Rape in rap: more than artistic expression?

By Aisha Phoenix

"I'm gunnin' for your spouse, tryin' to send that bitch back to her maker, and if you've got a daughter older then 15, I'm a rape her, take her on the living room floor, right there in front of you, then ask you seriously, what you wanna do?" raps US artist DMX on the track "X is Coming".

Violence against women in rap lyrics is a form or artistic expression, like brutality against women in films. However, unlike onscreen antiheroes who remain imaginary protagonists, when rappers brag about misogyny and sexual violence the distinction between the persona of performer and artist can become blurred. So while youngsters may look to film stars as role models, easily distinguishing between actor and character, as kids seek to emulate the "bling bling" lifestyle of rappers, there is not such a clear demarcation between what rappers boast about in their music and their behaviour in "real life." The connections a number of prominent rappers have with gangs, violence and crime only compounds the problem.

A 15-year old DMX fan was sentenced to four years in a UK youth detention centre in 2002 after raping a 13-year-old girl, with the prosecutor suggesting the teen was influenced by the rapper's lyrics. While rap music as an artistic expression should not be made a scapegoat for sexual assault, it is worrying when impressionable and vulnerable youngsters look to artists who describe women as "bitches," "hoes" and "chicken heads" as role models . Whether or not they go out and rape, the impact the misogynistic depiction of women may have on young men's respect for their female peers and on the self-confidence of young women is potentially damaging.

US Congress recently held a hearing on hip hop and stereotypes with testimonies from rappers, continuing a debate about rap lyrics that has been raging for decades and is likely to continue. Given that some rappers claim their music is a reflection of problems in society, perhaps more attention also needs to be given to the actual societal issues that lead to lyrics that appear to glorify violence against women.

Photo by Merrick Brown, shared under a Creative Commons license