Event Title

'You Could Be The King, but Watch the Queen Conquer': Hip-Hop, Race, and Female Performativity in the 21st Century

Presenter Information

Molly Hodgkins, Colby CollegeFollow

Location

Diamond 123

Start Date

30-4-2015 9:00 AM

End Date

30-4-2015 11:55 AM

Project Type

Presentation

Description

After the Year of the Booty (as 2014 was dubbed by several media outlets) took the hip-hop world by storm, this research takes a timely look at the sexual and racial connotations of the female hip-hop performance. Females have continuously struggled to establish a place of legitimacy and empowerment in rap culture, and despite their increasing presence in the hip-hop world, the overwhelming sexualization of the Black female, or the highly stereotyped Black female persona, has continued and perhaps even grown. Using evidence from the extensive scholarly work that has been conducted in the intersection between feminism and hip-hop culture, as well as from the lyrics, music videos, and images from Nicki Minaj and Iggy Azalea, I examine the state of women in hip-hop today in terms of their authenticity and agency. I argue that while race plays a large part in establishing the legitimacy and acceptance of the female rapper, ultimately Nicki Minaj and Iggy Azalea are using similar and carefully crafted performative identities to appeal to a consumer audience.

Faculty Sponsor

Sonja Thomas

Sponsoring Department

Colby College. Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program

CLAS Field of Study

Interdisciplinary Studies

Event Website

http://www.colby.edu/clas

ID

974

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Apr 30th, 9:00 AM Apr 30th, 11:55 AM

'You Could Be The King, but Watch the Queen Conquer': Hip-Hop, Race, and Female Performativity in the 21st Century

Diamond 123

After the Year of the Booty (as 2014 was dubbed by several media outlets) took the hip-hop world by storm, this research takes a timely look at the sexual and racial connotations of the female hip-hop performance. Females have continuously struggled to establish a place of legitimacy and empowerment in rap culture, and despite their increasing presence in the hip-hop world, the overwhelming sexualization of the Black female, or the highly stereotyped Black female persona, has continued and perhaps even grown. Using evidence from the extensive scholarly work that has been conducted in the intersection between feminism and hip-hop culture, as well as from the lyrics, music videos, and images from Nicki Minaj and Iggy Azalea, I examine the state of women in hip-hop today in terms of their authenticity and agency. I argue that while race plays a large part in establishing the legitimacy and acceptance of the female rapper, ultimately Nicki Minaj and Iggy Azalea are using similar and carefully crafted performative identities to appeal to a consumer audience.

https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2015/program/391