Abstract
In this chapter, Stewart examines the work of independent hip-hop artist Immortal Technique to argue that his work constitutes a counter-example to universalizing claims that hip-hop music is necessarily misogynistic and that it always perpetuates a harmful form of “toxic masculinity.” She shows how, through his music, Immortal Technique is able to offer a critique of the way mainstream media and capitalism tend to construct masculinity in narrow, damaging ways, as well as present an alternative picture of what a more constructive and positive masculinity could look like for young men in urban contexts. Stewart argues that it is Technique’s decision to remain independent that allows him to have this strong counter-hegemonic message in his music.
I’d rather be proud of what I am, rather than desperately trying to be something I’m really not just to fit in.
—Immortal Technique, “The Poverty of Philosophy,” 2001
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Notes
- 1.
Some pun intended.
- 2.
Consider, for example, Black feminist filmmaker and distributer Ava DuVernay’s response to the NWA biopic, Straight Out of Compton, of which she remarked, “To be a woman who loves hip hop at times is to be in love with your abuser” (Boone 2015). She went on to speak of the film approvingly, though with the added claim that the hip-hop culture represented in the film involved undoubtedly misogynistic elements. A similar argument is made in a 2018 article for Beat, in which writer Quyaisha El-Bey notes that while she is a music lover, it is difficult for her to listen to the urban radio stations because she does not want to “hear lyrics that both degrade and objectify women.” She further argues that today’s popular hip-hop and rap music are riddled with objectification, messaging about normative beauty standards and other sorts of gender bias. In a 2018 article for Afropunk, a writer by the name of Gender Bent argued that hip-hop (even more so than other genres of music) is known for its treatment of women as objects and that this is not limited to the mainstream but also extends to so-called socially conscious artists. While I have only noted a few here, such arguments are pervasive on websites and blogs that cover feminist issues, Black life and culture, and analyses of rap and hip-hop music. There is at least a strong voice of hip-hop critics who worry about the messaging of even the most socially conscious artists with respect to their treatment and representation of women.
- 3.
In a 2011 article, writer Jonathan T. acknowledges the apparent contradiction that some see between being a feminist and enjoying the artistry of hip-hop music. Yet, he argues quite convincingly that “there is no reason why one cannot appreciate a particular form of art while also lending it a critical eye.” Hip-hop, like all art forms, he contends, is a product of a certain cultural and historical backdrop. Rejecting hip-hop on the grounds that it carries with it the pervasive sexism and misogyny of our cultural and historical moment means one might as well also reject “the majority of other forms of music, and some of the best-known works of literature and philosophy, and most movies and TV shows.” I find this point compelling and the general sentiment convincing, namely, that we ought to always contextualize art within its relevant social and historical backdrop and not reject it all in one broad stroke. There are relevant discussions to be had regarding “cancel culture,” though I will not take those up here.
- 4.
Noting the contributions of female artists is particularly important, as they are also up against misogyny as female-identified artists in a male-dominated field (see Addawoo 2017). The contributions of women in hip-hop are particularly important to pay attention to insofar as they have the unique ability to empower Black and Brown women and girls through their work. In the words of Callia Hargrove (2015), artists such as Missy Elliott and Aliyah were inspiring insofar as they entered a man’s world, “played with the boys and dressed like them,” yet, “owned their femininity.” They “stood up for themselves” and were “ultimate boss ladies.” Missy Elliott in particular has an over-25-year career, during which she has spread a clear message that “women, whether conforming to heteronormative gender binaries or not, are equal to men, as important as men, and as powerful” (George 2016).
- 5.
Some obvious examples of a feminist social consciousness in Tupac’s lyrical canon include the likes of “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” which focuses on the difficulties of teen pregnancy and lack of social support for young mothers; “Dear Mama,” which celebrates and honours the struggle and perseverance of his own mother; and, most notably, “Keep Ya Head Up,” which is dedicated to the beauty and strength of Black women and calls for a greater love and appreciation for Black women.
- 6.
Pearce (2017) and Williams (2018), for example, have attempted to complicate the generally positive image of Tupac as a revolutionary and change maker and highlight his more tenuous past with misogyny and violence. I acknowledge these critiques as a recognition that my above point is not straightforward and that songs such as those mentioned in footnote 5 were written and recorded within a background context that is more nuanced and complicated.
- 7.
Independent hip-hop, broadly construed, includes hip-hop music produced and released by artists outside of the three major record labels and concordant mainstream outlets (Perry 2004).
- 8.
One striking example of his activism involves his decision to partner with Omeid International, a non-profit human rights organization, to build an orphanage/clinic/school in Kabul, Afghanistan, with proceeds from his record sales (Vito 2014). In more recent years, he has been spending much of his time working with human rights organizations, including the Border Angels, the group which leaves water and food drops to support migrants crossing the desert (Freleng 2019), as well as holding shows to raise funds to support various causes (e.g., he took the stage at a benefit concert aimed at raising funds to support the on the group find to stop a proposed pipeline through Minnesota that would threaten the lakes, rivers, and wildlife of Indigenous territory; see Juhn 2019).
- 9.
For more on the role of anger in combatting injustice, and particularly racial injustice, see Cherry 2019.
- 10.
For the sake of brevity, I have narrowed the scope of my analysis to looking at Immortal Technique’s first two album releases, namely, Revolutionary Volume 1 (2001) and Revolutionary Volume 2 (2003). This means I am not examining the tracks on his third album, The 3rd World (2008), or his fourth album, The Martyr (2011). There are, of course, excellent tracks on both and I recommend the reader listen to those as well!
- 11.
- 12.
See Katz (2011, 2013). Also see Kivel (2007) for a description of what he calls the “Act like a Man Box,” which young men feel pressured to conform to. The box contains those attitudes and behaviours socially constructed to be properly “masculine,” namely, violence, strength, anger, aggression, and confidence, among others.
- 13.
Some important points to note: in claiming that this toxic formation of masculinity becomes “hegemonic,” I am not claiming that it becomes the singular, or universal, way of presenting or performing masculinity. Rather, in becoming hegemonic, it becomes the dominant form of masculinity—the way of performing masculinity that is celebrated or rewarded and which other formulations of masculinity are compared to. When one falls short of this norm, they face social sanction (i.e., name-calling and ridicule from their peers or those in their social network). In the words of theorists Connell and Messerschmidt (2005), hegemonic masculinity represents the “currently most honored way of being a man, it requires all other men to position themselves in relation to it, and it ideologically legitimates the global subordination of women to men.” Additionally, in making the point (following Katz and Kivel) that this sort of masculinity involves pressures to act “tough” through violence and aggression, I am not claiming that there is anything natural about this or that men (any men) are inherently or naturally violent. Rather, the claim is that the social context (and various dimensions of the media that target people in those contexts) incentivizes this particular way of being (viz., it glorifies aggression, violence, and misogynistic treatment of women) to the point that it becomes normalized and thus feels natural.
- 14.
- 15.
- 16.
While some scholars and/or musicians may likely attest to meaningful differences between rap and hip-hop, for my purposes I will be referring to them synonymously throughout.
- 17.
It is important to issue a content warning before the reader progresses through this section: there will be discussion of sexual violence and suicide.
- 18.
This theme of the role that capitalism plays in corrupting young urban men through distraction and the reinforcement of toxic norms of masculinity is present throughout Revolutionary Volume 1. For example, in the song “Dominant Species,” Technique notes that “The matrix of entrapment is socioeconomic.” He also draws attention to class struggle under capitalism in Revolutionary Volume 2, including in “The Point of No Return,” in which he highlights how poverty breeds violence (“My people are so hungry that they attack without reason”), and in “Harlem Streets,” which contains lines such as “Check to check, constant struggle to make the payments, Workin’ you whole life, wonderin’ where the day went.”
- 19.
For a discussion of “Black Masculinity Under Racial Capitalism,” see Malton (2019).
- 20.
Technique also recognizes that the norms governing masculinity often make it impossible for young men to express pain or grief or to ask for help when they need it. In a podcast interview, he notes his respect for the strength of these young people in light of their circumstances: “Those kids… the reason I have so much love for them, is because they’re the fighters… the bad kids on the reservation, the bad kids in the hood, those are people who are fighters… those are victims of extreme physical violence, extreme sexual violence, of psychological torture, emotional abuse… and they don’t talk about it because it is taboo in our country, especially for men” (Immortal Technique quoted in Breakdances with Wolves 2018).
- 21.
See, for example, Lena (2006). This is likely because, Weitzer and Kubrin argue, there is a perceived consumer demand for stereotypical representations of urban life, and specifically of young men and woman of colour who reside there (Weitzer and Kubrin 2009). In particular, these sorts of lyrics resonate with those who are structurally and systematically denied opportunities for constructing and affirming more positive iterations of masculinity—in particular, Black men are systemically denied access to the institutional routes for obtaining power and status through academics and employment, a problem in serious need of structural change.
- 22.
For a discussion of Technique’s childhood in Peru and his family’s move to Harlem, see his interview feature on NPR (Freleng 2019) in which he describes his experiences as a child in his own words.
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Stewart, H. (2021). Chapter 7: Immortal Technique and the Radical Reimagining of Masculinity on the Street. In: Fosbraey, G., Puckey, N. (eds) Misogyny, Toxic Masculinity, and Heteronormativity in Post-2000 Popular Music. Palgrave Studies in (Re)Presenting Gender. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65189-3_8
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