RA “From Fly-Girls to Bitches and Hoes”

 

Rhetorical analysis

In the Article “From Fly-Girls to Bitches and Hoes” by Joan Morgan analyses the perspective of a African American feminist woman struggling in the world of sexism and hiop-hop. This passage Witten in 1999 as part of the collection of essays “When Chickenheads come Home to Roost…My Life as Hip-Hop feminist. Morgan explains the cause of the sexism and the meaning of the lyrics of hip-hop. Morgan suggests that we need to look dipper to understand why Misogyny happens. Morgan’s necessity to write this article is to change the focus of rap criticism and look deeper in to it. The intended audience is for man and women in young age. He intension is to inform us what causes all of the dysfunction and hate actions between man and women.

Morgan uses explanation mode to develop his idea to persuade the audience. he explains that African American community has overcome many obstacles on their history. Man and women always have work together for the essential of both. Morgan uses logic from the U.S census Bureau to show us that the black community is in danger because of the dysfunction. Morgan states “According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of black two-parent households has decrease from 74 percent to 48 percent since 1960. The leading cause of death among black men ages fifteen to twenty-four is homicide. The majority of them will die at the hands of another black man” (602). Dysfunction among African American is destroying their community. After so much hard work their people did in the past, they are destroying each other and fewer families have to parents.

 

Morgan uses cause and affect mode to develop his ideas and persuade the audience. In order to understand sexism she had to expose herself to some of the biggest rappers. By doing this she intends to understand why they hate and disrespect women so much in their lyrics. She is frightened to hear in the lyrics people killing each other and the alcohol and substance abuse.  Morgan states “ On booming track after booming track, I hear brothers talking about spending each say high as hell on malt liquor and chronic. What passes for “40 and a blunt” good times in most of hip-hop is really alcoholism, substance abuse and chemical dependency” (603). Almost most of the hip-hop lyrics talk about drugs and disrespect against women. It is possible that the abuse of substances can lead to sexism. It might make them feel more powerful and make want to kill other people.

Morgan uses the descriptive mode to develop his idea to persuade the audience that women are not just objects. She explains that is really clear when we listen to rap, women are hut by the male calling them bitch and Hos.  She explains that that’s not what women will hurt but by the failure to love women by who they are. Men that don’t love women in a healthy way is because they are un happy with themselves.  Morgan writes “It’s extremely telling that men who can only see us as “Bitches” and “Hos” refer to themselves only as niggas” (604). It is clear that man who call women Bitch and Hoes are unhappy with themselves.  They have resentment towards women for some reason.  

Response

This a good article because is always good to know that point of view from the other side. I found it interesting to know what a feminist feels and thinks about some of my favorite rappers.  I learned and realized this that I have never thought about rap. Morgan uses good ethos to show us the dysfunction between men and women. She mention that hip-hop is mostly about substances abuse and alcoholism and I wonder if listening to rap or hip-hop will make me I vulnerable to use any drug.