Honors College Theses

Publication Date

2024

Major

Philosophy (B.A.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Faculty Mentor

Paul Tubig

Abstract

Imposing damaging stereotypes on Black women has persisted throughout American culture, specifically within hip-hop. To analyze modern depictions of Black women in hip-hop, I will trace the historical roots of these stereotypes including, but not limited to, angry Black woman, jezebel, sapphire, and how they have persisted in modern media. This includes referencing the works of philosophers like Patricia Collins, Audre Lorde, bell hooks, etc. I will address the intersectionality of gender, racism, and classism, to show how these stereotypes are used as an oppression mechanism which we witness in society and the hip-hop community. However, in the face of oppression, Black women are constantly resisting these negative ideologies to reclaim their identity through empowering themselves and artistic expression. I will dive into the ways Black women are oversexualized and forced into marginalized groups, and I will critique that by explaining how Black women have challenged these objectifications and stereotypes within a patriarchal society and male dominated field like hip-hop. This thesis will outline an understanding of the environment that promotes these stereotypes through a philosophical lens, then, I will illustrate how women reclaim their identity to push for an inclusive society for Black womanhood in contemporary hip-hop culture.

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