Representations of Gender in Alcohol, Bhang, and Sex Referenced Kenyan Popular Music Samwel KIPSANG1, Dr

Samwel KIPSANG et al.; Sch. J. Arts. Humanit. Soc. Sci., May 2016; 4(5B):576-582 Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences ISSN 2347-5374 (Online) Sch. J. Arts Humanit. Soc. Sci. 2016; 4(5B):576-582 ISSN 2347-9493 (Print) ©Scholars Academic and Scientific Publishers (SAS Publishers) (An International Publisher for Academic and Scientific Resources) Representations of Gender in Alcohol, Bhang, and Sex Referenced Kenyan Popular Music Samwel KIPSANG1, Dr. Dishon George Kweya2, Prof. James Onyango Ogola3 1,2Department of Literature, Languages, and Linguistics, Egerton University, Nakuru, Kenya 3 Department of Literary and Communications Studies, Laikipia University, Eldoret, Kenya *Corresponding Author: Samwel KIPSANG Email: [email protected] Abstract: This study analysed alcohol, bhang, and sex referenced Kenya popular music sang by both male and female artist to examine gender representations. This is a descriptive study relying on Fairclough‟s strand of critical discourse analysis, both as a theory and as a method of analysis because it provides theoretical foundation and specific methods for analysis of discursive practices. Purposive sampling was used to select 5 alcohol, bhang, and sex referenced Kenyan popular songs sung by Shuttle, Wahu, Camp Mulla, Mejja, and Jimwat that have been played in Kenyan FM stations. Data collections was done by using the internet to search for and download music lyrics (both audio and transcribed lyrics) because most Kenyan popular songs are available on the internet and they can be accessed with ease. The findings of this research indicated that alcohol, bhang, and sex reference Kenyan popular music construct different representations of men and women. Keywords: Representations, discourse, critical, power, ideology, gender. INTRODUCTION artists borrowing from popular American musical trends There are observable trends in Kenyan popular [3, 4] resulting in popular music that praises alcohol, music that refers to alcohol, bhang, and sex and bears explicitly mention sex, and bears different gender representations. The music often refers to representations of men and women. alcohol, bhang, and sex and represents men as physically and emotionally strong, wealthy and Statement of the Problem powerful, and as knowledgeable, while representing Though there is a link between popular music women as submissive and dependent on men, grateful and gender representations, most studies have focused to their generous men, emotionally and physically on how alcohol, drug, and sex referenced popular music weak, and as sexual objects for men‟s enjoyment, lead listeners to consume alcohol and get involved in admiration and appreciation. sex, often leaving out gender representations. Therefore, there is need to examine modes of The composition of the aforementioned songs representation of men and women in alcohol, bhang, picked up in 2000s, mainly because of the liberalization and sex referenced Kenyan popular music. of the Kenyan airwaves and unfavourable economic conditions that resulted in unemployment and the REVIEW OF LITERATURE removal of government control on prices of Analysis of alcohol, bhang, and sex referenced commodities. In addition, there was increased exposure Kenyan songs agrees with observations found in to western music, access to cheap production existing scholarly works that popular music often technologies and a robust media [1]. There were also presents gender representations of masculinity and the rise of corporate social responsibly programmes in feminity. Dibben [5], observed that popular music companies and Non Benefit Organizations (NBOs). The represent women as submissive, childlike, and sexually companies and NBOs funded music talent competitions available. Leonardi and Dickinson [6] observed that while liberalization of the Kenyan Airwaves led to the popular music represents women as passive, shallow, opening of many radio and television stations that acted and unengaged. In addition, Calhoun said that popular as a platform “where controversial issues such as music represented men as always in control, as strong sexuality, and gender roles were publicly discussed” physically, as having control over women, as achievers, [2]. Exposure of African America popular music to as adventurers, and as heterosexual performers. This Kenyan music artist resulted in Kenyan popular music composition of songs that construct gender Available Online: http://saspjournals.com/sjahss 576 Samwel KIPSANG et al.; Sch. J. Arts. Humanit. Soc. Sci., May 2016; 4(5B):576-582 representations is not unique only to males who ideologies, and develop critical skills to critique and dominate music industry but also to some extent to analyse discourse and social relations [20]. women [7, 8]. Mulvey [9] and Glannino and Campbell [10] observed that domination of the airwaves with The term „critical‟ in Fairclough‟s strand of music that bears gender ideology would mean critical discourse analysis operates on the premise that reproducing and affirming dominance over women. society and social relations are socially constructed (meaning discursively produced) in a way that society Popular music is located within popular and unequal relations between social categories such as culture. Popular culture is defined by social scientist as gender are portrayed as commons sense and natural. urban, low literate or oral, often mass-produced and This approach to discourse analysis follow from disseminated through the mass media and other forms Fairclough‟s understanding of discourse as doing of mass entertainment [11]. However, in Africa, popular ideological work – representing, constructing society, culture comes to define the production of the working and reproducing unequal relations of power. Fairclough class, both urban and rural as opposed to urban only [21] observed that „ideologies are most effective when [12], as this research affirms. Mass production and it workings are less visible‟. dissemination suggest that the music appeals to a large number of people from all social classes and gender. Fairclough also provides a methodology for analysing discourse. This methodology is composed of Though linguistic authenticity of popular textual analysis (involving analysis of vocabulary, culture may determine its popularity and commercial grammar, semantics, the sound systems, and cohesion viability [13] across a wide range of social strata, above sentence level) [22], discourse practice popularity and commercial viability may lie in how (involving analysis of process of production and listeners perceive its creators as attractive, powerful, consumption, also described as articulation of various and successful. Frith [14] observed that “popular music discourses), and social practice (involving analysis of is popular not because it reflects something or the larger socio-cultural context) [22]. authentically articulates some sort of popular taste or experience, but because it creates our understanding of METHODOLOGY what popularity is”. Audience often comes to accept This study employed the descriptive research music as popular after perceiving the music‟s design. The research used purposive sampling to sample composers as popular and successful. Though many 17 Kenyan popular songs that refers to alcohol, bhang, popular songs say negative things and subordinate and sex and that have been played in Kenyan FM radio women, women still listen to, buy their CDs, and dance stations. Purposive sampling was used because the to their songs [15]. researcher wanted Kenyan popular songs that refers to alcohol, bhang, and sex and in the process enact Theoretical Framework gendered representations. Effort was also made to This study employs Fairclough‟s strand of sample songs both sang by male and female artists in Critical Discourse Analysis (distinguished from other order to highlight the consciousness of male and female strands in the above discussion on literature on theory), artists of masculine ideologies through their music. to analyse Kenyan popular music for construction of Though these songs are available in shops as CDS and gender ideology and power relations. Fairclough DVDs, the songs were collected using the internet theorize that discouse (form of social practice) function because it is cheaper and convenient. ideologically by constituting the social world and by being constituted by other social practices [16]. The study explored modes of representations of According to Fairclough [17], this construction of the men and women by analysing the contents of songs. world involves reproduction or change of knowledge, Analysis of the contents of text (songs in this study) is identities, and social relations including power relations part of analysis that goes on in Fairclough‟s three- [18]. discourse framework (text, discourse practice, and social practice). Because of fluidity of urban/sheng According to Fairclough, critical discourse words, online Urban Dictionary analysis involves analysing ways that people interact to (www.urbandictionary.com/define) and English Sheng produce social life [19]. People produce social life for Dictionary (sheng.co.ke) were refered to during example when they use language to construct different transcription of the urban/sheng words. Transcription representation of men and women, to construct society was also guided by the way the urban/sheng words are and reproduce unequal relations of power between used in the songs. different social categories. Since the ways that people use language

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