African Women Reclaiming Masculinity – The Hip Hop African

Rejecting Societal Standards

Historically, the Hip-Hop genre has encouraged men to express themselves through hyperbolic levels of hypermasculinity that praise an air of arrogance and self-assuredness; while also reasserting traditional gender roles commonly emphasized in the 1960s such as the man being a provider while the woman stays domesticated. These narratives were passed onto female Hip-Hop artists as they were sold a dream that the main way to have success with their craft was through reinforcing traditional norms. While these tropes still exist today and seek to hinder the creativity of true artistry, standout cases of women within the Hip-Hop sphere are emerging, seeking to challenge the existing notions that we have perpetuated over the last 50 years. In their attempt to solidify their role as an artist, African women have transformed the space of Hip-Hop to embody inclusivity, break down gender barriers, and redefine what it means to exist within a particular space or group. The mixtape I created entitled, “African Women Reclaiming Masculinity,” narrates the unorthodox method five African women across the diaspora have chosen to defy what it means to be stereotypical female rappers and operate under a set condition of rules. The collected artists adopt a more masculine persona within their music in order to mock and challenge the existence of hegemonic masculinity, as well as establish dominance within their own respective spaces so they can be viewed not by their gender, but by the artistry of their work.

“Roadents” – Cristale

The first artist featured in the mixtape, Cristale, is of Guyanese-Jamaican origin and lives in the United Kingdom. Cristale’s style is personified through her single, “Roadents” (released in 2023) in which she reshapes her space to be reflective of her lifestyle that is heavily influenced by social politics, violence, and broken promises. Within “Roadents,” Cristale embodies the spirit of a typical man who has witnessed hardship, injustice, and loss through the use of intentional language that makes her appear as “one of the boys. “ With lines such as “I’m at the top, king like kong” and references to media such as Of Mice and Men, Cristale consistently asserts throughout the single that these masculine elements define the way she moves through the world and what she says. Cristale reclaims masculinity for herself when speaking on what brotherhood means to her, how she connects with what she refers to as her boys, and when speaking of betrayals by men over seemingly irrelevant circumstances. Within her characterizations, Cristale breaks the narrative of an African woman being motherly, divinely feminine, and submissive to men as she classifies herself as a man within her own right who views the world in the same manner as her boys. These nontraditional mannerisms are only further illustrated through Cristale’s accompanying music video in which she flexes her muscles, displays imagery of rolling with a gang of men, and is casually dressed in a black sweatsuit that a few of the male background characters also sport. Through a message covering the perils of layered forms of inequality and dishonesty, Cristale breaks free from one gendered mindset in order to transform the style of another.

“Marbles” – Flohio 

Another African artist representing the diaspora is Flohio, who is of Nigerian descent and lives in South London. Flohio’s single, “Marbles” details the artist’s upbringing and transition into the Hip-Hop scene as she plays with themes of braggadocio, sexuality, and alternativity. Through lines in which she refers to herself as “the strangest one,” her intentional distance from other artists whom she proclaims to be “put off” by, and her self-proclamation of being “in charge,” Flohio engages in the traditional Hip-Hop element of confidently establishing herself as being among the best of her craft. From the start of the song, Flohio establishes a traditionally male presence of dominance and reasserts this identity as she makes claims that other males can’t wait to live the life that she currently lives, covers topics of enduring hardship for her dreams, and quickly asserts that the girls that flock her now because of her success are not her type. Through the culmination of these topics, Flohio incorporates masculine lingo and attitudes all to emphasize her ostracization from a more feminine typecast, and highlight herself as her own unique identity. The story of Flohio’s interconnecting identities, (which are metaphorically being referred to as “marbles” that are spilling across the floor), are defining characteristics of the artist herself; but as emphasized by Flohio, these are not elements that should be critically examined by others. By coming to this conclusion, Flohio addresses the nontraditional role she plays in defining herself as an artist yet emphasizes that others who try too hard to focus on this miss the point of her craft entirely. 

“One Mic Freestyle” – Crystal Millz

As part of the One Mic series promoted by GRM Daily, Crystal Millz delivers a freestyle in which she cements herself as a “big man” who is open to any test and challenge that someone wants to throw her way. In an interesting mix of identities, Crystal Millz swings back and forth between her masculine role as the top of her class and her feminine role that is adorned with nice things and beauty. The back and forth between the two demonstrates Crystal Millz’s fluidity in defining herself as an artist, and the intermingling of several influences within her daily life. The emphasis and repetition of the word “big” within Crystal Millz’s lines work as a double entendre, as it is used to characterize her as an artist of action, power, and dominance, but additionally, it also operates as a descriptor of her standout role as a female artist. The interconnection of the two sides defines a new wave of characterization that no longer has to rely on alter ego identities to display a different persona. This dual-sided coin is presented even with references to musical artists and forms of media that Crystal Millz uses to compare herself to. From connections to Nipsey Hussle and Tupac Shakur to Queen Latifah and Tommy and Keisha from Power, Crystal Millz blurs the lines between what is uniquely feminine and what is distinctly masculine; consequentially suggesting that the groups within themselves set unnecessary limitations.

“Come From” – Teezandos

Representing the new era of drill music, Teezandos adopts the customs of the male-dominated field within her single “Come From.” In referring to herself as a “badman,” which is historically known as a man who is not law-abiding, affiliated with dangerous acts, and/or characteristically fear-inducing/violent, Teezandos establishes that her role as a drill artist will not be defined by her gender. In her way of carrying the mantle, Teezandos engages in the typical braggadocio used throughout any Hip-Hop song to label herself as one not easily persuaded, swindled, or easy to take advantage of. “Come From” is less about aligning herself with a national identity or ethnic descent and more about establishing a sense of dominance over others concerned about her presence within the drill scene and how she might back her position as an artist. When Teezandos says, “cool, guess life ain’t fair” in reference to a man who asserts he doesn’t like where she comes from, she presents an air of indifference to naysayers who question her tactics; and sets to defy the logic that her role as an artist is defined by other peoples perceptions. In her reclamation of masculinity, Teezandos separates her gender from her craft in order to perpetuate the norms of the drill scene while mocking the ignorance of those who dare question her authenticity. 

“Do You Get Bitches.” – ZuluMecca

The final artist that represents the identified theme of defying gender norms, is South African artist, ZuluMecca. Within her 2022 song, “Do You Get Bitches,” ZuluMecca makes a commentary on the commercialized nature of the music industry in order to expose the lack of authenticity and true creation within the Hip-Hop scene. Within her commentary, ZuluMecca speaks on the normative behavior of the industry to impose restrictions on what artists can do if they intend to be successful. To make her points, ZuluMecca critiques the role of conformity, delves into topics typically circulating around male Hip-Hop artists, and speaks on the forced nature of “versatile” artists. The manner in which Zulumecca approaches these topics intentionally deviates from what would be expected of an African female rapper and opens up an opportunity to mock the lack of substance individuals seek through the question of “do you get bitches?” as opposed to questions dealing with the craftsmanship of one’s talent. Zulumecca presents the most complex case of straddling the fence between reclamation and ostracization and therefore makes the best case of an African female artist who defies being limited to subjugation. 

Returning to Pure Artistry 

The role of Hip-Hop is to tell the truth of one’s reality, and by choosing to ignore the industry standard of what African female artists should be, the five aforementioned artists have chosen to tell their truths on their own terms. The reclamation of masculinity is not about letting men feel subjugated or becoming a man to avoid implied expectations of womanhood, instead, it exists to serve a challenge to the existing social system and the antiquated ways in which we define our worth, talent, and identities. By learning to infuse a myriad of influences and elements, Hip-Hop artists can choose to return to artistry instead of perpetuating layers of inequality.