Is it just me, or do women not receive enough representation in the rap industry?
Sure we have our Cardi Bs and Megan Thee Stallions, but why do rap festivals have an overwhelming majority of male performers? These days, it seems every city has a male rapper to represent them, as Memphis has in Juicy J or Buffalo has in Benny the Butcher. We all know the battle for the title of “King of New York,” but where is the competition for “Queen of New York?”
Yes, I’m sure some of you will blame it on the labels: “Record labels don’t sign enough women, that’s the problem.” But labels are king-makers; they don’t sign artists to distribute representation fairly. They are businesses, and as businesses, they sign artists based on popularity, in order to make money.
Now, before you say, “Maybe female rappers just aren’t as good as men,” stop..The fact is, women are simply not given a chance. The amount of people I know who swiftly dismiss women rappers but can’t even name five female artists is remarkably disappointing.
As someone who subscribes to a large range of rappers, there shouldn’t even be a difference. Regardless of gender, most rappers have fairly similar material, but each offers a unique perspective.
Listeners have alarmingly different perceptions of sexuality in music. We are spoon-fed songs where men violently rap about the things they do to women in the bedroom, but when women make their own songs about their sexual experiences, many listeners scramble for the ‘skip’ button. That’s bullsh-t. If it is acceptable for men to make millions of dollars off of songs sexualizing women, then women should have the same support and appreciation when they look to do the same.
What I see is an insecurity that transcends music. As a child, I wouldn’t hear other boys on the playground discussing top-tier shows like “Zoey 101” and “Powerpuff Girls.” But as an adult I’ve noticed more and more guys talking about how much they loved those shows as if they didnt pretend to hate them as kids.
This rejection of femininity isn’t always intentional. After existing in a culture where genders are clearly divided among the arts, it can be difficult for people to break away from their norms, let alone discuss it openly for fear of being embarrassed. But this only holds men back from experiencing everything the world — and women — has to offer.
It’s natural to want to experience different cultures and places around the world. But how can we expect to appreciate the world if we don’t even bother to take the time to understand the opposite gender?
Males also sometimes refuse to delve into the female side of hip-hop culture (along with female sides of any other form of popular culture) because of their often-fragile masculinity. Growing up in the aforementioned gender-divisive culture, many still strive to hold up a strong, hypermasculine image.
So relax. Stop worrying about what people think, or what your taste in music means to the people around you. Women deserve all of the opportunities and success that men do. Especially in a genre that sometimes hypersexualizes women to an extreme extent.
As I said before, many people will simply say they have not found any female rapper they thought was good. But do they look? Do they sit down and give the same attention, appreciation and open-minded chance they would give any of the male rappers whom they listen to on a daily basis?
People need to stop defining their interests by the gender representing it.
Don’t close your mind, and don’t be embarrassed. Experience everything available, and love what you choose as unapologetically as you can.
Alex Falter is the senior arts editor and can be reached at alex.falter@ubspectrum.com
Alex Falter is a senior arts editor at The Spectrum.
