THE FEMINIZATION OF HIP HOP…………YUH CAN INCLUDE DANCEHALL TOO

The Feminization of Hip-Hop: Is It a Plot To Undermind the Power of Hip-Hop and the Image of the Black Man ??!!
January 30, 2013 | Filed under: Commentary | Posted by: johnhennry

By: John “Hennry” Harris

Hip-Hop used to be one of the most feared entities on the planet that forced America and the World to take notice and LISTEN. You had a suppressed people with a platform to motivate, change, and provide a voice to the voiceless. This machismo was exhibited in the language and fashion of hip-hop and its participants. Fast-forward to 2013, and you have artists rocking skinny jeans and other “suspect” clothing like the outspoken Kanye West and newcomer A$AP Rocky wearing dresses as “fashion”. Even Diddy has been spotted rocking a kilt onstage !! o.O !!!!

Recently, Lord Jamar of revered hip-hop group Brand Nubians spoke of the new trend trying to infiltrate hip-hop.

“First of all, it’s not just jabs at Kanye West,” Jamar explained to SOHH. “It’s anybody promoting the feminization — of the Black man in hip-hop culture. Anybody that I see out there, rocking dresses and all of that type of sh*t, I might shoot a jab at. But Kanye is one of the ones right now that’s representing that movement. He’s one of the first ones that you see in a skirt. Now you got other people following suit and rocking full-out dresses or they’re trying to rock kilts. We’re not Irish. We’re not Europeans. Rocking kilts and all that is just another excuse to introduce that skirt style. You understand what I’m saying? And I’m not with it. This has nothing to do with sexuality, who they choose to be with and all that, I’m not even talking about that. I’m talking specifically about, what is hip-hop? And that’s not hip-hop. Rocking dresses with mean faces, that’s not hip-hop.” (SOHH)

Hip-Hop has taken the lead in setting the trends for youth in this country for some time. During the ‘Golden Age’ of rap, conscious lyrics spurred its listeners to be aware, acquire knowledge, and to live in a responsible manner. Gangsta Rap used to be our CNN reporting on the injustices going in our inner cities not recieving the light of mainstream consciousness. The LEAD that Hip-Hop used to take, has been replaced with marketing plans and stylists more interested in conforming to the status quo. Even if it means wearing a dress.

What man can really be taken seriously wearing a dress ?? I think the trend needs to heed the words of Brand Nubian’s classic song and Slow Down !!