Introduction

Hip-hop and rap are both seen as one of the most popular genres of music today. Artists

in this genre of music have all impacted society with their lyrics and videos. The cadence and

rhythm can carry thought-provoking messages said through lyrics that appeal to their audience.

However, if a music video is released, the chosen artifacts within it can change the meaning of

the words and how the song is perceived. Today’s most influential rap artists--such as Childish

Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole--are all known for their use of lyrical and visual rhetoric

that influence the perception of their life experiences and how black culture is perceived to

society. Thus, the question presents itself: what about their female counterparts?

When it comes to hip-hop and rap, black male artists seem to be depicted differently than

women, even though they’re from the same industry and represent the same community. As

stated in the previous paragraph, men’s lyricism and visual rhetoric typically revolve around

society’s views of their community and their own life story, with some exceptional examples

being Childish Gambino’s “This is America”, J. Cole’s “Fire Squad”, and Kendrick Lamar’s

“Alright”.

On the other hand, black women in hip-hop are depicted more sexually, emphasizing

their bodies and dancing provocatively in music videos. Popular female artists tend to make their

lyrics coincide with their video, promoting their own confidence and sexuality. Halliday and

Brown claim that artists express themselves in such a manner to encourage other black women to

love themselves and their appearances, especially considering discussions that still take place

like anti-blackness and misogyny. McNally agrees, saying that “[b]lack female musicians have
developed a variety of rhetorical and performative strategies...to counter ‘widely held

assumptions of black female inferiority’”. Halliday and Brown further this by going into depth

with the analysis of the music video Feeling Myself by Nicki Minaj and Beyonce. They find that

there are three key points highlighted in the music video: self-confidence, political messages, and

women’s empowerment. Likewise, McNally’s analysis of Azaelia Banks’ song “212” focuses on

how the rhetoric of the artist’s provocative lyrics highlight Banks’ star quality, however this is

done through the political lens and not through the lens of self-confidence and womanhood.

Both articles acknowledge the rhetoric being used in their chosen artists’ videos, but only

Halliday and Brown went into depth with how the video and lyrical rhetoric was perceived by

the targeted audience. As highlighted by the three main components of the music video

mentioned by their study, this research paper is meant to extend that ideology and reflect it onto

the artist themself. How does the rhetoric of music videos and lyrics highlight the artists’ self-

confidence to create the identity of black female hip-hop/rap musicians?

Methodology

In order to answer how black female rappers' express identity through their visual and lyrical

rhetoric, I will be analyzing music videos and lyrics from artists who are known to flaunt their

confidence with no restraint: Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B. More specifically, I’ll be

analyzing Megan Thee Stallion’s Body and Cardi B’s Money, which both received copious

amounts of backlash to the graphic content.

Visually, I’ll be analyzing the symbols used; the allusions to sex, the theme of the music

video, and how the dancers as well as the artist themselves is dressed. These elements combine
to create how the artist expresses their lifestyle and physical confidence. Lyrically, I’ll be

analyzing the metaphors used, play on words, and how it pertains to the artist’s lifestyle or past.

The lyrics will gather an insight into the artists’ mindset and mental confidence based on

experiences mentioned in lyrics. The goal in total is to find the self-confidence and

empowerment throughout the video and lyrics that impact the artist’s identity.

Over the course of Week 10, I plan on analyzing Megan’s video and lyrics. The first half

of that week will be dedicated to the analysis of the lyrics themselves, then another half will be

the video. By the end of week 11, Cardi’s video and lyrics should also be completed, following

the same pattern as Nicki’s. By the end of week 12 or the middle of week 13, I will compare the

two’s styles in depth and explain how both artists uniquely flaunt their confidence and how it

impacts the identity they have created.