Week 10: Essay #2 (final hip hop definition)

HIP HOP FEMINISM 1

HIP HOP FEMINISM 3

Hip Hop Feminism

Name

Institution

Who wrote the article?

Gwendolyn D. Pough

What is their position on the subject?

The author is against the gender exploitation of women in hip hop. The author is able to show this through the definition of the word “Shorty” that is often used to refer to both women and children in rap music. According to the author, the use of the word infantilizes women.

Do you agree with their position?

I agree with the position of the author especially on the use of the word “Shorty”.

What kind of evidence do they use to support their claims/critiques/observations about hip hop and feminism?

Hip hop feminists are both men and women who speak out against the exploitation of women in hip hop (Pough, 2007). A look at the various feminists shows that they have different approaches of condemning the exploitation of women in rap music. In the article the author critiques certain items in rap music. According to Pough (2007) “black men rapped surrounded by dozens of black and Latina women dressed in bathing suits, or scantily clad in some other fashion.” Rap videos are one of the evidences presented in the articles to show the objectifying of women.

The use of the word “Shorty” has been used throughout the article. The word is often used in hip hop culture and rap music to refer to women. The word objectifies women considering it is also used to refer to children. Pough (2007) “I use “shorty” throughout this essay because of its multiple meanings, because it showcases just how fraught the relationship between hip-hop and feminism is.”

Reference

Pough Gwendolyn. (2007). What It Do, Shorty?: Women, Hip-Hop, and a Feminist Agenda. Black Women, Gender + Families , Vol. 1, No. 2 (Fall 2007), pp. 78-99