Deidra Howard sat in The University Center next to a big-screen TV that seems locked on blaring hip-hop videos. Videos, some think, portray women in a negative light.
Howard, a senior communications major, said she has learned how to block out the media's portrayal of women.
"You have to learn to have a strong mind," she said. "When I listen to it I don't see myself. My spiritual side is stronger."
It has now become important to begin looking at the portrayal of young black women in rap music, who are seen in a negative light, said Dr. Earnestine Jenkins, a professor of art history.
"Often young black females don't get a second thought," she said. The issue of women in rap music has been brought into public discussion by Essence magazine's new initiative called Take Back the Music, she said. The article encourages both negative and positive conversation about the topic.
Jenkins said she has never known a product that comes from black culture that has been under so much criticism.
"It's fair if it's legitimate," she said. "Sometimes it's legitimate."
Although she is not against rap, she said many of the male rappers don't have respect for women. She said if they did, they wouldn't put any women in positions they wouldn't put their sisters or mothers in. The women showcased in the music videos are nearly naked and portrayed as prostitutes, Jenkins said.
It is partly up to women to stand up and not accept this portrayal, she said.
However, this isn't an easy thing to do because young females aren't shown all of their options in life, and it is often the only way for a woman to get into the business, Jenkins said.
The women who take on this persona have short careers and are forgotten, Jenkins said.
She said women are portrayed negatively in rock, too, but there are several reasons it doesn't get the same scrutiny as rap. Rock doesn't have the widespread influence that rap has, and its origins are more appreciated.
She said when rock music spawned from blues (which was often raunchy and sexual) and R & B, it was more accepted by the white community. She said, accepted or not, rap music's portrayal of women sells a lot of records and it isn't going to go away.
The best way to change its effect on women is to teach them at an early age how to ignore what is going on in the media.
Howard said some women see themselves parallel to what they see on TV, and they act that way to mold themselves to the hype.
Just like every woman is not like that, not every rapper uses derogatory content in their songs, she said.
Kanye West and Mase are two examples she gave of men in the business that do not portray the gangster lifestyle.
Howard said more rappers who use positive content would help many things, and she thinks the trend of a positive message in music is catching on.
It only takes a couple of people to begin changing things for the better, she said.
Like Jenkins, Howard doesn't see the music or the content losing popularity or support, and because of the money it brings in record companies will not stop producing o publishing it.
Money also plays another part of the music, said De Carlo Gordon, a junior exercise and sports science major.
He said there are two sides to the story. A lot of rappers use their lives as inspiration for the songs, and once you become successful you have money. He said when people get rich they have women around them.Gordon said sometimes the women act like what is portrayed.
He said he doesn't agree with much of what is being rapped about, and the solution starts at home where parents should being teaching children what is right and wrong. He said kids are at home watching, and they are exposed to these things everyday.
However, he said, things aren't going to change.
"I can say it needs to be cleaned up, but it's not going to stop," Gordon said. "If it were clean, no one would buy it."
