Partner violence in hip hop

Forbes magazine reported in 2017 that hip hop was the "dominant musical genre" in the U.S. music industry and, for the first time, outsold any other U.S. musical genre.^[1] With its cultural foundation in the South Bronx,^[2] hip hop has grown in popularity since its beginnings in 1979.^[3] Popular dominance of the genre coincided with the international #MeToo movement, which exposed the sexual misconduct of men in positions of power in the field of entertainment. Although women and men from all walks of life worldwide have shared their #MeToo stories, accounts in the music industry (particularly in the genre of rap) were few; the industry evaded public scrutiny, despite its dominance as broadcast and streaming media.^[4][5][6][7]

A controversial issue in rap and hip-hop culture since its inception has been the violence and aggression of its hardcore styles. The prevalence of misogyny, sexism and sexual violence in the lyrics of the most-popular gangsta rap lyrics triggered public debate about obscenity and indecency and was a topic of U.S. Senate hearings during the mid-1990s.^[8] The common depiction of women as video vixens in music videos and being called "bitches" or "hos" in derogatory and misogynistic lyrics may escalate gender violence and anti-black misogyny (misogynoir). The multi-platinum sales of The Chronic by Dr. Dre (featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) in 1992 bely the genre's lyrics. In 1999, Anthony M. Giovacchini wrote about a song from the album in the journal Poverty and Prejudice: Media and Race:

"Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" reads:

'And before me dig on a bitch I have to find a contraceptive.
You never know, she could be earn'n her man and learn'n her man
And at the same time burn'n her man
And you know I ain't wit' that shit lieutenant
Ain't no pussy good enough to get free ride on my [B]ennett.'

These lyrics portray women as dirty sex toys that have no value other than the pleasure they can provide during intercourse.^[9]

Critics say that the pervasive usage of misogynistic language in rap and other popular genres, such as country music, can help normalize attitudes trivializing women and encouraging sexual assault. Misogynistic lyrics in popular music may contribute to rape culture.^[10][11][12] Songs referring to girls or women of color as usable or disposable, with lyrics suggesting rape, assault and murder, evoke concern and criticism.^[13] Feminist critiques insert "new questions about representation, [provide] additional insight about embodied experience, and [offer] alternative models for critical engagement" with hip hop, and misogynistic rhetoric has been discussed in academic literature.^{[This quote needs a citation]}

Songs considered misogynistic or sexist may be amplified by artists such as Rick Ross or XXXTentacion in an age of mobile music and technology. People from different age groups (tweens to adults) and backgrounds in the U.S. and abroad have been repeatedly exposed to this content.^[14][15] Artists accused of violence against women or sexual assault may still circulate their music. Case outcomes may be ignored due to love of the music (if not the lyrics) and the artists who perform it.^[15][16] Consumers of rap and hip hop may perceive intimate-partner violence as normal, rather than harmful.^[16][17]

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reported in 2001 that music, film and television convey "sexual messages" which are increasingly "explicit in dialogue, lyrics, and behavior ... These messages contain unrealistic, inaccurate, and misleading information that young people accept as fact."^[18] In 2010, another AAP report stated that representations of sexuality in mass media such as music can lead to a "major disconnect between what mainstream media portray—casual sex and sexuality with no consequences—and what children and teenagers need—straightforward information about human sexuality and the need for contraception when having sex."^[19]

In "Still on the Auction Block: The (S)exploitation of Black Adolescent Girls in Rap(e) Music and Hip-Hop Culture", a chapter of The Sexualization of Childhood, Carolyn M. West discusses the effect of rape and sexual images in hip hop.^{[20][failed verification]} West writes, "Exposure to sexualized images in hip-hop has been found to influence black girls perception of male-female gender roles, attitudes toward sexual assault, physical dating violence, and physical attractiveness ... Music videos and lyrics that perpetuate gender inequality and glorify risky sexual behaviors but rarely provide healthy sexual messages or emphasize possible negative health consequences may increase the likelihood that black adolescent girls will have unplanned pregnancies, early sexual onset, or sexually transmitted disease acquisition, including HIV/AIDS."^{[20][failed verification]}