Brown Sugar: Ladies and Hip-Hop
12 December 2011 Brown Sugar
Ladies and Hip Hop: part 1 of 2 part series
Disclaimer: There were no men injured in the making of this article, we love men here at Brown Sugar đ
Ask a music lover when they fell in love with music and the look in their eyes will let you know they found real love. Even reading people talk about music gives you an idea of just how deep their love runs. Whatâs funny is it doesnât matter if you talk to a man or a woman a music lover is a music lover. This lead me to wonder why there still seemed to be such a difference between men and women in the music industry, especially in hip hop. I decided to interview a few key women in the hip hop scene here in Hampton Roads and hear what they thought about how women are viewed and treated in the local music scene.
I decided to interview a prominent DJ, an emcee, a radio personality, and a marketing events impresario. Gangalee is an amazing pioneering lyricist in VA. DJ Erika B is a deejay in demand on the east coast. Keja Davis is a marketing expert in Hampton Roads, the DMV, and beyond, and Dominique the Diva is Hampton Roads newest female radio personality. These women range in age and experience but one thing they have in common is that they thrive in a male dominated industry. I asked them everything from when they fell in love with music (yeah I know its just like Sid Shaw in Brown Sugar, hey thatâs my inspiration lol) to whether or not they felt like they were held to a different standard than their male counterparts. We also spoke to Fresh Radioâs creator DJ Bee on his thoughts about women in hip hop.
When did you fall in love with music?
Keja- ââŚmy mom gave me an a.m. radio when I was 5 and I would listen to it every night before I fell asleep.â
Dominique- âI canât even remember when I fell in love with music ⌠[itâs] always been a part of my lifeâŚâ
Erika B- âooooooooooh on the TLC Tip Circa â92. I remember songs before that year but TLC is what made me be glued to music.â
I asked the ladies how they felt being told they were âgood for a womanâ was a diss or something different-
Gangalee- âI do think so [itâs a diss] because women can do anything men canâŚso why should we have to be segregated.â
And then Gangalee said this- ââŚGIRLS ARE BORN HIP HOP BABIES SOME TURN IN TO VIDEO CHICS OTHERS TURN INTO EMCEES AND CEOS!â — Thatâs it in a nutshell isnât it? Itâs a choice what you do with your love of hip hop and how youâre perceived, isnât it? I wanted to ask a male for his point of view. Fresh Radioâs creator shared this â
Brown Sugar- Do you think true success and respect is possible for females in the music industry?
Bee- I think itâs possibleâŚI wish the percentage of possibility was higher!
Brown Sugar- In your opinion is there something naturally masculine about working in the music industry?
Bee- Itâs an industry where assholes rise to the topâŚI think females would put more feelings and emotions more than men will into the game. Itâs an emotionless industry.
Emotionless? Hmmm so apparently womenâs innate predisposition to displaying emotions is a problem in the music industry. Donât tell that to Diddy, Big Red (5 heartbeats) or Drake, all have definitely displayed emotions in the past but hey Wayne also wore jeggings. Not saying women donât have a more overtly emotional side but6 I donât think itâs any more liable to get in the way than any other music industry insider.
In part 2 of Ladies and Hip Hop Brown Sugar explores what it takes to stay on top and advice from the ladies and Bee on how females can thrive in this cut throat industry.
Mike Peace On December 12, 2011 at 2:08 pm
To answer the “brownsugarish” question (lol). I have been in love with hip hop ever since the first time I heard rappers delight @ a family reunion in jersey. Since then I remember so many of those types of hip hop moments. More importantly I remember the first time I heard paper thin by Lyte. I knew then that some of these females are not playn with this MC shit. I also remember the many times I saw gangalee & her crew at that time (the gypsies) lyrically eat some overly masculin MC’s lunch so badly that in the end he could only resort to calling them bithes & hoes. I said all that to say that a lot of males are not secure enough in there lyrical manhood to have a female out shine them. For a dude to be lyrically shut down by a female MC is like gettin beat up by a girl. So I think that may be one of the issues as to why many REAL female lyricist are not as prominate in the industry as they sould be. I don’t know for sure but I really believe that the lack of positive feminine energy in hip hop is another reason why minstream hip hop is stagnant (in my view). On another level this is the time of the feminine energy so for anything to move forward in a positive progressive manner then the female has got to shine but she has to shine on a higher level. Somewhere there is a MAN that knows this so he does things to make sure the female hip hop babies grow up to aspire to be video hoes or to become the next overly fake nikki on some low level ish. For anything to be born or grow you have to have the female & male energy & hip hop has been operating out of balance for to long with all this male domination. It is time to bring that positive feminine energy to the forfront so that hip hp as a whole can move forward & grow properly. Not to mention I just love hearing a real female MC spit. Oh how I miss “L Boogie”.
Keyona On December 12, 2011 at 5:05 pm
In a a way I agree the music industry is emtionless; coldblooded or cut-throat would be more fitting terms. I feel the role of female emcees has evolved with the times and just like the quality of music has decreased in turn so has the appreciation for good music and real female emcees. Not knocking anyone’s hustle but there isnt really a niche for females that are solely femcees. They have to sing or be extra sexy or rap about idiocracy. I am a huge fan of shawnna and she was slept on as well as ms jade and rah digga all of which had short mainstream careers despite being lyrically worthy. I dont know what the formula is to be a successful mainstream femcee while staying true to oneself and making admirable music but i hope the new up and coming femcees figure it out. Demand respect and expect nothing less