In Hip Hop as a male-dominated space, women rappers counter established norms. They stir up the place simply by existing. Almost naturally, women rappers respond to the sexist constructions imposed on them, either directly or indirectly (Rose, 1994; Pough, 2007). Multiple ‘Hip Hop feminist’ works have pointed out ways in which women rappers, especially those of color, disrupt norms within Hip Hop and, by extension, in white supremacist capitalist patriarchal society at large. Women rappers highlight (Black) female sexual pleasure, reverse gender roles, rewrite sexual scripts, and question misogyny (Jennings, 2020; Pough, 2004; Shipley-Gates, 2023; White, 2013). Just a few examples of how they ‘bring wreck’ to dominant masculine discourse.
Most research on this topic, however, is centered on the United States, the birthplace of Hip Hop culture (Saunders, 2016). US greats like Nicki Minaj, Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, and Cardi B have been studied extensively. Yet, vibrant Hip Hop scenes and prolific women rappers also exist way beyond those borders, including in the Netherlands. Despite women rappers making their mark in the Netherlands, comprehensive research on their work is lacking. While Dutch Hip Hop studies do debate to what extent Dutch rap can be considered political, the field has so far failed to fully take the relevant and contemporary contributions of women rappers into account.
To fill this gap and put women rappers in the Netherlands on the map, I situated my research at the intersection of Hip Hop feminism and Dutch Hip Hop studies. Considering Hip Hop usually adapts to local contexts, it is valuable to explore how women are ‘bringing wreck’ here. Therefore, I specifically examined how women rappers disrupt dominant masculine discourse in the Netherlands – and how they contribute to the political context of Hip Hop in the country. This can also serve as an inspiration for other scholars who want to research Hip Hop feminism among women rappers in various countries as well.
I analyzed the lyrics of all ten NL-based women rappers who performed at the leading Dutch Hip Hop platform 101Barz between 2017 and 2024: I Am Aisha, Latifah, Ella John, NOELL3, Madame, AnishaGF, Dani Deaux, Beckie, Lauwtje, and Niva. I examined their studio sessions’ rap lyrics through a theoretical lens of Black feminist thought, Hip Hop feminism and Dutch gendered racism to see what these women are pushing back against, or pushing forward. Using a so-called ‘Feminist Post-Structuralist Discourse Analysis’, a broad view of how these women ‘bring wreck’ in the Netherlands emerged.
As I found, Dutch women rappers generally disrupt dominant masculine discourse through identity construction. They challenge stereotypes held by Dutch society about Black/Muslim women, such as depictions of Black women as “lazy,” “unintelligent,” or “prostitutes.” Moreover, Madame, a Muslim rapper, disrupts the stereotype of Muslim women as “submissive” and “oppressed” by presenting herself as a woman with a strong degree of agency. Dutch women rappers present themselves as contrary to stereotypes about their gender and racial or religious identities. They also show that they are more complex than these stereotypes by presenting their characters as multilayered and contradictory. By self-identifying in a complex and unapologetic way, these women claim the right to be whoever they are in the sphere of rap and bring wreck to double standards that exist for men and women in Hip Hop and Dutch society at large.
Sticking with identity construction, women rappers frequently challenge and subvert the dominant gender script that exists in the country. Some critique conspicuous consumption in their raps and consequently challenge a masculine theme that is central to Dutch Hip Hop. For example, they criticize the script of men buying expensive brands for women to win them over. Additionally, women rappers rewrite female subjectivity and depict themselves as controlling men rather than being controlled by them.
This exercise of control also extends to the realm of sexuality. Women rappers foreground female sexual pleasure and wreck the dominant script that focuses on men’s pleasure. They transgress what is deemed a ‘decent’ performance of sexuality in the Netherlands through their explicit lyrics.
Besides being disruptive through these forms of identity construction, Dutch women rappers also bring wreck more directly. They criticize and question misogyny by addressing catcalling and emphasizing the difficulty for women working in the music industry. Furthermore, women rappers address racism, disruptive in a Dutch society that considers itself ‘colorblind’ despite the reality of persistent discrimination.
In these varied ways, Dutch women rappers significantly contribute to the political context of Dutch Hip Hop and disrupt dominant masculine discourse in the Netherlands. Still, this is not always consistent. At times, they also adhere to the dominant gender script or express misogyny themselves. However, this does not diminish the political contributions these women still make to the genre. Rather, it reflects the complex layers of white supremacist capitalist patriarchal society. Accepting these contradictions is an important value of Hip Hop feminism, as it prevents it from becoming a kind of feminism that is not sustainable beyond the academic ivory towers (Durham, Cooper, & Morris, 2013; Morgan, 1999).
Contact information: maan.lieve@gmail.com
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