Brat and Lauryn Hill. Da Brat gave us gritty street rhymes while Lauryn made insightful and political statements. Lauryn brought attention to the female MC by winning 5 Grammys for "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill".
When can we expect to see that happening again? It didn't happen in 2007 but what about next year?
The new female faces of hip-hop are the video girls. You know, women who are scantily clad, doused in liquor, tossed money and dance in rap videos. They have become the female face of hip-hop. Not because of ability or skill but due to their God-given assets. Now, I'm not knocking any video girls but they shouldn't be at the head of rap music.
One of the problems in popular rap music is this need to be a hard, thuggish, I-got-all-the-money-and-girls type of mentality. The current popular cliche rap music stifles females. Females don't fit into that masculine mold and when they try to, it just doesn't seem right.
I have heard several of my girlfriends say that they don't really like female rappers because they sound just like the males rappers and have no heart in their music.
The issue of popular females goes further. It seems like females aren't even a priority for the record labels. I mean, you know when the next Jay-Z or Snoop Dogg CD is coming out. I've literally had to go to Best Buy and Dr. Wax in Chicago and ask when the Shawna CD was being released.
Society holds female rappers to higher standards. We will not accept a mediocre female rapper, but mediocre males (Cam'ron) can consistently go far in the music industry.
I do have hope for the female voice in hip-hop. I personally know several females that just spit fire! And I know right now there's a young girl pouring her heart and soul into her lyrics. But with the current state of hip-hop, are we going to continue to cast females aside or will we be willing to open ourselves to some new innovative rap music?
I don't know, but I do have high hopes.
By Veronica Hilbring
Daily Egyptian (Southern Illinois U.)
03/02/2007
COMMENTARY: Are female MCs an endangered species?
(U-WIRE) CARBONDALE, Ill. -- When you think of popular rap music artists today, who do you think off? Jay-Z. 50 Cent maybe. I guarantee that many people don't think of a female artist.
Where are the women in hip-hop? Back in the day, women were at the forefront of the hip-hop movement. There was Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shante and Salt N Pepa among many others.
I asked my editor to name a female rapper and he was at a loss for words. He could literally only name one: Missy Elliot.
That's ridiculous.
When I think of active female rappers only two come to mind: Shawna (because she's from Chicago) and Remy Martin, the only female rapper nominated for a Grammy this year.
The closest things we have to female MCs are Fergie and Gwen Stefani, which is all very good. But their music lacks the depth and deep lyrics of the old female MCs.
I remember growing up with Da Brat and Lauryn Hill. Da Brat gave us gritty street rhymes while Lauryn made insightful and political statements. Lauryn brought attention to the female MC by winning 5 Grammys for "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill".
When can we expect to see that happening again? It didn't happen in 2007 but what about next year?
The new female faces of hip-hop are the video girls. You know, women who are scantily clad, doused in liquor, tossed money and dance in rap videos. They have become the female face of hip-hop. Not because of ability or skill but due to their God-given assets. Now, I'm not knocking any video girls but they shouldn't be at the head of rap music.
One of the problems in popular rap music is this need to be a hard, thuggish, I-got-all-the-money-and-girls type of mentality. The current popular cliche rap music stifles females. Females don't fit into that masculine mold and when they try to, it just doesn't seem right.
I have heard several of my girlfriends say that they don't really like female rappers because they sound just like the males rappers and have no heart in their music.
The issue of popular females goes further. It seems like females aren't even a priority for the record labels. I mean, you know when the next Jay-Z or Snoop Dogg CD is coming out. I've literally had to go to Best Buy and Dr. Wax in Chicago and ask when the Shawna CD was being released.
Society holds female rappers to higher standards. We will not accept a mediocre female rapper, but mediocre males (Cam'ron) can consistently go far in the music industry.
I do have hope for the female voice in hip-hop. I personally know several females that just spit fire! And I know right now there's a young girl pouring her heart and soul into her lyrics. But with the current state of hip-hop, are we going to continue to cast females aside or will we be willing to open ourselves to some new innovative rap music?
I don't know, but I do have high hopes.
