Alpha is a mixtape that pays homage to the women of Africa, their experiences, and unique sounds. More importantly, this mixtape focuses on women’s empowerment within hip-hop and how they’ve used the power of their words to create a place of affirmation, uplifting themselves and one another. The chosen artist range from queer African female artists to even African female artists who were born outside of Africa, cultivating different influences within their sound. Alpha is meant to encourage women to embrace their identities, journeys, and strength as they face much adversity in this industry. African and black women all over the world experience the pressures of the patriarchy and it can be even heightened when they decide to enter this industry. These women are challenged by hypermasculinity, misogyny, unequal opportunities, and overall the pressure to conform to identities and stereotypes pushed onto their character.
As there are a variety of African hip-hop artists, there too are a variety of identities within. As there are stereotypes that hinder many black women, they too are sometimes the playground in which they brand themselves and pursue hip-hop. What do I mean by this? For example, some black female artists use the hyper-sexual framework that surrounds black women to their benefit as the hip-hop and rap industry thrives on perpetuating this stigma around black women. Whether this specific artist genuinely desires to express themselves in a more revealing or sexual way or if they decide to play into the stereotype for the success of it all, it will always be a decision and choice of black women in how they choose to express themselves. The African hip-hop scene is male-dominating and for some male artists, their music and identities encourage certain stereotypes surrounding women in Africa, ultimately making their challenge to overcome it greater. As these stereotypes run rampant in this industry and worldwide, in Africa women are still fighting for more progressive, less hypermasculine spaces. Africa has been a country that has been fighting greatly for gender equality as the inequality has created barriers for women disabling them from achieving goals and dreams of their own. So for African women in hip-hop, their pursuit of hip-hop challenges the patriarchy making them a potential threat within this industry.
For these women who decide to pursue Hip-hop in Africa, they are ultimately using their existence as a disruption to the society they’ve always known. More specifically for the women who use their voices to dismantle these potentially detrimental stereotypes, they are creating spaces of liberation that fight for women who see themselves far more than a pond in the patriarchy. Women such as Dope Saint Jude, who identifies as a queer artist, is a South African Hip-hop artist who uses their platform to tackle issues around social injustice, specifically LGBTQ+ and women’s rights. She features south african queer culture through gender non-conforming wardrobe choices as well as the individuals she includes in her music videos and projects. Her existence brings awareness to the queer community within South Africa and advocates for the LGBTQ+ community across all of Africa as this identity travels far and wide. An LGBTQ+ activist, visual artist, and writer named Zawadi Mashego too share a deep passion to use her talents to bring more equality into the queer community and spaces. Mashego’s activism is inspired by many things but one in particular is the announcement of the Ghanaian anti-LGBTQ+ bill that was passed by parliament ultimately silencing and disabling this community. Both individuals Mashego and Dope Saint Jude, are fighting to create safe spaces for people who share similar identities.
As hip-hop has been a space of progression and liberation over the years, many artists such as the ones highlighted on the mixtape have advocated for women’s empowerment and affirmative sounds through hip-hop. These women have developed and cultivated such rich identities through their art, creating representation for future generations to come. As there are many other young African women called to use their voices, they are certain to have influences that encourage them to do so. This beautiful mixtape showcases different sounds by Dope Saint Jude, Lil Simz, Eva Alordiah, Lifesize Teddy, Sho Madjozi, and Kanyi Mavi. As these women uplift themselves through these songs, they empower the women of tomorrow.
