Explore the negative representation of Black women in contemporary music videos with reference to - Beyoncé- Pretty hurts
Kid Ink- Body Language.
Bryson Tiller- Something tells me.
I have chosen to investigate the way in which black women have been represented in contemporary music videos. Throughout many contemporary music videos black women have been represented in a sexual way mainly to please the dominant ideology who are in charge of media texts. Although the media texts Beyoncé- Pretty Hurts Ink Kid Ink- Body Language and Bryson Tiller- Something tells me presents black women throughout their music videos differently, they have been represented in different lights which reflects on the primary artists. Personally, the lack of respect demonstrated in Kid Ink- Body Language reflects the issues with the way not only black women but all women are being treated in the wider society.
In the 1980's there was a change within the music industry especially for women as it became a platform for woman to became 'sexually liberated'. This is period of time Madonna became the first mainstream female icon to incorporate sexuality into her image. Women now use their sexuality as a way to empower themselves as performers in the industry. Some women feel comfortable in using their sexuality as a way of empowering heir music where as others feel manipulated. Throughout time wester society has always been male dominated which means that women have been forced to subject to stigmas and prejudice. In 1994 Wood J.T mentions that women in music videos are shown to be dancing in a provocative manner and wearing very revealing clothing as a way of getting the attention from men showing that it the sexualisation of woman has evolved from time. However, in 2001 Missy Elliot released a video 'Get ur freak on' although the song is about getting your freak on Missy and all her dancers are fully clothes and are not dancing in a prerogative manor but the message of getting your freak on is still portrayed through the lyrics. The song also had may views. Similarly, Madonna released a song 'Papa don’t preach' and she is dressed in ordinary clothes that the average girl in society would wear, both these videos enable the typical girl watching these videos relate too as they are dressed in high street fashion. Both songs also did very well number wise. So, what has made women become more sexualised within the music industry?
'Young girls are becoming aware of body weight and figure as early as 8 years old now. This is turn has caused eating disorders to have grown 400% since 1970.5 Young girls are feeling pressures about having to create the perfect body. There is a fear of becoming unattractive or old based on what is displayed on the media.'
The effects of contemporary music videos have is shown evident in Beyoncé Pretty Hurts video which portrays all the struggles not only black women but all women go through on a daily basis and the pressures they have not only from the media but also those around them. It shows the more negative side and the truth behind what media does not show us when it comes to the world of beauty an appearance. The theme of body image was shown through the use of models and beauty pageants. It gives an insight into the extreme intense atmosphere of the beauty world and what they have to endure on a daily basis to be considered as 'beautiful'. In Hunting Girls: Sexual Violence from The Hunger Games to Campus Rape by Kelly Oliver it analysis the meaning behind the modelling industry and the types of shoots they take and how it can affect young girl. Within the modelling industry, photographers said to a model "your eyes have an intensity but also a blankness as if your soul is gone'' highlighting the darkness of the business.
`'The concept of the video is really a behind the scenes look into society's take on beauty and how it doesn't bring you happiness and it doesn't move you forward in life,' says Melina. The truth is that happiness doesn’t come from beauty as it has been shown throughout media today. In a wide range of media texts not only music video but the goal and target audience for beauty companies is vulnerable women, the hypodermic needle feeds the idea that being a certain way is how you would be accepted in society. The picture on the left shows Beyonce with her hands up and the man measuring her waist shows that she is supressing to the demands of society.
On the other hand, Kid Ink Body Language shows the way in which black women are being exploited and sexualised in the music industry. Thought-out shows half naked girls is lingerie, using their femme fatale to look sexy for the camera and their audience. Throughout they have be portrayed as strippers in glass boxes as a sort of trophy for men to watch and admire. The use of dark lights in Body Language is to emphasise the outline of the women in the videos video to show their figures more and enhances it more. 'The study denounces the depiction of black women as “wild and animalistic” hypersexual objects.' Which is shown throughout the video, it could be interpreted that these girls are in cages like animals. It shows a message that women have nothing more to offer other than their body. "Transforming persons and their bodies from a human category into objects of economic desire”. This quote is true as it is seen in many aspects of society especially in the media, Body Language emphasises this as their bodies is used to sell and promote their songs as more people would watch their video based on the girls. You could conclude that a large amount of the 33,894,995 views is either young men are young girls looking for inspiration as to what they should aspire to.
'To the girls and women who watch music videos, these images send the confusing message that to be female is to be alluring yet passive, sexy but also submissive.' During the Victorian era, black women's bodies were made available to look at and exploited as was a fascination to the white men to gaze at. Kid Ink body language shows this fascination when the girls are shown shaking their bums, many women now feel as though they need to have plastic surgery have this voluptuous bum in order to be accepted by men and society. The use of red also connotates being sexual and prostitutes, the second picture of the woman with her back arched can be seen as a sex position highlighting woman only being good for sex. By representing black women like this it makes them more of a target or men as they feel as though that is their purpose to meet the needs of males. Leading to 'Black women [being] 35% more likely to be physically assaulted than white women.'
They both use dark lighting; the Beyoncé video uses dark lighting to set a mood for the whole video. It reflects the facial expression that most of the girls in the video have by the use of close ups. They all had sad and somewhat miserable facial expressions, the reflects them not being able to be themselves due to the image society has made them feel that they have to have to fit in. Also, it could be seen that the industry and world of beauty can be a dark place for many females.
Within many music videos black women are rarely used, however in Bryson Tiller something tells me the video is filled with many different shades of black woman and even though they are seen as half naked they are all smiling and happy. This shows that they are happy and confident within themselves and the use of white shows a sense on purity. The video shows him admiring all the different women in a non-sexual way, instead of portraying women as some sort of sexual object he shows them as a work of art which is rare within the music industry. Many of the camera angles used make the woman look strong and tall representing the power and strength they have. Throughout the video the theme is bright reflecting a positive message, the yellow background sends positivity as the women accentuates their silhouette. However, the girls are wearing tight revealing clothes which matches the colour of their skin that could be seen as them being somewhat naked.
This contrasts with Beyonce's video as it shows the different ways in which black women feel about themselves and the different ways primary artist uses this. One has the positive side where as the other is more dark and negative. Beyonce shows how to overcome the oppression of the media on young black women and Bryson Tiller shows how to embrace the natural beauty of black women without making the sex objects and belittling them for the means of production. The media has portrayed the world of modelling as 'gilts and glam', they never show the truth behind it and the struggles that the girls have to endure throughout. "Studies indicate that up to 75% of concept music videos, which have a certain theme, contain sexually suggestive material. More than half of them also contain violent acts committed against women. Women were sometimes portrayed in a derogatory manner. The use of alcohol and tobacco were projected as glamorous and fashionable. All of this is bound to lead teenage viewers to dire consequences. (Pediatrics 1996)"
Through this research I found that there I generally a negative representation of black men within the music industry. They have been objectified and subjected into objects in order to meet the sexual desire of the dominant ideology. It made me realise that the respect that women have been shown today is lacking and not much improvement. However, in television and film they have been appreciated more, Viola Davis in recent years she has won any awards and been starred in critically acclaimed movies such as "Fences" with Denzel Washington. There is still room for improvement for black women in music videos to be made. Through research I found that many of the sexualisation of black women are mainly from black men who have been shown to objectify them.
Hunting Girls: Sexual Violence from The Hunger Games to Campus Rape by Kelly Oliver
"Media Influence on Youth." Crisis Connection, Inc. PSC, 6 June 1995. Web. 25 Feb. 2011.< http://www.crisisconnectioninc.org/teens/media_influence_on_youth.htm>.
Wood, J. T. (1994). Gendered Media: The Influence of Media on views of Gender.Communication, Gender, and Culture. Retrieved March 1, 2016
