Beyond the stereotype
More than 50 years after the birth of hip-hop culture, rap is still overwhelmingly considered sexist. The lyrics of a considerable number of artists can indeed be described as such, but pointing to these examples to justify the label is reductive.
“My interest in the subject comes from the gap I noticed between social representations in relation to rap and what I was experiencing,” the author of Queens of the City — Essay on Feminism and the Love of RapZénaïde Berg. When I started to get interested in the sociology of rap, I realized that studies or people specialized in social sciences on hip-hop seemed to dismantle a large part of the representations and stereotypes conveyed in society. Research in the United States on hip-hop and feminism demonstrates the existence of prejudices, but they are often from the point of view of female rappers. Few concern rap audiences.
Thus, the one who is now a doctoral candidate in sociology at the Université de Montréal (UdeM) conducted about fifteen interviews in the winter of 2021 following a call for applications seeking people who define themselves as women, francophones and Montrealers, who have been listening to rap for several years. With them, the author discussed their discovery of this music, their listening practice, their sense of belonging to the genre, the emotions they associate with it, their reflexivity in relation to the representations they have of rap, and then their various critiques.
Many male rap fans claim to be feminists. Why were none of them interviewed? “There are many moments when the testimonies are in the fact of experiencing emotions, of being able to express anger,” explains Zénaïde Berg. Of course, there are feelings that men experience and the discomfort they can have with certain lyrics, but at that time in my life, I didn’t feel legitimate enough to lead these discussions, she continues. I knew that it would be easier with women; that they would talk to me about themselves and their emotions more than about this style, this artist, this clip.”
Rap that makes you strong
A good proportion of the testimonies collected underline the feeling of “empowerment” when listening to rap. One amateur said she felt “powerful, confident, solid, capable of resolving the situation”, with her favorite music in her ears.
Zénaïde Berg adds that the lack of space where women can externalize negative emotions has often been raised.
PHOTO CHARLES WILLIAM PELLETIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Zénaïde Berg, author and doctoral candidate in sociology at UdeM
It’s poorly perceived, because it goes against what it means to be a woman. Rap allows you to express that.
Zénaïde Berg, author and doctoral candidate in sociology at UdeM
One fan mentioned that MCs like “Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, who are assertive about their sexuality, are criticized a lot,” while she believes that their approach “shows feminism and assertion.” “There is a debate about the feminist strategies that we favor to confront patriarchy. There is the strategy of one-upmanship, which is equivalent to seizing stereotypes,” specifies Zénaïde Berg. Women who feel empowered through rap are generally very reflexive about these issues.”
Accept the truth
“For me, rap tells the truth. Yes, it’s raw and it’s hard, but it’s very honest,” says the author.
She believes that the authenticity of the genre and of the majority of its artisans can be beneficial to reflection in relation to the ordinary sexism often conveyed. “When people assume themselves, there is a possible dialogue. We cannot change the fact that we are socialized according to gender relations.”
The queens of the city refers to the test The boys clubby Martine Delvaux. Zénaïde Berg writes that the concept as defined by the feminist novelist and essayist “seems to apply to the world of rap” since “men’s behavior and their attitude when they talk about rap with women create a hostile climate where it is not possible to exchange in a benevolent and egalitarian manner.”
When asked what makes the boys club associated with rap, the sociologist mentions that “it is more assumed.” “I don’t think it is more violent.”
I prefer a safe environment where, from time to time, guys give slightly stereotypical or sexist visions of the world than an environment that is like “we are chill”, but in the end, you get attacked.
Zénaïde Berg, author and doctoral candidate in sociology at UdeM
That said, Zénaïde Berg hopes that “it’s less of a given to throw out texts that repeat the word ‘whore’.” “I feel like there’s still progress. But beyond words, actions in real life matter more. I don’t think that excluding someone or stigmatizing artists helps. On the other hand, making spaces safer for men and women is something I would like us to dedicate ourselves to as a society.”
Extract
“As a woman, a feminist and a rap fan, my taste for rap has often been questioned by highlighting the contradictions that emerge (in appearance) from these three identity postures. I had been experiencing this internal feeling for a long time without really mentioning it; from this unease was born the impulse to delve into the question as part of a research project. I wanted to theorize and analyze what seemed to me to be an intellectual shortcut marked by racism and misogyny.”
Who is Zénaïde Berg?
Born in Charente, France, Zénaïde Berg has lived in Quebec since 2012. His love for hip-hop dates back to 2006, thanks to the album In my bubble, by Diam’s. Her essay on female rap fans is inspired by her master’s thesis in sociology under the supervision of Sirma Bilge. She has been pursuing her doctoral research on the Quebec rap scene and social power relations at the University of Montreal since 2022.
Queens of the City — Essay on Feminism and the Love of Rap
Editions Somme toute
92 pages