I’m not an expert on hardcore rap music, but my understanding is that it is alleged to contain a lot of misogynistic lyrics.
My question is whether rap songs that fit this category tend to be significantly less popular among girls and women than among boys and men. (If not, why?)
Check around the 42 second mark in blkshp’s linked video for the female resonse. “He ain’t talkin’ 'bout me.”
Women like to be dominated
Stop watching porn.
I put on Boyz-N-The-Hood by Easy-E on during a first date about a year ago and even sang along with the lyrics:
“It Was Gangsta Gangsta At The Top Of The List
Then I Played My Own Shit And It Went Somethin’ Like This
Cruisin Down The Street In My Six-Fo’’
Jockin The Bitches, Slappin The Hoes”
She sang along with them too and we were both 30-something year old white people. I didn’t get a second date but I don’t think that was the reason. I wouldn’t want a ho (excuse me - “Woman”) that couldn’t hang with NWA songs in the first place.
Moderator Note
PSXer, this is (for the moment) GQ. Let’s provide factual answers rather than ignorant stereotypes here.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
Since this is about a musical genre, let’s move it to Cafe Society.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
I love hip hop, even so called “hardcore” and offensive stuff, and I’m a woman. I don’t agree with the message of misogynistic songs at all. Any more than I agree with those about murder, etc. But it doesn’t prevent me from enjoying them.
Looking at the real lives of most of my favorite hip hop artists, I can safety dismiss it as fiction/parody anyway.
I notice a lot of younger women (and “men”) seem to enjoy it “ironically.”
Could someone get away with enjoying Birth of a Nation ironically?
I’ve not seen any factual answers yet.
I was assuming that this is something that should be a known fact, since it has a bearing on the industry. For example, if you were a rap artist, or - even more so - a rap producer or industry executive, you would have a big interest in creating music that will sell the maximum amount possible, so naturally you would have a big interest in knowing if misogynistic lyrics will alienate 50% of your potential audience. As such, I thought maybe this knowledge would be written or posted somewhere and someone might link to it.
But I don’t see anything less factual about what PSXer posted than the two posts which preceded it, for example.
But more to the point, your calling it an “ignorant stereotype” while hiding behind your moderator status is shameful. While his assertion may or not be true (& I suspect it has a degree of truth to it on some level) your opinion that it’s an ignorant stereotype - while certainly very PC - is no more valid than anyone else’s contrary opinion.
[Moderator Warning]
It should be obvious to anyone that not all women “like to be dominated.” Even if it might be true for some women, making such a blanket statement had no place in General Questions.
Fotheringay-Phipps, you’ve been here long enough to know that disputes about moderation go in ATMB. This is an official warning. Do not do this again. If you or anyone else has anything to say about the moderation of this thread, take it up in ATMB.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
I think women buy into the myth it propagates just like men do; it’s largely about the ostentatious flaunting of assets, be they cars, vulgar jewellery, sponsored booze brands, breasts or, ahem, one’s ‘booty’. It ironically demonstrates gender equality when it comes to thick people’s materialism.
I am not interested in discussing moderation, either here or in ATMB. Do your thing.
But I am interested in the topic of whether rap songs that fit this category tend to be significantly less popular among girls and women than among boys and men. (If not, why?).
If you object to stating, in this context, that “all” women like to be dominated that’s fine, because this is obvious, as you say, and I don’t think anyone is suggesting that.
So let’s leave it as it’s possible that some women like to be dominated, and this may be a factor in the relative popularity/unpopularity of misogynistic rap music among women and girls. [As previous, this may or may not be true, but it seems like something that might have some degree of truth at some level.]
Moderating
The possibility that some women like to be dominated is permissible in terms of this discussion. If the statement had been made in those terms I would not have moderated it.
Colibri
Moderator
Possible answer:
Some people like music and other entertainments that they perceive as giving the middle finger to authority, to the powerful elements of society, to “the man” etc… These days there’s not many cultural positions or ideas that provoke an angry reaction from those at the top of society, but being–or pretending to be–in favor of violence against women still does the trick.
One can appreciate a description or portrayal of a lifestyle while not actually advocating for it. Do you think everyone who appreciates rap is ok with murder, extreme drug abuse and human trafficking? Does the same also go for, say, Johnny Cash fans?
For many listeners, rap is a portrait of another way of life, and not one they aspire to or embrace.
While it’s not my main genre, and I am no afficianado, I listen to a lot of rap and am a woman. I’ve always been in line with what Chris Rock says (and have never heard that routine before now) - they’re not talking about me
I enjoy the beats, and the braggadocio style. Totally something you don’t get in most rock, which has a lot of whiny bitches. It’s not just women that the dudes say awful things about - it’s other dudes, and authority figures, and people they used to be friends with, and the media and life in general. Eminem says awful things about his mom!
These songs can be just angry and you don’t take the anger personally. Now songs that are just lecherous (“Shake Ya Ass” et al), well, I guess those are misogynistic? But honestly songs like that make me feel sexy and I like to dance to them.
If you’re really sensitive to misogyny and want to be offended, then rap music is not for you. But to me it’s a topic that’s a drop in the bucket compared to all the topics of rap and hip hop.
As a self proclaimed feminist and rap fan, I agree with this. Without getting too ridiculous in description, I think there’s something to be said for art being allowed to be art. And yes, I do think rap-- like all forms of music-- is art. Do I think Lil Wayne was going for ‘art’ when he rapped the line, “I beat the pussy up like Emmett Till”? Probably not, but it’s not my place to draw that distinction.