"There Are Bitches and Hoes" Summary

        Tricia Rose's article, There Are Bitches and Hoes, is a strongly worded piece on the sexism of the hip-hop industry. She beings by explaining the development of the word "pimp." Rappers in the music industry glamorize black pimp culture by incorporating the "gangsta" style, slang and attitude into their identities. By marketing themselves as a pimp, these popular rappers promote the domination of women. This advertising is not only a part of the music industry, but has bled into other areas of pop culture such as television shows, movies, and themed parties. The pimp ideology supports the controlling of prostitutes through physical violence and emotional/psychological manipulation.
        Rose goes on to talk about how the popularity of these rappers and their music videos that degrade women make it so women feel the need to live up to it. It encourages "young women fans to emulate the behaviors of 'bitches and hoes' to get attention, to be desired, and to be considered sexy." Although the point can be made that the women in those videos are exposing themselves to the degradation of the hip-hop industry, they need to act in this hyper-sexual way to make any strives in their career. Any challenge these women make towards sexism in the black community can lead to difficult isolation. To go against hip-hop in the black community is seen as an "anti-black community action," making these women targets for ridicule. It is easier just to go along with it. Another way black women are handling this discrimination is by embracing the term "bitch," and using it as a term of empowerment instead. However, this does not change much.
        The history behind this discrimination of black women can be traced back even to Ronald Reagan who coined the term "welfare queen" in the 1980s. This term suggested that black women are "sexually irresponsible, money-hungry, and lazy," females who cheat the welfare system by having more babies to increase their payments. This racist stereotype is the type of women that rappers, such as Snoop Dogg, refer to as "bitches and hoes." Their lyrics tear apart black women, saying that they are just "trying to get a nigga for his money." The author of this article questions how many poor women are really trying to get the money of these rappers; they may have grown up in urban neighborhoods, but they now live in more affluent areas where there are most likely not "bitches and hoes" like they rap about. Therefore, the author questions as to why these rappers need to still bring these women into their music? She states it is because they "choose to represent a sexist perspective about reality they no longer have."
       Tricia Rose is very vocal in her article on the subject of female sexual freedom, specifically in regards to black female's. She strongly critiques the sexism and discrimination that black women face from the hip-hop industry, and urges society to see this and fight for "what is right," referring to sexual freedom. It is pointed out multiple times that sexual freedom is not the same as hyper-sexuality or sexual repression, but rather the freedom to decide how each woman wants to express her sexuality without facing judgement. The author asks readers to stand up and defend black women from the sexist ideologies of the "pimps" in the music industry.