Is rap music anti-feminist?

Question

If you have ever listened to rap music you will notice that it always degrades women by using derogative words when they mention women. The music videos for almost all of rap music has women dressed in S****y clothing or either not dressed at all. Do you feel that rappers play a role in making it harder for women to advance in this day and age?

Answer 1

A lot of it does degrade women, yes.

Answer 2

No, its out and out anti women period.

Answer 3

Who cares? If you don't like it, don't listen to it. I don't.

Answer 4

No!

Answer 5

Rap music isn't anit-feminist.  Some categories of rap music are sexist.  Unfortunately, we don't have female empowerment rappers anymore.  We need to go back to the days of Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Yo-Yo.

Answer 6

I wouldn't say anti feminist, but I do think it's anti woman.  I won't even listen to it much anymore because of it.  And we never watch videos in my home; neither of us have an interest in the garbage.

Answer 7

Rap music is anti everything. There is nothing good that results from it. Most rappers refer to women as Bit@hes, hoes, $luts and any other name they van find derogative. They call men N word, they call white people crackers. The only thing good they ever do have to say is when they are under scrutiny of the public eye. Then that is when they claim to have found God and become all religious.

Answer 8

I agree with you on the content of the lyrics and material being show cased in rap music. I just had a disagreement with a fellow male co-worker on this issue yesterday. I will admit that your views and mine are along the same lines. But as he pointed out (and I had to agree) a lot of women give these rappers "something to rap about". Not only with the way they dress, but with the way they carry and disrespect themselves.

One of my sibling’s friends has a girlfriend that is an exact replica of a woman you would see straight out of a rap video. Different children from different men, lazy, can't keep a steady job, but will receive government assistance in a heart beat. Refuses to do anything for herself, but is always looking to his family for asstance with the kids and child support. And the sad part about it is, there are many women out there like her.

Many rappers talk about what they see or have seen growing up in their neighborhoods, the ghetto’s, or the "PJ’s" Projects as some people call it. But the thing that bothers me is, even though they grew up in  this environmenet of drugs, crime, and prostitution, why can’t they turn that experience around for the better, and write lyrics that will uplift the youth out of the slums. Why can’t they use their words as weapons of empowerment for the young men and women who’re enduring the struggles that they themselves over came; preaching the right messages through words of hope, resistances, and the teachings of the bible? Why constantly live in your past vs. living for what’s right, and what needs to be done to stop other youth from having to live the same way they did coming up?

My thing is, if I can grow up in a neighborhood like that, watch my father beat my mother, watch my friends die in the streets from gang violence, and I over came that, why can’t I be the better person and reach back to those who need it most and pull them out of it. Especially if I had the funds and means to do so. All that money they spend on rims, Tim’s, clothes, and hoe’s they can spend that no a new youth center, or the rebuilding the neighborhood they grew up in. Become part of the solution and not a part of the problem is my take on the whole issue with rap music of today. Rap groups and rappers like Common Sense’, The Roots, Talib Qwali, Mos Def, KRS1 to name a few. These are the people who’ve walked down that road, know what it’s like and are trying to do what they can to change the way the world views not only Black America, but America in general.

Answer 9

I don't think it's degrading.. It's empowering.

Empowering that women can control men with just a simple dance in a g-string. Makes men seem week, and women seem superior.

P.S.-I actually hate rap music.

Answer 10

Rap was amping up to be the new punk rock, now it is just pop garbage.

Answer 11

YES!!! it needs to be BANNED, STOPPED. just like guns and Rock n Roll and we need to bring back prohibition, and dig up Elvis Presley so we can SHOOT him, (before we ban guns), and stop air flight, noise polution, cigarettes and chocolate!!!!

Answer 12

It depends on what song it is.  You must not forget that Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy do not embody rap. Rap is popular all around the globe and several people freestyle.

Look at "Meen Erhabe" on Youtube (it has subscripts).

Answer 13

***AHEM***

Not all rap music insults women. There are rap artists who rap about political issues, social issues and change for our futures, but that doesn't seem to be the type of rap that goes on the radio.

Just because you hear "she l**k l**k l**k me like a lollipop" and "to the window to the wall till the sweat drops off my balls" on the radio doesn't mean that's the only type of rap out there.

When people listen to a genre of music they know little to nothing about, it's easy for them to judge and generalize. You know who praises women in their songs? Good artists. Not "pop rap" artists but good MCs and good rappers. There's more rappers out there than Lil Wayne and Eminem. Non fans of rap will take whatever they see and hear on MTV and disect it, thinking they actually have a clue about the genre or the history of rap. Hint: You don't.

Rap started out as a social outcry from years of oppression. Forget women's issues here for a minute, l'm touching on racism. Original rap started off as political and intellectual and pro-women and pro-life, etc. Now we have these bimbo artists who think it's cool to dish out lyrics like "I see you winding and grinding up on that pole...you already know I wanna f**k you..."...making it seem like it's cool to talk like that to a woman you barely know. But let me emphasize again: Not all rappers are like that. By the time I'm done typing this, there will be about 5 answers at least saying they hate rap music, that it's all garbage, that it's noise, that it all objectifies women, and they'll be wrong.

Edit: It saddens me to see that you think that way, as rap music is a huge part of African American culture. Coming from someone who's listened to rap when you were a child (same here), it shocks me to see that you don't defend it. And my lyrics links weren't just for you sweetheart, it's to show that not all rap is anti-feminist/anti-women, but thanks.

Answer 14

Yeah - it usually is

Bad attitude!

Answer 15

rap music is anti-everything.

Answer 16

Its not anti feminist its just plain misogynist.

Answer 17

Rap music uses derogatory words for EVERYTHING! Not just women....

Talk about not looking at the big picture!!

Answer 18

Rap is anti intelligence.

Answer 19

I agree with all you are saying.

Answer 20

As a rap artist myself, I dont do that...I have A LOT of respect for females. But yeah, of course, you'd lable them like that every once in a while cuz like they say, "if the shoes fit"...then it is what it is. And about them dressin all S****y...thats on them. They're grown *** ladies...they choose to. AND on top of all that...s*x sells, so everybody's just tryin to get a piece of that pie.

Answer 21

Rap music is disrespectful and degrading of women, whether the women are feminists or not.  I have heard the nasty, disgusting lyrics and the proof is there.  Rap guys treat women like s*x objects and whores. These guys are butt-ugly and I guess that's the only way they can get any woman to be seen with them in public is because they have money.  All rap guys do is make up stories about how much s*x they get...Well, we all know they lie like the rest of 'em.

...Also,  we all know that rap music is offensive to more than just women.   I understand that YOUR question was specifically about rap music being offensive about women - and I agree with you.

Answer 22

I agree with Tasha 100%, I also grew up in the projects, on the Eastside, although my mom was a very strong person (never let any man beat her, and never took govt. asst., plus battled a terrible disease and was a single mother) and I know she is the reason I am the person that I am today, she told me that becoming someone and having an education was the most important thing in the world. I didn't know what she meant by that until I got into my Jr/Snr. year of high school and I saw SO many of my classmates, people I'd grown up with fall into drugs, drinking, partying, most ended up pregnant, I know of 4 people I hung out with (me, my best friend, and two other friends all of us went to college) that actual got their diploma, some got their G.E.D, some went into the army, but most didn't do anything like that they are still living in high school, most of the time living off their parents, if they do have jobs, you are VERY lucky to get make more then $7.00 an hour. A week after I turned 18, I moved to the rich side of town (Southside), but I worked my butt off to get there and be able to go to school, I made myself better, and I believe my mom is that reason. I listened to rap in the 90's but after that, I do feel it become all about hoes and b*****s and stuff like that, GRANTED SOME women (and men) are like that BUT that doesn't mean that their music is right, or calling women that is a okay thing to do.

Answer 23

1st of all, why must women constantly advance. They are equal. They are allowed to do everything men can do.

2nd- The rappers like to be superior to everyone.They call everyone a derogatory term. Not just women. The women just point it out more.

Answer 24

Rap music has never had much to say about feminism, but it has had a lot to say about women in general — little of it even remotely flattering. But I think most women are above letting rap music dictate their lives.