Music in Popular Culture

“Since their inception, music videos have evolved as a postmodern, commercially successful, and engaging variety of popular media. Through images and sound, music videos both construct culture, and are an ‘expression of culture’” (Williams, 2003). With this expression of culture, especially in the hip-hop genre, involves the women being used as sex symbols to bring in viewers. For example, for strip clubs and gentlemen clubs, there is usually a picture or figure of a woman to advertise to the public there are women to be seen. This is similar to the music videos produced by most hip-hop artists, the music video not only advertises a certain kind of music but also a lifestyle (Moncrief, 2004). This lifestyle that is sold through hip-hop music videos persuade viewers that women are desirable and are the visual need for most men.

The persuasion of viewers to see women as that sex symbol not only affect the men, but also the women who see these videos as well. “Images women see of themselves on television may adversely affect the way they see themselves and what they can and should aspire to” (Clory, 2001). This impact on women can also be linked to the use of eating disorders that women use to lose weight, but that is for another topic (Smolak & Levine, 1996). Women see these videos and think that they are supposed to let the men control their actions and that they have to dance like a stripper.

Women are used as decorative objects in music videos, this is becoming more apparent as the videos become much more flagrant and advanced. Sherman and Dominick (1986) concluded that, women were more likely to wear revealing clothing than men. Music videos have also portrayed Black females participating in more sexual behavior than other groups (Brown & Campbell, 1986). In a study conducted by Moncrief (2004), data showed that women portrayed in both the rock and country music genres are far less sexualized, proving that hip-hop music videos use women as attractions, or visually appealing objects. “Overall, hip-hop primary and supporting video figures revealed the most body parts” (Moncrief, 2004).

The images and representations approached by Betty Friedan can also be applied. Friedan described her study with images in women magazines during the WWII: “’Why is it never said,’ Friedan observed, ‘that the really crucial function, the really important role that women serve as housewives, is to buy more things for the house’ (p. 206)” (Storey, 2009). Friedan saw the images as what they really meant, not entertainment or visual appeal, she gave a caption to what the images were really meant to say, she gave them a representation. The visual representations that women in hip-hop encompass aid in developing stereotypic constructions of women as sexual objects. Women in hip-hop music videos are expected to show cleavage, dance, shake their butt, and possibly include sexual innuendos like licking their tongues, grabbing their butt or showing skin in places usually unexposed. These images are why the dominant conception of women in hip-hop music videos consists of the terms- ‘hoe,’ ’stripper,’ and sometimes ‘victim.’

The way women express themselves in these music videos are not how younger viewers should be learning to represent themselves. The young women of our world today should be viewing women as independent, strong, and capable of protecting themselves. A great representation of how women should be seen in music videos would be the music video ‘Irreplaceable’ by Beyonce. This video depicts how Beyonce protects herself from a man who cheated on her and also represents her as being a strong, young female empowered to take care of herself. Teaching young women how to carry themselves in a respectful and appropriate manner leads to those women knowing how to protect themselves and having respect for themselves.

 Beyonce’s “Irreplacable” video:

Women in today’s society have made a huge step up from what women went through years ago. Today women hold CEO positions, work in construction, have professions as firefighters and police officers; women have developed a great respect for themselves and have shown that they are more than bakers, cooks, cleaners, maids, chauffeurs, and etc. A view of women that has changed very little has been the view within music videos such as the genre of hip-hop. In these music videos, women are depicted as sexual images, desires and more of a stereotypical image of females.

Several hip-hop music videos portray women as sexual symbols and are of less importance than the men. Women tend to wear more provocative outfits during a music video (Conrad 2009). They are also seen as a victim while the male is seen as the person in charge. There are several different music videos that portray these ideas, for example Nelly-Hot In Herre. This video shows a nightclub with men and women dancing. The video portrays them as hot and sweaty so the entire time and throughout the lyrics the women are being told to and stating that they want to take their clothes off. The women are shown taking their shirts off to reveal different color bras and bikini tops. There is only one time throughout the video that a man takes off his clothes: Nelly is shown taking his shirt off while keeping a white tank on so there is no more skin revealed.

The women in this video are shown as sex symbols. The women are all black, pretty, thin, and know how to dance in a seductive manner. The video is meant to attract men with the women dancing and showing skin. All the males in the video are dancing with the women but at the same time exhibiting a more dominant role. The males are perceived as controlling the actions of the females, male audiences will then begin to objectify women and see the act of rape as acceptable (Arganbright 2007). Arnett (2002) discusses the role of women in music videos: “a typical music video…features one or more men performing while beautiful, scantily clad young women dance and writhe lasciviously. Often the men dance, too, but the women always have fewer clothes on. The women are mostly just props…They appear for a fraction of a second, long enough to shake their butts a couple of times, then the camera moves on” (Arnett 2002). Arnett describes the Nelly music video perfectly. Most of the women are shown for a couple of seconds and then the camera moves on, to the next woman shaking her butt. The main performer is Nelly because he is singing the song and is shown in almost every other scene.

Numerous other portrayals of women exist in the music video realm. The recent videos that have come out are not as demeaning to women, especially those made by female hip-hop artists. The most recent video is “Videophone” by Beyonce, featuring Lady Gaga. In the video, the only men that appear are dressed formally in a suit and tie with camera lens over their heads. The two women present in the video are Beyonce and Lady Gaga. They dance throughout the entire video in a sexual manner while also showing that they control their movements. The video has a nuance of female independence and power. Both Beyonce and Lady Gaga embrace these characteristics. These women are developing a new kind of music video that is not just based on the nightclub scene with the women bouncing their booty all over men. This music video shows how women can depict themselves as sexy while also keeping their respect and dignity.

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