This is a segment from my upcoming book “Hip Hop Raised Us, The Internet Made Us” but I’m not sure if it will be included so I’m just posting it on here for any interested to see.
Nicki Minaj changed the game for female [so-called] rappers or “hip-hoppers.”
She came out not only claiming to be bi-sexual and sounding ghetto but also, eventually, “acting white.” She took on the whole persona of what is often portrayed as the airhead, ditzy, blonde barbie. (Knowing there’s not a single blonde strand growing from her scalp.) She even changed the way she talked; instead of sounding like a hood black girl from Jamaica, Queens, she sounded like a “valley girl” from the ‘90s movie “Clueless.” Nevertheless she continued to promote and capitalize on her sexuality [as is expected of a female black entertainer]. So her main attributes which she flaunted were her breasts and butt. She danced, twerked, crawled, spread her legs and dressed nearly naked in videos. She conveyed the stereotypical upper-class blonde white girl’s personality while still portraying the historically stereotypical persona of the hyper-sexual, overly voluptuous black woman. (This stereotypical image/persona is historically identified as the “Jezebel.” Which developed as an excuse for raping black women and disqualified them from being considered victims of rape, because they actually always wanted sex.)
She exploited two particular races with one of their most popular and stereotypical images. By doing this she merged two worlds, infiltrated the pop realm and paved a way for preppy blondie white girls to be able to exploit hip hop culture and the black community, and further perpetuate black stereotypes. Now the stereotype of the black woman is so ingrained and cemented that white women can portray the image and it is acceptable and approved by society and much of the black community. For example: Chanel West Coast, Iggy Azalea, and even Miley Cyrus.
When Eminem got on it was because he could rap, not because it would’ve been cool for a white boy to do gangsta rap. He stayed true to his self, his own style, and got respected for it. These so called “women” now are just recycling the image (and style) of black entertainers, particularly Nicki Minaj. They even copy the way she raps, down to the very diction and inflections. Most, if not all, have done their share of trying to twerk … so all of the fans of Nicki not only approve of them but also approve of the propagated stereotype. The idea is: “Twerking is a hip-hop thing … ” “Black women are sexual and they shake their butts so if we can do that we fit in.” None of them (white girls who seek acceptance in hip-hop culture) are trying to emulate Michelle Obama, or Nikki Giovanni. None of them feel the need to demonstrate the skill or intellect of young Lauryn Hill. Why is it that they feel all they really have to do is flaunt their sexuality and their rear end? Reread the first sentence of this passage for the answer.
So now young girls of all races embrace these images and personas because it is so common. You’d be hard-pressed to find a girl over 11 years old who likes hip-hop and has not practiced twerking. All over the country (and world) girls are acting out what they see and hear from Ms. Minaj and others alike, in an effort to maximize their womanliness. Since that is what she suggests: she is the pinnacle, the epitome, of womanhood achieving success. “I’m your idol, I’m your idol, I’m your mother****ing idol!” – Nicki Minaj
Of course, she’s not the only one but she is the most dominant proponent because she is, thus far, the most popular & successful female rapper ever known.
theblackjewelz 