Female Rappers’ Lyrics and Male Rappers’ Lyrics

Despite systemic oppression being a major talking point in the well-being of African Americans, it is evident from the ever-growing black-on-black crime and hate rate happening within the black community social circles that are real threats keeping the black community from progressing. Even after surviving slavery, segregation, poverty, and racism, in modern black communities, black-on-black crime and hate, including the negative view, treatment, and portrayal of black women by black men and women, have turned into a common trait that the so-called gangster and badass rappers in the Hip Hop music have been preaching for decades. As Joan Morgan notes in her article "Fly-Girls, Bitches, and Hoes," regardless of the artistic merits of the mesmerizing pop-culture beats and rap rhymes of hip-hop music, the prosperity of the hate and deluded image of the African American women and community has turned into a major source of serious danger to not only the existence and success of feminism but also the existence, sustainability, and prosperity of black-on-black love. More than two decades since Joan Morgan wrote her article, the same undesirable trait of viewing African American women as 'bitches’ and 'hos' by male rappers is unfortunately now even seen in black female rappers' music. Nevertheless, despite modern-day female rappers content marketing the same sexist and misogynist perspective that male rappers mentioned by Morgan portrayed, there are still some female rappers in the current hip-hop scene who have taken a different perspective and used their music to seek and advocate for the independence and freedom of African women and men from the control of misogynistic and machismo pulling back the African American community.

The main similarity between modern-day female rappers' lyrics and the lyrics of male rappers identified by Morgan is the fact that the subject matter of both entails anti-feminism and sexist perspectives, disrespecting and degrading the value of women. When listening to the lyrics sung by famous female rappers like Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Ice Spice, and Sexy Red, it is difficult to differentiate their intensely sexist lyrics from what Morgan notes about male rappers like Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, or Notorious BIG. As Morgan wrote, "The seemingly impenetrable wall of sexism in rap music is the complex mask African Americans often wear to wear both to hide and express the pain" (Morgan 535). What can be heard from the lyrics made by top female rappers in the current hip-hop scene is as frightening as Morgan found the sexist lyrics of the male rappers. For example, as Cullumber (par. 2) notes, the sexism and misogyny spread by modern-day female rappers is extreme, with the example of a song called "WAP" by black female hip hop artist Cardi B and Megan the Stallion encompassing troubling and shocking sexist lyrics such as, "Yeah, you fuc*ing with some wet @ss puss*," "Bring a bucket and a mop for this wet @ss puss*," "Give me everything you got for this wet @ss puss*." Despite not mentioning the idea of 'bitches’ and 'hos' directly, the subject matter and image created about women by these female rappers' lyrics is similar to the frightening sexist content that Morgan saw in the content of male rappers more than two decades ago. From such lyrics, it is clear that hip hop's influence on the unending sexist view of women has not changed a bit since Morgan wrote her article. However, now through female rappers, women are now an active part of the destructive process of creating a frighteningly misogynistic-minded African-American community.

In conclusion, it is clear from the evidence provided by the lyrics sung by modern-day female rappers that despite some female rappers' subject matter and attitude, they still maintain the sexist, misogynistic, and black-on-black crime hate and crime that is witnessed in the male rappers identified by Morgan in her 1995 article, there are is still hope in hip hop being used for an excellent course to promote the lives and well-being of African American women and men in the total opposite and significant different vibe offered by the music of some female rappers. While female rappers like Cardi B and Ice Spice have chosen to be similar to male rappers like Dr. Dre, Notorious BIG, and Snoop Dogg, identified by Morgan, other female rappers like Lizzo and Janelle Monáe have taken a different direction and chosen to follow Morgan's to use hip hop music to spread black-to-black love and realistic empowerment of African American women and community. From such similarities and differences between modern female rappers and the old-school rappers identified by Joan Morgan, it is evident that Morgan was right in noting that hip-hop is a critical tool that can be used to destroy and empower African American women, men, and communities.