Hip-hop music has become a huge part of the music industry today. It was first recognized as the work of the poor and working-class blacks and Latinos in the late 1970’s to the early 1980’s. It has at least four different parts to it, including graffiti art, break-dancing, DJ-ing, and rapping, but often times is only thought of as rapping and rap music.
Now when looking at mainstream hip-hop or rap, there seems to be an obsession with material possession, power, women, sex, and violence. All these obsessions are typically seen in the lyrics and music video’s, which causes many to argue that they don’t want themselves, or their children to be exposed to negative messages. Even with people going against it, hip-hop has become extremely popular listening, especially these last couple of years.
Calypso and the Objectification of the Female Body
Calypso is a style of music that is African American/Caribbean and is traditionally male dominated. Along with the music is a dance, referred to as “wukking up”. More often than not, male calypsonians objectify women in their lyrics. An example from Meridians is, “focus on de bumper/ target practice/ get ready to fire/ hold tight/ lock on de bumper/ cause you are de hunter.” This refers to the men as being “the hunters”, and the women as being “the hunted.” The woman becomes just an object to be pursued.
In the Barbados, the male “wukking up” is not as controversial as the female “wukking up.” Many citizens feel it is disrespectful, overly sexual, and shameful. Other’s feel that it is an art that is part of the culture. What’s your opinion?
I’ve just focused on two parts in this book. What did you find to be interesting? What sticks out in your mind?
1 comment:
from my point of view, hip hop is an inevitably patriarchal form of expression. i wish i could think otherwise, but this "obsession" of circling around these specific symbols and signifiers of "power, women, sex, violence," etc. are all extremely typical representations of masculine power. is it any wonder that a female "wukking" up is controversial simply for the fact that it is performed by a woman and not a man?
the lavende piece about the connections between popular music and pornography in the gender representation of women stuck out at me. it's shocking at how desensitized we've become at the similarities between the male-oriented domain of pornography (with its objectification and constant degradation of women) and the industry that produces music circulated in mass media, accessible and readily available to all!
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