Hip Hop, Tricia Rose interviews, etc.

Women have to address their relationship to sexuality, in order to "make it" as a female artist in hip-hop. In this NPR interview with Tricia Rose, she discusses a particularly damaging and narrow binary that women deal with in commercial hip-hop. They must either be "hyper-sexual or hyper-tough". Female MC's must confront this difficulty in a way that men do not, (though commercialized hip hop does unfairly portray both genders).
Rose seems to be critical of both sides of the debate when it comes to our nation’s dialogue on hip hop. While she acknowledges the sexism and stereotypes that commercial hip hop perpetuates, she simultaneously argues that critics of hip-hop tend to oversimplify the issues of violence and racism/sexism.
One particular quote really resonated with me, for a variety of reasons. Rose was entirely accurate when she said, “Look, I don't want it to seem like I'm bashing everything about Lil Wayne and Jay-Z, because I'm not. I think they're both very talented. If you look at the metaphors Lil Wayne produces, they're amazing; they're very creative. It's the substance. What are you making metaphors about 24 hours a day? Same thing with Jay-Z. Even he has acknowledged that he's "dumbed his music down" so that he can sell records. This economic imperative has had more of an impact on hip-hop than [on] rock or soul or R&B.”
First of all, as far as Lil Wayne (and artists like him) are concerned, I cannot stand the content of their music, and vehemently object to the messages they send to women/youth. That said, I absolutely love dancing to their beats, finding myself more than happy to dance with friends to those songs.
Growing up around Brazilian family members definitely taught me at an early age to appreciate any/all Latina music and culture. So with the new Latino influences in hip-hop, I have become especially entertained by hip-hop music, regardless of any offensive lyrics. Moreover, as dumb as it may sound, I grew up being forced into an ideological box because of my “skinny weak white girl” appearance. As I’ve grown older, I’ve had to un-brainwash myself on some levels and learn that, despite my physical appearance or how others perceive me, I can TOO be strong, tough, powerful, and a force to reckon with, if I so choose to be.. And hip-hop music (along with its styles of dance/ dress /attitude) empowers me to feel like I can be those things, even if it’s only for a Saturday night spent clubbing :) … Although, on the other hand, it frustrates me to enjoy the sound of something that I am aware is promoting tremendous negativity. Therefore, I jump at any chance I get to listen to artists like Ciara (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFRuUJR4LPI) and Missy Elliot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khgIVMUvihg) and Beyonce (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpR4LC1__OA) who are not afraid to be tough, large & in charge, loud, funny, and playing with gender roles. Women need to be continuously infiltrating the hip-hop scene to re-define their place in that culture, or both women and hip-hop as a genre will suffer from the loss of female voices being heard.