Hip Hop Pioneers and Patriarchy


Emcee and longtime friend GlokStar Boss aka Mr. Hill on a Hip Hop Pioneer’s lecture,

“He just gets paid for rambling,” – Mr. Hill

YES. This is exactly what happened at a lecture by Professor Griff on the Music and Entertainment Industry. That was the one of the most hateful lectures I’ve ever sat in! (Next to the time I was told at a Hip Hop Conference by another pioneer that “bgirls will never be as good as bboys” and that he doesn’t see the point in hosting bgirl battles).

I have come in contact with several misogynistic  male Hip Hop pioneers and it’s absolutely disturbing. What is a community without women? Apparently this was their vision of Hip Hop. And as a result, women feel the discrimination.

How can we sit and talk about enlightenment and upliftment and not address the hatred spewed at women in Rap, hip hop and so-called “conscious” music? How can you chastise men for “making it rain” without looking at this institution that abuses and violates women’s human rights? A look of disgust is unable to be removed from my face after a while. Then, he instructs me to smile (of all things -_-) in the middle of his lecture. He proceeds to ask myself and another young woman in the audience why women buy so many shoes! I said “men buy shoes too. They’re called ‘sneaker heads’ (although technically genderless).” He addresses the other young woman who is unknowingly (I hope) agreeing with him and states, “I don’t know what you women buy, shoes, thongs…:” WHAT?! In conclusion, he asks me who I am. I tell him what I am doing and what I am passionate about. He nonchalantly smiles at the news that I have a hip hop article up for publishing. He asked why I have two X’s at the end of my name. I said to represent the X chromosomes for female empowerment. He  laughs and walks away.  A Pioneer huh? We need better leadership.


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