The Contradictions and Stereotypical Themes in the Music Videos - Essay Example

The Representation of Black Female Sexuality in Popular Music 0. Introduction Gender construction in the society can be drawn from different sources like family, cultural norms and even the media (Emerson, 115). The media has mostly played a major role in how people perceive gender in the society. In the present times, popular music is also taking such a role (Mayhew, 64). For example, the genre of hip-hop has been known to reflect more about men than women. The Black women have managed to fight for her independence and agency in the popular music by being performers as well in the industry (Emerson, 115). With this, this essay is out to explore how the Black woman is represented in the popular music. This will be achieved by first having discussing the images got from the popular music about these women as well as the contradictions that exist. In other words, the popular music shows how Black women are portrayed sexually in their daily lives within the popular music industry. 2.0. Ideologies on Black Womanhood in the American Society Most Black women in the are represented and grounded in the popular culture through ideologies that surround the Black womanhood in the American society (Emerson, 115). These ideologies can be said to be the images that at most times reflect the degree in which Black women are marginalized (Emerson, 115). The media as well as the popular culture have been the sites for such ideologies on Black womanhood. For example, there are music videos that have received sharp criticism because their content was objective and exploitative in the manner they depicted women of all races and ethnicities. In other words, they have represent Black women according to images like hyper sexualized ‘hot mama’, ‘jezebel’, ‘the asexual’ and ‘the welfare recipient’. 3.0. Stereotypes and Controlling Images in the Music Videos Apart from the representations drawn from the controlling images, the performances staged by Black women in popular culture also bear representations that counter the ideologies held on Black womanhood (Emerson, 117). Therefore, popular and expressive culture exists as a site to help resist such ideologies and representations (Emerson, 117). For example, performances staged by Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters showed how assertive they were in their empowerment and sexual subjectivity (Emerson, 117). Most videos done by Black women show how gender has been constrained and limited the independence of Black women (Emerson, 117). The context under which these videos were produced is shown in the images they portray. They are actually made porous by the controlling images that stereotype the Black woman (Mayhew, 64). This in the end brings about different stereotypes. For example, the Black woman’s body is largely focused on the videos (Hooks 65 & Gentile, 2). The videos also show that type of social constraints the Black women face especially with the presence of male sponsors in the videos and the concept of conspicuous consumption and romance (Emerson, 117). 3.1. The Body The first way as mentioned earlier in which the Black woman faces social constraint is on the concept of the body (Emerson, 117). There are genres of music that require candid physical attractiveness and a measure of beauty. Thus, the performers of these genres simply demonstrate that especially in R& B. It has been assumed for years that the Black women have the beauty standards that guarantee body types required. These standards have thus drawn a conclusion that Black women contribute to the reflection of the body image as positive (Emerson, 117). Examples of women who have been regarded as larger are Angie Stone and Missy. Performers who are thin and physically attractive have also been considered what males desire (Emerson, 117). It is also worth noting that the thin, white and tall women with big busted body have become a source of income in the intersects of beauty and entertainment (Emerson, 117). Thus, the sexuality of the Black woman has become a commodity in a long cultural history. For example, many firms feature images of Black women to promote the sale of their products and use established social media such as Facebook and magazines, movies and music videos (Emerson, 117). 3.2. One Dimensional Womanhood The Black woman is portrayed in the music videos as flat and one-dimensional. In other words, they are not represented as who they should be (Emerson, 115). Instead, they reduced to decorative eye candy (Emerson, 120). Mostly, they are never allowed own rights as artists but are obliged to serve as objects that men would desire. In a look at the videos they produce, very few of these Black women are normally over thirty years. This shows how their performances are youth oriented (Emerson, 121). In the representation of women, the expectant women and mothers are considered undesirable objects (Emerson, 121). Another aspect of the black woman that is normally present in these videos is the sexual diversity (Emerson, 121). This shows the perceived desire by men to have women who are sexually available (Emerson, 121). 3.3. The Male Sponsor The fact that Black women artists are depicted as objects of male pleasure rates them low in terms of legitimacy and agency. Their role is thus sexual thus no one takes them seriously. This is because the form of legitimacy achieved in hip-hop is associated with masculinity (Mayhew, 65). Thus, for a Black woman to thrive in this industry, a male sponsor must present them before the public. Thus in most videos, the male sponsor is more prominent visually and normatively (Mayhew, 64). Thus, the men end up being the star of the video. An example is in the ‘man behind the music’ by Queen Pen’s. In many R&B videos, the producer of the song is normally featured prominently thus showing how their role is high in the production of Black music (Mayhew, 64). Therefore, the Black women remain with no influence in popular music with men dominating (Mayhew, 64). These men in the end undermine the creative independence of the women artists. 4.0. The Opinions of Critics and Other Influential People in the Industry Most feminist critics have regarded Black female sexuality as a free and liberated from where the women together with their talents demonstrate the urge to project an image that will show that they are sexually available (Hooks 65 & Gentile, 2). According to such critics, the Black female body is only relevant when it is an object of accessibility and availability, a factor that is problematic. This shows that women are at fault as they choose to represent themselves in a sexually explicit manner. What other influential people think about the portrayal of black women in music videos is shown through magazine publications. The Essence Magazine -- “the preeminent lifestyle magazine for today’s African American Woman” gives an examination of how Black women are depicted in popular music (www.essence.com). Against the contribution that these influential people make in such magazines, the artists themselves feel that their participation in the music videos is normally voluntary and thus for them portray a stepping-stone in their acting or dancing career (Hooks 65 & Gentile, 2). On the other side of things, Fatima Robinson – a famous video director and choreographer – feels that “videos have to come out of the strip club” (“What they’re saying”). She admits that as Black women, we love to shake our behinds and there is nothing wrong with that; she even admits to enjoying it sometimes (Hooks 65 & Gentile, 2). However, she points out, there needs to be a balance. “The fact that every video is based on that is ridiculous” (“What They’re Saying”). She describes how she has a hard time getting work because video producers want her to choreograph dances in a way that she deems degrading and unacceptable (Hooks 65 & Gentile, 2). 5.0. Conclusion The discussion on the representation of Black womanhood in the popular music shows how our lives are mostly affected by the views and perceptions we have about issues around us. The genres within the pop culture have created a lens through which the society and its members can view themselves and even see how the world reflects their experiences. From this, an unfortunate conclusion can be drawn that the popular music today is patriarchal and portrays women negatively. Thus, the perceptions got from how women are portrayed creates a social construct as the songs song by these Black woman mean a lot to those people listening to them. For example, if most songs that are played degrade women and represent them as being sexual objects meant for men’s entertainment, the women will begin to perceive that they are actually required to act in that manner. They will intensively do so just to be accepted as women, a social construct that is not sensible. Men on the other hand will believe that they are supreme when they are depicted as chauvinistic and superior in the music videos. Looking at both sides in which the Black woman is portrayed, there seems to be no side that overrules the other. In other words, they are portrayed both positively and negatively. However, the debate on the way women are portrayed in the popular music videos leaves everyone with a keen interest on whom to look at and emulate. This is because the portrayal of women in these videos has led to more representations than the ones being on the surface. This is true especially when the concept of stereotyping and images in is reviewed. There is need for everyone to rethink these images and one-day strike a balance between protecting artistic expression and preserving the Black women’s dignity. This would end the contradictions and stereotypical themes in the music videos especially for the Black women performers. Work cited: Byrd, Ayana and Solomon, Akiba. “What They’re Saying.” Essence Magazine. (April 6, 2005). Hooks, Bell. Black Looks: Race and Representation. Boston, MA: South End Press, 1992. Mayhew, Emma. Women in Popular Music and the Construction of "Authenticity". Journal of Interdisciplinary Gender Studies 4.1 (June 1999). Gentile, Patrizia. Popular Culture and Female Sexuality: Consuming the ‘Representations’. Carleton University, Pauline Jewett Institute of Women’s Studies With the assistance of Amanda Parriag November 2007 Emerson, Rana. "Where My Girls At?": Negotiating Black Womanhood in Music Videos. Gender Society 2002; 16; 115, Sage Publications. Read More