Abstract
Hip hop, specifically gangsta rap music, reflects a stereotypical black masculine aesthetic. The notion of a strong black male—irreverent, angry, defiant and many times violent—is pervasive in gangsta rap music. This badman trope, as characterized by Robin Kelley (1996), oftentimes encompasses hypermasculinity, misogyny, and homophobia. It should come as no surprise that this genre of rap music is rife with sexist themes and lyrics. Yet, what has not been fully explored are the progressive ways that male rappers express themselves towards others considered comrades or “homies.” Homosociality (Bird 1996; Sedgwick 1995), non-sexual positive social bonds, exists in gangsta rap music between men. This study explores the notion of homosociality in this genre of music, analyzing the lyrics of male rap artists who have sold one million or more of their compact discs, for a total of 478 songs. I attempt to further unpack the idea of hegemonic black masculinity, presenting an alternative understanding of its deployment and manifestation in this music.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, T., & Fuller, D. (2006). The words have changed but the ideology remains the same: misogynistic lyrics in rap music. Journal of Black Studies, 36, 938–957.
Anderson, E. (1990). Streetwise: race, class, and change in an urban community. Chicago University of Chicago Press.
Anderson, E. (1999). Code of the street: Decency, violence, and the moral life of the inner city. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Bird, B. (1996). Welcome to the men’s club: homosociality and the maintenance of hegemonic masculinity. Gender and Society, 10, 120–132.
Chang, J. (2005). Can’t stop won’t stop: A history of the hip hop generation. New York: Picador.
Chang, J. (2006). It’s all one. In J. Chang (Ed.), Total chaos (pp. 198–208). New York: Basic Civitas Books.
Cole, J., & Guy-Sheftall, B. (2003). Gender talk: The struggle for women’s equality in African American communities. New York: One World.
Collins, P. H. (2005). Black sexual politics: African Americans, gender, and the new racism. New York: Routledge.
Flood, M. (2008). Men, sex, and homosociality: how bonds between men shape their sexual relations with women. Men and Masculinities, 10, 339–359.
Glassner, B. (2000). Culture of fear. New York: Basic Books.
Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. New York: Doubleday/Anchor Books.
Hill, M. (2009). Scared straight: hip-hop, outing, and the pedagogy of queerness. The Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies, 31, 29–54.
Kelley, R. (1996). Kickin’ reality, kickin’ ballistics: Gangsta rap and postindustrial Los Angeles. In W. Perkins (Ed.), Droppin’ science: Critical essays on rap music and hip hop culture (pp. 117–158). Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Kennedy, R. (2003). Nigger: The strange career of a troublesome word. New York: Vintage Books.
Kimmel, M. (1994). Masculinity as homophobia: fear, shame, and silence in the construction of gender identity. In H. Brod & M. Kaufman (Eds.), Theorizing masculinities (pp. 119–163). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Kitwana, B. (2002). The hip hop generation: Young blacks and the crisis in African American culture. New York: BasicCivitas Books.
Kubrin, C. (2005a). Gangstas, thugs, and hustlas: identity and the code of the street in rap music. Social Problems, 52, 360–378.
Kubrin, C. (2005b). I see death around the corner: nihilism in rap music. Sociological Perspectives, 48, 433–459.
Majors, R., & Billson, J. (1992). Cool pose: The dilemmas of black manhood in America. New York: Lexington Books.
Massey, D., & Denton, N. (1993). American apartheid: Segregation and the making of the underclass. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Morgan, J. (1999). When Chickenhead come home to roost: My life as a hip hop feminist. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Neal, M. (2006). New black man. New York: Routledge.
Ogbar, J. (2007). Hip hop revolution: The culture and politics of rap. Kansas: The University Press of Kansas.
Oware, M. (2009). A “man’s woman”?: contradictory messages in the songs of female rappers, 1992-2000. Journal of Black Studies, 39, 786–802.
Perry, I. (2004). Prophets of the hood: Politics and poetics in hip hop. Durham: Duke University Press.
Pritchard, D., & Bibbs, M. (2007). Sista’ outsider: Queer women of color and hip hop. In G. Pough, E. Richardson, A. Durham, & R. Raimist (Eds.), Home girls make some noise: Hip hop feminism anthology (pp. 19–40). Mira Loma: Parker Publishing, LLC.
Rose, T. (2008). The hip hop wars: What we talk about when we talk about hip hop—and why it matters. New York: BasicCivitas Books.
Schutt, R. (2004). Investigating the social world: The process and practice of research. Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge.
Sedgwick, E. (1985). Between men: English literature and male homosocial desire. New York: Columbia University Press.
Sharpley-Whiting, T. (2007). Pimp’s up, ho’s down. New York: New York University Press.
Watkins, S. (2006). Hip hop matters: Politics, popular culture, and the struggle for the soul of a movement. Massachusetts: Beacon Press Books.
Wilson, W. (1996). When work disappears: The world of the new urban poor. New York: Knopf.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Appendix: Coded Gangster Rap Songs, 2003–2008
Appendix: Coded Gangster Rap Songs, 2003–2008
Artist | Album title | Song | Themes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Friends are family | Success by association | Loss of friend | |||
2003 Compact Discs | |||||
DMX | Grand Champ (N = 20) | Where the Hood | X | 0 | 0 |
Dogs Out | X | 0 | 0 | ||
Untouchable | 0 | X | X | ||
We Bout to Blow | X | 0 | 0 | ||
A ‘Yo Kato | X | 0 | X | ||
Chingy | Jackpot (N = 13) | Chingy Jackpot | 0 | X | 0 |
We Getting It | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Represent | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Outcast | Speakerboxx/ Love Below (N = 16) | Bust | 0 | X | 0 |
Tomb of Boom | X | X | 0 | ||
Flip Flop Rock | X | 0 | 0 | ||
Reset | 0 | 0 | X | ||
50 Cent | Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (N = 18) | Many Men | 0 | 0 | X |
High All the Time | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Don’t Push Me | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Gotta Make it to Heaven | 0 | 0 | X | ||
G-Unit | Beg for Mercy (N = 18) | Betta Ask Somebody | X | X | X |
G’d Up | 0 | 0 | X | ||
2004 Compact Discs | |||||
D12 | D12 World (N = 18) | Loyalty | X | 0 | X |
How Come | X | X | 0 | ||
40 oz. | 0 | X | 0 | ||
American Psycho | X | 0 | X | ||
Twista | Kamikaze (N = 16) | Hope | X | 0 | X |
Sunshine | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Lil’ Flip | U Gotta Feel Me (N = 20) | All I Know | 0 | X | 0 |
Bounce | X | 0 | 0 | ||
Check (Let’s Ride) | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Dem Boyz | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Dem Boyz (remix) | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Drugs (screwed) | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Rags to Riches | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Sun Don’t Shine | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Throw up Yo’ Hood | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Y’all Don’t Want It | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Kanye West | College Dropout (N = 16) | Get’em High | 0 | X | 0 |
Family Business | X | 0 | 0 | ||
Nelly | Sweat/Suit (N = 24) | American Dream | X | 0 | 0 |
Getcha Getcha | X | 0 | 0 | ||
Another One | 0 | X | 0 | ||
2005 Compact Discs | |||||
50 Cent | The Massacre (N = 21) | Outta Control | 0 | X | 0 |
Ski Mask Way | 0 | X | 0 | ||
My Toy Soldier | X | X | 0 | ||
Hate It or Love It | 0 | 0 | X | ||
The Game | Documentary (N = 17) | Runnin’ | 0 | 0 | X |
The Documentary | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Start from Scratch | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Church of Thugs | 0 | X | X | ||
Hate It or Love It | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Don’t Need Your Love | X | 0 | X | ||
Lil Jon | Crunk Juice (N = 13) | Grand Finale | X | 0 | 0 |
Stick That Thang Out | 0 | X | 0 | ||
What You Gon’ Do | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Ludacris | The Red Light District (N = 15) | Get Back | 0 | X | 0 |
Spur of the Moment | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Large Amounts | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Two Miles an Hour | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Kanye West | Late Registration (N = 17) | Drive Slow | X | 0 | 0 |
Diamonds from Sierra Leone (remix) | X | X | 0 | ||
Gone | X | 0 | X | ||
2006 Compact Disc | |||||
T.I. | King (N = 16) | I’m Talkin’ to You | X | 0 | 0 |
Live In the Sky | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Top Back | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Under Taker | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Good Life | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Told You So | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Lil Wayne | Carter II (N = 19) | Fly In | 0 | X | 0 |
Money On My Mind | X | 0 | 0 | ||
Lock and Load | X | 0 | 0 | ||
Hustle Music | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Shooter | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Get Over | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Feel Me | X | 0 | 0 | ||
B.I.G. | Duets (N = 19) | It Has Been Said | 0 | X | X |
Spit Your Game | 0 | X | X | ||
Get Your Grind On | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Whateva | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Beef | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Hustler’s Story | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Breakin’ Old Habits | 0 | X | X | ||
Mi Casa | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Want That Old Thing Back | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Chamillionaire | Sound of Revenge (N = 18) | Intro | X | 0 | 0 |
Picture Perfect | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Void My Life | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Sound of Revenge | Rider | 0 | X | 0 | |
Yung Joc | Young Joc City (N = 13) | Hear Me Coming | 0 | X | X |
Picture Perfect | 0 | 0 | X | ||
2007 Compact Discs | |||||
Jay-Z | Kingdom Come (N = 14) | Prelude | X | 0 | 0 |
Lost One | X | X | 0 | ||
Do You Wanna Ride | X | X | X | ||
30 Something | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Minority Report | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Kanye West | Graduation (N = 15) | Good Morning | 0 | X | 0 |
Champion | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Big Brother | X | X | |||
Glory | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Young Jeezy | Inspiration (N = 16) | You Know What It Is | 0 | X | X |
I Luv It | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Go Getta | 0 | X | X | ||
Bury Me A G | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Dreamin | X | X | 0 | ||
Keep It Gangsta | X | X | 0 | ||
T.I. | T.I. VS. T.I.P. (N = 19) | Act 1: T.I.P. | 0 | 0 | X |
Big Shot Poppin | 0 | X | X | ||
Hurt | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Row | 0 | X | 0 | ||
We Do This | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Show It To Me | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Hustlin’ | 0 | X | 0 | ||
T.I. VS. T.I.P. | Touchdown | 0 | X | 0 | |
50 Cent | Curtis (N = 17) | I’ll Still Kill | 0 | X | 0 |
Come and Go | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Move On Up | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Straight to the Bank | 0 | X | 0 | ||
All of Me | 0 | X | 0 | ||
2008 Compact Discs | |||||
Lil Wayne | Tha Carter III (N = 22) | You Ain’t Got Nuthin On Me | X | ||
I’m Me | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Kush | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Love Me or Hate Me | 0 | X | 0 | ||
T.I. | Paper Trail (N = 16) | 56 Bars | X | 0 | 0 |
Ready For Whatever | 0 | 0 | X | ||
On Top of the World | 0 | X | X | ||
No Matter What | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Swing Ya’ Rag | 0 | X | 0 | ||
What’s Up, What’s Happenin’ | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Every Chance I Get | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Swagger Like Us | 0 | X | 0 | ||
You Ain’t Missing Nothing | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Dead and Gone | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Rich Ross | Trilla (N = 13) | Speedin’ | 0 | X | 0 |
This is Life | 0 | 0 | X | ||
This Me | 0 | X | 0 | ||
I’m Only Human | X | 0 | 0 | ||
Trilla | 0 | X | 0 | ||
We Shinin’ | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Billionaire | 0 | X | 0 | ||
The Boss | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Jay-Z | American Gangsta | American Dreamin’ (N = 14) | 0 | X | 0 |
No Hook | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Roc Boyz | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Sweet | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Say Hello | X | 0 | X | ||
Blue Magic | 0 | 0 | X | ||
American Gangster | 0 | 0 | X | ||
Young Jeezy | The Recession (N = 16) | Crazy World | X | 0 | 0 |
What They Want | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Hustlaz Ambition | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Vacation | 0 | X | 0 | ||
Put On | X | 0 | 0 | ||
Get A Lot | 0 | 0 | X | ||
My President | 0 | X | X |
X means the theme is present in the song; 0 means the theme is not present in the song.
N is the total number of songs on a compact disc.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Oware, M. Brotherly Love: Homosociality and Black Masculinity in Gangsta Rap Music. J Afr Am St 15, 22–39 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-010-9123-4
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-010-9123-4