REPRESENTATIONS OF BLACK MASCULINITY IN THE 2010s HIP-HOP
REPRESENTATIONS OF BLACK MASCULINITY IN THE 2010s HIP-HOP

Summary/Abstract: Representations of Black Masculinity in the 2010s Hip-Hop. One of the most well-known perceptions of contemporary African-American males comes from hip-hop music, a genre dominated largely by Black men. The overly sexual, hypermasculine, angry and aggressive persona is a characteristic of these performers. However, in recent years, this toxic masculinity has been challenged and deconstructed by mainstream artists. Important voices in hip-hop, such as Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West and Jay-Z are embracing a more truthful and intellectual approach to what it means to be a Black man in the United States. This paper sets out to explore these changes, exemplifying them through the lyrics of commercially successful and critically acclaimed rappers.

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