Critique #5: Hip Hop Demeans Women

The first paragraph to this chapter presents are strong argument. It provides the reader with three solid examples of disrespectful and demeaning lyrics which sparks more ideas in the readers head of songs with similar hurtful lyrics. The author then makes a valid point that t is not debatable whether these lyrics degrade women or not. It is apparent to all and even artists know when they are doing it. This chapter also expresses how the "gentleman" existed when women did not have the right to vote. They treated women with respect and looked at them as innocent essential people. While many were against their rights, others fought for women's suffrage. Fast forward to modern day and men are now publicly degrading women. Women are treated even worse and are looked down to. The fight for their rights has been completely overlooked and they are back tracking. This chapter also speaks about the view of sexuality. Hip hop songs degrade women in a sexual way, giving sex a bad connotation. There are no other positive mentions about sex, so any relation women have with sexuality automatically gives them a bad image. Radio station, KBOO, sent a clear cut message by banning Sarah Jones' song meant to express the drawbacks of women degrading themselves. While this song held explicit content, it sent a strong message meant to imposer women. Plenty of other explicit songs that are demeaning are repeated over and over on the radio.

I want to tell her all the ways hip hop made me feel powerful. How it gave my generation a voice, a context, how we shifted the pop culture paradigm. How sometimes it's a good thing to appear brave and fearless, even if it's just posturing. I want to suggest that maybe these rhymes about licking each other's asses are liberating. But I can't.

This passage was very powerful. It shows what hip hop was made for and what it has come to. Tricia Rose uses inspiring words to explain the power of what hip hop was and then shifts to "licking each other's asses,"which exemplifies hip hop today. It shows how meaningless the lyrics have become and how disappointed she is by it. The chapter requests a change in sexism exploited by hip hop music. As a main discussion in this type of music, the connotation that comes along with it makes is seem negative as a general topic. Sexism must be taken out of the context of hip hop music.