UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

Date:______

I, ______, hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: in:

It is entitled:

This work and its defense approved by:

Chair: ______

They Said What About Women?!: An Ethnographic Content Analysis of Mainstream Rap and R&B Lyrics, 2002-2005

A Thesis submitted to the

Division of Research and Advanced Studies

of the University of Cincinnati

In partial fulfillment for the degree of

Master’s of Arts

In the Department of Communication

Of the College of Arts and Sciences

2007

by

Brian Alan Singson

B.A. University of Cincinnati, 2004

Committee Chair: Dr. Nancy Jennings 2

ABSTRACT

Women have been marginalized in our society for years. Even as they have begun making strides towards equality, they are still being marginalized in one of our society’s most popular and highly influential facets, hip hop culture, but more specifically rap music. This study examines the use of stereotypes within the content of misogynous rap lyrics and then compared and contrasted with their use in misogynous R&B lyrics. This study found that the stereotypes most commonly used by rap artists include the Freak, the Gold Digger, and the

Stripper, while only the Freak stereotype was used often by R&B artists. Further research is necessary to determine if the use of these misogynistic stereotypes might be one of the reasons that there are fewer women rappers than there are men rappers. 3 4

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost I’d like to give an extra special thanks to my beautiful, loving,

awesome, amazing, funny, smart, precious wife for supplying me with the love, support, and

motivation through this process as well as all of life’s trials. Without her pushing me along, this paper would never have been completed. It’s finally done my Little One – let’s move on to the next chapter of our lives…OUR NEW HOUSE!!!

Next I’d like to thank my family: Mom, for your unconditional love and support through everything during the last 25 years. I can’t put into words how much I appreciate all you’ve done for me; Rebecca aka Di$Re$Pecky, my little sis, the only person to remotely share the same passion and interest in this music as I do (fa’sho); Dad, for your continuous love and support; my dogs, Toby and Lily, for being my source of peace during these stressful times; my extended family – Barb and Fred, the greatest in-laws a guy could ask for. Thanks for your continued encouragement for the last 7½ years. Sara and Kristy – you’re like sisters to me. John, Pat – thank you for all you have done in making me the person I am today.

Thank you to Mrs. Dr. Jennings – I couldn’t have done this without your guidance and positive reinforcement.

Thank you to Mr. Dr. Jennings and Dr. Berryman-Fink (CBF) – Your fresh eyes and comments pushed this paper to perfection.

To all of my friends and family not mentioned here – everyone has a part in my life to get me where I am and where I’m going. You know who you are and I thank every one of you!

For those who could not be here with me – Grandma Ludwig, Grandpa Ludwig, Grandma

Singson, Mamo, Poppop Wetzel, Poppop Charlie, Mommom Holman. I hope this makes all of you proud. 5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract...... 2

Acknowledgements...... 4

Table of Contents...... 5

Chapter 1: Introduction...... 6 Literature Review...... 7 Historical Background of Rap...... 7 Misogyny...... 11 Concerns of Media’s Influence...... 15 Parents Music Resource Center and Heavy Metal...... 15 Parents Music Resource Center and Rap...... 17 Rap Music Videos and Their Effects...... 18 Previous Research on Rap Lyrics...... 22 Connection to Pornography Research...... 23 Rap Music and Gender-Stereotyped Images of Women...... 29 Research Questions...... 33

Chapter 2: Methodology...... 35

Chapter 3: Results...... 40 The Freak...... 40 The Gold Digger...... 44 The Stripper...... 46

Chapter 4: Discussion...... 50 Limitations...... 55 Conclusion...... 57 Future Research...... 59

Appendix A...... 61 Appendix B...... 84 References...... 110

6

Chapter 1

Introduction

Women have been marginalized throughout American history, from being excluded from holding position in the government and not having the right to vote to not being equally compensated for similar employment positions as men. Blacks have also been marginalized throughout American history, from being slaves to only being worth three-fifths of a person, also not having the right to vote to being segregated in every aspect of American society. In time, segregation was overturned (with the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas court ruling), black men earned the right to vote (unofficially with the ratification of the Fifteenth

Amendment – passed in 1870 – and officially with the Voting Rights Act of 1965), and eventually, so did women (with the 1920 ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment).

Today, women are slowly but surely earning an equal place among men in governmental and employment positions. According to a study on women’s economic status done by the

Institute for Women’s Policy Research (Caiazza, Shaw, & Werschkul, 2004), in 1999, the ratio

between white men’s wages and white women’s wages was seventy percent, only second to

Asian American women at seventy-five percent, compared to lower rate in previous study years.

In contrast, the ratio between white men’s wages and black men’s wages was seventy-five

percent (“The Wage Gap,” 2007).

Popular culture provides another forum through which gender status can be compared.

Similarly, black men are earning more notoriety in American society through their role in

popular culture. The majority of professional football and basketball players are black athletes.

In the 2003 season, the majority of professional football (69%) and basketball players (76%) were black athletes (Lapchick, 2004, d & c). Similar patterns can be seen in Division I collegiate 7

sports. During the 2004 season, 44.3% of football players and 58.2% of basketball players were

black athletes.

Music is another avenue in popular culture in which comparisons may be made regarding

gender status. Rap, a predominately black music genre, consistently holds a top three ranking in

sales within the music industry, only second place to rock music (The Recording Industry

Association of America, 2005). Rap remained second to rock music for many years up until

2004, when country music edged rap for the number two spot, but jumped back to second place

in 2005 (The Recording Industry Association of America, 2005). To further demonstrate rap’s

popularity, since 2000 male rap artists have made several great advances in permeating the upper

echelons of popular culture. In 2003, Eminem became the first rap artist to win the Oscar for

Best Original Song for his song “Lose Yourself” from the movie 8 Mile (Academy of Motion

Picture Arts and Sciences, 2006). In 2004, Outkast became the first rap artists to win the

Grammy for Album of the Year (The Recording Academy, 2006). In 2006, Three 6 Mafia

became the second rap artists to win the Oscar for Best Original Song for “It’s Hard Out Here for

a Pimp” from the movie Hustle & Flow (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 2006),

but became the first rap artists to perform at the Oscars (Robertson, 2006). Why aren’t women

as successful in the rap genre as their male counterparts? Simply, the answer to this question is

that there are fewer women in the rap genre. Thus the bigger question to ask is why there are

fewer women rap artists.

Literature Review

Historical Background of Rap

Several different answers to this question can be considered. One answer may concern origins of rap music. When rap began, there were very few women who had a hand in initiating 8

it. A woman, Silvia Robinson, had a hand in pushing the genre toward mass audiences as she

was the person who signed the Sugar Hill Gang and ultimately released the first rap single into

mainstream music, “Rapper’s Delight,” in 1979 (Chapter 1 – Back in the Day). Men are credited

with the initiation of hip hop disc-jockeying (herein to be referred to as DJing), the art of

spinning records on turntables in a fashion to garner continuous dancing and entertainment at

parties, with DJ Kool Herc, and emceeing, in which the emcee would shout out to the crowd how great their DJ was and how much better he was than any other DJ, with Coke La Rock and Clark

Kent sharing emceeing duties for Kool Herc (Chapter 1 – Back in the Day). The shout outs evolved into rhyming boasts of the DJ and oneself, eventually surpassing the DJ as the focus of

hip hop and transforming into rap music (Chapter 1 – Back in the Day). Early female emcees

included Lady B (the first solo female emcee to release a recording), Sha-Rock from Funky 4+1

(female emcee in a male emcee group), Sequence (all-female rap group), Roxanne Shantè, The

Real Roxanne, and Sparky Dee (Chapter 1 – Back in the Day). However, this small list of

female emcees pales in comparison to the number of male emcees that were making waves

during this same period. It was also the men that were getting the first opportunities to record

and release their music on records to the mainstream. In essence, it was a way for men to

communicate their ideas through music. As Rhym (1996-1997) noted in his article “‘Here’s for

the Bitches’: An Analysis of Gangsta Rap and Misogyny,” “[s]ince male rappers are the overwhelming majority in the rap music industry, women’s issues, rights and concerns are

poorly represented” (p. 8).

Another answer may be derived from cultural theory of gender development. Within our

culture certain roles have been designated for men and women. However, the lines of these roles

have been blurred over the last few decades. Men are generally considered the breadwinners of 9

the family, therefore, they are considered the “gender” that needs to have a job and earn money to provide for the family (Wood, 2003). Conversely, the role that is generally designated for women is that of care taker of the home and children, downplaying the need for the woman in the family to have a job and earn money (Wood, 2003). Based on the generalizations of this theory, the notion that women would take time away from being caregivers to try to become major music artists seems improbable. This idea has been shown in studies of rock music. In her anthology Sexing the Groove: Popular Music and Gender, editor Sheila Whiteley includes

articles from two authors, Sarah Cohen and Marvis Bayton, that look at the struggles and

stereotypes that women in the United Kingdom have faced when pursuing avenues in the

independent rock circuit of the UK to become established musicians. These struggles included facing an already established networking of males, the ideology that women don’t belong in rock

music, and the struggle to retain their “girliness” in a male-dominated genre (both as a serious

musician and as a guitar player, an instrument oft referenced as a phallic symbol to men)

(Whiteley, 1997).

The ideas mentioned in the previous paragraph can coincide with women’s role in trying to get into rap music. In her chapter from William Eric Perkins’s Droppin’ Science: Critical

Essays on Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture (1996), Nancy Guevara draws attention to the role that black and Latina women played in the upbringings of the different aspects of hip hop culture. Specifically, in one section of her chapter Guevara focuses on women rappers and the hurdles that they face in a predominately male genre. Guevara interviews Lisa Lee – a female rapper from the early years of rap music – who points out that it is more acceptable for a male to show off their sexuality (i.e., saying nasty things to the women in the audience, taking off their shirts) than it is for a female (Guevara, 56). Another difference women rappers face is the 10

stigma of being overly aggressive with sexual language and imagery in their lyrics (Guevara,

56).

The most promising answer to this question may lie within media itself. Media reflects

and creates societal beliefs, both positive and negative. Women – more specifically black women –more often than not are portrayed in a not-so-flattering light in the media. For instance,

The vast majority of MTV portrays females as passive and waiting for men’s attention,

whereas males are shown ignoring, exploiting, or directing women (Jhally & Katz, 2001).

Gangsta male rap musicians sometimes refer to women as ‘bitches’ and ‘hos’ (whores),

terms that invite disregard, disrespect, and violence toward women (Wood, 2003, p. 272).

Wood also suggests that “MTV portrays females dancing provocatively in scanty or revealing clothing. Frequently, men are seen coercing women into sexual activities or physically abusing

them” (p. 278). Social learning theory suggests that human behavior is shaped through “personal

factors in the form of cognitive, affective, and biological events; behavioral patterns; and

environmental events [that] all operate as interacting determinants that influence each other bidirectionally” (Bandura, 2002, p. 121). Therefore, these representations offer a negative portrayal of women which in turn may dissuade women from pursing such a career in this field.

Additionally, media is important in the lives of the youth, the target audience for rap music.

According to “Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year-olds” (Rideout, Roberts, & Foehr,

2005), a Kaiser Family Foundation study, young people spend about six-and-a-half hours each day using some type of media, including an average of three hours watching television and an average of an hour and forty-four minutes listening to music (radio, CDs, tapes, or MP3 players).

Moreover, music is particularly important as a source of identification for teenagers (American

Academy of Pediatrics, 1996). Consequently, young people may be particularly susceptible to these negative images that are reinforced through their music. 11

People complain that rap lyrics can be harmful because of their violent and misogynistic

content. One example came from close to home to this researcher. In an April 24th, 2006, editorial article that came from the University of Cincinnati’s own campus newspaper, The News

Record, Lydia Palazzolo wrote about the surprise she experienced when a five-year-old she was babysitting began singing along to a song with misogynistic content and the concern of the music being played on KISS 107.1, a popular Cincinnati radio station with a Top 40 song format.

Polling data from taken since the turn of the new millennium demonstrates this complaint as well. In October of 2000, Newsweek ran an article with results from one of their own polls regarding rap music and its content. The Newsweek poll found that,

41 percent of voters nationwide say they listen at least occasionally to rap – and three quarters of voters under 30 do – almost two thirds say it has too much violence. Sixty- three percent of listeners think it has a bad attitude toward women, and substantial majorities believe… [it] contains too much sex. (Samuels, Croal, Gates, & Davis, 2000, p.59)

Teenagers reflect this same sentiment five and a half years later. In a poll done in February of

2005, Tolerance.org, a website created and dedicated to ending prejudice, conducted a poll on

their Teen page asking “How do you feel about music lyrics and videos degrading women?”; the

results showed that 38 percent of the participants responded with the answer “They are

disrespectful to women and should be stopped” (“Tolerance.org.,” 2005). While this site may

err on the pro-women side of the issue, the results are not majority results, thus adding to the

usefulness of the findings of the poll. This study will explore the previous research regarding the

portrayals of black women in the music industry and will expand this research into the

understudied yet commercially successful genre of rap music.

Misogyny

While misogyny has been associated with rap music, a number of reasons have been cited

to justify the use of misogyny in the lyrical content of it. A common excuse that has been used is 12

that listeners don’t listen or pay attention to the lyrics (Rhym, 1996-97). This excuse has

variations, such as “I like the beat,” “I just like to dance to it,” or “I don’t act like that but some

other women do, so I know that they are not talking about me; they’re talking about those other

women,” implying that they are not paying attention to the lyrics. In other cases, the listener may not understand the lyrics, especially considering the use of metaphors and other word play in rap (Hall, 1998); if a listener is not up to date with the current slang or just don’t understand a metaphor for lack of exposure to the metaphor or low cognitive ability level (e.g., on simply a developmental level, a five-year-old probably would not understand the use of a certain

metaphor as well as a teenager), then it would be harder to understand the lyrics. In another variation of excuses pertaining to the lyrics, some people believe that the lyrics are so ridiculous they are not even worth paying attention. For example, in a study done by Strings (2001), the results found that some of the participants found the contents of some of the songs to be funny.

In their study looking at whether Eminem’s lyrics contributed to hostility towards women, Cobb and Boettcher (2001) referenced a radio programmer whom “suggests, Eminem’s lyrics are so absurd that ‘he’s doing a great job of…making people realize that [violence against women] is something awful’ (Ross & Saxe, 2001)” (p. 3).

The most astounding excuse that has been put forth by artists for many years is that they are not talking about all women (especially when it comes to the use of the word “bitch”).

Several rappers have tried to justify speaking badly about women by explaining that they are not talking about all women, just certain types of the women. Bushwick Bill, a member of the

Houston rap group The Ghetto Boys demonstrates this during an interview:

I’m sorry if I talk about what I’ve experienced in my lifetime. I call women bitches and ‘hos because all the women I’ve met since I’ve been out here are bitches and ‘hos.

And what do you call your mother? A female reporter asks.

13

I call her “woman,” but I’m not f -- -ing my mother. If I was f -- -ing you, you’d be a bitch. (Raspberry; p. 1)

Similarly, N.W.A. member MC Ren, said “‘Women? Oh, man, I love women, man! I don’t like

bitches. Bitches like motherf---ers just for they money […] Everybody in my group love [sic]

women; we just hate bitches’ (Rhym, 1996-97, p. 7).” Popular rapper Jay-Z takes MC Ren’s

idea one step further by dedicating an entire song off of his 2002 release, The Blueprint 2: The

Gift and The Curse, to the difference between “women” and “bitches” in a song titled “Bitches

and Sisters.” The second verse of the song demonstrates this polarity the best:

Sisters get respect, bitches get what they deserve Sisters work hard, bitches work your nerves Sisters hold you down, bitches hold you up Sisters help you progress, bitches will slow you up Sisters cook up a meal, play their role with the kids Bitches in street with their nose in your biz Sisters tell the truth, bitches tell lies Sisters drive cars, bitches wanna ride Sisters give-up the ass, bitches give-up the ass Sisters do it slow, bitches do it fast Sisters do their dirt outside of where they live Bitches have niggers all up in your crib Sisters tell you quick "you better check your homie" Bitches don't give a fuck, they wanna check for your homie Sisters love Jay cuz they know how 'Hov is I love my sisters, I don't love no bitch (Jay-Z, 2002)

In this verse, the listener (and reader) can observe that “sisters” are able to be respected and

portrayed in a positive fashion while “bitches” should be disrespected and are identified for all of their negative attributes. However, Osayande (2002) submits, “To claim that it’s okay to call

Black women “bitches” and make degrading videos is like saying that it’s okay for a Klansman

to call a Black man “nigger” and to produce and distribute videos of Black men being lynched.

Calling Black women “bitches” is not free speech but hate speech!” (p. 1). Basically, Osayande

is saying that it is completely inexcusable to treat women so disrespectfully, and that such

disrespect is equivalent to prejudice and bigotry. 14

As previously stated, many people have complained that rap lyrics can be harmful

because of its misogynistic content, but this idea of misogyny is nothing new to rap or to our

society in general. Misogyny is just an idea perpetuated through our society as an extension of

the by and large ideology of our society, namely that being the ideology of patriarchy. Famed

author, scholar and activist bell hooks (1994) offered the following thoughts on this angle of misogyny:

The sexist, misogynist, patriarchal ways of thinking and behaving that are glorified in gangsta rap are a reflection of the prevailing values in our society, values created and sustained by white supremacist capitalist patriarchy. As the crudest and most brutal expression of sexism, misogynistic attitudes tend to be portrayed by the dominant culture as an expression of male deviance. In reality they are part of a sexist continuum, necessary for the maintenance of patriarchal social order. (p. 1)

Taking a look back on American history, our nation as we know it was built on the ideas of

misogyny, through its other guises of sexism and patriarchy. The foundations of patriarchy in

our society have been built on placing the white man first and everyone else second. White men

were the first to vote, were the founders of our “great nation,” and have always been in highest

positions of political, social, economic, and familial power; consequently (and barring recent

improvements to our society), women had been reduced to being home makers and child bearers.

While rap is not the first musical form to use misogynistic language, it is the one that has

received the most criticism and complaints about it. As Adams and Fuller (2006) submit:

The music world has been saturated with misogynistic imagery – from country musicians lamenting about how some ‘no good woman kicked him out, sold his truck, took his money, and slept with his best friend’ to rock-n-rollers screaming about their latest groupie sexual conquest – misogynistic convictions have always had a home within the music industry. Like the misogynistic music before it, misogynistic rap has been accepted and allowed to flourish, generating wealth for some of the artists and the music industry as a whole. (p. 940)

This position of power afforded to men in rap music “allows them…the personal freedom to

define themselves, their environments, their lifestyles, and their perceptions of the world”

(Rhym, 1996-97, p. 1). In turn this freedom of definition allows male rappers to continue and 15

even make new the stereotyped misogynistic images of women that have been constricting them

for decades. A roundtable discussion on this same topic also provided some insightful remarks

to this discussion. On February 10, 2005, the topic of “Sexism, Hip Hop, and Misogyny” was

discussed on National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation radio program. During the broadcast,

mediator Joe Palca discusses the topic with Akiba Solomon, editor of Essence magazine; Dr.

Todd Boyd, a critical studies professor in the School of Cinema and Television at the University of Southern California; and various callers to the program. At one point in the broadcast, Boyd responds to a question by Palca regarding whether Essence’s “Take Back the Music” campaign is wrongly attacking hip hop by saying, “… to overly focus on hip hop in this case really makes it seem as though hip hop is really responsible for creating something that is much bigger than hip hop and certainly much older than hip hop” (“Sexism,” 25:00 – 25:17; transcribed by the

author, excluding verbal interferences). Another noteworthy sound bite comes less than thirty

seconds later:

Joe Palca (narrator): You’re not contesting the notion that misogyny and sexism are social ills and that they are part of hip hop music. You’re just saying why blame hip hop music for a social ill. Dr. Todd Boyd: Of course…the social ill of sexism and misogyny…clearly if you look at hip hop…those elements are certainly there. But they’re also there in many, many other forms of popular culture, and in society at large, and have been for quite some time. (“Sexism,” 25:28 – 26:11; transcribed by the author, excluding verbal interferences)

Misogyny is nothing new to our society; it is simply being perpetuated further though various media. Let’s now shift our focus to the history of how rap music acquired its heavy criticism.

Concerns of Media’s Influence

Parents’ Music Resource Center and Heavy Metal

Since its inception in the 1950s rock and roll has been scrutinized for its supposed detrimental effects on its listeners, the majority of whom are the youth. This may be caused by 16

rock and roll’s modus operandi of rebellion and defiance towards authority. As one offshoot of

rock and roll, heavy metal, increased in popularity through the 1970s and 1980s (Ballard &

Coates, 1995), it caught and has continued to catch a lot of criticism concerning the content of its lyrics from parents, educators, religious figures, and, most notably, government officials and their wives. The concern over the content may not come as such a surprise as the predominant themes discerned from previous research on heavy metal lyrics include suicide, Satanism, drugs, sexuality, misogyny, and violence (Bashe, 1985; Gore, 1987, as cited in Hansen & Hansen,

1991). As heavy metal was heading towards its peak in popularity, a group of the aforementioned concerned persons came together in front of a Senate Committee hearing and brought forth their concerns. On September 19, 1985, a group of government officials’ wives, led by Tipper Gore (wife of then Senator Al Gore of Tennessee) and Susan Baker (wife of then

Treasury Secretary James Baker) and calling themselves the Parents’ Music Resource Center

(PMRC), was invited to testify before the U. S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and

Transportation, to expose the state of rock music lyrics – particularly the lyrics of heavy metal music (Binder, 1993). Based on their testimony at the Senate Committee hearing and additional pressure, the PMRC persuaded the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to require that labels be placed on music releases that contained what the PMRC considered explicit content (Ballard & Coates, 1995).

The concern from parents, educators, religious figures, and government figures about the possible effects of heavy metal music has lead researchers to explore whether there is even a need for such concern, whether there is a correlation between listening to heavy metal music or watching heavy metal videos and any effects on the listeners/viewers (Hansen & Hansen, 1991).

As a reflection of the amount of research being done on television during the rise in prominence 17

of heavy metal as well as the advent of Music Television (MTV), much of the initial research on

heavy metal focused on the effects of music videos and then shifted toward the effects of the

lyrics.

Parents’ Music Resource Center and Rap

Research on heavy metal music videos and lyrics has paved the way for studies to be

done on the influence of rap lyrics. Heavy metal’s popularity has waned as that of rap has

continued to rise (Ballard & Coates, 1995). Many similarities, however, have been drawn

between the two music genres. Some common themes between these two genres include

violence, sexuality, and antisocial messages (Ballard, Dodson, & Bazzini, 1999). One other

similarity between heavy metal and rap is the attention given to rap by the PMRC and others

(Ballard & Coates, 1995; Ballard, Dodson, & Bazzini, 1999; Hansen, 1995; Hansen & Hansen,

1991). Much of this criticism came prior to any significant research done on the rap genre. In

the wake of the 1985 U.S. Senate Committee hearing on heavy metal lyrics and the resulting

decision to introduce the parental advisory sticker, rap music was next in line to receive attention

from concerned parties. In June 1990, a U.S. District Court judge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida,

declared the album As Nasty as They Wanna Be by 2 Live Crew to be obscene (Binder, 1993;

Dixon & Linz, 1997). The counties under the judge’s jurisdiction were ordered to cease sales of the album or face legal consequences. Subsequently, one local record storeowner in one of the counties was arrested for continued sales of the album (Binder, 1993; Dixon & Linz, 1997).

Outside of concerned parents, educators, religious figures, and the judicial system, the most notable figure in the attack on the contents of rap lyrics was the late Dr. C. Delores Tucker.

Tucker was a civil rights activist and an advocate for the empowerment of African American women. For the better part of the 1990s, Tucker was the face of the movement speaking out 18

against sexually explicit lyrics in gangsta rap music, “citing a concern that the lyrics were

misogynistic and threatened the moral foundation of the African American community” (“Civil

Rights Activist C. Delores Tucker Dies,” Vibe.com). The brunt of her attack was against the

gangsta rap label Death Row Records, whose artist roster included Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and,

most notably, the late Tupac Shakur. Tucker and Tupac had a public dislike for one another.

Tupac – amongst other rappers, including Ras Kass, WC, Mr. Serv-On, Tragedy Khadafi, and

Eminem – lyrically attacked Tucker on his All Eyez on Me album in the song “How Do You

Want It” (“Civil Rights Activist C. Delores Tucker Dies,” Vibe.com). Tucker retaliated by

publicly denouncing his nomination for a NAACP Image Award (an award honoring the top

people in music, film, television, and literature), as well as filing a defamation lawsuit for the aforementioned lyrics against the estate of Tupac, claiming the lyrics had damaged her marriage

(“Civil Rights Activist C. Delores Tucker Dies,” Vibe.com).

Rap Music Videos and Their Effects

The birth of MTV on August 1, 1981 ushered the music video into the world. The

introduction of the music video added a visual element to the music, often paralleling the

message or storyline of the lyrics. This visual element has been welcomed with open arms by

the youth. Music video’s popularity can be observed by usage figures obtained by MediaWise,

an initiative of the non-profit National Institute on Media and the Family that “provides

information about the impact of media on children, and gives people who care about children the

resources they need to make informed choices” (“About Us | MediaWise.org,” 2005). (Neither

MTV nor its parent company Viacom had these figures available through their websites.)

According to Rich (1998; as cited in MediaFamily.org | Facts: MTV, 2001), “MTV is watched

by 73 percent of boys and 78 percent of girls in the 12 to 19 years of age group. Boys watch for 19 an average of 6.6 hours per week and girls watch for an average of 6.2 hours per week.”

Similarly, according to Nielson Media Research (2000; as cited in MediaFamily.org | Facts:

MTV, 2001), “82 percent of MTV viewers are 12 to 34 years old, with 39 percent under the age of eighteen” and, according to Rich (1998; as cited in MediaFamily.org | Facts: MTV, 2001),

“music videos are designed for teenagers between 12 and 19 years of age.”

As a result of the commercial success of MTV, within four years, three new music television channels were born in the 1980s and others continue to be created in more recent times. Black Entertainment Television was formed on January 25, 1980 (“Welcome to Viacom –

Cable Television.”), and currently offers rap, hip-hop, and R&B music videos. Country Music

Television (CMT) was formed on March 6, 1983 (“Welcome to Viacom – Cable Television.”) and offers a selection of old and new country music videos. VH1 was formed January 1, 1985

(“Welcome to Viacom – Cable Television.”) and offers a mix of mainstream R&B, soft rock, and pop music videos. The 90s brought MTV2 in 1996 (“Welcome to Viacom – Cable Television.”) and offers a mix of pop, R&B, rock, heavy metal, rap, and hip-hop music videos and the new millennium brought Fuse in 2003 and offers a variety similar to that of MTV2. (It should be noted however that, excluding CMT and fuse, these channels show a great deal of reality television shows, thus the actual number of music videos shown is really at a minimal amount.)

This abundance of music video outlets, coupled with some of the research findings in this area, has increased the fears among the aforementioned concerned parties. In their review of the literature, Strouse, Buerkel-Rothfuss, and Long (1995) offer six reasons as to “why music videos have the potential to impact youth more than any other popular medium” (p. 507). Although the following reasons probably are not all of them, their reasons include: music videos persuade additional incentives, namely memorabilia; music renders strong emotions; adding visual to 20

audio has a greater impact on viewers than audio alone; rock music is made for younger

audiences (as well as younger, typically male audiences are drawn to rock and rap music,

according to Toney and Weaver (1994)); concept music videos (videos created along a single

theme or plot that correspond to the lyrics) more often than not offer violent and/or sexual

content; and “relatively short exposure to music videos can result in desensitization to

violence…and increased acceptance of antisocial behavior” (p. 508).

Previous research done on music videos in general has found that music videos are a

source of gender role stereotyping. Some researchers who have done content analyses on the

music video programming on MTV have found that women are portrayed in more sexually explicit ways than men, i.e., they are the primary objects of sexual desire, they wear more revealing clothing, etc. (Seidman, 1999; Sommers-Flanagan, Sommers-Flanagan, and Davis,

1993). Subsequently, others have examined the impact of these images on audiences.

Tiggemann and Slater (2004) found that when women viewed music videos that emphasized appearance and featured thin attractive women, it led to higher body dissatisfaction.

Borzekowski, Robinson, and Killen (2000) found that viewing music videos led to an increase in reported importance of appearance and in weight concerns among adolescent girls. Finally,

Kalof (1999) found that undergraduate students who viewed a gender and sexually stereotyped

video had an increased acceptance of gender role stereotyping, rape myths, and interpersonal

violence.

Some studies have tackled these same subjects and others while exclusively using rock

and heavy metal videos in their sample. In a study revolving around gender role stereotyping,

Toney and Weaver (1994) looked at the effects of rock music videos on gender and gender role

self-perceptions of 165 undergraduates. They found that males enjoy hard rock music videos 21

while females prefer soft rock music videos. The degree of enjoyment was measured by how

disturbing the music video was to the subject (i.e., the more disturbing the video, the more

enjoyable it was for the males and less enjoyable for the females). Strouse, Buerkel-Rothfuss, and Long (1995) surveyed 214 adolescents to determine if there was any potential relationship between watching rock and heavy metal videos and premarital sexual attitudes and behavior.

They discovered a strong connection between permissive sexual attitudes and behavior relative to the amount of music video exposure.

As they have done with heavy metal videos, researchers have studied the concepts of sex and gender role stereotyping in rap videos. A positive correlation between the amount of music video viewing and its influence on sexual attitudes has been found in researchers’ results

(Wingood et al., 2003). Furthermore, studies done on the effects of rap music videos and gender role stereotypes seems to have the most influence on how black women are viewed in our society, among both black and white audiences. In a study by Ward, Hansbrough, and Walker

(2005) on the effect of black gender role stereotyping, they concluded that more exposure to stereotypical gender roles as viewed in music videos yielded stronger negative attitudes toward

these gender roles and greater importance placed on appearance and sexiness. In a study with

similar results, Gan, Zillmann, and Mitrook (1997) measured the effects of gender stereotypes of

black women on white males and females. After they viewed music videos with sexually

enticing raps and then shown six color slides of alternating white women and black women, the

black women in the slides were viewed less favorably than their white counterparts by the

participants.

22

Previous Research on Rap Lyrics

Most of the previous research on rap music and its lyrics have examined the influence

that the violence content within rap music has on subsequent violent behaviors among its

listeners. However, this research on violent content may still prove beneficial to this study in that the influence of violent content on listeners may help to explain the potential influence of

misogynistic content on listeners. In a few of the studies, participants were exposed to lyrics,

music, both, or none, and then asked to complete an inventory or a questionnaire related to the

goal of the study (see Ballard, Dodson, and Bazzini, 1999; Cobb and Boettcher III, 2001; Wester,

Crown, Quatman, and Heesacker, 1997). Each of these studies found that exposure to rap lyrics

and/or music increased the potential for antisocial behavior (Ballard et al., 1999), increased

sexism (Cobb and Boettcher III, 2001), and increased negative attitudes towards women (Wester

et al., 1997). In another study, participants listened to misogynistic or neutral music and then

viewed three video vignettes (neutral, sexual-violent, and assaultive), choose one to show an

undergraduate research assistant, and then asked to complete a questionnaire (Barongan and

Nagayama Hall, 1995). The participants in the misogynous condition chose the assaultive

vignette more often than the other conditions. In another study, participants were asked to

provide a self-report through a questionnaire/survey and the results were tallied by the

researchers (see Miranda and Claes, 2004). These results showed that preference to rap music

had the strongest connection with deviant behaviors.

The one study that served the greatest purpose for the current study was an article from

Armstrong (2001). Armstrong did a content analysis of gangsta rap songs from 1987 to 1993,

the height of the gangsta rap era. He analyzed 490 songs by thirteen of the prominent gangsta

rap artists of that period, looking for lyrics that mentioned three serious personal offenses 23 directed at women, that included assault, forcible rape, and murder, and a fourth category that combined rape and murder. Armstrong’s results determined that 22 percent of his sample contained violent and misogynistic lyrics.

Although these studies have shown a correlation between exposure to violent lyrics and its effects on audiences, others offer a contradictory view about the effects of rap lyrics.

Defenders of rap music have claimed that rap lyrics are narratives of situations that rappers have faced or are currently facing (Rhym, 1996-97; Wester et al., 1997). It has also been suggested that the various forms of violence to which inner-city or underprivileged black youth are exposed increase deviant behavior and lead to more legal action taken against them. Mahiri and Conner

(2003) support this notion. Cose (2000, as cited by Mahiri and Conner, 2003) states that “15- to

30- year-old African American males are more likely to go to prison than to college”. In summation, the environment surrounding black youth attributes to the violence in their behaviors, not necessarily the exposure to rap music. Once again, these results may come from research that has been done on music’s influence on violent attitude and behavior; however, it still may prove beneficial for research on the influence of misogynistic lyrics.

Connection to Pornography Research

As previously mentioned, there has not been much research done exploring misogyny in rap lyrics, thus there are those reading who might not be familiar with the research on rap music

– let alone rap music itself. In order to understand the concern that the possible effect misogyny in rap music might have on its audience, it was easy to connect this research to research on a topic that has a little more familiarity and a little more history, namely pornography.

Pornography and rap have more in common than one might think. First, both pornography and rap are large contributors to the economy and to each one’s respectable (or lack 24 thereof) industries. According to a background section of their article, Malamuth, Addison, &

Koss (2000) mention that “Forbes magazine recently described the companies that produce sexually explicit depictions as constituting a 56 billion dollar global pornography industry that is becoming increasingly mainstream” (p. 27). As previously mentioned, rap music is usually in the top three ranking in sales within the music industry, only second place to rock music (The

Recording Industry of America, 2005), which similarly displays its mainstream power in today’s economy.

Another similarity between the two is the difficulty both researchers and lay people have explicitly defining either term. All of the studies referenced for this section (Barongan &

Nagayama Hall, 1995; Malamuth et al., 2000; Mayerson & Taylor, 1987; Zillmann and Bryant,

1982) agreed on one thing when defining pornography – that there have been and can be many different definitions of pornography. The definitions ranged from sexually explicit material to nonviolent, “consenting sexual depictions” (Malamuth et al., 2000) to sexually violent media all fitting under the “pornography” umbrella. Rap music can be as equally hard to define. There are several different categories of rap music such as gangsta rap, hip hop, east coast rap, west coast rap, dirty south rap, crunk music, snap music, political rap, conscious rap, hip hop, hip pop, mainstream rap, and underground rap. In many discussions on rap music, “rap” and “hip hop” are used interchangeably. Some of these categories can be deciphered from one another (east coast versus west coast versus dirty south, mainstream rap versus underground rap, crunk and snap music versus other rap, political and conscious raps from other rap); others are harder to determine (east coast versus hip hop, rap versus gangsta rap versus hip hop). Barring a face-to- face roundtable discussion with some of hip hop’s founding fathers and other notable hip hop

“heads” (people immensely into hip hop’s background and history; could even be considered hip 25 hop historians), there is no definitive method to deciphering a specific definition of which song or sound is considered which type of rap when it comes to those categories that are harder to define.

The difficulty to define can also be played out in what is acceptable and what is extreme.

In Zillmann and Bryant’s (1982) article, they included a discussion by feminist Gloria Steinem on the difference between good and bad sex. The contrast was used to differentiate between erotica and pornography, with erotica described as “the depiction of ‘mutually pleasurable, sexual expression between people who have enough power to be there by positive choice’” without a victim nor a conqueror and pornography defined as “any erotic message that features

‘violence, dominance, and conquest’” that includes a victim (p. 11). The same idea can be applied to rap music. Not all lyrics that include content referencing sex are necessarily misogynous; it may be the case that the sex includes a relationship of love with it, thus diminishing the negativity of the seemingly misogynistic context.

The most integral commonality that pornography and rap have in common is the concern of potential effect on consumers of each. First, just as with research on rap music, the research conclusions on the possible effects of pornography on viewers are inconclusive; some researchers have found that there are “reliable” effects on viewers while other researchers reject any “reliable” effects (Malamuth et al., 2000, p. 26). Secondly, the fear of the effects of both pornography and rap are that the content of both will influence the attitudes and behaviors of the consumers. In brief, the pornography research that has provided a positive correlation between viewing pornography and attitudinal and/or behavioral influence has shown an increase in sexual aggressiveness, a stronger belief in rape myths, and simply a diminished respect for women in general. Lastly, pornography and rap have been attacked by people of several different 26

ideologies, both with similar complaints (or commendations). Malamuth et al. (2000) point out

in their review how the Conservative, Liberal, and Radical Feminist ideological perspectives

have guided research on pornography:

The Conservative perspective condemns the negative influence of pornography on the values of individuals and on social institutions such as the traditional family, and evidence showing changes in attitudes or values in such areas is considered important (e.g., Zillmann & Bryant, 1982). The Liberal perspective generally regards pornography as having negligible negative impact and sometimes even having beneficial effects. This perspective has also emphasized that the First Amendment should protect most forms of communication, with exceptions made only in areas such as direct incitement to immediate lawlessness (Brandenburg v. Ohio, 1969). The important research question guiding this perspective is to determine whether evidence of direct harm on criminal behavior (e.g., rape) results from exposure to pornography. The Radical Feminist perspective has emphasized pornography's negative effects on men's attitudes and behavior toward women, and on the power balance between men and women (MacKinnon, 1986, 1993; Russell, 1998). Evidence of changes in attitudes about violence against women or sexism as a function of exposure to pornography is considered important by advocates of this perspective. (p. 29)

Although not explicitly applied in any of the research referenced for this study, these same ideas

could be applied to rap. For instance, it could be said that the Conservative perspective is the

lens through which the PMRC, C. Delores Tucker, and concerned parents view and create their

complaints against rap music. Additionally, the Liberal perspective could be the lens through

which the artists and the records companies view rap music – in which the music is beneficial in

that it is providing an opportunity to poor black youth that avenues such as academics and

athletics may not afford to them. Lastly, the Radical Feminist perspective might be the lens through which campaigns such as Essence’s “Take Back the Music” campaign and scholastic journal articles researching the concern of misogyny in rap lyrics are said to view rap music.

Not only are the similarities between pornography and rap striking; the two have the potential to overlap. Referring back to the discussion on defining pornography and rap, based on some of the researchers’ definitions of the word “pornography” provided in the literature, the imagery in rap music (both the lyrical content and in the accompanying videos) could be 27 considered a form of pornography. Mayerson and Taylor (1987) concur with this notion and provide an effective description of how women are portrayed in pornography:

When women are reduced to mere sexual creatures or portrayed as targets for violence, the messages available to them are that they are not worthy of respect and care, that they are not as sexually desirable as the woman in the pornography, and that close relationships may involve violence. In this context, pornography may be more broadly defined to include certain images and themes found in romance novels, R-rated films, and other materials not usually considered pornographic. (p. 322)

Barongan and Nagayama Hall (1995) continue with this notion:

Although extensive research has been conducted on pornographic materials, such as movies and magazines, limited research has been conducted on music that may qualify as pornographic. Some musical lyrics express negative and sexist attitudes about women that are very similar to the messages found in pornographic movies and magazines, including the idea that coercive sexual activity is enjoyable for women. (p. 197)

In the introductory paragraphs of their study, Barongan and Nagayama Hall (1995) also describe some of the ideas that encompass pornography. These include “any materials that encourage sexually abusive and degrading treatment of women,” “the domination and objectification of women,” and “Often women are depicted as being used solely for the purpose of men’s sexual gratification” (p. 195-6). All of the aforementioned ideas and descriptions have been used to describe the content of rap lyrics and videos. For example Berry (1994) notes, “Many male rap groups tend to view women with a common lack of respect…the female body is presented as a product of male sexual pleasure…they are described as objects to be sexually used, physically and verbally abused” (p. 187). Adams and Fuller (2006) second this notion stating, “Women

(specifically African American women) are reduced to mere objects – objects that are only good for sex and abuse” (p. 940). Additionally, as previously mentioned, Wester et al.’s (1997) research found that when men with little prior experience to rap music were exposed to it, the exposure resulted in an increased negative attitude toward women. 28

Barongan and Nagayama Hall (1995) are also quick to point out a perceptive difference between pornography and rap:

Although albums that contain such lyrics [negative and sexist attitudes about women] may display a warning that some of the lyrics may be offensive, these albums are commercially available to anyone. Pornographic movies and magazines, on the other hand, can only be purchased or viewed by those who are at least 18 years of age. The difference in the availability of these types of materials suggests that pornographic music is not considered detrimental in fostering negative attitudes and behavior toward women. (p. 197)

Although Barongan and Nagayama Hall’s article was written in 1995, these ideas and concerns still hold true in the present day. Besides the aforementioned article from Palazzolo (2006), other recent initiatives of this nature include Essence magazine’s Take Back the Music campaign and an exposé about the current state of rap music on Paula Zahn’s CNN program Paula Zahn

Now. According to their website, the mission statement for Essence’s Take Back the Music campaign reads as follows:

We at ESSENCE have become increasingly concerned about the degrading ways in which Black women are portrayed and spoken about in popular media, particularly in popular urban music and music videos. Aware that these images may be having a negative impact on our children, we realized that, as Black women, it was up to us to take a stand.

Our staffers, after much discussion about the imbalance in popular culture’s depiction of Black women’s sexuality and character, decided to form a committee to deal with the issue. In January of 2005, the ESSENCE Take Back the Music Campaign was launched to help raise awareness of the subject in our communities. (“Take Back the Music Campaign,” 2006)

On February 21, 2007, Paula Zahn did a report on rap music titled “Hip Hop: Art or Poison.” In a fifteen minute segment of the show, Zahn and three guests discussed misogyny and the image of women in rap music. They concluded that, although misogyny is not a new idea, it is something that is prevalent in rap music and hip hop culture and is a concern that needs to be addressed in some fashion.

29

Rap Music and Gender-Stereotyped Images of Women

One of the most important findings that have come out of research on rap music and its lyrics is the notion of images of women created for women by both male and female rappers. As women, female rappers have created their own images of womanhood but since there are more men than women in the rap genre, the men’s image of women has become dominant. The following section will describe the images that male and female rappers have created for women.

Generally, when men speak of women in the context of rap music, the images portrayed are usually negative ones with women in places of inferiority to men. Rarely are women referenced as positive contributions to the man’s life; as Rhym (1996-97) submits, “there is no mention of love or examples of loving relationships…[and they] go out of their way to reject the very notion of loving a woman, whose function they perceive exclusively as the fulfillment of their sexual desires” (p. 11). Based on several authors’ exploration and explanation of men’s images of women (Adams & Fuller, 2006; Kitwana, 2002; Stephens & Phillips, 2003), these negative images have been compiled and condensed to the following: Bitch, Ho, Gold Digger, and Dyke.

These images are extensions of the images created of black women during the 1950s and

1960s – the Mammy, the Matriarch, the Jezebel, and the Welfare Mother – that were made famous through their roles in television shows (Stephens and Phillips, 2003). The Bitch, also referred to as the Sapphire by Adams and Fuller (2006), can be described as domineering, aggressive, “filled with attitude…and she squashes the aspirations of her man or men in general”

(Adams & Fuller, 2006, p. 945) . Adams and Fuller (2006) write that the image of the Sapphire

“grew out of the perpetuation of the Mammy image” (p. 944). The Bitch is the default insult that men and even other women hurl at women. 30

The Ho is referenced by many other names: slut, whore, hoochie, chickenhead, hood rat,

skeezer, the “Freak” (Stephens& Phillips, 2003) and the “Jezebel” (Adams & Fuller, p. 1006).

The Ho is an extremely sexually promiscuous woman, often characterized as “loose” and “an

easy lay,” which enjoys any sexual activity with anyone anywhere. The Ho often uses “sex as a

means of gaining sexual control over their partners while fulfilling their own insatiable physical

needs” (Stephens & Phillips, 2003, p. 21).

The next image men have created of women is the Gold Digger. With similar

characterization as the Ho, the Gold Digger uses sex to her advantage; however, instead of using

sex to gain control over the man, the Gold Digger uses sex as a way to gain material possessions

(Stephens & Phillips, 2003). To the Gold Digger, sex is the equivalent of cash. Gold Diggers

are with or try to be with a man for his money; if there is no money, then the Gold Digger will

have nothing to do with that guy and will move on to the next one (Stephens & Phillips, 2003).

The last image that men created of women is the Dyke. The Dyke is a woman who wants

to have nothing to do with men, usually sexually, to spite the man and strip him of his power

over women. Regardless of her sexual orientation, typically a male rapper will label a woman a

Dyke if she declines to have sex with him. Female rappers are also questioned about their

sexuality, often being labeled a Dyke or lesbian, because of the “safety and respect for women”

messages in their music. Women may also be called a Dyke if she can excel at things that are

generally considered masculine activities or seems exceptionally independent (Stephens &

Phillips, 2003).

Women have struggled to create an image for themselves in rap music. Female rappers have had to struggle to appeal to men yet maintain their femininity (e.g., refraining from using profanity, avoiding the imagery of sex, drugs, guns, and violence). For instance, when women 31 were first trying to get into rap, they had to look and sound like a man so that men would take them seriously. Keyes (2000) quotes rapper Princesa, who said, “Only when I led them [male producers] to believe that a man had written or produced my stuff did they show interest”

(Cooper, 1989, as cited on p. 265). Additionally, when rapper MC Lyte first started in the rap industry, she dressed in baggy pants, baseball jerseys or other baggy shirts, and boots; her vocal delivery was in a bass register; her lyrical delivery was brash; and her first major single was

“Ruffneck,” an assertive song dedicated to the rough type of man that she seeks. Female rappers have also struggled to prove that their lyrical ability was up to par with or exceeded their male counterparts. In order to control their own image, female rappers have been forced or choose to be pigeonholed into one of the following three categories compiled by this researcher:

“hypersexual”, “respectable”, or “gangsta”.

“Hypersexual” female rappers are rappers whom embrace their feminine sexuality as part of their rap persona. She wears tight and/or revealing expensive clothing, expensive jewelry, and dons fashionably done hair, nails, and makeup (Keyes, 2000). Her lyrics display her control of her sexuality and watches as she throws it in the faces of her detractors. When one thinks of a hypersexual woman rap artist, artists such as Salt N Pepa, Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown, and Trina fit this category.

“Respectable” female rappers are women who depict themselves as the intelligent, strong black woman. She raps to uplift black women and demands respect for black women. She does not let lazy, unintelligent, emotionless men to ruin her life (Stephens & Phillips, 2003). She prides herself on independence and challenging the negative images placed on them by men.

This image is a combination of Keyes’ (2000) “Queen Mother” image and Stephens and Phillips’ 32

(2003) “Earth Mother” image. Queen Latifah is the woman rapper who most noticeably portrays this image. Others include Monie Love, Sister Souljah, and Jean Grae.

“Gangsta” female rappers, combination of Stephens and Phillips’ (2003) “gangsta bitches” and Keyes’ (2000) “sista with attitude” images, have taken on the masculine woman role with pride. Most gangsta women do everything against the grain of “maintaining their femininity” as described above; in fact, they embrace going against the grain. These rappers use explicit language, speak of the streets, violence, drug use, and sex, and dress like men. She can be seen in baggy pants, baggy shirts, boots, sunglasses, and hats or skull caps – anything to

“obscure the bodily attributes of the female sex while providing the woman with a strong physical presence” (Shelton, 1997, p. 111). The common theme in the lyrics of gangsta female rappers is the reversal of sexual power, transforming the woman as the superior and the man as the inferior; women are the “pimps” and men are the “bitches,” so to speak. In this case, women are utilizing the source of power for men – sexual authority – and using the same power to their advantage. Female rappers who embody this image include BOSS, MC Lyte, Yo-Yo, Da Brat,

Rah Digga, Mia X, and Eve. Eve is a less extreme example of this image. Her lyrical content speaks of street lore and uplifting women, which is a combination of “respectable” and “gangsta” female rappers; her dress is that of the hypersexual – very feminine and fashionable, dresses, skirts, tight clothes, and high heels (AftermathMusic.com, 2007).

No matter what image they personify, almost all female rappers share similar attributes.

First, Morgan (2005) suggests, “Irrespective of style, hip-hop women share the same value of performance: hard, skillful, provocative, and intelligent rhyming. They are skilled MCs, and they represent the lives of women in hip hop and the world” (p. 428). Second, they are trying to

challenge and break the stereotypes that men in and out of the rap genre have tried to place on 33 them through their image and their lyrical content (Keyes, 2000; Morgan, 2005; Roberts, 1994;

Shelton, 1997).

Research Questions

Whether or not music may influence the attitudes and behaviors of its listeners is still up for debate. As the above research shows, researchers argue for both sides of the issue. Much of the research and many of the real life examples (e.g., PMRC cases, the Ice T case, the Tupac case) that have been presented were conducted or are from quite a few years ago. The concern is still out there, as indicated by the recent claims in academic journals (e.g., Adams and Fuller,

2006; Dixon and Brooks, 2002; Sullivan, 2003), news stories (e.g., Paula Zahn Now “Hip Hop:

Art or Poison,” 2007; “Sexism, hip hop, and misogyny,” 2005), and newspapers (e.g., Palazzolo,

2006). Moreover, academics have been calling for continued research on this influential music genre. Dixon and Brooks (2002) suggest that more “long-term quantitative content analyses be undertaken…in order to understand the complexity of meaning that underlies rap lyrics” (p.

113). From each of these and the previously mentioned concerns one conclusion can be drawn – that there is still a need for research in the area of rap lyrics and the misogynistic content of the lyrics.

Based on the above research and among the aforementioned concerns, there is one main idea that needs to be addressed. In the first article from a five-part series on misogyny in music on tolerance.org’s website, William’s quotes Dr. Gwendolyn Pough, an assistant professor of women’s studies at the University of Minnesota. Attesting to the influence misogyny in rap lyrics can have, Pough says, “[Misogyny] definitely has an impact on young women – especially black women. There are messages in the music that tell us what we should do to be desired – and in some cases, respected. I do believe there is some connection to those messages and how 34 some young women view themselves or behave” (Williams, 2003, p. 1). Thus, there is one research question that presents itself to guide the remainder of this thesis and its research:

RQ1: How is womanhood portrayed in the lyrical content of rap lyrics?

Rhythm and blues (henceforth referred to simply as R&B) is another predominately black music genre that has its roots in black history. R&B is a culmination of blues, jazz, and black rock and roll that over the course of its history has spawned such genres as doo wop, soul, funk,

Motown, and even rap (“Rhythm-and-Blues Music,” 2007). Some famous R&B artists from

R&B’s history include: Nat “King” Cole of the 40s; Chuck Berry and Little Richard of the 50s; the Supremes, the Temptations, Smokey Robinson, James Brown, and Ray Charles from the 60s; and Prince, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Mary J. Blige from the current generation of

R&B artists (“Rhythm-and-Blues Music,” 2007). In addition to the rap lyrics, R&B lyrics will be examined to provide support that being a predominately black music genre is not the reason that contributes to there being the amount of misogynistic content in rap music. Thus, a second research question poses itself similar to the first one:

RQ2: Do the portrayals of womanhood in rap lyrics also appear in R&B lyrics? 35

Chapter 2

Methodology

Analysis of media texts can take several forms. Some researchers have applied a quantitative approach using traditional content analyses to measure prevalence of themes and

concepts in the text (Krippendorff, 2003; Neuendorf, 2002). Others have used a more qualitative

approach such as ethnographic content analysis based in theory and oriented to capture emerging

variables and meanings (Altheide, 1996). While Dixon and Brooks (2002) call for quantitative

analyses of rap lyrics, initial attempts using defined variables and categories failed to capture the

meanings and nuances of misogyny and womanhood due to the nature of the text itself.

Individual units for analysis were difficult to isolate given the style of the text, and a definition of

misogyny seemed to be elusive in the context of the music. Therefore, a qualitative ethnographic

approach was selected for this study in order to provide descriptions and definitions of emergent

stereotypes that were more compatible with the texts selected, rap and R & B music.

As with any content analysis, a sample of lyrics was required to investigate the research

questions. One hundred fifty-one rap singles and 100 R & B singles were identified from

Billboard’s Year-End Hot 100 Singles and Tracks charts from 2002 to 2005. These songs served

to provide as a comparison between two predominately-black music genres as they move into the

mainstream as measured by placement in the top 100 singles. The Billboard Hot 100 charts were

downloaded from Billboard’s business website, Billboard.biz. Billboard has been deemed as a

reputable source based on their long history and for their partnership with SoundScan to compile

their charts based on SoundScan’s sales data (Schlager, 2007). At the commencement of their

partnership, “SoundScan was an independent company that collected data on record sales direct

from store scanners” and its “data replaced the ranked lists that previously had been called in by 36

individual record retailers” (Schlager, 2007, p. 6). For the rap singles, songs chosen include solo

rap artists or rap groups and songs that include a rap guest artist. These rap guest appearances

include collaborations with rock, country, and R&B artists (the majority of the collaborations being with R&B artists). For the R&B songs, only the songs in which the R&B artist was the primary artist were included. Unlike the rap songs, R&B singles where the R&B artist made a guest appearance were not included. The lyrics for the selected singles were then downloaded either from the Online Hip Hop Lyrics Archive (OHHLA) for the rap singles or lyrics.com and azlyrics.com for the R&B singles. Each of these websites has been established as a reliable source for music lyrics (OHHLA in the press; 1 reviews for Lyrics.com www.lyrics.com; 2 reviews for AZ Lyrics www.azlyrics.com).

Singles from 2002 to 2005 were chosen based on the continuous increasing popularity of the genre. It could be argued that, although this is not necessarily the “Golden Era” of rap (as this label has already been designated to the 1980s decade of rap by many hip hop enthusiasts, such as hip hop writers and activists Davey D, Kevin Powell, and Kevin Britton) , the dawn of the new millennium ushered in the height of rap’s popularity. Dating back to the late 1990s and the new millennium, the examples that follow show the increasing influence rap music and hip hop culture was having on the mainstream culture. For instance, it was during this period that the economic impact rap began and would continue in the years to follow. In the late 1990s, some of the first clothing lines were released by rap artists (e.g., Sean “Puff Daddy/P.

Diddy/Diddy” Combs’ Sean John Clothing line (www.seanjohn.com), Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter’s

Rocawear Clothing line (www.rocawear.com), Wu Tang Clan’s Wu Wear Clothing line

(www.wutangclan.com)). This followed with endorsement deals in everything from soft drink advertisements (e.g., Kanye West in Pepsi television commercials (Kanye West and Pepsi take a 37

trip around the globe, 2005)) and shoe endorsements (e.g., Jay-Z’s S. Carter line and 50 Cent’s

G-Unit line both through Reebok (www.reebok.com) and The Game’s Hurricane line through

310 Motoring (www.310motoring.com)) to hearing rap music in commercials for various products (e.g., Slum Village in Chevrolet television commercials (Vibe.com: Slum Village –

Chevy commercial (2007)), The Game, Kanye West, and Ludacris in Boost Mobile television commercials (Hip hop stars Kanye West, Ludacris, and The Game ask “where you at?” in new

Boost Mobile “Anthem” TV ad, 2004)) and seeing rap artist perform on some of the most visible of stages (e.g., P. Diddy and Nelly the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2004 (Super Bowl entertainment honor roll, 2007)).

As rap music has been so embraced by the mainstream culture, more and more rappers are provided with the opportunity for economic success. This seemingly high demand for fresh new faces has also allowed the genre to lack in creativity, with the repetitive concepts of materialism and violence (Dawkins, 2003). The artists have also continued to put explicit language into the lyrics. This has coincided with expansion of what is acceptable in other forms of media. In a study from the Parents Television Council (2003), the use of foul language was observed in “all prime time entertainment series on the major broadcast television networks

(ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, UPN, and the WB) from the first two weeks of the 1998, 2000, and

2002 November sweeps periods” (Parents’ Television Council, 2003, p. 1). Their results showed that there was an overall increase of 94.8% in the use of foul language between 1998 and 2002.

In view of the fact that this is the case, it made sense to examine lyrics from the period 2002 to

2005, as one would expect the increase in the use of explicit language to continue in all forms of media. 38

An ethnographic content analysis was completed for this collection of lyrics. Lyrics from

all selected singles were read to identify misogynistic references and how womanhood was constructed in the lyrics. Notations were made about how specific constructs of women were developed through the lyrics themselves. Three stereotypes or constructs were reflected in the lyrics. Two of these constructs have been identified in previous literature as the Freak/Whore

(Adams and Fuller, 2006; Berry, 1994), and the Gold Digger (Adams and Fuller, 2006). A third construct, The Stripper, emerged from this sample and provided a new representation of womanhood.

A definition of misogyny was applied to the stereotypes. In the course of trying to find a suitable definition for the word misogyny, many sources (e.g., Webster’s New World Dictionary,

Miriam-Webster Online Dictionary, dictionary.com, answers.com, WordReference.com) agreed on one key element that misogyny involves “the hatred of women.” However, this basic definition was not sufficient because it was too simplistic and too vague. In the later stages of doing research for this study, one very current article presented itself, which would ultimately provide a working – although not very succinct – definition of misogyny. Adams and Fuller

(2006) describe misogyny by writing,

Misogyny in gangsta rap is the promotion, glamorization, support, humorization, justification, or normalization of oppressive ideas about women. In this genre of rap music, women (specifically African American women) are reduced to mere objects – objects that are only good for sex and abuse and are ultimately a burden to men. In rap, this ideology reveals itself in many ways, from mild innuendoes to blatant stereotypical characterizations and defamations. (p. 940)

Furthermore, even though Wikipedia is not an accredited source, it did provide one

notable idea that Adams and Fuller’s definition failed to include but must be introduced as an

addendum to their definition. Wikipedia’s definition notes, “Misogyny is usually regarded as

directed against women by some men, though women can also hold misogynistic views” 39

(Wikipedia, n.d.). Therefore, over the course of analysis, this notion of misogyny as being oppressive, degrading, and objectifying was discovered, regardless of who (male or female) may be speaking about women. 40

Chapter 3

Results

The three stereotypes analyzed were characterized using the work of Stephens and

Phillips’ (2003) research and these stereotypes were supplemented by including the themes found in misogynistic rap as set forth by Adams and Fuller’s (2006) research. Each stereotype uniquely encompassed one or more of the six themes. The themes from Adams and Fuller were included in characterizing each of the stereotypes because they contributed to a richer and fuller description of Stephens and Phillips’ prototype. By using the themes from Adams and Fuller’s work, the lyrics that fit the stereotype of the Freak were easier to notice and specifically select.

The Freak

The first prominent stereotype that presented itself during the analysis of the lyrics was the Freak. Stephens and Phillips (2003) describe a Freak as a “sexually aggressive and wild” woman who will have “[s]ex in any place, any position, and with any person (or number of people)” regardless of feelings and engages “in high-risk sexual activities viewed as outside conventional behaviors, and enjoys testing the limits of what is considered morally acceptable”

(p. 20). The Freak stereotype was extended to represent themes found in misogynistic rap as set forth by Adams and Fuller’s (2006) research. These characteristics include: “(a) derogatory statements about women in relation to sex; (b) statements involving violent actions toward women, particularly in relation to sex…(f) references of women as usable and discardable beings” (p. 940).

Since there is a broad characterization of the Freak stereotype and equally numerous were the amount of rap songs that were examined over chosen time period, there are many examples that fall under this stereotype. The following examples will be organized by different aspects of 41 the Freak. The simplest and easiest examples to identify were the ones in which the artist talked about the physical characteristics of a female. Such examples include: “Ass is fat, frame is little”

(Fat Joe, 2002); “Lil’ cutie lookin’ like a student/Long hair, wit’cha big fat booty” (Snoop Dogg,

2003); “Twenty-four, thirty-four, forty-six,/Good and thick…Pretty face and some cute lips/Earring in her tongue and she know what to do with it” (Petey Pablo, 2004); and “I got a cute face, chubby waist/Thick legs, in shape/Rump shakin', both ways/Make you do a double take” (Missy Elliot, 2005). These examples fall under the theme of “women as usable and discardable beings” (Adams and Fuller, 2006) because it objectifies the woman as simply a collection of body parts. Moreover, as the fourth example shows, this is not exclusive to men speaking about women; Missy Elliot, a female rapper, is saying this about herself.

Another set of examples that were easy to pick out were the ones in which the rap artist is explicitly talking about women and sexual activity. In some instances, women were identified as promiscuous such as “We just met and I just fucked you” (Eminem, 2003) or “I betcha I’ll have you doin’ what you said that you won’t do” (G-Unit, 2004). In other lyrics, women are described as participating in and enjoying specific sexual acts such as “Go ‘head kiss it, they can’t see us inside/Mami tell me do you like – it, I know you like – it/It’s written all over your face don’t fight – it/You like – it, more than I like – it/So put it all over your face don’t bite – it”

(Fat Joe & Nelly, 2005).

Lyrics that describe extreme physicality or degrading acts during the course of sexual activity were also noted in rap lyrics. Some examples that were found are: “Hold down on the bed while I’m yankin’ your braids…While I’m smakin’ your ass and fuckin’ you all wild” (Ja

Rule, 2002); “Don’t he know Queen Bee got the ill deep throat? /Uh! Let me show you what I’m all about/How I make a Sprite can disappear down my mouth…Rub on my tits (Huh!) Squeeze 42

on my ass (Oooh!)/Gimme some UH!!! Step on the gas (Ah)” (Lil Kim, 2003); “Do you want it

missionary with your feet crammed to the head board/Do you want it from the back with your

face in the pillow so you could yell as loud as you want to” (Petey Pablo, 2004); and “Cause all I wanna do is just drill, with that ass in the air, and the pussy I kill/And I fee, you love to fuck up on a hill/Suck dick from behind, and take nut in your grill” (Trillville, 2005). In these examples,

Lil Kim is talking about how well she performs fellatio and “grill” in the Trillville lyric refers to one’s mouth and/or face. Just as with the first set of examples, men and women both may choose to rap with extreme vulgarity. Trillville and Lil Kim both rapping about fellatio is similar to the above finding of Petey Pablo and Missy Elliot both rapping about the physical assets of a woman.

There were two other themes that emerged in the analysis of the rap lyrics, although not as frequently. These two themes were more than one sexual partner and lesbianism. A couple of examples that demonstrate the artist’s preference for more than one sexual partner includes: “But what’s love gotta do with a little ménage? /After the par-tay, me and you/Could just slide for a few and she could come too” (Fat Joe, 2002) and “Let’s get ghost in the Phantom/You can bring your friend, we can make this a tandem” (Jay-Z, 2005). Some of the examples that exhibit the artist’s hope for females to engage in lesbianism includes: “Her girlfriend willin’ to get bi and they ready to go” (50 Cent, 2003); “And love to get her pussy licked by another bitch” (Petey

Pablo, 2004); and “I’ll have a straight bitch in the telly goin' both ways” (50 Cent, 2005). After

some hesitation, these last two themes were included because they fit under the “engages ‘in

high-risk sexual activities viewed as outside conventional behaviors’” aspect of the definition.

This holds up even more as American’s culture is generally one that promotes monogamy and

disapproves of homosexuality. 43

While less prevalent in R&B songs, there were still several examples of the Freak

stereotype in this genre. Some of the examples where the artists were singing about the physical

characteristics of a female include: “In front of me/Stood a beautiful honey with a beautiful

body” (Craig David, 2002); “The way you shaking that sexy ass/Your body shaped like an hour

glass” (B2K, 2003); and “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard” (Kelis, 2004). In the

example from Kelis, when she says her “milkshake,” she is talking about her butt.

The next set of examples from the R&B lyrics demonstrates the artists singing explicitly

about women for their participation in sexual activity, whether consensual or wishful thinking.

Such examples include: “I want you to Rock the boat….Work it in the middle…Change

positions for me…Now stroke it baby” (Aaliyah, 2002); “I’m bout to take my key and/Stick it in

the ignition” (R. Kelly, 2003); “I’m feeling’ kind of n-a-s-t-y/I just might take you home with

me” (Beyoncé, 2004); and “O…that’s gonna be the sound/Girl when it’s goin’ down/Your body

sayin’ O…You sayin’ O…/Means I was hittin’ it right” (Omarion, 2005). As these examples

show, both men and women are prone to speaking about participation in sexual activity.

A few key distinctions can be made between R&B and rap lyrics in regards to the Freak.

First, no R&B lyrics fit the description for the extreme physicality or degrading acts during the course of sexual activity category, the more than one sexual partner category, and the lesbianism category. Second, not only were there more examples of the Freak stereotype found in rap lyrics, these lyrics used more vulgar and explicit language when speaking of the sexual activities of the Freak.

Although there were a few of differences between the two examples, there were also some noticeable similarities between the two. In both genres, women are mentioned as physical objects upon which to look; simply put, women are spoken about as eye candy (unless there is 44

the potential for more than that). Second, men and women in both genres are guilty of exploiting

the Freak stereotype.

The Gold Digger

The second prominent stereotype that presented itself during the analysis of the lyrics

was the Gold Digger. Stephens and Phillips (2003) describe a Gold Digger as a “woman who

explicitly seeks material and economic rewards” (p. 17) – whether basic (i.e., bills, groceries) or

extravagant (i.e., “manicures and pedicures, new clothing, vacations, or having a car note paid”

(p. 18). A Gold Digger will

supposedly resort to any and all sexual means to gain whatever financial rewards she wants or needs, seeing men as stepping stones to provide for short-term needs. Short- term is not defined so much by a length of time, but rather a mind set whereby the male is good for as long as he can meet the Gold Digger’s demands. (Stephens & Phillips, 2003, p. 18)

Lyrics that fit the Gold Digger stereotype also represent one of Adams and Fuller’s (2006) six themes found in misogynistic rap. This theme was described as the “(d) characterization of women as ‘users’ of men” (p. 940).

There were not as many Gold Digger examples as there were for the Freak stereotype, but there were several of them and are important nonetheless. The Gold Digger examples surfaced in two ways, specifically based upon the gender of the artist: in an accusatory manner by men about women and in a declaratory manner by women about themselves. Some examples of men claiming women to be Gold Diggers in the rap lyrics include: “Homie grows hotter…These hoes is all on him, coast to coast shows…These hoes don’t want him no mo’, he’s cold product/They moved on to the next schmoe who flows” (Eminem, 2002) and “She look good but I know she after my cheddar/She tryna get in my pockets, homie and I ain’t gonna let her” (50 Cent, 2003).

The Eminem lyric demonstrates the latter of the second part of the definition, how women want him when he is successful but quickly leave him for someone better when they have the chance. 45

The 50 Cent lyric demonstrates the first part of the definition, in which a woman is simply after his wealth/money (“cheddar” to which it is referred). The most extensive examples of this stereotype are an entire song dedicated to Gold Diggers by Kanye West, fittingly titled “Gold

Digger,” (although some might argue that this song is a sarcastic take on the subject but is still misogynistic and an example of the Gold Digger stereotype nonetheless) and Mike Jones’ “Back

Then,” a song which tells a narrative about how women did not want to be with him when he was poor, but when he became famous and had money, they wanted to be with him. Some sample lyrics from “Gold Digger” include “She take my money when I’m in need,” “Now I ain’t saying she a gold digger/But she ain’t messing with no broke niggaz,” and “She was supposed to by ya shorty TYCO with ya money/She went to the doctor got lypo with ya money” (2005); additionally, some examples from “Back Then” include

Befo’ I came up in the game these hoes didn’t show no love/ They see me in the club and used to treat me like a scrub/ They wouldn’t holla cause my dollars wasn’t swoll enough/ I bet they change they mind when them 84’s come rollin up/ They see that I’m a star, now they wanna sit in my car/… They used to love to diss me, now they rush to hug and kiss me now (2005).

In all these cases, the women are portrayed in a negative manner for their pursuit of men for their

worldly possessions.

In contrast, the female artists seem to be conflicted; some describe their behavior in a

much different light, one more of innocence while others clearly identify the objects of their

desire. Some women seem to indicate that they are merely a recipient of men’s rewards rather

than taking advantage of men’s desires; for example, “I got pimps givin’ me they money/Just to

taste my jar of honey…Pink diamonds, dudes love to frost me” (Trick Daddy, Cee-Lo, & Lil’

Kim, 2005) and “They buy me all these ice-ys/Dolce & Gabbana/Fendi and then Donna/Karan,

they be sharin’/All their money got me wearin’/Fly gear but I ain’t askin’ …So I keep on 46 takin’/And no I ain’t taken/We can keep on datin’” (Black Eyed Peas, 2005). These examples seem to refute the accusation of pursuing men for their money or prestige. However, other female artists proclaim their interest in a man based on their material possessions; for example,

“He has a spankin’ new Range for that tight wardrobe…He has his wrists bling blinging” (Toya,

2002); “Open their mouth their grill gleamin’/ Candy paint, keep that whip clean…Know how to flip that money three ways/Always ridin’ big on the freeway” (Destiny’s Child, 2005). These lyrics exemplify how the female artist is attracted to a man based on the wealth that he is displaying (i.e., expensive jewelry, expensive cars, having lots of money).

While these examples clearly demonstrate the desires of the Gold Digger, only a few examples relate this to sexual behavior. One song in particular, Mike Jones’ “Back Then” clearly makes the connection between attraction and sex. Specifically, sexual behavior is mentioned as a means to a reward through these examples: “A couple of ‘em said I was cute but

I was just too chubby/Same size a year later the same hoes wanna fuck me” and “But then my name started blowin’ up quick, now they jumping on my dick” (Jones, 2005). Another example is the previously stated Lil Kim lyric “I got pimps givin’ me they money/Just to taste my jar of honey” (Trick Daddy, Cee-Lo, & Lil Kim, 2005), an obvious metaphorical reference to her female genitalia.

Ultimately, there were no examples in the R&B lyrics of the Gold Digger stereotype.

The possible reasons will be discussed below in this section’s concluding paragraph.

The Stripper

The third and last stereotype that surfaced was the Stripper. Stephens and Phillips (2003) alluded to the Stripper in their discussion of the Freak. They state, “A woman can be an everyday Freak, whereby she dresses in tight clothing, short skirts, and walks with a strut in the 47

mall; often such women are assumed to be strippers” (p. 21). Furthermore, the Stripper is becoming a noted aspect of the hip hop culture, especially in the culture of rap from the South.

As Miller (2004) points out, “rap from the South does seem to have a strong association with

strip clubs and sexually explicit lyrics” (p. 195). In part, this association refers back to the

phenomenal success of Miami’s 2 Live Crew in the late 1980s and early 1990s. 2 Live Crew

were known for “‘booty music’: sex-obsessed lyrics set to accelerated beats for jiggling rear

ends” (Miller, 2004, p. 195). Other present day artists are continuing this style. D-Roc, one of

the members of the aforementioned Ying Yang Twins, has declared that, “The Ying Yang Twins

make bootie-club music…You can call us the strip-club kings” (Reid, 2006). Additionally,

artists are not only rapping about strippers and strip clubs as well as frequenting these

establishments, the strip club is a place that artists go to test out their new songs. If the song

makes the dancers dance more and, in turn, earning more money, then the song is determined to

be a hit (Reid, 2006). Therefore, the Stripper is presented as a new stereotype to consider when

examining misogyny in rap and any other genres of music. In terms of the basic ideas most

would think of when conjuring up an image of a stripper, the Stripper will be defined as a

women (or a man) who dances erotically, often on a pole, and removes her (or his) clothing,

usually in exchange for money. The Stripper can also be characterized by one of the last themes

from Adams and Fuller (2006): “(e) references of women being beneath men” (p. 940).

Although there were not as many examples as the other two stereotypes, the Stripper

stereotype was just as important as the Freak and the Gold Digger as it was the one other

stereotype that really stood out. The examples of the Stripper include: “Stop pacin’, time

wastin’/I got a friend with a pole in the basement” (Nelly, 2002); “Now, shorty, she in the club,

she dancing for dollars” (50 Cent, 2003); and “Now she dancing in the Shaker Club stripping for 48

the stars/Sliding down the pole slow drop it to split” (Webbie & Bun B, 2005). Each of these examples demonstrates the definition presented by this author.

The examples of the stripper weren’t just limited to specific lines of lyrics. During the period of analysis, there were two songs that were entirely devoted to the topic of strippers.

These two songs were “Get Low” by Lil’ Jon and the East Side Boys featuring the Ying Yang

Twins and “Salt Shaker” by the Ying Yang Twins featuring Lil’ Jon and the East Side Boys.

Some of the lyrics from these songs include the following lyrics from “Salt Shaker” (2004):

“Five dollars get your ass a table dance/If you got ten then bring a friend/Hoe shake your ass to

the song then/If you ain’t with it then we gone then” and “Shake it like a dollar five or ten/But

what would you do for a twenty twen/Get on stage shake that ass then/Get on the pole do a back

bend/I like that do it again/Here’s another ten bitch do it again.” These lyric examples exemplify

the theme from Adams and Fuller in that the men are ordering the women to do things for money

in a fashion that they are not equal to men.

In contrast, the Stripper was not found in R&B lyrics. As with the Gold Digger

stereotype, this result will be discussed in the following concluding paragraph.

As the results have shown, the last two stereotypes did not have any R&B examples from

the sampled time period. The most practical and promising answer is simply the nature of the

genre of R&B. Just as rap music has been known for its misogynistic lyrics (as was also the case

supported by this analysis), R&B music is known its topic choice revolving around different

aspects of romance and relationships – falling in love, being in love, and break-ups. In each of

these cases, love is the underlying theme of any romantic relationship; in contrast, rap music has

been accused of removing the love aspect of any relationship with a woman. In her article

analyzing the misogyny in gangsta rap, Rhym (1996-97) makes this comment about rappers 49

Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and Eazy-E, “There is no mention of love or examples of loving

relationships. In fact, these rappers go out of their way to reject the very notion of loving a

woman, whose function they perceive exclusively as the fulfillment of their sexual desires” (p.

11). It would not be a far stretch to apply this notion to most misogynistic rap. While this

comment alludes to the Freak and the Stripper stereotypes, another comment she makes in her

article refers to the Gold Digger stereotype. In reference to an Ice Cube song, Rhym comments,

A classic example of the way gangsta rappers view women, this song exudes paranoia and distrust, and fosters no sense of love or sharing in male-female relationships. It depicts a woman as only interested in a man as an object to provide money for her needs, and as desiring to live on his earnings while she degrades and humiliates him (p. 7).

Once again this could also be applied to most misogynistic rap.

Since love is the foundation of R&B songs, women are going to be conveyed in a more

respectable fashion as opposed to the misogynistic portrayal of women in rap songs. However,

this being said, the results also showed that both rap and R&B lyrics had examples of the Freak stereotype. There is an explanation for this. As previously mentioned, R&B songs reference the

initiation aspect of relationships and a big part of the initiation of a relationship is the physical

attraction of the person that captures the attention of a potential suitor. Thus, it was not unusual

that examples of the description of physical characteristics were found in R&B lyrics. Similarly,

there were examples of sexual activity, once again, a natural part of the relationship process.

However, the difference in the ways in which R&B artists spoke of sex as opposed to the way rap artists did was rappers did it in a more crude fashion – hence, the reason why there were no

R&B examples of extreme physicality or degrading acts during the course of sexual activity. 50

Chapter 4

Discussion

Misogyny is an overwhelming theme in much of the popular music that is played today.

It seems as though tuning into the local Top 40 programming station or turning on MTV, MTV2, or BET to listen (and watch) to one’s favorite songs the audience will be exposed to some type of misogyny. More often than not the misogyny is in the form of stereotyped images. This

research suggests that womanhood is portrayed in rap prominently through the images of the

Freak, the Gold Digger, and the Stripper, and as the image of the Freak in R&B lyrics. This has

implications for not only the genre but for society as well.

It should be noted that this analysis represents mainstream artists who actively choose to

include these representations. These lyrics came from lists of the year’s most popular songs

which imply two things – these are the songs that are getting the most exposure to mass

audiences and these mass audiences are absorbing these lyrics and its misogynistic content.

Moreover, artists included misogynistic content to varying degrees. There were some songs that

were entire diatribes dedicated to sexual acts, sexual inferences, and degrading names, such as

David Banner’s 2005 hit single “Play” (see Appendix B). Equally, there were some songs that

managed to be able to slip in one line of lyric in the entire song with misogynistic content. For

example, T.I.’s 2005 hit single “Bring ‘Em Out” had the lyric “Da king back now hoes don’t

even know how to act now/Hit the club strippers gettin’ naked ‘fore I sit down” and these were

the only two lines of the entire song with any misogynistic content.

To be fair, not all of the rap songs that were sampled were misogynistic. During the four-

year time period of this study, several positive and uplifting songs came out, including “Where is

the Love” by Black Eyed Peas, questioning the negativity in society; “Can’t Hold Us Down” by 51

Christina Aguilera featuring rap guest Lil’ Kim, an ode to women everywhere; “Thugz Mansion” by 2Pac and Nas, contradictory to the image that the title conjures up this is a spiritual song; and

“I Can” by Nas, a song aimed at the children with the theme that you can do anything you set your mind out to accomplish. In an excellent use of metaphor, Erykah Badu and Common’s single “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)” expressed their love for hip hop using anthropomorphism to portray hip hop as a person. In 2004 a slew of political songs popped up in response to the upcoming election. One that made it onto the Hot 100 list was Jadakiss’ “Why”

(see Appendix A).

Other songs that avoided the misogyny angle that weren’t necessarily as meaningful as the above examples include Nelly and the St. Lunatics’ “Air Force Ones,” their ode to the Nike

Air Force One style of shoes; songs that were purely dance songs, such as Will Smith’s “Switch” and Black Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get it Started”; and even a couple of love songs popped up, including Eminem showing love for his daughter and niece in “Mockingbird,” Black Eyed Peas showing the importance of being true to your significant other in “Don’t Lie,” and Nelly and Tim

McGraw lamenting on the feeling of heart break in “Over and Over” (see Appendix A).

As the saying goes, with the good there is always the bad. This statement also holds true to the songs in this sample. While there were uplifting songs and some obscure, yet non- misogynistic, songs, there were some songs in the sample that were blatantly and explicitly misogynistic. These songs include the previously mentioned “Get Low” by Lil’ Jon and the East

Side Boyz featuring the Ying Yang Twins and “Salt Shaker” by the Ying Yang Twins featuring

Lil’ Jon and the East Side Boyz; 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P.” and “Magic Stick,” a collaboration with

Lil’ Kim; “Superman” by Eminem; “Freak-A-Leek” by Petey Pablo; “Splash Waterfalls” by

Ludacris; “Some Cut” by Trillville; “Play” by David Banner; “Sugar (Give Me Some)” by Trick 52

Daddy featuring Lil’ Kim, Ludacris, and Cee Lo; “Wait (The Whisper Song” by the Ying Yang

Twins; “Give Me That” by Webbie featuring Bun B of UGK; and “My Humps” by the Black

Eyed Peas, an ode to a woman’s “humps” delivered by only female in the group, Fergie (see

Appendix B).

Several implications presented themselves from the results of this analysis about the rap

music genre and its artists. First, in terms of the genre, rap maintains its bad reputation as a

genre that degrades women. As the songs with misogynistic content are continuously earning

playing time on various media outlets and positions within Billboard’s Hot 100 lists, more

negative images about women saturate the airwaves while more positive images are less

frequently popularized. As can be seen by the above examples, the topic choice of rap songs is

becoming repetitive (misogyny) and uplifting messages are few and far between. Samuels et

al.’s 2000 Newsweek article offers a supporting sentiment to this notion:

Fiery-haired Philly-based rapper Eve, 24, of the Ruff Ryders clique, looks back to a slightly later golden age. “I think if Biggie and Tupac were alive, you wouldn’t hear so much bulls—t like you do now,” she says. “Guys would be ashamed. They talked about something.” (p. 60)

As individual artists, rappers that participate in and promote misogyny – men and women

included – accomplish two things. First, they continue to perpetuate the misogyny that has been

in American society for years. Second, they submit to the philosophy that sex sells. However,

this notion may not be on part of the artist. In many cases, the executives of the music industry are in control of the creative power of the artist. Thus, if sex sells and record executives are more concerned with the amount of album sales rather than promotion of an artist’s creativity

(Gladney, 1995), then the record executives will put their marketing push towards artists that will sell misogyny, as that is where the money lies (as is evidenced by the results of this analysis).

Samuels et al. (2000) also provide a supporting point to this idea: “Mos Def blames the music 53

industry for endlessly promoting the same tired, vacuous product without offering much in the

way of alternatives. ‘If all you make available is acorns, people will eat the f—in’ acorns.’” (p.

60). Not only does this repetitiveness of misogyny breed redundancy, but consequently it

prevents many artists with a positive message – or at least different non-negative, non-

misogynous material – from gaining popularity.

Referring back to the beginning of this research, the question was asked why there are fewer women rap artists. One of the possible answers examined was the nature of the genre.

The results of this analysis support that potential answer. These results demonstrate the amount of misogyny (in terms of the number of songs with misogynistic content) currently present in popular rap music. Thus, it may be drawn from these results that one reason there are fewer women rap artists is because of the misogynistic culture of the rap music genre.

As this study has shown, women are held to certain stereotypes in rap. The unfortunate consequences of these stereotypes being endorsed in rap music (and their accompanying music videos) is that (1) girls and women are led to believe that these stereotypes are the ways that they are supposed to behave and (2) men are led to believe that these false preconceived notions about how women should behave are the ways in which women will behave and the ways in which men should treat women. This leads to a vicious patriarchal cycle that makes it difficult for women to define themselves without feeling like they have to live according to stereotypes set forth for them.

Another interesting finding from this analysis is that women are playing into the images that males have created for women, instead of trying to redefine the images for themselves.

Besides disappointing, this result seems to go against a point that Morgan (2005) makes such that

“Hip hop women have chosen a discourse style that is not only independent of patriarchal 54

censorship and control but also freely critiques the loss of power and responsibility of the good

woman” (p. 430). This too begs a question: if hip hop women’s discourse (in other words, lyrical content) is thus implied as uplifting to women, then why do women continue to place themselves into the gender-stereotyped roles that men have laid out for them, as well as listen to or prefer men’s patriarchal and degrading lyrics?

Additionally Morgan writes, “They [female hip hop artists]…want to be judged by their skills and ability to represent all aspects of their lives. Consequently, while men’s lyrics often reflect male adolescent desire, women MCs reflect a multiplicity of perspectives and discourses about relationship, sex, desire, and friendship – the issues facing young women” (p. 438). Based

on this statement, why do more women not want to hear from a female artist who tells her side of

the story or why do women not want to tell her story through rap? If it is the case that women do

want to hear from a female artist who tells her side of the story or do want to tell their story

through the medium of rap music, that is not what this analysis is showing. Obviously, with the

popularity of rap music and the fact that consumers of rap music are not only males, females

artists could break the mold and speak on issues that matter and there should be the audience out

there – of both women and men – to consume this introspective music rather than the typical

misogyny currently offered to consumers of rap music.

One of the important aspects of this study was comparing the results from the rap lyrics

to the results of the R&B lyrics. As previously mentioned, this was done to provide evidence that it is not just because it is a predominately black music genre that contributes to there being

the amount of misogynistic content in rap music. R&B music, another predominately black

music genre, showed fewer instances of misogyny than did rap music and yet many of these

artists are also black males. As pointed out earlier in Adams and Fuller’s (2006) article, 55 misogyny is not exclusive to rap as genres such as country and heavy metal have used misogyny before rap was even conceived.

When comparing the two genres, many of the aforementioned implications found in the rap lyrics also apply to the R&B lyrics. Misogyny was found in the lyrics, women were held to the Freak stereotype in the lyrics, and women are playing into the images created for them by men; however, one important different implication surfaced through the R&B lyric analysis.

That implication is that most R&B artists do not completely degrade women. R&B artists still referred to aspects of the Freak stereotype in the lyrics – such as talking about the physical characteristics of women and implying sexual activity. When talking about engaging in sexual activity, it was not referenced in a vulgar or violent way as it was with rap, even if there was not a commitment involved. With the degrading aspect absent, only the Freak stereotype was discovered in the R&B lyrics. This may be the case because of the nature of the genre. As previously discussed, the themes in R&B music often revolve around the facets of relationships, romance, and love. Thereby, the Gold Digger stereotype was not present because if a woman was only in a relationship for money, the love facet would be missing; and the Stripper was not found because it is degrading for men to toss money at a woman while she gets and then dances naked as well as women getting naked and dancing for money.

Limitations

One of the biggest limitations to this study was that in researching background information on this area of study, there was not much previous research done to reference, thereby making it difficult to find a firm cornerstone of research from which to work. This may intrigue and even excite some – as it may seem that one is doing groundbreaking research and the first (or one of the first) of its kind – it in fact made the initiation of this study trickier to 56

accomplish. This is the case mainly because, although the hip hop culture and the rap music

genre are approaching their 30th birthday, research in this area is fairly under studied.

The second limitation of this study correlates to the first limitation. While there are

articles/research such that of Stephens and Phillips (2003), there is no standard set of categories

to code lyrics for misogyny. Strangely enough, the analysis done for this study yielded another

prominent stereotype, the Stripper. Usually, new breakthroughs on a first try are few and far between. However, with this being a fairly untapped area of research, new developments may not only be easy to come by, but very useful as well.

The above limitations lend themselves to a third limitation. Since there is not much research in this area and there is not a standard set of categories for coding, this research needed to take a qualitative direction as opposed to a quantitative one. The results of this analysis had to describe the stereotypes found in the lyrics instead of being able to count the frequency with which the stereotypes had appeared within the lyrics. By not being able to report the frequency, this research cannot illustrate how dominate these stereotypes are within rap lyrics. However,

the results did help to solidify a standard set of categories that might be used in future research.

One final limitation to this study was with the sample that was chosen. Although the

results of this study were quite strong, the sample only studied songs that appeared on

Billboard’s Hot 100 list. This list is a compilation of different genres of music that are popular

among the mainstream audience. Consequently, there may be some rap artists that are more

capable of appealing to a mainstream audience than others, so not as many rap artists are getting

the same exposure as others. An alternative route that may be researched in the future is to

examine the top 100 rap songs of the year. Doing so might completely reverse the scope of this

research, as it might uncover more artists that speak positively about women or rap about 57

different topics not revolving around women; by the same token, the results of this route might

even more strongly support the concern of misogyny in rap lyrics.

Conclusion

Misogyny is not a new concept to society and nor is it something that will be going away

anytime soon. In fact, with the growing popularity of hip hop culture and of the music of its

culture, rap, misogyny will continue for years to come, as the number of rap artists getting the

opportunity to perform in front of mainstream audience increases and the quality and diversity of

the lyrical content decreases. As this study has shown, there is a growing trend of the number of

rap songs becoming successful and receiving mainstream exposure, as determined by the year-

end Billboard Hot 100 Singles & Tracks charts. Concurrently, the number of songs on these charts with misogynistic content – ranging anywhere from one or two lines of lyrics to entire

songs worth and everywhere in between – has been increasing as well.

What this means for the parties effected by this trend – the consumers of rap music and

those people concerned with the effect that music with misogynistic content could have on its

listeners – is as follows. For consumers, they have to consider and decide upon one of two

things: do they wish to continue listening to the misogyny, ignoring the potential effects and

allowing the gender role stereotyping and objectification of women to continue, or do the

listeners – women and men alike – stand up, bond together, and fight for rappers to change their

tune, either through boycotting the music, the artists, or the companies releasing the music? For

the people concerned with the effects of misogynistic music (the Parents Music Resource Center,

Essence magazine, religious and government figures, parents, etc.), this study provides further

ammunition to continue their fight against the artists and the recording companies. 58

These results and others like it need to affect the artists and the record companies too. It

has become a phenomenon in our society that sex sells and the saying goes, if it is not broke, do

not fix it. It is also a legal right for people to express whatever they wish to express, under the

freedoms provided to us under the First Amendment. However, at what point do the artists and

record companies realize that they are continuing a system of patriarchy and sexism by

condoning and selling this music?

By the continuation of the purchasing of such music, consumers are continuing a trend

that Kitwana (2002) observed years ago. In his chapter, “Where did Our Love Go: The New

War of the Sexes,” Kitwana notes six gender crises facing the hip hop generation. Two of these pertain to the ideas found in this study. Kitwana’s third crisis states, “The objectification of women has increased during our lifetime” (p. 103). As can be seen by the results in Table 1, this crisis has persevered four years later, and will continue to persevere unless changes are made to the current system. The sixth one states, “When it comes to gender issues, hip hop generationers are willing to disregard the dark side of their heroes” (p. 105). Kitwana goes on to say, “Rap stars like Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z and R&B artists like Sisqo and R. Kelly are embraced by women and men despite their misogynistic attitudes and sexist beliefs” (p. 105).

Most importantly, this is what all of this means for those directly affected, women. By allowing this trend to continue, they are allowing men to carry on creating the gender roles and images of women. Instead of gaining power and strengthening one’s status in society, women will continue to be seen as inferior to men and women’s earning power in the economy could potentially stagnate and plateau off where it currently sits. 59

In order for change to occur and in order for concern to continue to be tantamount to other important issues facing society and academic research, further research in this area needs to be completed.

Future Research

The present study yields several implications for future research. As was mentioned in the Limitations section, one of the hardest aspects of the entire study was determining the categories and which lyrics fit into which category during the coding of the lyrics. Future research and researchers should try to develop a standard set of coding for this area of research.

One suggestion might be to gather researchers from the areas of misogyny research, rap research, and content analysis research together and have them collaborate on developing a standard set of categories and coding.

A second implication for future research is to continue the research that has been completed in the present study. Future research could expand upon the current study by analyzing a larger sample, analyzing other forms of rap music, i.e., underground, or comparing and contrasting misogynous rap with other genres of music. Future research could also expand into a more quantitative aspect. Once a standard set of codes or stereotypes has been established for this line of research, a researcher might undertake the task of quantitatively analyzing the instances of misogyny in rap lyrics.

A third implication for future research is to discover if the misogyny in rap lyrics is truly the cause for there being fewer women rap artists, as is suggested by the results of this analysis.

Cause and effect cannot directly be assumed through simply examining the lyrics of rappers; instead, the only true way to know how misogynistic lyrics affect potential women rappers is to ask them directly. Thus, the suggestion for future research is to interview women – aspiring and 60 current rappers – to gage the possible negative influence of misogynistic rap lyrics has on a woman’s decision to become a rapper.

One final implication for future research fabricated itself during the process of this study.

After thinking about the overwhelming concern over the effect of misogynistic content, the effect of negative imagery and language about women, the question arose, Why are there no studies that examine the “promotion, glamorization, support, humorization, justification, or normalization of oppressive ideas about men…[where] men are reduced to mere objects” (taken from Adams and Fuller’s (2006) definition of misogyny)? This idea is known as misandry, the hatred of men. Thus, future research could look at the amount of misandry in rap lyrics by female artists.

Besides the extension of content analysis research on rap lyrics, further action needs to be directed at expanding this research toward potential effects and how these effects change attitudes and behavior in consumers of misogynistic rap. While it has repeatedly been claimed that (1) there are no direct effects of rap music (violent, misogynistic, or otherwise) on listeners, and (2) there is no way or that it would be difficult to directly measure the effect of rap music on listeners, it is time to discover how this can be done rather that repeating how it cannot be done. 61

APPENDIX A Full Text Examples of Songs without Misogynistic Content

2Pac f/ J. Phoenix, Nas – “Thugz Mansion”

Shit, tired of gettin shot at Tired of gettin chased by the police and arrested Niggaz need a spot where WE can kick it A spot where WE belong, that's just for us Niggaz ain't gotta get all dressed up and be Hollywood Y'knahmean? Where do niggaz go when we die? Ain't no heaven for a thug nigga That's why we go to thug mansion That's the only place where thugs get in free and you gotta be a G ... at thug mansion

[Verse One: 2Pac] A place to spend my quiet nights, time to unwind So much pressure in this life of mine, I cry at times I once contemplated suicide, and woulda tried But when I held that 9, all I could see was my momma's eyes No one knows my struggle, they only see the trouble Not knowin it's hard to carry on when no one loves you Picture me inside the misery of poverty No man alive has ever witnessed struggles I survived Prayin hard for better days, promise to hold on Me and my dawgs ain't have a choice but to roll on We found a family spot to kick it Where we can drink liquor and no one bickers over trick shit A spot where we can smoke in peace, and even though we G's We still visualize places, that we can roll in peace And in my mind's eye I see this place, the players go in fast I got a spot for us all, so we can ball, at thug's mansion

[Chorus: J. Phoenix] + (Nas) Every corner, every city There's a place where life's a little busy Little Hennessy, laid back and cool Every hour, cause it's all good Leave all the stress from the world outside Every wrong done will be alright (I wanna go) Nothin but peace (I wanna go) love (I wanna go nigga) And street passion, every ghetto needs a thug mansion

[Verse Two: Nas] A place where death doesn't reside, just thugs who collide 62

Not to start beef but spark trees, no cops rollin by No policemen, no homicide, no chalk on the streets No reason, for nobody's momma to cry See I'm a good guy, I'm tryin to stick around for my daughter But if I should die, I know all of my albums support her This whole year's been crazy, asked the Holy Spirit to save me Only difference from me and Ossie Davis, gray hair maybe Cause I feel like my eyes saw too much sufferin I'm just twenty-some-odd years, I done lost my mother And I cried tears of joy, I know she smiles on her boy I dream of you more, my love goes to Afeni Shakur Cause like Ann Jones, she raised a ghetto king in a war And just for that alone she shouldn't feel no pain no more Cause one day we'll all be together, sippin heavnly champagne What angels saw, with golden wings in thug's mansion

[Chorus] w/o Nas

[Verse Three: 2Pac] Dear momma don't cry, your baby boy's doin good Tell the homies I'm in heaven and they ain't got hoods Seen a show with Marvin Gaye last night, it had me shook Drippin peppermint Schnapps, with Jackie Wilson, and Sam Cooke Then some lady named Billie Holiday Sang sittin there kickin it with Malcolm, 'til the day came Little LaTasha sho' grown Tell the lady in the liquor that she's forgiven, so come home Maybe in time you'll understand only God can save us When Miles Davis cuttin lose with the band Just think of all the people that you knew in the past that passed on, they in heaven, found peace at last Picture a place that they exist, together There has to be a place better than this, in heaven So right before I sleep, dear God, what I'm askin Remember this face, save me a place, in thug's mansion

[Chorus]

Aguilera, Christina f/ Lil' Kim – “Can't Hold Us Down”

[Verse 1: Christina] Hmmmmm So, what am I not 'sposed to have an opinion? Should I be quiet just because I'm a woman? Call me a bitch because I speak what's on my mind 63

Guess it's easier for you to swallow if I sat and smiled

When a female fires back Suddenly the target don't know how to act So he does what any little boy will do Making up a few false rumors or two

That for sure is not a man to me Slanderin' names for popularity It's sad you only get your fame through controversy But now it's time for me to come and give you more to say

[Chorus: Christina] This is for my girls all around the world Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth Thinkin' all woman should be seen not heard So what do we do girls? Shout louder Lettin' 'em know we're gonna stand our ground Lift your hands high and wave them proud Take a deep breathe and say it loud Never can, never will, can't hold us down

Nobody can hold us down, nobody can hold us down Nobody gonna hold us down, never can, never will

[Verse 2: Christina] So, what am I not 'sposed to say what I'm sayin'? Are you offended with the message I'm bringin'? Call me whatever 'cause your words don't mean a thing Guess you ain't even a man enough to handle what I sing

If you look back in history It's a common double standard of society The guy gets all the glory, the more he can score While the girl can do the same and yet you call her a whore

I don't understand why it's okay The guy can get away with it, the girl gets named All my ladies come together and make a change And start a new beginning for us, everybody sing

[Chorus: Christina (Lil' Kim)] This is for my girls all around the world (Yeah) Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth Thinkin' all woman should be seen not heard (You can't get rid of us) 64

So what do we do girls? Shout louder Lettin' 'em know we're gonna stand our ground (We standin' our ground on this one) Lift your hands high and wave them proud Take a deep breathe and say it loud Never can, never will, can't hold us down (Check it)

[Verse 3: Lil' Kim] Here's something I just can't understand If a guy have three girls than he's the man He can even give her some head, then sex her raw If a girl do the same than she's a whore But the tables 'bout to turn, I bet my fame on it Cats take my ideas and put they name on it It's aiight though, you can't hold me down I got to keep on movin' To all my girls with a man who be tryna mack Do it right back to him and let that be that You need to let him know that his game is whack And Lil' Kim and Christina Aguilera gotcha back

[Bridge: Christina] You're just a little boy, you think you're so cute, so coy You must talk so big, to make up for smaller things Said you're just a little boy, all you do is annoy You must talk so big, to make up for smaller things This is for my girls

[Chorus: Christina] x2

[Breakdown: Christina (Lil' Kim)] (Uh, ayo ayo, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh) Spread the word (Can't hold us down, c'mon, uh) Yeah we here, we back again, yeah Lil' Kim and Christina Aguilera Yeah (Can't hold us down, uh)

Black Eyed Peas – “Don't Lie”

[WILL] Hey, baby my nose is getting big I noticed it be growing when I been telling them fibs Now you say your trust's getting weaker Probably coz my lies just started getting deeper And the reason for my confession is that I learn my lesson 65

And I really think you have to know the truth Because I lied and I cheated and I lied a little more But after I did it I don't know what I did it for I admit that I have been a little immature Fucking with your heart like I was the predator In my book of lies I was the editor And the author I forged my signature And now I apologize for what I did to you Cos what you did to me I did to you

[FERGIE] Nononono baby, nononono don't lie Nononono, yeah you kno know know know you gotta try What you gonna do when it all comes out When I see you & what you're all about

Nonono baby, nononono don't lie Yeah you kno you kno you kno you kno you know you gotta try

[APL] She said I'm leaving Cos she can't take the pain It's hard to continue this love it ain't the same Can't forget the things that I've done inside her brain Too many lies committed too many games She feeling like a fool getting on the last train Trying to maintain but the feeling won't change I'm sorry for the things that I've done and what I became Caught up in living my life in the fast lane Blinded by lights, cameras, you know the fame I don't know the reason why I did these things

[APL and FERGIE] And I lie and I lie and I lie and I lie And now our emotions are drained Cos I lie and I lie and a little lie lie And now your emotions are drained

[FERGIE] Nononono baby, nononono don't lie (no, don't you lie) Nononono, yeah you know know know know you gotta try (got to try, got to try) What you gonna do when it all comes out (what you gonna do baby) When I see you & what you're all about Nonono babe, nononono don't lie 66

Because you kno you kno you kno you kno you know gotta try

Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh ooh Ba da ba da ba da ba da badabada

[TABOO] Yo, I'm lying to my girl Even though I love her And she all in my world I give her all my attention and diamonds & pearls She's the one who makes me feel on top of the world Still I lie to my girl, I do it

[APL and FERGIE] And I lie and I lie and I lie till there's no turning back I don't know why, (and I lie and I lie till I don't know who I am)

[FERGIE] Nononono baby, nononono don't lie Nononono, yeah you kno know know know you gotta try What you gonna do when it all comes out When I see you & what you're all about

Nonono baby, nononono don't lie Nonono baby, nononono don't lie

S-S-S-STOP LYIN'

Black Eyed Peas – “Let's Get Retarded”

Let's get retarded in here

And the bass keeps running, running and runnin runnin' and runnin' runnin' and runnin' runnin' and runnin' runnin' and runnin' runnin' and runnin' runnin, and runnin' runnnin' and

In this context, there's no disrespect So when I bust my rhyme, you break ya necks We got five minutes for us to disconnect From all intellect and let the rhythm effect

Obstacles and inhibition follow your intuition Free your inner soul and break away from tradition Cause when we be out, girlies pull the heat out You wouldn't believe how we wow shit out 67

Burnin 'til it's burned out, turn it 'til it's turned out Act up from North West East South

[Chorus] Everybody, everybody, just get into it, get stupid Get retarded, get retarded, get retarded Let's get retarded, (ha) let's get retarded (in here) Let's get retarded, (ha) let's get retarded (in here) Let's get retarded, (ha) let's get retarded (in here) Let's get retarded, (ha) let's get retarded (in here) yeah

Lose control, up outta your soul Don't move to fast, people, just take it slow Don't get ahead, just jump into it Y'all hear about it, the peas will do it Get started, get stupid Don't worry about it, people will walk you through it Step by step like your into new kid Inch by inch with the new solution Transmit hits with no delusion The feeling's irresistible and that’s how we move it

[Chorus]

Runnin' runnin' and runnin' runnin' and runnin' runnin'

C'mon y'all, let's get (coo-koo), c'mon, let's get (coo-koo) in here C'mon y'all, let's get (coo-koo), c'mon, let's get (coo-koo) in here C'mon y'all, let's get (coo-koo), c'mon, let's get (coo-koo) in here

Ohh ohh ohh, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada yada, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada

Let's get ill, that’s the deal Apl the gate, and Will bring the thugged out drill (just) Lose your mind, this is the time Y'all can't stand still, trust and bang your spine (just) Bob your head like epilepsy Up inside the club or in your Bentley Get messy, loud and sick You mind pass normal or another head trip So, come them now, do not correct it Let's get ignorant, let's get hectic

[Chorus] Whooah, coo-koo, coo-koo, r-e-t-a-r-d-e-d 68

Ohh ohh ohh, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada yada, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada

And runnin' runnin' and runnin' runnin' and runnin' runnin' and...

Black Eyed Peas – “Where is the Love?” what's wrong with the world, mama? people livin like they ain't got no mamas I think the whole world's addicted to the drama only attracted to the things that'll bring the drama overseas ya we tryin to stop terrorism but we still got terrorists here livin in the U.S.A, the big C.I.A the bloods & the crips, and the KKK but if you only got love for your own ways then you only leave space to discriminate and to discriminate only generates hate and when you hate, then you're bound to get irate madness is what you demonstrate and that's exactly how anger works and operates man ya gotta have love, this'll set us straight take control of your mind and meditate let your soul gravitate, to the love ya'll

[Chorus] people killin people dyin children hurt and women cryin will you practice what you preach and would you turn the other cheek father father father, help us need some guidance from above these people got me got me questionin where is the love? (love) where is the love? (the love) where is the love? (the love) where is the love? (where is the love the love my love) it just ain't the same old ways have changed new days are strange, is world insane? 69

if love and peace is so strong why are there pieces of love that don't belong nations droppin bombs chemical gasses fillin lungs of little ones with ongoin sufferin, as the youth die young so ask yourself, is the lovin really gone so I can ask myself, really what is going wrong with this world that we livin in, people keep on givin in makin wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends not respectin each other, deny thy brother a war is goin on but the reason's under cover the truth is kept secret, and swept under the rug if you never know truth, then you never know love where's the love ya'll? (I don't know) where's the truth ya'll? (I don't know) and where's the love ya'll?

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder as I'm getting older, ya'll people gets colder most of us only care about money makin selfishness got us followin the wrong direction wrong information always shown by the media negative images is the main criteria infecting the young minds faster than bacteria kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema .. whatever happened to the values of humanity? whatever happened to the fairness and equality instead of spreading love we spreadin animosity lack of understandin leading us away from unity that's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin under that's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin down It's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin under gotta keep my faith alive till love is found now ask yourself where is the love? where is the love? where is the love? where is the love? father father father, help us need some guidance from above these people got me got me questionin where is the love? now sing with me ya'll (one love one love) we only got (one love one love) 70 that's all we got (one love one love) and something's wrong with it something's wrong with it something's wrong with the w-w-world we only got (one love one love) that's all we got (one love one love)

Eminem – “Mockingbird”

[Eminem] Yeah... I know sometimes, things may not always make sense to you right now But hey, what’s daddy always tell you? Straighten up little soldier - stiffen up that upper lip What you cryin about? You got me

[Verse 1] Hailie I know you miss your mom, and I know you miss your dad when I'm gone but I'm tryin to give you the life that I never had I can see you're sad, even when you smile, even when you laugh I can see it in your eyes, deep inside you wanna cry Cause you're scared, I ain't there, daddy's with you in your prayers No more cryin, wipe them tears, daddy's here no more nightmares We gon' pull together through it, we gon' do it Laney, Uncle's crazy ain't he yeah but he loves you girl and you better know it We're all we got it this world, when it spins, when it swirls When it whirls, when it twirls, two little beautiful girls Lookin puzzled, in a daze, I know it's confusin you Daddy's always on the move, mama's always on the news I try to keep up sheltered from it, but somehow it seems the harder that I try to do that the more it backfires on me All the things growin up as Daddy that he had to see Daddy don't want you to see but you see just as much as he did We did not plan it to be this way, your mother and me But things have got so bad between us, I don't see us ever bein together ever again, like we used to be when we was teenagers But then of course everything always happens for a reason I guess it was never meant to be But it's just somethin that we have no control over and that's what destiny is But no more worries, rest your head and go to sleep Maybe one day we'll wake up and this'll all just be a dream

[Chorus] Now hush little baby, don't you cry Everything's gonna be alright 71

Stiffen that upper lip up little lady, I told ya Daddy's here to hold, ya through the night I know mommy's not here right now and we don't know why We feel how we feel inside It may seem a little crazy, pretty baby But I promise, momma's gon' be alright

[Verse 2] Heh, it's funny I remember back one year when daddy had no money Mommy wrapped the Christmas presents up and stuck 'em under the tree and said some of 'em weren't from me, cause daddy couldn't buy 'em I'll never forget that Christmas I sat up the whole night cryin Cause daddy felt like a bum, see daddy had a job But his job was to keep the food on the table for you and mom And at the time, every house that we lived in Either kept gettin broken into and robbed or shot up on the block And your mom, was savin money for you in a jar Tryin to start a piggy bank for you so you could go to college Almost had a thousand dollars, 'til someone broke in and stole it And I know it hurt so bad it broke your momma's heart And it seemed like everything was just startin to fall apart Mom and dad was arguin a lot so momma moved back on the Chalmers in the flat, one bedroom apartment And dad moved back to the other side of 8 Mile on Novara And that's when daddy went to California with his CD and met Dr. Dre, and flew you and momma out to see me But daddy had to work, you and momma had to leave me Then you started seein daddy on the TV And momma didn't like it, and you and Laney were too young to understand it Papa was a rollin stone, momma developed a habit And it all happened too fast for either one of us to grab it I'm just sorry you were there and had to witness it first hand Cause all I ever wanted to do was just make you proud Now I'm sittin in this empty house, just reminiscin Lookin at your baby pictures, it just trips me out To see how much you both have grown, it's almost like you're sisters now Wow, guess you pretty much are, and daddy's still here Laney I'm talkin to you too, daddy's still here I like the sound of that, yeah, it's got a ring to it don't it? Shh, momma's only gone for the moment

[Chorus]

[Eminem] And if you ask me to daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird 72

I'ma give you the world I'ma buy a diamond ring for you, I'ma sing for you I'll do anything for you to see you smile And if that mockingbird don't sing and that ring don't shine I'ma break that birdie's neck I'd go back to the jeweler who sold it to ya And make him eat every carat, don't fuck with dad Ha ha!

Erykah Badu f/ Common – “Love of My Life”

Bring it over here and let's go back Way back Ooh... Way back, yeah

I met him when I was a Little girl, he gave me He gave me poetry And he was my first

But in my heart I knew I Wasn't the only one 'Cause when the tables turned He had to break up

Whenever I got lonely Or needed some advice He gave me his shoulder His words were very nice

But that is all behind me 'Cause now there is no other My love is his and his is mine A friend became the

Love of my life You are my friend Love of my life I can depend Love of my life Without you, baby It feels like a simple true love

Hope this shit ain't clear 73

A freak-freak, y'all, and ya don't stop To the beat y'all and ya don't stop A freak-freak

Or could it be that it was All just so simple then A teenage lover who said He's just a friend

He moved around and we kept In touch through his friend Mike The world was young and he knew We couldn't rush but

Whenever I got lonely Or needed some advice He gave me his shoulder His words were very nice

But that is all behind me 'Cause now there is no other My love is his and his is mine A friend became the

Love of my life You are my friend Love of my life A dude I can depend, yeah, yeah Love of my life Feels like a simple true love, yeah

Hope this shit ain't clear

[Common] Y'all know how I met her We broke up and got back together To get her back I had to sweat her Thought she roll with bad boys forever in many ways Them boys may be better, to I had to let her (Never) She needed cheddar and I understood that Lookin' for cheese, that don't make her a hood rat (Rat) In fact she's a queen to me, her light beams on me I love it when she sings to me It's like that now

74

Love of my life Ooh, you know you rock my world and Love of my life You be boy and I'll be girl and Love of my life We don't stop until the break of dawn, ooh...

Love of my life Ooh, you know you rock my world and Love of my life You be boy and I'll be girl and Love of my life Yeah...

Jadakiss f/ Anthony Hamilton – “Why”

[Jadakiss] Aha It's dead real Yo, why is Jadakiss as hard as it gets Why is the industry designed to keep the artist in debt And why them dudes ain't ridin' if there part of your set And why they never get it poppin' but they party to death Yea, and why they gon give you life for a murder Turn around only give you eight months for a burner, it's goin down Why they sellin' niggaz CD's for under a dime If it's all love daddy why you come wit your nine Why my niggaz ain't get that cake Why is a brother up North better than Jordan That ain't get that break Why you ain't stackin' instead of tryin' to be fly Why is rattin' at an all time high Why are you even alive Why they kill Tupac n' Chris Why at the bar you ain't take straight shots instead of poppin' Criss Why them bullets have to hit that door Why did Kobe have to hit that raw Why he kiss that whore Why

[Chorus: Anthony Hamilton] All that I been givin' Is this pain that I've been living They got me in the system Why they gotta do me like that 75

Try'd to make it my way But got sent up on the highway Why, oh why Why they do me like that

[Jadakiss] Why would niggaz push pounds and powder Why did bush knock down the towers Why you around them cowards Why Aaliyah have to take that flight Why my nigga D ain't pull out his Ferrari Why he take that bike Why they gotta open your package and read your mail Why they stop lettin' niggaz get degreez in jail Why you gotta do eighty-five percent of your time And why do niggaz lie in eighty-five percent of they rhymes Why a nigga always want what he can't have Why I can't come through in the pecan Jag Why did crack have to hit so hard Even though it's almost over Why niggaz can't get no jobs Why they come up wit the witness protection Why they let the terminator win the election Come on, pay attention Why sell in the stores what you can sell in the streets Why I say the hottest shit but be sellin' the least

[Chorus]

[Jadakiss] Uh, yea, yo Why Halle have to let a white man pop her to get a Oscar Why Denzel have to be crooked before he took it Why they didn't make the CL6 wit a clutch And if you don't smoke why the hell you reachin' for my dutch Why rap, cause I need air time Why be on the curb wit a “Why lie, I need a beer” sign Why all the young niggaz is dyin' Cause they moms at work, they pops is gone, they livin' wit iron Why they ain't give us a cure for aids Why my diesel have fiends in the spot on the floor for days Why you screamin' like it's slug, it's only the hawk Why my buzz in L.A. ain't like it is in New York Why you forcin' you to be hard Why ain't you a thug by choice Why the whole world love my voice 76

Why try to tell 'em that it's the flow son And you know why they made the new twenties Cause I got all my old ones That's why

[Chorus]

Nas – “I Can”

[Kids] I know I can (I know I can) Be what I wanna be (be what I wanna be) If I work hard at it (If I work hard it) I'll be where I wanna be (I'll be where I wanna be)

[Nas] Be, B-Boys and girls, listen up You can be anything in the world, in God we trust An architect, doctor, maybe an actress But nothing comes easy it takes much practice Like, I met a woman who's becoming a star She was very beautiful, leaving people in awe Singing songs, Lena Horne, but the younger version Hung with the wrong person Got her strung off the heroin Cocaine, sniffin up drugs, all in her nose Coulda died, so young, no looks ugly and old No fun cause when she reaches for hugs people hold they breath Cause she smells of corrosion and death Watch the company you keep and the crowd you bring Cause they came to do drugs and you came to sing So if you gonna be the best, I'ma tell you how Put your hands in the air, and take the vow

[Chorus 2X: Nas] + (Kids) I know I can (I know I can) Be what I wanna be (be what I wanna be) If I work hard at it (If I work hard it) I'll be where I wanna be (I'll be where I wanna be)

[Nas] Be, b-boys and girls, listen again This is for grown looking girls who's only ten The ones who watch videos and do what they see As cute as can be, up in the club with fake ID 77

Careful, 'fore you meet a man with HIV You can host the TV like Oprah Winfrey Whatever you decide, be careful, some men be Rapists, so act your age, don't pretend to be Older than you are, give yourself time to grow You thinking he can give you wealth, but so Young boys, you can use a lot of help, you know You thinkin life's all about smokin weed and ice You don't wanna be my age and can't read and right Begging different women for a place to sleep at night Smart boys turn to men and do whatever they wish If you believe you can achieve, then say it like this

[Chorus]

Save the music y'all, save the music y'all Save the music y'all, save the music y'all Save the music

[Nas] Be, be, 'fore we came to this country We were kings and queens, never porch monkeys There was empires in Africa called Kush Timbuktu, where every race came to get books To learn from black teachers who taught Greeks and Romans Asian Arabs and gave them gold when Gold was converted to money it all changed Money then became empowerment for Europeans The Persian military invaded They heard about the gold, the teachings and everything sacred Africa was almost robbed naked Slavery was money, so they began making slave ships Egypt was the place that Alexander the Great went He was so shocked at the mountains with black faces Shot up they nose to impose what basically Still goes on today, you see? If the truth is told, the youth can grow They learn to survive until they gain control Nobody says you have to be gangstas, hoes Read more learn more, change the globe Ghetto children, do your thing Hold your head up, little man, you're a king Young Princess when you get your wedding ring Your man is saying "She's my Queen"

[Chorus] 78

Nelly and the St. Lunatics – “Air Force Ones”

[Intro] Big boy... Big boy... Big boy

[Chorus] I said give me two pair (cause) I need two pair So I can get to stompin in my air force ones (Big boys) stompin in my air force ones

[Nelly] I like the all white high top strap with the gum bottom (Big boy) There's somthin bout 'em, now dirty that's why I got 'em (Big boy) I leave 'em strapped and laced and come up out 'em (Big boy) The last person that touched 'em I been shot 'em

[Kyjuan] (Big boy) Now if you look, and see lime green Forces, it's Kiwi (Big boy) You couldn't get this color if you had a personal genie (Big boy) (Big boy) you know I keeps it hip-hop, my niggas flip flop (Big boy) Yea my Force Ones in tip top (me) your 4-4 flip flops

[Ali] (Big boy) Me? I like the limited edition, and khaki, and army green (Big boy) Patent leather pin stripe you should see how I do the strings (Big boy) Size twelve with the strap, red and white with a cardinal cap (Big boy) All flavors but it just depend on when and where I'm at

[Murphy Lee] (Big boy) Don't get me wrong man, and Murphy Lee ain't dumb man (Big boy) Cause if the shoe is on the shelf you should have some man (Big boy) You can not sit up and tell me that you have none man (Big boy) You may not have three or four but you got one man (big boy)

[Chorus x2]

[Murphy Lee] We up in Foot Locker I'm lookin like I need those (Big boy) Ten in a half and if you got 'em give me two of those (Big boy) I can tell she never seen Murphy Lee befo' (Big boy) Cause she's just standin there as if I'm shootin free throws (Big boy) I said, "Excuse me miss I only wanna buy shoes" (Big boy) She said, "I love you Murph especially in the white 'n blue" 79

(Big boy) I said, The white 'n blue sound nice make it twice" (Big boy) And I signed an (yo) autograph (yo), "Thanks for the advice"

[Ali] (Big boy) I keep it real dirty, dirty you know how I do (Big boy) Purple in gold with the Lakers the broncos the orange in blue (Big boy) I like 'em floppy with ankle socks Lows mids and high tops, (big boy) which are clear so But this tims and fat laces with it is cold (Big boy) But when the winter go (burrr) and the hot summer flow (Big boy) Then it's back to the all purpose wit them lil' dots in the toe (Big boy) Then I'm stopping this dough that I'm spending fa sho (Big boy) On dem Nike Air Force, an "E" behind the "O"

[Kyjuan] (Big boy) O-kay Lee, I treat my shoe like my ride (Big boy) Chrome on the fat laces at what wood on the inside (Big boy) Spray candy on the swoosh, with the electric roof (Big boy) Since I put a kit on the sole, I got a whiter shoe (Big boy) You see that low-mid Skittle purple coupe I'm drivin in (Big boy) (Kyjuan, were you getting dem colors, are you dyin them) (Big boy) Ten is my size in dem, no point in tyin dem (Big boy) Ain't no point in tryin these on, you know I'm buyin dem

[Nelly] (Big boy) Now don't nothing get the hype on first site like, white on whites (Big boy) Them three quarters too loose, they all tight (Big boy) The only problem they only good for one night (Big boy) Cause once you scuff 'em you fucked up your whole night (Big boy) What's my basis? The look up sto on his faces (Big boy) This kid's outrageous, he's buyin them by the cases (Big boy) Cause once I cop 'em gut 'em and switch the laces (Big boy) They all purpose ya heard me kinda like my datin (big boy)

[Chorus x2]

[Kyjuan] I wore spurs at first now theres tape on dem (Big boy) Damn, when those came out? So I write the date on them (Big boy) These Louie for Taiwan you gotta wait on dem (Big boy) I had to get em early so I spent more cake on dem

[Murphy Lee] (Big boy) Look I'm tryin to keep it up like a one minute man (Big boy) While Ali on the Kawasaki two head bands (Big boy) Jewelry and all (wow) fish bowlin 'em all 80

(Big Boy) (I got some fifteens) security buyin shoes and all

[Nelly] (Big boy) Now some time I get em free some time I gotta pay (Big boy) Walk in the mall and they now what I'm bout to say (Big boy) Gimme the black and platinum, and leather gray (Big boy) Ones in the back and (yo) the pair you got on display (check)

[Ali] (Big boy) Now where da boxes where I keep mine (keep mine) You should peep mine (Big boy), (beep mine) Maybe once or twice but never three times (Big boy) I'm just a sneaker pro, I love pumas and shell toes (Big boy) but can’t nothin compare to a fresh crispy white pearl (big boy)

[Chorus x2]

Big boy... Big boy... Big boy

Nelly f/ Tim McGraw – “Over and Over”

[Nelly] Uh, uh-uh-uh Uh, uh-uh-uh Uh, uh-uh-uh

[Chorus: Nelly] Cause it's all in my head I think about it over and over again And I can't keep picturin you with him And it hurts so bad... yeah Cause it's all in my head I think about it over and over again I replay it over and over again And I can't take it, I can't shake it no

[Nelly] I can't wait to see you Wanna see if you still got that look in your eye That one you had for me Before, we, said our goodbyes And it's a shame that we Gotta spend our time bein mad about the same things (Over and over again) about the same thing (Over and over again) 81

Ho... but I think, she's leavin Aw, man, she's leavin And, I don't know what else to do

[Tim M] I can't go on not lovin you

[Chorus]

[Nelly] I remember the day you left I remember the last breath you took right in front of me When you said that you would leave I was too damn stubborn to try to stop you or say anything But I see clearly now And this choice I made keeps playin in my head (Over and over again) play in my head (Over and over again) Ho.. but I think, she's leavin Aw, man, she's leavin And, I don't know what else to do

[Tim M] I can't go on not lovin you

[Chorus]

[Nelly] Now, that I've real-izzzed That I'mmmm goin dow-hown From all this pain you've put me through

[Tim M] Everytime I close my eyes (woo!) I-hiiii lock it dowww-wn, ohh-hooo I can't go on not lovin you

[Chorus] - repeat 2X

[Nelly] Uh, uh-uh-uh Uh, uh-uh-uh Uh, uh-uh-uh Uh, uh-uh-uh Uh, uh-uh-uh Uh... over and over again, over and over again

Cause it's all in my head 82

Smith, Will – “Switch”

[CHORUS] Heeeeeeeeeeeeey Switch, turn it over and hit it Turn around now switch Turn it over and hit it

[Verse 1] Heeeeeeeeeeeeey Vibe to vibe a second, it's a club girl why you arrived naked Hear that, how the veteran glide the record But don't download, go out and buy the record Heeeeeeeeeeeeey Something sexy bout her Girl on the floor, all her friends around her I mean real clean, ain't gotta touch or nothing It ain't like I like a chick on chick or something I'm just a sucker for a hot track Gimme a drink and a chick to tell 'Stop that' Dance is a hop and a clap, flip it round Now bring it on back, break it down Now Switch!

[CHORUS 2X]

[Verse 2] Uh uh uh I gotta question, I need to ask somebody Why is it that when y'all see me at the party Y'all be looking like 'Ooo he a movie star He ain't supposed to be out on the floor with everybody' But oh wait, whoa y'all forgetting When I was, amateur spitting before the scripts were written First one in, last one out the club Bursting in, passing out in the club Back at it, this cat is the wit and the charm Taking you higher like a syringe hittin ya arm Bringing the fire, making you Benz ring the alarm Let me see you clap, spin baby come on Switch!

[CHORUS 2X]

83

Heeeeeeeeeeeeey, heeeeeeeeeeeeey

[Verse 3] Oh you just gonna stand there huh? What you too cute to dance? Or you scared? It ain't really that hard to do and I ain't trying to be in love with you and All I wanted was a moment or two to See if you could do that Switch-a-roo and Shut your mouth fool, get your crew and The thick body and the rear one too and I'll be right hear waiting on you to See if y'all can do that Switch-a-roo

Heeeeeeeeeeeeey, heeeeeeeeeeeeey

That's what I'm talking bout, do that thing mama That's what I'm talking bout, do that thing mama That's what I'm talking bout, do that thing mama That's what I'm talking bout, Switch

[CHORUS] 84

APPENDIX B Full Text Examples of Songs with Misogynistic Content

50 Cent – “P.I.M.P.”

[Chorus] I don't know what you heard about me But a bitch can't get a dollar out of me No Cadillac, no perms, you can't see That I'm a motherfucking P-I-M-P (Repeat)

(Verse 1) Now shorty, she in the club, she dancing for dollars She got a thing for that Gucci, that Fendi, that Prada That BCBG, Burberry, Dolce and Gabana She feed them foolish fantasies, they pay her cause they wanna I spit a little G man, and my game got her A hour later, have that ass up in the Ramada Them trick niggas in her ear saying they think about her I got the bitch by the bar trying to get a drink up out her She like my style, she like my smile, she like the way I talk She from the country, think she like me cause I'm from New York I ain't that nigga trying to holla cause I want some head I'm that nigga trying to holla cause I want some bread I could care less how she perform when she in the bed Bitch hit that track, catch a date, and come and pay the kid Look baby this is simple, you can't see You fucking with me, you fucking with a P-I-M-P

[Chorus]

(Verse 2) I'm bout my money you see, girl you can holla at me If you fucking with me, I'm a P-I-M-P Not what you see on TV, no Cadillac, no greasy Head full of hair, bitch I'm a P-I-M-P Come get money with me, if you curious to see how it feels to be with a P-I-M-P Roll in the Benz with me, you could watch TV From the backseat of my V, I'm a P-I-M-P Girl we could pop some champagne and we could have a ball We could toast to the good life, girl we could have it all We could really splurge girl, and tear up the mall If ever you needed someone, I'm the one you should call I'll be there to pick you up, if ever you should fall 85

If you got problems, I can solve'em, they big or they small That other nigga you be with ain't bout shit I'm your friend, your father, and confidant, BITCH

[Chorus]

(Verse 3) I told you fools before, I stay with the tools I keep a Benz, some rims, and some jewels I holla at a hoe til I got a bitch confused She got on Payless, me I got on gator shoes I'm shopping for chinchillas, in the summer they cheaper Man this hoe you can have her, when I'm done I ain't gon keep her Man, bitches come and go, every nigga pimpin know You saying it's secret, but you ain't gotta keep it on the low Bitch choose with me, I'll have you stripping in the street Put my other hoes down, you get your ass beat Now Nik my bottom bitch, she always come up with my bread The last nigga she was with put stitches in her head Get your hoe out of pocket, I'll put a charge on a bitch Cause I need 4 TVs and AMGs for the six Hoe make a pimp rich, I ain't paying bitch Catch a date, suck a dick, shiiit, TRICK

[Chorus]

Yeah, in Hollywoood they say there's no b'ness like show b'ness In the hood they say, there's no b'ness like hoe b'ness ya know They say I talk a lil fast, but if you listen a lil faster I ain't got to slow down for you to catch up, BITCH

Black Eyed Peas – “My Humps”

[Will.I.Am] What cha gonna do wit all that junk All that junk inside your trunk

[Fergie] I'm gonna get-get-get-get you drunk Get you love drunk of my hump My hump (8x) My lovely little lumps Check it out

[Fergie - 2nd verse] 86

I drive these brothers crazy I do it on the daily They treat me really nicely They buy me all these ice-ys Dolce & Gabbana Fendi and then Donna Karan, they be sharin All their money got me wearin Fly gearrr but I ain't askin They say they love my ass 'n Se7en Jeans, True Religion I say no, but they keep givin So I keep on takin And no I ain't taken We can keep on datin I keep on demonstrating

[Fergie]/[Will.I.Am] My love (4x) You love my lady lumps My hump (3x) My humps they gots chu.. (She got me spending) Oh, spending all your money on me And spending time on me (She got me spending) Oh, spending all your money on me, ah-on me On me

[Will.I.Am] What cha gonna do wit all that junk All that junk inside your trunk

[Fergie] I'm gonna get-get-get-get you drunk Get you love drunk of my hump

[Will.I.Am] What cha gonna do wit all that ass All that ass inside em jeans

[Fergie] I'm gonna make-make-make-make you scream Make you scream Make you scream

87

[Fergie] Cause of my hump My hump (6x) My lovely lady lumps Check it out

[Will.I.Am] I met a girl down at the disco She said "Hey, hey, hey you let's go I could be your baby, you can be my honey Let's spend time, not money And mix your milk with my coco puffs Milky, milky coco Mix your milk with my coco puffs Milky, milky riiiiiggght"

[Fergie] They say I'm really sexy The boys all want to sex me They always standing next to me Always dancing next to me Tryin' to feel my hump, hump Lookin' at my lump, lump You can look But chu can't touch it If you touch it, I'm-ah Start some drama You don't want no drama No, no drama No, no, no drama So don't pull on my hand, boy You ain't my man, boy I'm just tryin' to dance, boy And move my hump

[Fergie]/[Will.I.Am] My hump (10x) My lovely lady lumps (3x) (No) In the back and in the front My lovin gots chu.. (She got me spending) Oh, spending all your money on me And spending time on me (She got me spending) Oh, spending all your money on me, ah-on me 88

On me

[Will.I.Am] What cha gonna do wit all that junk All that junk inside your trunk

[Fergie] I'm gonna get-get-get-get you drunk Get you love drunk of my hump

[Will.I.Am] What cha gonna do wit all that ass All that ass inside em jeans

[Fergie] I'm gonna make-make-make-make you scream Make you scream Make you scream

[Will.I.Am] What cha gonna do wit all that junk All that junk inside that trunk

[Fergie] I'm gonna get-get-get-get you drunk Get you love drunk off this hump will.i.am What cha gonna do wit all that breast All that breast inside that shirt

[Fergie] I'm gonna make-make-make-make you work Make you work, work Make you work

[Fergie]/[Will.I.Am] (She got me spending) Oh, spending all your money on me And spending time on me (She got me spending) Oh, spending all your money on me, ah-on me On me

89

David Banner – “Play”

[Chorus] Cum girl, I'm tryna get your pussy wet Work that, lemme see you drip sweat Cum girl, I'm tryna get your pussy wet Work that, lemme see you drip sweat Gon play with it (x5) Work that clit Cum girl

Finger fuck your pussy like you want some, girl Work it like a nigga straight licking on your pearl I wanna see you cum in the middle of the dance floor A nigga can't fuck, what you think a friend of me for I'ma beat that pussy up You get it wet enough, I might lick it up Lickey, lickey, lickey, like a peppermint swirl Lick that clit Cum girl Uh, I wanna see your legs shake Take you to the crib, we can fuck til the bed break Uh, fuck you til your pussy ache Think about the type right now, girl, mastur (Uh uh) Beg for a nigga, freak you in the clubs stop worrying about them other hoes It's me in your world Work that clit Cum girl

[Chorus]

Cum when you're feeling good, lick it all off Catch it in your mouth, like your last name Moss Play with the nitty girl, stick it on in I'm feeling real freaky girl, bring your friends I can make 'em bounce like 1, 2, 3 It ain't nothin' to a pimp, girl, play with the g-spot Make it hot, gon on, get your girl, Sheryl Bring your clique Cum girl And I'ma make 'em all cum Beat it like Mr. Calipark on the drum I'ma beat it like Mike when he fucked Billie Jean Work it, work it, work it, til you make that pussy cream Move it to the right, move your finger to the left 90

Work it all around til your ass outta breath I ain't tripping on ya baby, put some dick in your world Work that clit Cum girl

[Chorus]

Bend it on over, lemme see it from the back Work your thumb in it girl, I love it like that Freaky ass hoes, lil freaky ass men Lemme work ya slow, lemme see it going in Then you pull it out, put your fingers in your mouth You make a nigga wanna fuck your ass on the couch While we're still in the club, show your pussy love Work that clit Cum girl Go on and hit the dance floor Open up wide, lemme show you what's it made for Uh, like a finger, like a donkey Lemme see you play, play with your monkey Damn, cause your ass so chunky Bring it here, sweaty, cause I love it when it's funky I'ma put some dick in your world Work that clit Cum girl

[Chorus]

Work that clit Cum girl

Eminem f/ Dina Rae – “Superman”

[Dina Rae] Mmmmm.. [Marshall] You high baby? [Dina Rae] Yeahhh [Marshall] Oh yeah? [Dina Rae] Talk to me [Marshall] You want me to tell you somethin? [Dina Rae] Uh-huh [Marshall] I know what you want to hear

[Chorus One: Eminem] + (Dina Rae) I know you want me baby, I think I want you too (I think I love you baby) I think I love you too 91

I'm here to save you girl, come be in Shady's world I want to grow together, let's let our love unfurl You know you want me baby, you know I want you too They call me Superman, I'm here to rescue you I want to save you girl, come be in Shady's world (Ooh boy you drive me crazy) Bitch, you make me earl

[Eminem] They call me Superman Leap tall hoes in a single bound, I'm single now Got no ring on this finger now I'd never let another chick bring me down in a relationship, save it bitch Babysit? You make me sick Superman ain't savin shit Girl you can jump on Shady's dick Straight from the hip, cut to the chase I tell a muh'fuckin slut to her face Play no games, say no names Ever since I broke up with what's-her-face I'm a different man, kiss my ass Kiss my lips, bitch why ask? Kiss my dick - get my cash? I'd rather have you whip my ass Don't put out, I'll put you out Won't get out, I'll push you out Puss blew out, poppin shit Wouldn't piss on fire to put you out Am I too nice, to buy you ice? Bitch if you died, wouldn't buy you life What you tryin to be my new wife? What you Mariah? Fly through twice

[Bridge: Eminem] But I do know one thing though Bitches, they come they go Saturday through Sunday, Monday Monday through Sunday yo Maybe I'll love you one day Maybe we'll someday grow 'Til then just sit your drunk ass on that fuckin runway ho

[Chorus Two: Eminem] Cause I can't be your Superman, can't be your Superman Can't be your Superman, can't be your Superman 92

I can't be your Superman, can't be your Superman Can't be your Superman, your Superman your Superman

[Eminem] Don't get me wrong - I love these hoes It's no secret, everybody knows Yeah we fucked, bitch so what? That's about as far as your buddy goes We'll be friends, I'll call you again I'll chase you around every bar you attend Never know what kind of car I'll be in We'll see how much you'll be partyin then You don't want that, neither do I I don't want to flip when I see you with guys Too much pride, between you and I Not a jealous man but females lie But I guess that's just what sluts do How could it ever be just us two? I'd never love you enough to trust you We just met and I just fucked you

[Bridge]

[Chorus One]

[Eminem] First thing you say, "I'm not fazed I hang around big stars all day I don't see what the big deal is anyway you're just plain old Marshall to me" Ooh yea girl run that game "Hailie Jade? I love that name! Love that tattoo - what's that say? Rot in pieces? Uh, that's great" First off you don't know Marshall at all so don't grow partial That's ammo for my arsenal I'll slap you off that bar stool {*AHH!*} There goes another lawsuit Leave handprints all across you Good Lordy whodi you must be gone off that water bottle You want what you can't have Ooh girl that's too damn bad Don't touch what you can't grab End up with two backhands 93

Put anthrax on a tampax and slap you 'til you can't stand Girl you just blew your chance Don't mean to ruin your plans

[Bridge]

[Chorus One]

[Chorus Two] - repeat 2X

Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz f/ Ying Yang Twins – “Get Low”

Brrr dum dum dum---dum da da da da dum Brrr dum dum dum---dum da da da da dum Brrr dum dum dum---dum da da da da dum Brrr dum dum dum---dum da da da da dum

3,6,9 standing real fine move it to you suck it to me one mo time Get low, Get low, Get Low, Get Low To the window, to the wall, (to dat wall) To the sweat drop down my balls (MY BALLS) To all you bitches crawl (crawl) To all skee skee motherfucker (motherfucker!) all skee skee got dam (Got dam) To all skee skee motherfucker (motherfucker!) all skee skee got dam (Got dam)

Shortie crunk so fresh so clean can she fuck that question been harassing me in the mind this bitch is fine I done came to the club about 50th 11 times now can I play with yo panty line the club owner said I need to calm down security guard go to sweating me now We got drunk then a motherfucker threaten me now

She getting crunk in the club I mine she work it Then I like to see the female twerking taking the clothes off BUCKEY naked ATL. Hoe don't disrespect it Pa pop yo pussy like this cause yin yang twins in this bitch Lil Jon and the East side boys wit me and we all like to see Ass and tities Now bring yo ass over here hoe and let me see you get low if you want this Thug 94

Now take it to the floor (to the floor) and if yo ass wanta act you can keep yo ass where you at

3,6,9 standing real fine move it to you suck it to me one mo time Get low, Get low, Get Low, Get Low To the window, to the wall, (to dat wall) To the sweat drop down my balls (MY BALLS) To all these bitches crawl (crawl) To all skee skee motherfucker (motherfucker!) all skee skee got dam (Got dam) To all skee skee motherfucker (motherfucker!) all skee skee got dam (Got dam)

Let me see you get low you scared you, scared you Drop dat ass to the floor you scared you, scared you Let me see you get low you scared you, scared you Drop dat ass to the floor you scared you, scared you Turn dat ass (EH!) shake it fast ya (EH!) Pop dat ass (EH!) to the left and the right ya (EH!) Turn dat ass (EH!) shake it fast ya (EH!) Pop dat ass (EH!) to the left and the right ya (EH!) Now back, back, back it up (Ahhh!) a back,(Ahhh!) back, back it up (Ahhh!) a back,(Ahhh!) back, back it up (Ahhh!) a back,(Ahhh!) back, back it up (Ahhh!) Now stop ( O) then wiggle wit, yeaaaa Now stop ( O) then wiggle wit, yeaaaa Now stop ( O) then wiggle wit, yeaaaa Now stop ( O) then wiggle wit, wiggle wit it

3,6,9 standing real fine move it to you suck it to me one mo time Get low, Get low, Get Low, Get Low To the window, to the wall, (to dat wall) To the sweat drop down my balls (MY BALLS) To all these bitches crawl (crawl) To all skee skee motherfucker (motherfucker!) all skee skee got dam (Got dam) To all skee skee motherfucker (motherfucker!) all skee skee got dam (Got dam)

Now give me my doe back and go get ya friend Stupid bitch standing there while I'm drinking my hen Steady looking at me Still asking questions Times up nigga pass me another contestant Hoe move to the left if you ain't bout 50th Done talk through 3 or 4 songs already looking at a nigga with yo palm all out bitch I ain't even seen you dance Twerk something baby work something baby Pop yo pussy on the pole do yo thang baby 95

Slide down dat bitch wit yo little bit then stop Get back on the floor catch yo balance then drop Now bring it back up clap yo ass like hands I just wanna see yo ass drity dance ying yang we done again And put it on the map like annnnn

3,6,9 standing real fine move it to you suck it to me one mo time Get low, Get low, Get Low, Get Low To the window, to the wall, (to dat wall) To the sweat drop down my balls (MY BALLS) To all these bitches crawl (crawl) To all skee skee motherfucker (motherfucker!) all skee skee got dam (Got dam) To all skee skee motherfucker (motherfucker!) all skee skee got dam (Got dam)

Got dam (Got dam) ya y'all twreking a little bit ladies But ya got to twrek alittle bit harder then dat now right now I need all the ladies dat know they look good tonite (where my sexy ladies) we want y'all to do this shit like this Bend over to the front touch toes back dat ass up and down and get low (get low) Bend over to the front touch toes back dat ass up and down and get low (get low) Bend over to the front touch toes back dat ass up and down and get low (get low) Bend over to the front touch toes back dat ass up and down and get low (get low)

3,6,9 standing real fine move it to you sing it to me one mo time Get low, Get low, Get Low, Get Low To the window, to the wall, (to dat wall) To the sweat drop down my balls (MY BALLS) To all these bitches crawl (crawl) To all skee skee motherfucker (motherfucker!) all skee skee got dam (Got dam) To all skee skee motherfucker (motherfucker!) all skee skee got dam (Got dam)

Brrr dum dum dum---dum da da da da dum Brrr dum dum dum---dum da da da da dum---Brrrrrrrmmmmm Brrr dum dum dum---dum da da da da dum---Brrrrrrrmmmmm Brrr dum dum dum---dum da da da da dum

Lil' Kim f/ 50 Cent – “Magic Stick”

96

[Chorus: 50 Cent] I got the magic stick I know if I can hit once, I can hit twice I hit the baddest chicks Shorty don't believe me, then come with me tonight And I'll show you maaagic (What? What?) Maaagic I got the magic stick

[50 Cent] I'm a freak to the core Get a dose once, you gon' want some more My tongue touch ya girl, ya toes bound to curl This exclusive shit I don't share with the world I have you up early in the mornin, moanin Back shot, proper or low can't stop us Been a fiend for this since Rakim made hits Get the position down pat, then it's time to switch I'll rock the boat, I'll work the middle I skeet it up, straight beat it up.. .. and I ain't in the hood with my toast out loc'n I'm in the telly workin up a sweat strokin Tonight's the night, you can fall in love You can call your mama right now, tell her you met a thug I pop a lot of shit cause I can back it up My left stroke's the death stroke

[Chorus: Lil' Kim] I got the magic clit I know if I get licked once, I get licked twice I am the baddest chick Shorty you don't believe me, then come with me tonight And I'll show you maaagic (What? What?) Maaagic, uh-huh uh-huh I got the magic clit

[Lil' Kim] Lil' Kim not a whore But I sex a nigga so good, he gotta tell his boys When it, come to sex don't test my skills Cause my head game have you HEAD over heels Give a nigga the chills, have him pay my bills Buy matchin Lambo's with the same color wheels .. and I ain't out shoppin spendin dudes C-notes I'm in the crib givin niggaz deep throat Tonight Lil' Kim gon' have you in the zone 97

Girls, call ya crib, I'm answerin the phone Guys wanna wife me and give me the ring I'll do it anywhere, anyhow, I'm down for anything Couple of humps, give a nigga goosebumps This junk in my trunk ain't made for chumps When Lil' Kim's around you don't need to lie It's the "Drugs" baby, I'm makin ya HIGH!!

[Chorus: 50 Cent] + (Lil' Kim) I got the magic stick I know if I can hit once, I can hit twice (I am the baddest chick) (Shorty you don't believe me, then come with me tonight) (And I'll show you maaagic - what? What?) Maaagic (uh-huh, uh-huh) (I got the magic clit)

[Lil' Kim] + (50 Cent) Now put your face in it I know you sprung off in your tongue, I know you tastin it (Sex ain't a race) But I have a thug nigga breakin records And the time is (one minute, six seconds) (Magic stick) I got the magic bop HAVE THAT ASS TRICKIN AFTER ONE BACK SHOT (The gifts, the ice, I like that a lot) The minks, the leathers, the CL drop

[Chorus: 50 Cent]

[Chorus: Lil' Kim]

Ludacris f/ Sandy Coffee – “Splash Waterfalls”

[Ludacris] + (Sandy Coffee) Ohhhh! Ohhhh! Ohhhh! Say it (make love to me) Ohhhh! Ohhhh! Ohhhh! What? (fuck, meee!) Ohhhh! Ohhhh! Ohhhh! Say it (make love to me) Ohhhh! Ohhhh! Ohhhh! What? (fuck, meee!)

[Chorus: repeat 2X] I'm bout to throw some game, they both one and the same Cupid's the one to blame - say it (make love to me) I'm bout to shed some light, cause each and every night You gotta do it right - what? (fuck, meee!)

98

[Verse One] They want it nice and slow, kiss 'em from head to toe Relax and let it go - say it (make love to me) They want it now and fast, grabbin and smackin ass You gotta make it last - what? (fuck, meee!) Together holdin hands, you out there spendin grands And makin family plans - say it (make love to me) Don't have to straighten facts, don't want no strings attached Just scratches on your BACK - what? (fuck, meee!) Ex's ain't actin right, and you so glad to fight Dinner's by candlelight - say it (make love to me) She got a nigga whipped, down to ya fingertips Tryin that freaky shit - what? (fuck, meee!) Turn on some Babyface, just for your lady's sake You call her babycakes - say it (make love to me) Know how to mack a broad, she's on your sack and balls You call her Jabberjaws - what? (fuck, meee!)

[Chorus]

[Verse Two] You bout to buy a ring, she needs the finer things Gucci designer frames - say it (make love to me) Purchase a nasty flick, wrap up and tie her quick Know how to drive a stick - what? (fuck, meee!) You both unite as one, you the moon and she's your sun Your heart's a beating drum - say it (make love to me) You better not of came, she want to feel the pain Then hear her scream your name - what? (fuck, meee!) Follow this DICK-tionary, you're both some visionaries Then do it missionary - say it (make love to me) I hear 'em call da wild, and do it all the while Doggy and FROGGY style - what? (fuck, meee!) You in between the sheets, lickin and eatin sweets And what you find you keep - say it (make love to me) You do it standin up, orgasms hand 'em up Y'all just don't GIVE A FUCK - what? (fuck, meee!)

[Chorus]

[Verse Three] You wanna tell the world, cause she's your favorite girl Your diamond and your pearl - say it (make love to me) Nobody has to know, just keep it on the low And meet 'em right at fo' - what? (fuck, meee!) Nothin but fights and fussin, plus there's a lot of cussin 99

Just grab ahold of SOMETHIN - say it (make love to me) Y'all do that BAD stuff, she like it rammed up Ropes and HANDCUFFS - what? (fuck, meee!)

[Chorus]

Petey Pablo – “Freek-A-Leek”

[Intro]

[DJ Petey Pablo] Lets take some calls from the request line, caller number 1

[Caller number 1] Hey man what's up this Dominque from shade-n-low trailer park

[DJ Petey Pablo] What's up Dominque

[Caller number 1] I wanna hear that song from Lil' John and Petey Pablo

[DJ Petey Pablo] Aight, I got that coming right up for ya Now shout out the radio station that gave ya what ya wanted

[Caller number 1] W boom boom beat baby

[Chorus: repeat 2X] How you like it daddy (Would ya do it from the front?) How you like it daddy (Would ya take it from the back?) How you like it daddy (Gonna break it down like that)

[Verse 1] Twenty-four, thirty-four, fourty-six Good and thick and what you give her she'll work wit' it (she'll work wit' it) Pretty face and some cute lips Earing in her tounge and she know what to do with it (know what to do wit' it) Made a name for herself and she do her shit well and know how to keep her buisness to herself Come over anytime nigga call check 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock (ding dong) and she right there And she know why she came here And she know where clothes suppose to be (off and over there) 100

Sniff a lil' coke, take a lil' x, smoke a lil' weed, drink a lil' bit I need a girl I could freak wit' (freak wit') And wanna try shit and ain't scared of a big dick (big dick) And love to get get her pussy licked by another bitch Cause I aint drunk enough to do that shit

[Chorus x2] Freek-a-leek (How you like it daddy) Shamika, Kiesha, Tara (freek-a-leek) (How you like it daddy) Shawna, Sabrina, Crystal, Derhonda (freek-a-leek) (How you like it daddy) Lisa, Felicia, Tonisha, Shavon (freek-a-leek) (How you like it daddy) Monica, Monique, Christina, Yolonda

[Verse 2] I need to know a whole lot That could teach me broad Need a ding dong stick a tounge and take her to ball I had to gon' head do that for her Im spoiled and I dont like to work that hard I like to lay back relax and enjoy my turn Til my eyes roll back and my toes curl I love when do that girl Til it come time for me to give her hers Tell me what you want Do want it missonary with your feet cramed to the head board Do want it from the back with your face in the pillow so you could yell as loud as you want to Do you want it on the floor, do want it in the chair do you want it over here, do want it over there Do you want it in your pussy, do you want it in your ass (I could give you anything you can handle)

[Chorus x2]

[Chorus x2] How you like it daddy (Would ya do it from the front?) How you like it daddy (Would ya take it from the back?) How you like it daddy (Gonna break it down like that)

[Caller number 1] Hey I appreciate that homeboy

[DJ Petey Pablo] Not a problem, you know I do it cause I love ya Now I got to give a shout out to Seagram's gin Cause I drink it, and they payin for it 101

[Chorus x2]

Trick Daddy f/ Cee-Lo, Ludacris – “Sugar (Gimme Some)”

[Cee-Lo] Uh huh [T-Dubl] Yeah [Cee-Lo] Aw man I got a sweet tooth, can you dig it [T-Dubl] After this one you gon need a root canal then [Cee-Lo] I love sugar all of it [T-Dubl] This one for all the clean, decent women [Cee-Lo] Lay it on me girl [T-Dubl] Pay Close Attention

[Chorus: Cee-Lo] She put that sugar on my tongue Shes gonna Gimme gimme some She put it right there on my tongue (Skeet Skeet) Right there on my tongue (She turns me on, like no other)

[Trick Daddy] And gimme some of your butter pecan Put it right there on tip of my tongue, hold it Right jeeeah Cuz baby, if I bite you I bet you like it French Vanilla's a hell of a flavor for me With strawberries, two cherries and whipped cream The best things are the wet dreams And uh, the rest is just a flick without a sex scene Or lee, I speak the truth Cuz the blacker the berry The sweeter the juice Cuz, Florida oranges and Georgia peaches When they nice and ripe, they the best for eatin' Southern boys we crave for old slice of pie after they main course So if you game for it I came for it I got a thing for ya That I can't ignore

[Chorus x2]

[Ludacris] 102

She put that sugar on my tongue, tongue Yippie Yippie, Yum Yum Goodie goodie gum drop Put me in a tongue lock Did it till my body went numb, numb Laid her on her back, back Turned her round, gave her bottom a smack, smack She's a woman from the block with the best of weed But I won't stop till I'm pullin out tracks, tracks It was lust at first sight And she couldn't help sayin that she wanted to get with me And my size was just right Cuz she wanted a man with a little sec-ur-ity Said I been around the world twice And my name ring bells from Atlanta to Sic-i-ly Said she wanted it all night So put the bubbles in the tub and Ludacris and me

[Chorus x2]

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeeeah Yeeeah Yeah Yeah Yeah

[Trick Daddy] Sweetie you look so incredible So delicious and so damn edible All I need is some honey or syrup With a lil' butter to rub down all your curves And no need for the lemonade Just a twist of lime and some grape Kool-Aid Can I call you Caramel? Cuz I'm bout to go coo-coo to taste your Coco Puffs One bowl ought to fill me up But that milk gotta be cold enough So supper time that'll hold me up I might choke myself if I don't slow it up, but Honey, you look like a honeydew melon Or strawberry with the whipped cream filling Of the top part of the peach cobbler But uh, the fruit platter ought to do me better

[Chorus x2]

Trillville – “Some Cut"

103

[Chorus] What it is hoe, ah what's up (what's up) Can a nigga get in them guts (them guts) Cut you up like you ain't been cut (been cut) Show your ass how to really catch a nut (oh yeah yeah) Well give me you number and I'll call (I'll call) And I'll follow that ass in the mall (in the mall) Take you home, let you juggle my balls (my balls) While I'm beatin and tearin down your walls (oh yeah)

[Verse One] This your boy Mr. Funkadelic, what's the business baby I've been eyeing you all day in the mall miss lady You looking good, I think I seen your ass in the hood With your friends dressed up, trying to front if you could But anyway, gone and drop a number or something So I can call you later on,on your phone or something Take you home, and maybe we could bone or something It's no limits to what we do,cause tonight we cutting, gut busting I'm digging in your walls something viscious With your legs to the ceiling, catch a nut someting serious You delirious,or might I say you taste so delicious With your pretty brown skin, like Almond Joys and Kisses And you ah certified head doctor Number one staller that takes dick in the ass and won't holler Bend you over and I"ll follow you straight to the room Where it goes down lovely in the Leagon of Doom

[Chorus]

[Verse Two] Shit, you know the deal before a nigga even stepped Damn that ass hot, seems like it's gone melt You know I give it to you til you run out of breathe Then bust a nut all over yourself The first time I called, you were juggling on my balls In and out of your jaws, I was beating down your walls Had your ass breaking laws for a player was the cause And every time you seen a G you was slipping off your drawers, I recall I met your ass at the mall, in the fall You the one with the dress on, let me take you home Show your ass how to buss a nut, up in the guts Cut you up like you ain't been cut From the back (back) then to the side (side) to the front Turn around, you down to ride I smack them thighs, anyway that you want me 104

So gone see about a pimp and that monkey And that's fo' sho'

[Chorus]

[Verse Three] What's the buiseness baby, can I get in them drawes I like the way your hands rub against my balls Cause you the one, a nigga met at south dekalb mall With your pretty brown skin, thick thighs and all 135 petite, and your smell is unique Maybe we can exchange numbers and hook up in the week Oh, You a freak, I knew it from the first time I saw you The way you played with your tongue, I knew right then I would call you So what it is, they call me Super Don from the ville And I'ma tell you like this, cause a nigga so real, and stay trill Cause all I wanna do is just drill, with that ass in the air, and the pussy I kill And I feel, you love to fuck up on a hill Suck dick from behind, and take nut in your grill So bitch chill, and shut your mouth just for a second While I lay this dick down on you just like I'm Teddy

[Chorus]

Webbie f/ Bun B – “Give Me That”

(Oh) Girl give me that (Oh Oh Oh) Girl give me that Girl give me that (pussy) (Oh Oh Oh) Girl give me that Girl give me that (pussy) (Oh Oh Oh) Girl give me that there Girl give me that pussy (Oh Oh Oh) Girl give me that

[Webbie] - Verse 1 You know you want it Girl don't act like you don't want it Girl I want it just as bad as you do And look see I can tell from this lil vibe You got me feeling that you dig me Boo I'm digging you too You wanna be one of the chosen few Then gon jig up in this motherfucker Maybe me and you can do it big up in this motherfucker 105

Sit you in a crib where you can chill Don't have to move a muscle Give you some be good now you be good Daddy gon hustle Come here let me Whisper in your ear I gotta tell you something Listening to this song kinda make a nigga want something Did some daydreaming Now I'm fiending like I'm on something Girl don't hold it from me Cause right now I'll be don strong on ya I ain't the type to ruin your life By running game and throwing your dreams Get in your brain suit your game Ease your pain and show you things Sit you on some leather seats while blowing green And switching lanes Girl stop playing games let me beat it out the frame

[Chorus x4] Girl give me that pussy Girl give me that Girl give me girl give me that there

[Bun B from UGK] - Verse 2 She five foot seven a hundred and thirty nine pounds Thirty six twenty four thirty eight pretty fine brown Bad lil broad I ain't seen her in a minute Since the All-Star game and I'm still tryin to hit it Got a baby for this nigga that I used to sell things He caught a fed case and he ain't leave her no change She sold all his jewels she sold all his cars Now she dancing in the shaker club stripping for the stars Sliding down the pole slow drop it to a split Pussy popping on a handstand man she the shit She still looking tight though Still built right though Run my game right and after the club She might go back to the telly with me Shake her jelly with me Let my people bust on her face and her belly with me I got Lil Webbie with me and he ain't hating We some players in this bitch so baby stop hesitating

[Chorus x4]

106

[Webbie] - Verse 3 Now I can tell from your size that that pussy is fire So I'm here and willing to give you whatever it require For you to lay down on your back and then open your thighs Long sharp deep and wide have you rolling your eyes You a big fine horse I had no choice but to try it Look like it's worth a couple g's but ain't some shit I buy Let me whisper in your ear again I ain't gon lie I might share a lil meal just don't tell nobody Look you know you want it Girl don't act like you don't want it Girl you want it just as bad as I do But check this out You gon be wishing that you been gave me your money By the time I finish rumbling with you While rhymes get loose let's take this shit to the room And you just keep yourself excited til we get to the room Cuz I've been rocked up since I met you I'm ready to give you the blues Don't stunt now take off your shoes Don't act confused you know what time it is

[Chorus x4]

Ying Yang Twins – “Wait (The Whisper Song)”

[Kaine- Verse 1] (D-Roc) Hey how you doin' lil' mama let me whisper in ya ear Tell ya somethin' that ya might like to hear Got a sexy ass body and ya ass look soft Mind if I touch it to see if it's soft Nah, I'm just playin' let's just say I can And I'm known to be a real nasty man And they say a closed mouth don't get fed So I don't mind askin' fo' head Ya heard what I said We need to make our way to the bed You can start usin' ya head Ya like to fuck, have ya legs open all in the buck Do it up, slappin' ass, gurl the sex get rough Switch position and let the dick get down to business So you can see what you been missin' You might had some, but you never had none like this Just wait til' you see my dick (Oooooooo!!!)

107

[Chorus- Kane] (D-Roc) Hey bitch, wait til' you see my dick Wait til' you see my dick Hey bitch, wait til' you see my dick I'm a beat that pussy up Hey bitch, wait til' you see my dick Wait til' you see my dick Hey bitch, wait til' you see my dick I'm a beat that pussy up Like be-yum, be-yum, be-yum, be-yum Be-yum, be-yum, be-yum, be-yum Be-yum, be-yum, be-yum, be-yum Be-yum, be-yum, be-yum, be-yum Beat the pussy up, beat the pussy up Beat the pussy up, beat the pussy up Beat the pussy up, beat the pussy up Beat the pussy up, beat the pussy up (Oooooooo!!!)

[Kaine- Verse 2] (D-Roc) You fine, but I ain't gone sweat ya See I wanna fuck, tell me what's up Walk around the club with ya thumb in ya mouth Put my dick in, take ya thumb out That my be a lil' kosher to deal wit Wet-vac hose chrome cut that don't spill shit I keep a ho hot when I'm puttin' in work Ya wanna skeet, skeet ya bout to get ya feelins hurt Cause I beat that cat with a dog And knock the walls off a broad til' she squall Like (Ooooooooo!!!) Yeah, it's on like that But it depend on the swing of the baseball bat For it to pitch on the count or make the plates fall back On the floor she ain't stealin' cause she none so they crack Crack, crack, fuck that bend over I'm a give ya ass my bat (Ooooooooo!!!)

[Chorus]

Ying Yang Twins f/ Lil' Jon – “Salt Shaker”

[Chorus: Ying Yang Twins & Lil' Jon] Shawty crunk on the floor wide open Speak so much they call her Billy ocean 108

Row like eighteen wheeler That hoe find but this hoe killer She leakin, she's soak and wet She leakin, soak and wet Shake it like a salt shaker (shake it like a salt shaker) Shake it like a salt shaker (shake it like a salt shaker)

[Verse One: Kaine] P poppin, till you percolate First booty on duty no time to wait Make it work, with your wet t-shirt Bitch you gotta shake it till your camel starts to hurt Say the heals on your feet or the strap around your ankle Call that big bow jangle Juicy like fruit or dosh like coup Deville Used to get loose on the goose for real

[Verse Two: D-Roc] Five dollars get your ass a table dance If you got ten then bring a friend Hoe shake your ass to the song then If you ain't with it then we gone then We ain't no boys we grown men If you ain't gone dance then don't then Why you wanna waste a niggaz song then see your ass down doin nothin

[Chorus]

[Verse Three: Lil' Jon] Face the wall shawty, put your hands on it Bounce that ass up and down make a nigga want it Face the wall shawty, put your hands on it Bounce that ass up and down make a nigga want it Roll that ass round and round like a motherfuckin' wheel Shake that shit this ain't no motherfuckin' drill Roll that ass round and round like a motherfuckin' wheel Shake that shit this ain't no motherfuckin' drill Get crunk with it, get loose with it Like short said let bruce bruce hit it Get crunk with it, get loose with it Like short said let bruce bruce hit it Shake that ass real fast then stop (aaww shit!) Shake that ass real fast then stop (aaww shit!) Shake that ass real fast then stop (aaww shit!) Shake that ass real fast then stop (aaww shit!) 109

[Chorus]

[Verse Four: D-Roc] Shake it like a dollar five or ten But what would you do for a twenty twen Get on the stage shake that ass then Get on the pole do a back ban I like that do it again Here's another ten bitch do it again Work like a game that you playin' to win Make that pussy fart for the Ying Yang Twins Sixteen bitches in thongs in one club The home of the fifth rate bones and butts ??? bitches splittin' all over the floor Hornafy cant deny certified pro On the poll upside down, (this shit for real) Sixty-nine plenty time will pay a bill At day she a clerk but night she turn (stripper) You're not even dated your just tryin to (tip her)

[Chorus]

110

REFERENCES

1 reviews for Lyrics.com www.lyrics.com. Retrieved January 24, 2007, from

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews-all-71761.html.

2 reviews for AZ Lyrics www.azlyrics.com. Retrieved January 24, 2007, from

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews-all-56859.html.

50 Cent (2003). In da club. On Get Rich or Die Tryin’ [CD]. Santa Monica: Aftermath

Entertainment.

50 Cent (2003). P.I.M.P. On Get Rich or Die Tryin’ [CD]. Santa Monica: Aftermath

Entertainment.

50 Cent (2003). Wanksta. On Get Rich or Die Tryin’ [CD]. Santa Monica: Aftermath

Entertainment.

Aaliyah (2001). Rock the boat. On Aaliyah [CD]. Beverly Hills:Virgin Records.

About Us | MediaWise.org. Retrieved June 5, 2005, from

http://www.mediafamily.org/about/index.shtml.

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (2006). Results page – Academy Awards

Database – AMPAS. Retrieved January 14, 2007, from

http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ampas_awards/DisplayMain.jsp?curTime=11688039947

55.

Adams, T. & Fuller, D. (2006). The words have changed but the ideology remains the same:

Misogynistic lyrics in rap music. Journal of Black Studies, 36, 938-957.

AftermathMusic.com (2007). Aftermath Music dot com | Eve Jihan Jeffers aka Eve – Here I am

2007. Retrieved March 14, 2007, from http://www.eve.aftermathmusic.com. 111

American Academy of Pediatrics (1996). Impact of music lyrics and music videos on children

and youth. Pediatrics, 98, 1219-1221.

Armstrong, E. (2001). Gangsta misogyny: A content analysis of the portrayals of violence

against women in rap music, 1987-1993. Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular

Culture, 8, 96-126.

B2K (2002). Uh huh. On B2K [CD]. New York: Epic Records.

Ballard, M. & Coates, S. (1995). The immediate effects of homicidal, suicidal, and nonviolent

heavy metal and rap songs on the moods of college students. Youth & Society, 27, 148-

168.

Ballard, M., Dodson, A., & Bazzini, D. (1999). Genre of music and lyrical content: Expectation

effects. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 160, 476-487.

Bandura, A. (2002). Social cognitive theory of mass communication. In J. Bryant & D.

Zillmann (Eds.), Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research (pp. 121-153). Mahwah,

NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Barongan, C. & Nagayama Hall, G. (1995). The influence of misogynous rap music on sexual

aggression against women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 19, 195-207.

Bayton, M. (1997). “Women and the electric guitar.” In Sheila Whiteley (Ed.), Sexing the

groove: Popular music and gender (37-49). New York: Routledge.

Beatty, A. (2002). "Priming 'Bitch' schemas with violent and gender-oppositional female rap

lyrics: a theoretical overview of effects on tolerance for aggression against women.

African American Research Perspectives 8(1): 131-141.

bell hooks (1994 February). Sexism and misogyny: Who takes the rap? Misogyny, gangsta rap,

and the piano. Z Magazine. 112

Berry, V. (1994). Feminine or masculine: The conflicting nature of female images in rap music.

In Susan Cook and Judy Tsou (Eds.), Cecilia Reclaimed: Feminist Perspectives on

Gender and Music (pp. 183-201). Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.

Beyoncé (2003). Nasty boy. On Dangerously in Love [CD]. New York: Sony Music

Entertainment.

Billboard year end charts – Top 100 albums (2002). Retrieved November 15, 2005, from

http://www.billboard.biz/bb/biz/yearendcharts/2002/hsititl.jsp.

Billboard year end charts – Top 100 albums (2003). Retrieved November 15, 2005, from

http://www.billboard.biz/bb/biz/yearendcharts/2003/hsititl.jsp.

Billboard year end charts – Top 100 albums (2004). Retrieved November 15, 2005, from

http://www.billboard.biz/bb/biz/yearendcharts/2004/hsititl.jsp.

Billboard year end charts – Top 100 albums (2005). Retrieved November 15, 2005, from

http://www.billboard.biz/bb/biz/yearendcharts/2005/hsititl.jsp.

Binder, A. (1993). Constructing racial rhetoric: Media depictions of harm in heavy metal and

rap music. American Sociological Review, 58, 753-767.

Black Eyed Peas (2005). My humps. On Monkey Business [CD]. Santa Monica: A&M

Records.

Borzekowski, D.L.G., Robinson, T.N., and Killen, J.D. (2000). Does the camera add 10 pounds:

Media use, perceived importance of appearance, and weight concerns among teenage

girls. Journal of Adolescent Health, 26, 36-41.

Caiazza, A., Shaw, A., & Werschkul, M. (2004). Women’s economic status in the states: Wide

disparities by race, ethnicity, and region. Retrieved January 21, 2006, from Institute for

Women’s Policy Research: http://www.iwpr.org/pdf/R260.pdf. 113

Carter, S. (2002). Bitches and Sisters [Recorded by Jay-Z]. On The Blueprint 2: The Gift and

the Curse, Disc 2 [CD]. New York: Roc-A-Fella Records.

Chapter 1 – Back in the Day. And You Don’t Stop. VH1.

Cobb, M., Taylor, A., & Boettcher W. (2001). Misogynistic rap music and hostile and

benevolent sexism: Does Eminem really promote gender stereotyping? Paper presented

at the annual meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, Atlanta, Georgia.

Cohen, S. (1997). “Men making a scene: Rock music and the production of gender.” In Sheila

Whiteley (Ed.), Sexing the groove: Popular music and gender (pp. 17-36). New York:

Routledge.

Craig David (2001). 7 days. On Born To Do It [CD]. New York: Atlantic Records.

Dawkins, W. (2003). Is hip-hop dead? Retrieved January 24, 2007, from

http://www.daveyd.com/commentaryishiphopdead.html.

Destiny’s Child (2004). Soldier. On Destiny Fulfilled [CD]. New York: Columbia Records.

Dixon, T. & Brooks, T. (2002). Rap music and rap audiences: Psychological effects and political

resistance. African American Research Perspectives, 8, 106-116.

Eminem (2002). Superman. On The Eminem Show [CD]. Santa Monica: Aftermath

Entertainment.

Eminem (2002). Lose yourself. On 8 Mile Original Soundtrack [CD]. Jersey City: Shady

Records.

Eminem killer re-arrested for another murder (2006). Retrieved March 2, 2006, from

http://www.sixshot.com/articles/5849/.

Fat Joe and Ashanti (2001). What’s luv? On Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) [CD]. New

York: Atlantic Records. 114

Fat Joe and Nelly (2005). Get it poppin’. On All or Nothing [CD]. New York: Atlantic

Records.

Fried, C. B. (1996). Bad rap for rap: Bias in reactions to music lyrics. Journal of Applied Social

Psychology, 26, 2135-2146.

G-Unit and Joe (2003). Wanna get to know you. On Beg For Mercy [CD]. Santa Monica:

Interscope Records.

Game, The and 50 Cent (2005). Hate it or love it. On The Documentary [CD]. Santa Monica:

Interscope Records.

Gan, S., Zillmann, D., and Mitrook, M. (1997). Stereotyping effect of black women’s sexual rap

on white audiences. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 19, 381-399.

George, N. (1998). Hip Hop America. New York: Penguin Books, 176-192.

Gladney, M.J. (1995). The black arts movement and hip-hop. African American Review, 29,

291-301.

Hall, P. (1998). The relationship between types of rap music and memory in African American

children. Journal of Black Studies, 28, 802-814.

Hansen, C. H. & Hansen, R. D. (1991). Schematic information processing of heavy metal lyrics.

Communication Research, 18, 373-411.

Haugen, J. (2003). “Unladylike divas”: Language, gender, and female gangsta rappers. Popular

Music and Society, 26, 429-444.

Hip hop stars Kanye West, Ludacris, and The Game ask “where you at?” in new Boost Mobile

“Anthem” TV ad (2004). Retrieved January 23, 2007, from

http://www.boostmobile.com/about/news_releases/news_releases/040908_anthem.html. 115

Ja Rule and Ashanti (2001). Always on time. On Pain is Love [CD]. New York: Def Jam

Recordings.

Jay-Z (2003). Change clothes. On The Black Album [CD]. New York: Def Jam Recordings.

Johnson, L. (1992). Rap, misogyny and racism. Radical America, 26, 6-19.

Kalof, L. (1999). The effects of gender and music video imagery on sexual attitudes. The

Journal of Social Psychology, 139, 378-385.

Kanye West and Jamie Foxx (2005). Gold digger. On Late Registration [CD]. New York: Def

Jam Records.

Kanye West and Pepsi take a trip around the globe (2005). Retrieved January 23, 2007, from

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-25-

2005/0004094611&EDATE=.

Kelis (2003). Milkshake. On Tasty [CD]. New York: Star Trak Entertainment/Arista Records.

Keyes, C. (2000). Empowering self, making choices, creating spaces: Black female identity via

rap music performance. Journal of American Folklore, 113, 255-269.

Kitwana, B. (2002). The hip hop generation: Young blacks and the crisis in African American

culture. New York: BasicCivitas Books, 85-119.

Krippendorff, K. (2003) Content Analysis: An Introduction to Its Methodology. Thousand Oaks,

CA: Sage Publications.

Krohn, F. & Suazo, F. (1995). Contemporary urban music: Controversial messages in hip-hop

and rap lyrics. A Review of General Semantics, 52, 139-154.

Lapchick, R. (2005a). The 2004 racial and gender report card: College Sports. Retrieved

January 21, 2006, from 116

http://www.bus.ucf.edu/sport/public/downloads/2004_Racial_Gender_Report_Card_Coll

ege.pdf.

Lapchick, R. (2005b). The 2004 racial and gender report card: Major League Baseball.

Retrieved January 21, 2006, from

http://www.bus.ucf.edu/sport/public/downloads/2004_Racial_Gender_Report_Card_ML

B.pdf.

Lapchick, R. (2005c). The 2004 racial and gender report card: National Basketball Association.

Retrieved January 21, 2006, from

http://www.bus.ucf.edu/sport/public/downloads/2004_Racial_Gender_Report_Card_NFL

.pdf.

Lapchick, R. (2005d). The 2004 racial and gender report card: National Football League.

Retrieved January 21, 2006, from

http://www.bus.ucf.edu/sport/public/downloads/2004_Racial_Gender_Report_Card_NB

A.pdf.

Lil Kim and Mr. Cheeks (2003). The jumpoff. On La Bella Mafia [CD]. New York: Atlantic

Records.

Loveland, J., Buboltz, W., Schwartz, J., & Gibson, G. (2006). Content analysis of CDQ from

1994-2003: Implications and trends for practitioners and researchers from a decade of

research. The Career Development Quarterly, 54, 256-264.

Mahiri, J. & Conner, E. (2003). Black youth violence has a bad rap. Journal of Social Issues,

59, 121-140.

Malamuth, N., Addison, T., & Koss, M. (2000). Pornography and sexual aggression: Are there

reliable effects and can we understand them? Annual Review of Sex Research, 11, 26-91. 117

Mayerson, S. & Taylor, D. (1987). The effects of rape myth pornography on women’s attitudes

and the mediating role of sex role stereotyping. Sex Roles, 17, 321-338.

McLeod, D. M., Eveland, W. P., Jr., & Nathanson, A. I. (1997). Support for censorship of

violent and misogynic rap lyrics: An analysis of the third-person effect. Communication

Research, 24, 153-174.

MediaFamily.org | Facts: MTV. Retrieved June 5, 2005, from

http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_mtv.shtml.

Mike Jones (2005). Back then. On Who is Mike Jones? [CD]. Burbank: Warner Brothers

Records.

Miller, M. (2004). Rap’s dirty south: From subculture to pop culture. Journal of Popular Music

Studies, 16, 175-212.

Miranda, D. & Claes, M. (2004). Rap music genres and deviant behaviors in French-Canadian

adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 33, 113-122.

Missy Elliott, Ciara, and Fat Man Scoop (2005). Lose control. On The Cookbook [CD]. New

York: Atlantic Records.

Morgan, M. (2005). Hip-hop women shredding the veil: Race and class in popular feminist

identity. The South Atlantic Quarterly, 104, 425-444.

Nelly (2002). Hot in herre. On Nellyville [CD]. Beverly Hills: Universal Records.

Neuendorf, K.A. (2002). The Content Analysis Guidebook. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

Publications.

The Northern Echo (2003, March 1). Murderer may be out in six years. Retrieved January 21,

2006, from http://archive.thenorthernecho.co.uk/2003/3/1/101940.html.

118

OHHLA in the press. Retrieved January 24, 2007, from http://www.ohhla.com/press.html.

Omarion (2005). O. On O [CD]. New York: Epic Records.

The Original Hip-Hop (Rap) Lyrics Archive. Retrieved March 20, 2006, from

http://www.ohhla.com/all.html.

Osayande, E. (2002). Sexist perpetrators are not playas but haters ‘cause misogyny ain’t no

game: Addressing the case of R. Kelly. San Francisco Bay View. Retrieved May 2,

2006, from http://www.sfbayview.com/061902/sexist061902.html.

Palazzolo, L. (2006, April 24). Breast, lumps, ass and junk being accepted. The News Record,

pp. 3.

Parents Television Council (2003). The blue tube: Foul language on prime time network TV.

Retrieved January 23, 2007, from

http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/reports/stateindustrylanguage/stateoftheindust

ry-language.pdf.

Perkins, W. (1996). The rap attack: An introduction. In William Eric Perkins (Ed.), Droppin’

Science: Critical Essays on Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture (pp. 1-45). Philadelphia:

Temple University Press.

Perse, E.M. (2001). Media effects and society (pp. 190-194). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum

Associates.

Petey Pablo (2004). Freek-A-Leek. On Still Writing in My Diary: 2nd Entry [CD]. New York:

Jive Records.

Potts, L. (2005, December 15). Eminem fan sentenced for murder: British woman killed in

scenario like that in song. Retrieved March 2, 2006, from

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051213/NEWS07/512130367/1009. 119

R. Kelly (2003). Ignition. On Chocolate Factory [CD]. New York: Jive Records.

Rashbaum, A. (2005). Vibe.com: Civil rights activist C. Delores Tucker dies. Retrieved May 2,

2006, from

http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2005/10/civil_rights_activist_c_delores_tuck

er_dies/.

Recording Academy, The (2006). GRAMMY winners search. Retrieved January 14, 2007, from

http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx.

Reid, S. (2006). MTVNews.com: My block: Atlanta. Retrieved February 6, 2007, from

http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/my_block/atlanta/news_feature_120505_2/index4.jhtml.

The Recording Industry Association of America. (2005). 2005 10-year music consumer trends

chart. Retrieved January 21, 2006, from

http://www.riaa.com/news/marketingdata/pdf/2005consumerprofile.pdf.

Rhym, D. (1996-97). “Here’s for the bitches”: An analysis of gangsta rap and misogyny.

Womanist Theory and Research, 2.1/2.2, 1-15.

Rideout, V., Roberts, D. & Foehr, U. (2005). “Generation M: Media in the lives of 8-18 year-

olds.” A Kaiser Family Foundation Study.

Roberts, R. (1994). “Ladies first”: Queen Latifah’s Afrocentric feminist music video. African

American Review, 28, 245-257.

Robertson, J. (2006). Three 6 Mafia take home Oscar: First hip-hoppers to ever perform on

Academy Awards broadcast.” Retrieved January 14, 2007, from

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/9437755/three_6_mafia_take_home_oscar. 120

Samuels, A., Croal, N., Gates, D., & Davis, A. (2000, October 9). Battle for the soul of hip-hop:

Is rap – increasingly driven by sex, violence and money – going too far? Newsweek, 58-

65.

Schlager, K. (2007). Billboard history. Retrieved March 14, 2007, from

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/about_us/bbhistory.jsp.

Seidman, S.A. (1999). Revisiting sex-role stereotyping in MTV videos. International Journal of

Instructional Media, 26, 11-22.

Sexism, hip hop, and misogyny. Talk of the Nation. National Public Radio, www.npr.org. 10

Feb. 2005.

Shelton, M. (1997). Can’t touch this! Representations of the African American female body in

urban rap videos. Popular Music and Society, 21, 107-116.

Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams, and Charlie Wilson (2002). Beautiful. On Paid Tha Cost to be

Da Boss [CD]. Los Angeles: Priority Records.

Sommers-Flanagan, R., Sommers-Flanagan, J., and Davis, B. (1993). What’s happening on

music television? A gender role content analysis. Sex Roles, 28, 745-753.

Stephens, D. & Phillips, L. (2003). Freaks, gold diggers, divas, and dykes: The sociohistorical

development of adolescent African American women’s sexual scripts. Sexuality &

Culture, 7, 3-49.

Strings, S. (2001). Maintaining the status quo: Rap music preferences. The Berkeley McNair

Research Journal, 9, 207-220.

Strouse, J.S., Buerkel-Rothfuss, N., and Long, E.C.J. (1995). Gender and family as moderators

of the relationship between music video exposure and adolescent sexual permissiveness.

Adolescence, 30, 505-521. 121

Sullivan, R. (2003). Rap and race: It’s got a nice beat, but what about the message? Journal of

Black Studies, 33, 605-622.

Super Bowl entertainment honor roll (2007). Retrieved January 23, 2007, from

http://superbowl.com/features/entertainment/entertainment-honorroll.

T.I. (2004). Bring ‘em out. On Urban Legend [CD]. New York: Atlantic Records.

Tiggemann, M., and Slater, A. (2004). Thin ideals in music television: A source of social

comparison and body dissatisfaction. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 35, 48-

58.

Tolerance.org: Mix It Up: Poll Results (2005, February 17). Retrieved January 26, 2007, from

http://www.tolerance.org/teens/polls/pollResults.jsp?pid=31.

Toney, G.T., and Weaver, J.B. III (1994). Effects of gender and gender role self-perceptions on

affective reactions to rock music videos. Sex Roles, 30, 567-583.

Took, K. & Weiss, D. (1994). The relationship between heavy metal and rap music and

adolescent turmoil: Real or artifact? Adolescence, 29, 613-621.

Toya (2001). I do. On Toya [CD]. New York: Arista Records

Trick Daddy, Cee Lo, and Lil Kim (2004). Sugar (Gimme some). On Thug Matrimony:

Married to the Streets [CD]. New York: Atlantic Records.

Trillville (2004). Some cut. On King of Crunk & BME Recordings Present…Trillville [CD].

Burbank: Reprise Records.

Vibe.com: Slum Village – Chevy commercial (2007). Retrieved January 23, 2007, from

http://www.vibe.com/music/video/2005/11/18/slum_village_chevy_def_on_demand/. 122

Ward, L.M., Hansbrough, E., and Walker, E. (2005). Contributions of music video exposure to

black adolescents’ gender and sexual schemas. Journal of Adolescent Research, 20, 143-

166.

Webbie and Bun B (2005). Gimme that. On Savage Life [CD]. New York: Atlantic Records.

Welcome to Viacom – Cable Television. Retrieved June 5, 2005, from

http://www.viacom.com/cable.jhtml;jsessionid=2I2FBOKYIA54KCQBAHIQ4CY.

Wester, S. R., Crown, C. L., Quatman, G. L., & Heesacker, M. (1997). The influence of sexually

violent rap music on attitudes of men with little prior exposure. Psychology of Women

Quarterly, 21, 497-508.

Wikipedia (n.d.). Misogyny. Retrieved May 2, 2006, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misogyny.

Williams, D. (2003). Hip hop’s bad rap? Retrieved May 2, 2006, from

http://www.tolerance.org/news/article_hate.jsp?id=720.

Wingood, G.M., DiClemente, R.J., Bernhardt, J.M., Harrington, K., Davies, S.L., Robillard, A.,

and Hook III, E.W. (2003). A prospective study of exposure to rap music videos and

African American female adolescents’ health. American Journal of Public Health, 93,

437-439.

Wood, J.T. (2003). Gendered lives: Communication, gender, and culture (5th ed.). Belmont,

CA: Wadsworth/Thomson.

Ying Yang Twins and Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz (2003). Salt shaker. On Me & My Brother

[CD]. New York: TVT Records.

Zillman, D. & Bryant, J. (1982). Pornography, sexual callousness, and the trivialization of rape.

Journal of Communication, 32, 10-21.