A project unpacking the feminist images available in South African Female Rap Artists’ music videos.
The Hip Hop African
A blog and podcast on Hip Hop in Africa
A blog and podcast on Hip Hop in Africa
A project unpacking the feminist images available in South African Female Rap Artists’ music videos.
4 responses to “Student Project: South African Visual Feminism”
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I really enjoyed her analysis on the video representations that the various artists chose to break, and also the ones that they reversed. She looked at the psychological aspects of videos, and what they do to our minds as the viewer. As a communications major I will say that her visual analysis was spot on, and I agree that in a male dominated space it is very important to reverse the cliché images that are associated with women in the industry. They shy away from some of the representations of some of the female artists in the west who do play into the stereotypical western views of women. These femcees are way more political than their counterparts in the west, which is not a knock on the western female rappers but a extended respect to them for having the courage to do so. Her video was good too, overall great presentation.
Hi all,
Just want to add to the conversation that an overall theme present within these artists’ work is agency. As Black Women everywhere, this is a powerful statement, affirming control over our bodies. As long as women of color are conscious of how we’re marketing our (work) and how our bodies are portrayed in this work, there is great power and freedom available. One of the artists, Miss Celaneous, actually talks about her sexuality in similar ways to a lot of American femcees and seems to be very conscious of the way in which her body is portrayed.I think it’s important as we discuss these women and their work that we use this as a starting point to recognize and celebrate agency in women artists across The Diaspora. While I understand how harmful the “Jezebel” narrative has been, I think it’s imperative we look to intent & how much agency the artist has in making her work, rather than discounting all celebrations of sexuality as westernized and harmful.
Peace & thanks for watching!
Sydnee
This was very well done. I think that your analysis was very through. You talked about things that I probably would not have payed all that much attention to if you had not pointed them out (i.e the low angle shot; what the microphone in the car may represent). I do not think that I was consciously familiar with the low-angle shot and what it represented until this video; I had not put much thought into it before watching this. I think the comment that you made about the inversion of the male gaze was very interesting. I like the three music videos that you choose to focus on as one was not too similar too the other. Also the point that you made about Mis Cellaneous taking command of her environment is true, as she is the only one seen in that space.