Don't Call It A Comeback? (Intro)

Conceived in the New York streets of Harlem and the South Bronx, hip- hop music has become a cultural phenomenon in North America and beyond. This distinct movement is characterized by its language, hypnotic beats, dance and fashion. It has evolved in conjunction with the privileged black male street culture, providing a medium from which males can explore their freedom through rebellious activity, male bonding and the continual pursuit of fresh-faced females. Hip-hop music has traditionally been written and performed by black males who have little regard for the artistic contributions of their female counterparts. The few male artists who have continually held power within the genre have either completely ignored the presence of female rappers or established them as commodities produced solely for the pursuit of male sexual pleasure. Black women within hip hop culture are degraded in music videos and insulted in the name of free speech, yet they rarely have access to the resources that would allow them the opportunity to speak for themselves.

Although their have been successful female emcee’s throughout the years, their presence within the hip hop community has been in a steady decline since the beginning of the 21st century. While the late 80’s and early 90’s witnessed the rise in fame of Roxanne Shante, Mc Lyte and Queen Latifah, the musical sub category has all but been dissolved. The reason for such a decline has been investigated by numerous sources within the hip-hip community. Recently it was even the subject of a BET (Black Entertainment Television) documentary entitled “My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth about Women and Hip Hop”, which stared some of the biggest male and female artists in the industry. This paper will attempt to explore the decline of female emcee’s and suggest that a transformation in climate, aesthetics and sexuality created an atmosphere that was particularly exclusive to male hip hop artists. Yet, hip hop fans should not yet rule out a resurrection of the female hip hop emcee.