Ladies and the Hip-Hop That Loves to Hate Us

The beat goes on, along with the beat down of women's worth, Amanda Seales writes at Clutch magazine.

Many of the men on the mic who were disrespecting and objectifying women in their songs began doing that in actuality.  Which then trickled down to their crews, to behind the scenes professionals, and to fans, until it became a known part of the culture.

I’m not saying it was embraced by all, but few challenged it.  I’ve always said that hip-hop is a cockfest and women simply don’t have any party favors.  Meaning, the culture, as much as women were a vital part of building it and are a vital part of living, sustaining, and nurturing it, is a man’s world therefore women, by nature of being, well, women will never get an equal shake.  So when faced with that all to common less-than treatment many of us woman of the hip-hop guard are put in the predicament of put up or shut up.  We want to be taken seriously as members of this rhythmic realm so even though the instinct may be, “Wait this doesn’t feel right.  I shouldn’t let this rock” the common reaction chosen is to just “be cool.”

Nothing gets checked or challenged.  Like I said before, hip-hop is a man’s world, and by crying foul you easily get ostracized, labeled a “bitch” or, dare I say, a “diva”, or even worse, weak.  “Can’t handle the heat, stay out the studio.” 

Read Amanda Seales' entire piece at Clutch magazine.

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