HIPHOP WORLD OF MUSIC-WOMEN IN HIPHOP

HIPHOP WORLD OF MUSIC-WOMEN IN HIPHOP

BY WANJIKU THUKU

What would this world be like without Hip-hop music? From the likes of Missy Elliott to Busta Rhymes to even Mystikal, the world of hip-hop has shaped our lives, cultures, identity, and mindsets.

It can either lead to destruction and violence or it can bring peace, healing and restoration to a society that is driven by worldly trends like fashion, art, technology, and religion. Some or most of it is averagely good with clean lyrics, original creative and innovative music videos, and catchy beats.

Hip-hop music originated from reggae music and was a sign of hope and justice for the black community who were segregated during colonial times by British people (the white man).

Fast forward to 2022, where hip-hop music is fused with other genres to create sounds that people can relate to and get with daily. It is a ‘way of life’ or rather ‘a movement’ to speak up for the voiceless youth who seek approval by joining gangs, brothels to promote sex,drugs,alcohol and all kinds of obscenity, sacrificing their souls to the Illuminati to stay relevant in the showbiz industry, while doing ‘self-harm’ all in the name of being ‘cool and trendy ‘.In Kenya we have a lot of hip-hop superstars but only a few manage to maintain decent amounts of respect and money in the game.

We have people like Victoria Kimani, Femi One, Muthoni Drummer Queen, Bey T, Kabaya and chosen few who have lived off their music royalties and toured the world extensively. Unlike their male counterparts such as khaligraph Jones, Octopizzo, Kantai G, Wakadinali, Ukoo Flani Maumau, Boutross, Kahush, Breeder LW and Abbas Kubaff just to name a few, have shown resilience, persistent growth, and a lot of humility to elevate in their expertise and bring a new wave for us to support and promote them fully. They go for concerts, private VVIP functions, use all types of Digital platforms to create presence, improve their brands by dressing and talking differently with street lingo, thinking outside the box, fusing hip-hop music with styles like jazz, rnb, kizomba and reggae to pass powerful messages across not just ‘parte after parte’ club bangers, alcohol, sex, drugs, gangsterism or even promoting LGBTQ or political agendas.

So femcees are a true force to reckon with as they have stamped their footing into the showbiz, media, and corporate world especially in the hip-hop world of music where ladies are used as symbols of racism, sexism, LGBTQ community, Political campaigns or just plain gangsterism yet that is not what defines them as ‘women of hip-hop’ but demeans and devalues their worth in society.

These femcees are all about women empowerment and enlightment like Missy Elliott, being true real models to young girls or women in the world and just being ethical, loyal, and real to their purpose to live on earth, learn from their mistakes and move on to become huge icons that people can be motivated and dedicated to their true calling or purpose in the hiphop music world and just generally speaking.