 Joan Morgan, a feminist and author of books detailing the effects of the music genre on everyday life, addressed the need for women to assess their portrayals in musics videos.
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Lil' Kim, the Notorious B.I.G., and rap videos were some of the topics addressed by hip-hop journalist and feminist Joan Morgan, who spoke to Boston College students Thursday about the role hip-hop plays in everyday life, particularly in the lives of black women.
"I think that if we're going to see any change in the representation of women in hip-hop it has to be accompanied by activism led by women and supported by men who care about making a change," she said.
Morgan grew up in the center of hip-hop culture and has watched it move from the streets of South Bronx into present day pop culture. She has written for Vibe, Spin, and Essence as well as her own book When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: Life As A Hip Hop Feminist.
She started writing about hip-hop because of the role it has played in her life. Morgan described the first time she heard the Sugar Hill Gang on the radio as the first time hip-hop culture entered the world as something unique and representative of black culture in America. For Morgan, hip-hop sends a message in an "in your face" way, a quality that no other form of music really captures.
As a true witness to its birth, Morgan described herself as "protective" over hip-hop. Many people asked her how she can be a feminist and still support hip-hop where women are referred to as "bitches and hoes" in many songs. She explained that women should not distance themselves from that language and tell themselves "well they aren't talking about me." Instead, women need to critique that aspect of hip-hop and focus on the message it sends to society.
Even though it may seem that rap artists live a carefree lifestyle, in reality, their lyrics are plagued with desperation. Morgan referred to Notorious B.I.G and his Ready to Die album, which is filled with the guilt and depression of everyday struggle that ended in his suicide.
What discourages Morgan the most about hip-hop is that she has to shield her young son from most of it because of its contents.
Spring Break
Eloy Ponce
posted 10/15/07 @ 2:30 PM EST
Some women in our society need to realize that "freedom" does not mean sacrificing their dignity, and that "feminism" does not mean hating men. Should they not realize the harm they inflict on themselves when they succumb to female degradation, their rights are still being neglected, and which is worse, they are becoming the perpetrators of modern-day misogyny. (Continued…)