ILLUSTRATION BY SAVANNAH DONALD/STAFF ILLUSTRATOR
Jordan Smith
Opinion Columnist
[email protected]
Although hip hop took its ground in storytelling, female hip hop artist has taken the creative movement and established a new style of self-expression – women empowerment. Hip hop is a mode of expression owned by each generation who chooses to manifest the multi-billion dollar global phenomenon.
The unique era evolves differently in each generation with a new lyrical flow and the creation of popular dance moves. Female hip hop artist has taken root and has encouraged others to do so in their music.
Queen Latifah’s “U.N.I.T.Y” featured a command to women to not allow any guy to call them a “b—-.” Her song “Ladies First” made it clear that women should be inspired by their gender and “Winning Women” message reinforced the idea that women are bosses. She created positive lyrical content and became a powerful voice for active change.
Foxy Brown in her raunchy tracks pushed sexual politics forward, embraced the power of femininity, masculine swagger and empowered women in a world of men. Erykah Badu teaches women to find their inner selves, be unapologetically firm, admire the will to be free, but also be soulful with a little bit of hood ratchet. In her improvised break-out song “Tyrone” she is not afraid to tell a man to call his friends to “help you get your s—.”
The female emcee is a progressive and groundbreaking culture. Liberated, emotional and from a multitude of queens making noise in hip hop not just on the mainstream level. From greater viewpoints to hypersexualized empowerment anthems. From progressive thinking to thought-provoking dialogue, women in hip hop brought a remorseless sense of women empowerment.
According to BET there “aren’t many safe places for women to exist in this culture, the music condemns women, and it is a hazardous environment.”
Female hip hop artist has in fact created a safe haven. They began to attack the system, they pointed out inconsistencies, they brought awareness to change and, most importantly, they unashamedly began to state what is on their minds. Women Empowerment requires the full participation of people. It determines the well-being of our societies. We should commit ourselves to enhance the participation and leadership roles of women in political, civil, economic, social and cultural life and in development. If we do not we lose our women to a world of men.
Beyonce said in her famously quoted song “Who Run The World” that a female’s “persuasion can build a nation. Endless power our love we can devour, you will do anything for me.”
Females have the utmost power, strength and cutthroat ambition and with women, empowerment girls will run the world.
