Chapter 40: There Are Bitches and Hoes February 10th 2015

This chapter of our text puts the terms “bitches and hoes” into perspective. There are two sides to this argument. “Pimp culture has saturated commercial hip hop” (Rose 386). This quote has a lot more depth that it may seem. When we think of pimps we think of these rich men throwing money at prostitutes. The idea of a pimp is extremely exploitative to women, as well as physically and emotionally controlling to women. These ‘pimps’ are single handedly creating what they talk about. They considers bitches and hoes all women, therefore women are bitches and hoes. When confronted about lyrics and words they use to describe women, their defense is simple “I’m not talking about all women.” But there is absolutely no specification of that. They are encouraging their fans to mimic the behavior they display, both male and female fans. Women participation is music videos that display this behavior is misconstrued as women not minding that they are portrayed in this way. And this idea points women to participate in the ‘system’ of prostitution. Hip hop is influencing young black women’s understanding of black women. They think that they need to act in that way to be accepted. I think that this idea is epitomized in Lupe Fiasco’s song and music video “Bitch Bad”. 

            Now is a black women were to speak about this sexism that is affecting their culture, there is a chance that she will be alienated for not conforming to the way women are supposed to act. The word ‘bitch’ also has different connotations based on who is using the word. If a woman were to use the word ‘bitch’ she would be attempting to challenge the language of sexism, but when a male uses the word ‘bitch’ he is just supporting it. The pimp/gangster image needs these “bitches and hoes” to maintain itself, so they invent them in the way discussed before. Hip hop is encouraging women to act in the way it describes. This is unfair because women should be free to express their sexuality in a way that is equal to men, not in a male dominated way. Hip hop has evolved to create either one of two things for an individual, a player, or a person being played. The women in this situation are almost always being played. Hip hop can be considered the most visible representation of sexism in black popular culture, and this is unfair because women should be able to express themselves freely, in any way they choose to.

“We have to work hard against what destroys who we are” (Rose 390). This is the most important thing to take away from this chapter, because the inequalities of sexism presented in hip hop and pimp culture is only getting worse.