In the rather long yet informative article, Nielson discusses the state of female rap, talks to Trina and legend MC Lyte, and discusses the future of female rap. I had to edit it quite a bit to make sure that this thread doesn't break ATRL's rules... So, please go read the article in its entirety if you can.
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Originally posted by NPR
2014. This, we are told, is the year female rappers are going to break their way back into the mainstream, ending a long period of silence for women in the industry. Now it's true that many people had high hopes for 2013, too. And 2012 was also said to be promising. But 2014, with anticipated releases from a bevy of up-and-coming women artists and a couple of established veterans, is going to be different. That's certainly the hope anyway, and the narrative, once again, as we head into the spring of a new year.
I'm not so sure.
I am sure, however, that the perennial discussions about whether, at long last, we will see a resurgence of women artists within the hip-hop industry raise important questions. While there are plenty of talented women rapping today, you'd be hard pressed to name them if your sense of the industry is shaped by radio rotations, music videos, or Billboard charts. Indeed, when Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday was certified platinum at the end of 2010, it was the first solo album by a female MC to reach that milestone in eight long years. Minaj went platinum again in 2012 with Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, but her commercial success over the last decade has stood as an exception to the unwritten rule that women rappers no longer have a place among elite artists.
[...]
With the emergence of several new artists — including Angel Haze, Iggy Azalea, and Azealia Banks — things are certainly looking up, but the long-term prospects for women artists are still precarious. Recently, I spoke with hip-hop pioneer MC Lyte, who in 1988 was the first woman to release a solo rap album with a major label, and she expressed genuine concern with the state of women in hip hop today.
[...]
According to Lyte, it's far more risky to sign women artists today because of the costs associated with their physical appearance. Hair, make-up and wardrobe all add up, she said, and therefore women — who already face an uphill battle when it comes to selling records — become an even more questionable business proposition.
It's an argument I've heard before, not only from other well-known artists, but from industry executives who cast themselves as the victims of unfortunate circumstances. It's a shame that we don't have more women recording, these executives lament, but they are just too expensive. While I have doubts about this to begin with—are we really supposed to believe that the crushing cost of hair and make-up has pushed a multibillion dollar hip-hop industry away from women? — it does reveal a disturbing assumption about women in hip-hop: that what they look like is at least as important as their musical talent.
And, frankly, for some fans that may be true. Speaking to this, Miami-based Trina, who has achieved enduring success with her highly sexual lyrics and provocative videos, puts the male perspective of women artists this way: "You a female; I'm a dude. I'm not learning nothing from you. I just want to see you. So whatever you're talking about, I probably don't really care. I wanna just look at you." [REMIND YOU OF ANYTHING???]
We might read these artists' use of explicit sexuality as pure business savvy, or even their willingness to confront American taboos against female, and specifically black female, sexual expression. But it also dovetails nicely with the crude exploitation of women that, as Professor Tricia Rose argues, has become "almost required" in mainstream hip-hop. For years, dominant male artists have made a fortune demeaning and degrading women, often portraying them in lyrics and videos as interchangeable objects of sexual pleasure, while increasingly limited radio and television rotations have made alternative representations of women harder to find.
[...]
Consider Angel Haze, who in December did what rapper M.I.A. had only threatened to do earlier that year. Frustrated with delays, she uploaded her debut album to SoundCloud, making it free to the public. It was taken down within hours, but her label did capitulate, sort of, by agreeing to move up the release date to Dec. 30 — during what is arguably the worst week of the year to put an album on the market. Given the timing, her initial sales were predictably dismal, invoking comparisons to Kreayshawn, another female MC whose highly anticipated debut album landed, after delays, with a thud.
Angel Haze's situation is instructive, though, not only because it's indicative of the difficulties other artists seem to be having with their labels, but because once we strip away the drama surrounding the release, we have a new album from a highly-anticipated artist that we can listen to. And it's a good one, showcasing polished production, as well as Haze's lyrical dexterity and an ambitious attempt to tackle serious subjects without alienating a mainstream audience. Is it perfect? No. But it's a solid debut from a talented young artist who clearly takes her music seriously.
And yet, reviews from XXL, Spin, and Pitchfork — important, if dubious, arbiters in the industry — were surprisingly harsh, with reviewers taking her to task for, among other things, disappointing lyrics or confusing messages. That's especially ironic given that all three magazines gave significantly higher ratings to 17-year-old Chief Keef for his lyrically-vapid 2012 debut album and routinely award higher scores to rappers like 2 Chainz, Waka Flocka Flame, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne.What these rappers have in common, aside from lyrical skills that range from dreadful to mediocre (the exception being Lil Wayne earlier in his career), is that they routinely degrade women, sometimes to shocking extremes, and appear to be doing little to elevate rap as an art form.
In other words, if fans are waiting for the major media outlets to make 2014 the year of the female MC, I worry that they will be disappointed. But if they do a little searching, they will find that some of the best hip hop music today is being produced by women who have created their own space to perform. Hopefully, their work will force the industry, one seemingly bent on creating a men's-only club, to think twice.
Because of the rules, I had to take out this AMAZING paragraph. It really does deserve its own post so I'm going to post it right now since I don't think this thread will really go anywhere lol.
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And so, thanks to a climate of its own making, the recording industry is understandably reluctant to black female artists, and even when it does, it often tries to pigeon-hole them into roles that privilege sexual style over musical substance. For example, in a recent interview, Sharaya J, an up-and-coming artist working with Missy Elliott, recounted that after she had presented her work to a group of record executives, one of them suggested that she put on some heels, get a weave, and "sell them with sex." In other words, record executives seem to be encouraging women to peddle an image that caters to the sexual desire of fans—which serves to further reinforce them as objects rather than credible rappers—even as they complain that the costs of maintaining this image are prohibitive since women don't move enough units.
I feel like so many people dismiss Nicki, when in fact she is an important figure in female rap.
Because they wan't her to drop bangers like her warning cover, and drop the pop act.. I'm praying the pink print goes hard and is iconic like jays blue pring...
Great article. This situation is sad. I hope Nicki continue to be successful because her sustained success will keep opening doors and conversations going
Because they wan't her to drop bangers like her warning cover, and drop the pop act.. I'm praying the pink print goes hard and is iconic like jays blue pring...
I'm actually starting to appreciate Nicki's decision to "do" pop. I don't know if the rap community was ready for a similar album to Pink Friday and PF:RR helped her to achieve a lot of things that she wouldn't be able to do with a strictly rap-sounding album. She would have faded so much more had she done another album like PF or even did a "rap album". Now, she has the opportunity to really blow the rap community away with an album that is nothing like she has released before.
There's a bunch of other reasons that I am thankful she went the pop route, but to keep it short and sweet... I think that her putting out PF:RR has helped her in the long run.
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Originally posted by HonestLies
Angel would already be 100x more successful if she was male. It's ********.
This is why it gets me mad when female rappers argue, they should be standing together in unison, not wanting to be the only female rapper.
You are so right.
I kind of wish Angel had gone on tour with Eminem like he wanted her to because she would gain such a larger audience that way (I think Eminem fans would LOVE her), but then again she had her reasons.
She is honestly the only female rapper out right now who DESERVES to be successful. Her story is amazing, her lyrics are amazing, she is an amazing individual.
Quote:
Originally posted by Auraeolux
Great article. This situation is sad. I hope Nicki continue to be successful because her sustained success will keep opening doors and conversations going
I agree!
I've always felt that Nicki might not have opened doors in the same way that her ancestors did, but she sure as hell has kept them open or tried to.
Without her, I know that I wouldn't give two ***** about female rappers lol.
i would love for some female rappers to start being successful. unfortunately nicki is trying too hard to appeal to the urban market now that her music is starting to be how many times can i say N***** in a song unlike before when she had catchy punchlines.
I'm actually starting to appreciate Nicki's decision to "do" pop. I don't know if the rap community was ready for a similar album to Pink Friday and PF:RR helped her to achieve a lot of things that she wouldn't be able to do with a strictly rap-sounding album. She would have faded so much more had she done another album like PF or even did a "rap album". Now, she has the opportunity to really blow the rap community away with an album that is nothing like she has released before.
There's a bunch of other reasons that I am thankful she went the pop route, but to keep it short and sweet... I think that her putting out PF:RR has helped her in the long run.
You are so right.
I kind of wish Angel had gone on tour with Eminem like he wanted her to because she would gain such a larger audience that way (I think Eminem fans would LOVE her), but then again she had her reasons.
She is honestly the only female rapper out right now who DESERVES to be successful. Her story is amazing, her lyrics are amazing, she is an amazing individual.
I agree!
I've always felt that Nicki might not have opened doors in the same way that her ancestors did, but she sure as hell has kept them open or tried to.
Without her, I know that I wouldn't give two ***** about female rappers lol.
Yep helped her become a global wapper... I respect her hustle, but I can never respect roman reloaded IMO
I just pray to the lawd she comes thru with pink print since she's a household name already.
I remember she would promise the second part to this till this day i'm still waiting...
i would love for some female rappers to start being successful. unfortunately nicki is trying too hard to appeal to the urban market now that her music is starting to be how many times can i say N***** in a song unlike before when she had catchy punchlines.
I wish you didn't have to feel that way! But, I'm sure Nicki will have some really nice choruses and punchlines on the album.
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Originally posted by Mr.Rager
Yep helped her become a global wapper... I respect her hustle, but I can never respect roman reloaded IMO
I just pray to the lawd she comes thru with pink print since she's a household name already.
I remember she would promise the second part to this till this day i'm still waiting...
I personally think that she will come thru, but then again I'm a stan so my stan shades might be blinding me from the truth. Haha.
Who knows? High School is basically Hood Story 2.0. We definitely might get Warning 2.0 with this album... I love it when she makes subtle references to her mixtapes.
Honestly, Nicki changed the game for female rappers. However, I'm dissapointed with her b/c she''s not trying to use her position to help other females. Not that she has to, but why doesn't she collab with any up and coming female rappers?
I wish you didn't have to feel that way! But, I'm sure Nicki will have some really nice choruses and punchlines on the album.
I personally think that she will come thru, but then again I'm a stan so my stan shades might be blinding me from the truth. Haha.
Who knows? High School is basically Hood Story 2.0. We definitely might get Warning 2.0 with this album... I love it when she makes subtle references to her mixtapes.
Honestly, Nicki changed the game for female rappers. However, I'm dissapointed with her b/c she''s not trying to use her position to help other females. Not that she has to, but why doesn't she collab with any up and coming female rappers?
PTAF sis! She also helped them (a little bit) to get their deal!!
IMO, collabing with female rappers and trying to help put them on doesn't actually help. Collaborations among female rappers are just something that we, as female rap fans, cherish because it shows partnership and gives off a (rather false) sense of community.
In the full article, he mentions how Missy and Kim have two protégées, but let's be real... How can one female help another female when the industry is against them? I wish the writer had brought that up.
Like, I really want to see Nicki work with (or at least take a picture with) some of the girls on the come up, but in the long run... I can't see it being helpful for any of them besides Nicki stans saying that our fave reached out to the girls.
Also, take into consideration the different labels backing each artist. It can be pretty messy trying to get an OK for the collaboration.