User:Ashtronaut101/Bitch (slang)

Hip Hop Culture

In the realm of hip-hop culture, the word 'bitch' stands as an enigma, evolving from a narrow term referring solely to a female dog into a complex and multifaceted term with profound implications. This evolution is deeply intertwined with the history of hip-hop, where the word has been wielded with various connotations and meanings, reflecting the intricate dynamics of gender relations and power struggles. Early examples, such as Duke Bootee classic 1983 song with Grandmaster Flash, 'New York New York,' and Slick Rick's 'La Di Da Di' (1985), marked the emergence of 'bitch' in hip-hop lyrics. Since then, artists and followers of the culture have frequently used the term, with variations like 'bee-otch' popularized by Oakland-based rapper Too $hort in the late 1980s.

Reaching back to the roots of the genre, early rappers like Slick Rick established 'bitch' as a character: a woman, often portrayed as treacherous or déclassé. N.W.A.'s song 'One Less Bitch' exemplifies misogynistic attitudes, equating women with negative stereotypes such as 'money hungry scandalous groupies.' These lyrics highlight the ongoing tensions within hip-hop culture regarding gender representation and language usage. While some misogynistic rap perpetuates harmful stereotypes of women as 'money-hungry, scandalous, manipulating, and demanding, 'as stated by Adams and Fuller (2006), the word has also been directed towards men, often to denote subordination or perceived inferiority. Notably, Ice-T's song 'Bitches 2' provides examples of male 'bitches' in each verse, further blurring the lines of gendered language within the genre.

However, amidst the prevalence of derogatory usage, female hip-hop artists have challenged the word's appropriation by male rappers. Queen Latifah's 1993 track 'U.N.I.T.Y.' boldly confronts this misogyny, demanding, 'Who you callin' a bitch?' Similarly, Roxanne Shante and MC Lyte reclaimed the term, with Shante even releasing an album entitled 'The Bitch Is Back' in 1992. Popular culture has inspired women to redefine the word bitch as a euphemism for "Strong black woman". A modern example would be Megan Thee Stallion's track 'B.I.T.C.H.' which exemplifies this; flipping the script to portray 'bitch' as a descriptor of self-respect and autonomy.

The use of the word, however, continues to spark debate and conversation. In 2016, Kanye West released his seventh studio album called The Life of Pablo. On the song called "Famous" West raps, "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous." This sparked a controversy with Taylor Swift as she "cautioned him about releasing a song with such a strong misogynistic message." These lyrics highlight the ongoing tensions within hip-hop culture regarding gender. In response to Swift's remarks, West went on Twitter and posted a tweet which said how the word "bitch" is an endearing term in hip hop like the word "nigga".