To what extent does hip hop reproduce hegemonic masculinities? Discuss in relation to at least TWO specific examples.
Hip Hop is a collective of many different art forms that has transformed an entire society socially and culturally. As this cultural movement developed it has seen momentous shifts in the last 20 years, especially in regard to sexuality and gender. Hegemonic Masculinity is a concept developed by Connell, citing this concept in ‘Gender and Power’ (1987) on ‘hegemonic masculinity and emphasised femininity’. This principle seeks to articulate and legitimize male domination over women in a patriarchal society. Terry Kupers would go as far to say that in the modern US and UK the ‘ruthless competition’ between men has sought to depreciate women, stifle any emotion that is not anger, an ‘unwillingness’ to admit any weakness and to eradicate any feminine traits in women. Also under the umbrella of Hegemonic masculinity is homophobia. Much of Hip Hop does reproduce hegemonic masculinity but some artists have been able to break out of this cycle, such as Beyoncé. The Beyoncé effect has had a huge effect on empowering women as she has become an ‘Intersectional Icon’ . As well as other female artists who have combated against the Gramscian concept of hegemony that implies men are actively ‘strugg[ling] for dominance’.
Hyper masculinity is one of the main driving forces that reinforces the notion of hegemonic masculinity. These are very stereotypical things that males in society strive to achieve to become a ‘real man’. An example of this can be seen through dress ware, dances and posturing. As Kupers mentioned that men suppress or do not show any emotion that is not anger, we see clear rivalry in Hip Hop, especially in the 1990s. One very famous conflict was between East coast and West coast of the US, which ultimately led to the death of the Notorious BIG and Tupac. The notion of hyper masculinity in Hip Hop is in some ways, unescapable. The parameters of what is and is not acceptable are clear, and have merged from both ‘religious and political discourses’ as well as ghetto street culture . The one-million-man march planned by Farrakhan in 1995 was specifically dedicated to males who adhered to this notion of Hip Hop Nationalism, members of the LGBT community were not welcome, as were women of black descent. This time period served to perpetuate shared identities rather than individual ones. DMX’s music video of ‘Ruff Ryders’ Anthem’ showcases everything hyper masculinity embodies in Hip Hop, men riding bikes precariously, topless men weightlifting in a prison yard and clips of destructive Pitbulls barking. There is a complete dismissal of anything remotely feminine in this video. DMX uses lyrics like ‘I resort to violence’ or ‘Now it’s time for bed, two more to the head, got the floor red, yeah, that nigga’s dead’. The constant agenda that artists like DMX are portraying legitimizes male dominated behaviour through a testosterone fuelled whirlwind of hyper masculine exercises that neglects feminine ideology to push their own agenda is only likely to be reproduced by other artists and believed by their audiences. Media like these songs and videos that are positively received and widely viewed by a wide audience, not just African-American males, showcases that this train of thought is deeply embedded in society. Believing or not believing in this is a matter of becoming accepted in in the community or not.
Hip Hop has also reproduced hegemonic masculinity through sexual violence against women in hip hop. Kool G Rap’s ‘Hey Mister Mister’ (1995) shows some graphic details of what happens to the women who has been caught being promiscuous with other men, ‘I punched her in the ribcage and kicked her in the stomach/Take off all my motherfuckin’ jewellery, bitch run it/I stomped her and I kicked her and I punched her in the face’. The male perpetrators behind the violence of women show no ramifications behind their actions, which misleads and legitimises the injustices against women in society. Laura Mulvey coined the the term ‘the male gaze’ which emphasises the relationship between the woman on the screen with the male protagonist, as well as the male audience member. An example of the objectification of women in a music video setting is Nelly’s ‘Tip Drill’. In this video we see women being treated as nothing more than a financial transaction, wearing little or no clothing and there are many sexual and phallic symbols in this. In this we truly see the difference in norms of men and women. Men in this video are seen purely dominant, with everything happening around them. Men are the ‘bearer of the look’ and the woman is the ‘image’ or an accessory to the man.
Hegemonic Masculinity at its core rejects all notions of femininity in males as well as homosexuality. Many black nationalists sought to achieve a mono-racial hetero-patriarchy. Such a theme was an essential part of Hip Hop Nationalism, smearing homosexuality was as important as fighting white supremacists which rap nationalists used to engage the black mass. A hyperbolic example of blatant homophobia in the hip hop community is Thug Slaughter Forces’s ‘Tight Clothes?!’ [2008] which argues that whilst men should wear loose fitted clothes to obscure the form, women should wear clothes more moulded to their body to reveal objects of sexual desire. Men wearing these tight fitted clothes are subjected to violence whilst women in tight fitted clothes enjoy glamorous close-ups in a sexual manner. This already established dress code showcases the inescapable reality that masculine dominance ‘dictates men conceal while women reveal’. To Hip Hop and rap nationalist’s homosexuality threatens to tear apart the entire patriarchal system as a homosexual lack characteristics necessary to join the culture of hegemonic masculinity. In some ways violence is a use to eradicate the impurities in the concept of a real man, but in other ways it is used to discipline. Public humiliation in this community reinforces the concrete and ‘hard masculine image within hip hop culture’. A trait commonly associated with hegemonic masculinity is Toxic Masculinity as it concisely shows the socially destructive aspects, such as ‘misogyny, homophobia, greed, and violent domination’ which have been validated and respected in wider society.
However, especially from a feminist standpoint, hegemonic masculinity has decreased in recent years and other artists have risen to challenge the patriarchy to give women and members of the LGBT community a platform. Perhaps one of the most iconic feminist female artists of the 21st Century is Beyoncé even having a so called ‘Beyoncé Effect’. She has challenged gender norms and given feminism such positive voice in US Hip Hop communities. She has also tackled many social issues in her music and philanthropy such as sexuality, mental health and male dominance which has empowered women globally. Most notably her song ‘Single Ladies’ won three Grammys and song of the year which is all about a woman taking control of her own life rather than being dictated what to do by a man. The fact that Beyoncé has many songs and albums with these recurrent themes with so much success shows the relatability that it has with the audience and how it resonates within peoples lives. However Beyoncé, along with other female Hip Hop artists have been subject to criticism. Bell Hooks described Beyoncé as an ‘Anti-feminist’ due to her being a ‘slave’ to the patriarchal structures. One must question the legitimacy of these claims as she is a ‘new face of feminism’ giving a more female driven narrative on women’s own bodies and sexuality. However, whilst many of the lyrics have been praised for their feminist overtones, her fashion and video production have come under scrutiny. Critics pose that whilst it can be empowering from one view-point, she is merely reproducing the oppressive content that she is supposedly trying to oppose. Beyoncé is said to be levelling equality between men and women, but by parading her sex life, using suggestive or provocative clothing and making largely viewed videos including nudity and sexual antics, she is much more part of the problem that she sought to correct. Many of her videos or live performances reference the very same kind of dancing that her male predecessors and rivals used. Moreover, we must question to legitimacy of her actual views, are they that of the label, her audience, her songwriter or herself? Capitalism is the driving force behind most cultural and societal shifts, and greatly affects ‘gender as it intersects with other underlying factors of hip-hop like race, social-political agency and class’. It seems that no matter how far artists, male or female, try and to demolish masculine structures, the possibilities for actual change are governed by patriarchal structures.
One relevant example of an artist going against hegemonic masculinity is Lil Nas X. In June 2019 the Hip Hop rapper came out as homosexual, risking his reputation, respect from fellow rappers as well as his family and friends from Georgia which is a very conservative state. He garnered thousands of homophobic messages across his social media platforms as well as the hip hop community itself. This act highlighted the homophobia in the community and showed hip hops toxic masculinity, some rejecting the multi-billion streamed artist with his hit ‘Old Town Road’. However whilst this tried to combat hegemonic masculinity, it was accepted by the majority of the population showing that there could be a change in the trend of homophobia in the genre. Sexual identities over the past 20 years have become more fluid in an open mesh of possibilities as queer theory states.
Overall Hip Hop does reproduce hegemonic masculinity in a large scale, but in recent years with the rise of female artists and more representation from the LGBT community the patriarchal structures have been challenged and the misogyny in hip hop will only decrease. Queer styled Hip hop from artists such as Zebra Katz and Young Thug will have an impression on their impressive sized audiences who will have their own sub cultures and societies challenged by these thoughts and themes the artists put out there. Such huge artists like Beyoncé have tremendous responsibility to continue to challenge the culture of masculinity and the damage it does to society and find a way to embrace feminine sexuality without promoting masculine agenda.
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