| Negative, sexually explicit, disrespectful hip hop everyday for a year will affect the strongest minds regardless. |
This month, an extraordinary conference is taking place. Academics, community activists, music industry professionals and hip hop fans are meeting to discuss the effect hip hop has had on feminism, sexuality, female body image and gender stereotyping.
The conference is being held at the University of Chicago, and more than 1000 people from around the world are attending. It has made headline news in America, where black culture magazine Essence is also running a year long series called "Reclaim the Music", analyzing hip hop's depiction of women.
But what about in the UK? Do the young people who are the consumers care about the messages they are paying to hear? What affect does it really have on them? We talked to a range of young people and industry professionals to find out.
Dowa, 14, a street dancer, says: "I don't like the way women in skimpy clothes dance around men in hip hop videos. It makes all women seem ho-ish."
Bonnie, 16, says: "The rappers are talking about all girls out there. They don't know who's a ho and who isn't."
But Christopher, 17 disagrees. "The lyrics only refer to certain women; like the ones the artist came across." When asked how he would feel if the lyrics were about a female member of his family, he admitted: "Vexed and upset."
Female rapper LyricL says her lyrics are inspired by artists who let their feelings show through their music: "Rap is about expressing yourself. So if you're dissing women, you're therefore NOT excluding your mother, sisters, aunty, grandma, female teachers and other positive female images in your life."
She believes that as an artist you should represent your life honestly and keep things real, if you want respect.
While this argument rages back and forth, male rappers get rich on a culture that states it's cool to be a pimp, and females go along with it by getting naked in the videos for money and a chance at fame.
Lyrics such as: "We slapping the hell out of her 'coz we can, prostitute" (D12, Pimp Like Me) and "All the independent women in the house, show us your **** and shut your ***********'mouths" by the same band, are just a mild example of the general attitude towards women in gangsta rap.
Can boys who idolize rappers and their lifestyles be expected to be immune to the messages given out by respected rap superstars?
1Xtra DJ Letitia says: "I think young girls are affected and I think young boys are affected. I think if you hear something over and over again, you begin to believe it."
18 year old Daniel, who likes Jay Z because of the star's arrogance, and describes himself as a "lyrics person" says: "If you think rappers saying 'b's and hos' is discriminating against women then you'll be bothered every time you hear a hip hop song."
The double impact of sexist lyrics and near X rated videos can make the situation worse.
DJ Letitia says: "I think the videos affect boys more because men are very visual creatures. Boys will posture and recite lyrics, just to look tough. But when they see videos with girls in bikinis they think you become a balla' if you treat women like they should be on the other end of a lead.
"So I think the lyrics are bad enough but with boys it's the videos that reinforce the image that women are just something to put in a bikini and high heels and bash a bit of ice round their necks."
Rappers fuel a fantasy for boys about what you should do when you have money - the kind of women you can "have" and the life you can lead.
Daniel says: "Everyone wants to live that lifestyle they see in the videos; pretty women and a lot of money."
Speaking from her experience of boys in her area, Cassey, 14, says: "Boys watch the videos and then think they can treat girls like that because it's right."
While DJ Letitia admits that some young people are old enough and smart enough to know what can be taken on board and what can't, she said: "I do think the lyrics aren't applicable for young children to be listening to and I do think it will affect you as a female.
"Some of the songs I hear, I think 'My God!' It affects me and I'm an adult. So I think yes it affects young girls and boys and how the sexes see each other."
LyricL agrees: "Negative, sexually explicit, disrespectful hip hop everyday for a year will affect the strongest minds regardless."
There are very few positive role models for girls, and the entire industry is to blame.
DJ Letitia says: "You can't say there's one particular rapper who is worse. They're all to blame. You have one naked woman in your video, or one reference to bitches and hos in your song and you're all as bad as each other." She added: "Until you have an artist who believes (and this is the hard part because everyone wants the dollars,) his work is good enough without having a naked woman in the video, or whose skills are good enough that he can make a tune that doesn't diss women, it will stay."
Perhaps the answer lies with young consumers. In America, one group stopped rapper Nelly from coming to campus for a fundraiser. They were protesting against his "Tip Drill" video in which he tosses money at women's crotches and slides a credit card in a woman's thonged bottom.
All the young people we spoke to at first said they would still buy the records. But after thinking about what their money was funding, some changed their minds. Not buying gives a message to the industry that just might be powerful enough to make things change.
About the team
This story was produced by Sonti Ramirez, 13, Ebony Goodin, 13 and Charlotte Lytton, 13. It was published by Reach for the Sky.
