Salt-N-Pepa were pioneering women in hip-hop, whose music took an honest, sex-positive approach. In honor of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, CNN is honoring the women we love in the genre - both for their work and the way they make us feel. Still, throughout the last few decades, women in the genre have continued to make space for themselves and their experiences, resonating with fans across the world. (Though a Los Angeles jury found Lanez guilty and convicted him of three felony counts in the shooting, megastar Drake implied in a song that Megan Thee Stallion was lying.) Rapper Tory Lanez shot Megan Thee Stallion in 2020, and Megan Thee Stallion was vocal about the pain she suffered, as many questioned the validity of her claim. The industry hasn’t always been friendly toward the women in their ranks either. And though the moment was a positive one, Henry said, it shows just how much women in the genre have been overlooked. Missy Elliot, for example, was only just inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in May, becoming the first woman rapper to receive acknowledgement. This subordination of women exists in all genres of music, Henry said, and hip-hop is no different.Īssumptions that rappers are inherently Black straight men are prominent, and it’s resulted in the omission of women in the genre - even media and textbooks disproportionately focus on the achievements of men and choose to only highlight a select few women, Henry said. Her story is one of entrepreneurial success, but it’s also indicative of a larger truth: From the very beginning of hip-hop, women have not only been involved, they’ve been influential.Īnd yet, throughout hip-hop’s history, women and their contributions have largely been cast aside. Robinson, she explained, laid the groundwork for the genre’s future impact. The success of the song and the label significantly contributed to mainstream acceptance of hip-hop, said Jasmine Henry, a professor of music at the University of Pennsylvania. That track achieved massive commercial success, becoming the first hip-hop track to chart the Billboard Top 40.īut that’s not all. ![]() ![]() Not only did she found Sugar Hill Records, the first hip-hop record label, with husband Joe Robinson, she also produced the 1979 track “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang. Does the name Sylvia Robinson ring a bell? For hip-hop fans, it should.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |