Queen Latifah

One of the musicians we focused on this week was Queen Latifah. Prior to reading the article, I didn't realize how much of an advocate for woman's rights and equality that she was. 90's hip hop is so much different than the hip hop and rap created today. If you look at a Kanye West, Rick Ross, or Snoop Dogg, most of their songs are extremely degrading to women. My comment in class had nothing against Beyonce, I was simply saying the way artists seem to address feminism and women having equality has certainly changed over the years. Personally, I love Beyonce's music but female rappers like her, Nicki Minaj, and Iggy Azalea are known for feminism based on the fact that their gender is the minority in the industry, because MOST rappers are men. I certainly see both sides, but I feel their music videos and some song lyrics challenges what Beyonce and other female rappers are advocating for. It takes the attention away from the message.

Watching Queen Latifah's music video for Ladies First was inspiring. The message I got from it was that as women we need to be supporting each other. It calls for equal treatment that shows the need for women to support each other. Essential, I think her message is, if we as a group of women don't even give each other respect, how can we expect men to do it? Her lyrics emphasize the difficulty it is to be a woman, but insists that being a women is great. U.N.I.T.Y.," another song we listened to in class also gives off a positive message of confidence and self-empowerment. She addresses the fact that many rap/ hip hop lyrics called women a "bitch", or "hoe".  Queen Latifah takes a stand in this song and encourages black women, and women in general to respect themselves and not take mistreatment from men who try to put them down. Her messages remain the same in many of her songs. I admire her for taking a stand against many of the men in the industry, and going against the stereotype associated with rap and its degrading lyrics.