Festival season: women in rap: too much, too loud, too sexy, too soft?

When a woman raps, she is rarely only evaluated after the quality of her songs. Is she too gentle? Then she lacks the attitude. Is she too angry? Then it is inevitable. Does she show skin? Then she lacks substance. So as a rapper, woman can never do it right. “The cliché, which annoys me most about women in rap, is that we cannot rap,” says rapper Badmómzjay of the German Press Agency. Because for women in hip-hop, different standards continue to apply than to men.

Many artists in the German scene know these stencils. Actress and rapper Zsá Zsá sums it up: “All things that men do Edgy or Real are more like weakness at Girls,” she says. Although she has long since found her own voice, she keeps criticizing – for example because of song lines about relationships. While men rap violence, sex or loss of control and that is considered freedom of art, women experience shitstorms. She deals with it humorously: “I just do what I want, say what I want – and look cute.”

Women’s rap and international stars to the excavator city

The line-up of this year’s “Splash!” Festival shows that something is moving. From July 3 to July 5, not only German rap greats are on stage in Ferropolis near Gräfenhainichen. With international acts such as the Grammy winner Doechii and the newcomer Samara Cyn, new perspectives come on stage in Saxony-Anhalt.

Visibility is important – but it is only the beginning. Because those who are in the spotlight are also observed particularly sharply. As soon as a woman is successful, it is often said that she has not written the texts herself, says the Berlin rapper Charisma. “As soon as a man gets help, it is applauded.” Women, on the other hand, would have to deliver twice – and would be half as much recognition, emphasizes Brandenburg -based Badmómzjay, born as Jordan Napieray.

Artists like Kauta have learned not to be influenced by the constant evaluation. “You already say everything about me,” said the Bonnian with a bourgeois name Kaouthar Boulfazat. “But I just don’t give it.” Badmómzjay sees it similarly: “I can sing, I can rap, I’m emotional, I’m a rough.” You can be in the rap. “I just do what I want.”

Special category women rap?

Rap was never only a male thing, but women had to be part of a crew for a long time to become visible at all. Even today – despite millions of clicks on social media and sold -out shows by artists such as Shirin David, Domizianana or Badmómzjay, it often says: Female rap is a niche.

“The more I was on stage, the more response came – from women, queer people, including boys,” says rapper Wa22ermann, born as Summan Tariq. Representation not only helps aspiring artists, but also the scene as a whole. For the Berliner, it is like this: As soon as female rap is perceived as a special category, he is no longer part of the larger scene. “As if I was just as good as the last rapper – and not like the best in the game.” Her rap colleague Erda says: “The scene is wider for men-half sounds similar, but it is simply celebrated as a variety,” said the emerging Kosovo Albanian. A contradiction with which you all have to live.

Tikok helps to get visibility to the artists, but remains a double -edged sword: Many go like Doja Cat, Doechii or Ikkimel Viral – but often it stays with the hype, you celebrate it with the trends and rarely hear their message.

Domiziana speaks of a superficial perception of female art. “If we provoke, it says that it is calculated. The content is ignored.” The fact that the Freiburg Domiziana Helga Gibbels studied law is causing some amazement – as if academic education with rap is incompatible. The same applies to the Berliner Ikkimel (“Keta and Riot”), which polarized with her visual language and surprised that she was able to show a university degree in addition to viral clips. Her controversial stage moment, in which she raised a dog mask and put it in a cage, caused excitement – while half -naked women hardly disturb anyone in rap videos.

Old pattern, new faces

The history of the rap knows many such advances. A pioneer for many who came after her was the rapper Roxanne Shanté, who in the 80s became a member of the legendary Juice Crew – and at just 14 years – in the rapeseed scene. In the 90s, US rapper Lil ‘Kim showed: being sexy and rap does not mild. The highly talented Lauryn Hill provided the soft mixture with R&B. And at that time, many who sang about drugs, politics or men showed anger.

Nina Chuba (“Wildberry Lillet”) recently set a statement with her track “Rage Girl”. The 26-year-old rappers such as Badmómzjay, Kauta, Kayla Shyx and Esther Graf gathered. In the video it says “being angry like a man”. It may sound like a slogan, but is rather a scream of liberation. Or marketing? Also possible. But above all one sign: anger is also part of the female repertoire.

“It is a great motivation for me to be underestimated,” says Kauta, who connects rap with pop. The structural hurdles are still there, but you are well on the way. Many women in rap share this hope. Because: rap was never exclusive male. But he was too unfairly distributed for a long time.