In class we've been talking about women and how they are viewed in society. I looked on the syllabus and saw that we are going to talk about femininity in poetry, and Lil Kim is the artist to one of the songs we have to listen to. Thinking about Lil Kim and her career, I came to the realization that Lil Kim became famous for talking about Sex. Her and females like her in my opinion play into the stereotypes of women. Women are looked at in society as Sex symbols who can't be on the same level as men, especially in Hip Hop. By females rapping about only sex they are showing that females can't bring much to the table besides sex. I think females rely too much on sex and not enough on Talent. More Females like Eve, Missy, Remy Ma, need to come out and show men that females can rap and bring a lot to Hip Hop. I mean Sex sells, but so does Talent.
What do you guys think? Do women rely too muck on sex, or not?
I know this comment is going to be short, but yes unfortunately female artists in general rely too much on their feminine wiles and not enough on their wit. If it's not sexually based, it's romantically based. I would like to see some examples if anyone knows of them, of women who have created music that does not have a male-center focus, or is not addressing men in some major way.
ReplyDeleteI agree that in society today, sex does sell and women, more than men, are generally thought of as sex symbols. Women do use that to their advantage, such as Madonna and Brittany Spears, to aid their fame, but I feel that talent is given recognition where it is due. Nicki Manaj has came up from nothing to becoming a main part of hip hop scene today. Despite her multiple alter-egos and crazy dress/performances, she can spit excellent rhymes. Although her sex appeal is blatantly obvious, Nicki still denies that she advertises sex, but rather uses her lyrical skills to express herself and opinions. I feel that Nicki brings a different, "gurlesque" attitude to her songs, which attracts more female listeners and fans. She has countless verses about various sexual references, but does that make her sell more records?
ReplyDeletePart of an interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJlmDe9rWA8
I don't think one can make a generalization about whether or not women use sex to sell or not. Yes, many female artists (Lil' Kim, Britney Spears, Nelly Furtado) do build themselves as sex symbols to make money; however, there are many female artists that genuinely use their talent to make a name for themselves. For example, Faith Evans is an artist that uses poetic verses and story-telling to sell records.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question Tia, yes, I think some women use sex to sell, but, in all honesty, it is their decision to decide how to market themselves. This certainly creates controversy as much of America's youth is exposed to this gurlesque presentation however.