In mainstream rap, the role of women—as described in lyrics, music videos and commercial radio—is as a recipient of male domination and insult. Experts have suggested that mainstream rap videos relegate women to adornments to the male artist, and that young people, who are repeatedly exposed to these images, act them out in their own social situations, often leading to violence and other social transgressions.

The American Medical Association estimates that almost four million men severely assault their intimate female partners or spouses each year. Men’s violence against their female partners is the leading cause of injury for women, and is the cause of at least 35 percent of all emergency room visits.

Some heath professionals suggest that derogatory, misogynistic and homophobic epithets can cloud young people’s judgment and self-esteem. Young women, in particular, are said to emulate the sexually charged styles of dress and behavior depicted in music videos. Given the cultural context of much of this content, these actions can lead to confusing messages for young men. While a young woman may think she is wearing contemporary fashion, men may read her body language and clothing differently, leading to confusion at best and abusive behavior at worst.

While the majority of fetishized bodies depicted in rap videos are female, sexualized images of male rap artists also populate the urban media frontier. These graphic male depictions are not simply intended for female audiences. Homoeroticism is also an element at play. While sexy images of men are the unspoken rule, when spoken, violent reactions often occur.

These male images are not simply intended for female viewers—gay men also consume hip-hop. While these images can be seen as homoerotic, and homosexuality crops up in rap lyrics, gay male sexuality in hip-hop culture is rarely viewed as positive. In many songs, a feminized man is seen as “worse” than a woman.

There is however, a new and growing presence on the rap scene: gay hip-hop. Some independent artists are seeking to recontextualize homophobia, turning it on its head and creating in its wake a powerful new musical form that experiments and innovates with themes as well as sound, expanding the cultural landscape of hip-hop to include a broader demographic.

The Campaign

Outreach for Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes provides opportunities to strengthen local and national networks, educate the community and increase local capacity to address the needs of young people and their families. Spearheaded by ITVS and Firelight Media, the campaign encourages local organizations and public television stations to work in partnership to develop activities that support the goals in key areas, including:

• Engage young people in reflection, discussion, critical thinking and problem-solving around the causes and effects of sexism, homophobia and violence within hip-hop culture
• Support the work of local organizations that serve youth by providing a media tool along with expert training, resources and connection to their peers
• Generate a national conversation on an increasingly violent, materialistic and sexually explicit American culture using hip-hop as a point of reference
• Provide opportunities to sustain conversations catalyzed by the film and move audiences from dialogue to action on the issues raised in the film
• Drive new, young, diverse viewers, as well as conventional audiences, to the national PBS broadcast and disseminate resources to those target groups
• Emphasize the positive and creative contributions of hip-hop, one of the most pervasive and dynamic global art forms engaging young people worldwide

Resources

Resources provided by ITVS to support local efforts include: national partners and regional organizers; a website with relevant links; print materials such as a fact sheet, discussion guide and planning guide; press releases; flyers and a video module focused on gender violence and homophobia from HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats And Rhymes. These resources are available for use in local workshops, screenings, forums and other events.

Gender Violence & Homophobia issue brief (PDF) >>