P Diddy & Beyond: The Music Industry’s Misogyny Problem

elvicheva

The recent scandal surrounding P Diddy reminded me why I wasn’t shocked by the allegations against him. Music has a way of hiding dark truths behind catchy beats, but it’s time we address the violence and misogyny that’s been normalized in the industry for decades. From hip hop to pop, rock to raggaeton, this isn’t just about one artist—it’s a systemic problem we can no longer ignore.  Join me as I unpack the troubling history of misogyny in music and comment some of the most questionable lyrics you know 💿  Sorry for the audio distortion in the second half of the video, no idea what happened there 🤠  Sources can be found throughout the video. Video effects and some of the visual content was created in Canva and edited on Davinci Resolve. Music by Grand_Project from Pixabay.  Enquiries: acrosstheglobewithelvi@gmail.com  #PDiddy #MisogynyInMusic #MusicIndustry #HipHopCulture #ViolenceAgainstWomen #RKelly #Eminem #RobinThicke #DrDre #Rammstein #MusicCritique #FeminismInMusic #MeToo #StopMisogyny #AccountabilityInMusic #AbuseInEntertainment #HipHopMisogyny #MusicIndustrySecrets #SurvivorStories #CancelMisogyny

Transcript

00:00Is anyone really surprised by the allegations against P. Didi?

00:04Well, many know him as a music mogul, but the recent really disturbing accusations cost him

00:09in a much darker light. On October the 17th, Combs was arrested and denied bail,

00:15and his indictment includes a staggering list of accusations, including human trafficking,

00:20coercion, drug-related offenses, kidnapping, arson, and obstruction of justice. And if convicted,

00:26he faces a minimum of 15 years in prison. But this behavior wasn't an isolated secret in the music

00:33industry. According to Cassie, who accused Combs of physical abuse and SA during their 11-year

00:40relationship, Combs' behavior wasn't a secret to everyone. I remember him screaming and saying,

00:46is somebody in the car with you? I know someone's in the car with you. Something is wrong. And ever

00:52since she brought her complaint on the New York's quickly expiring Adult Survivors Act,

00:57over 50 other people have reportedly corroborated Combs' violent behavior. Yet, despite the severity of

01:05these accusations, the industry hasn't particularly shied away from embracing him before and after the

01:12accusations, which reflects a broader issue in hip-hop culture and entertainment, the normalization of

01:20misogyny and violence against women.

01:23Now, there's so many videos on the details of PDD's case, which I can link in this video if you want to

01:34watch more. But in this particular video, I will focus more on the instances of misogyny and violence

01:40against women surrounding PDD and just hip-hop culture overall, just because that's something I'm

01:48particularly sensitive and alert to. So if you're interested in this topic, let's dive straight into

01:54it. So yeah, I have to admit, I was not particularly surprised by those allegations against Diddy. I feel

02:00like sometimes we forget how disturbing hip-hop lyrics can be. Now, I couldn't name Diddy's songs at the

02:07top of my head since his most popular songs on Spotify are just features. But doing some very quick

02:14digging, I easily found the first questionable song.

02:27Never give up freedom. That did not age well. There's no denying that the emergence of hip-hop as a

02:33music genre was world-changing. It has given us profound voices like Eminem, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar,

02:40Kid Cudi, Tyler, the Creator. I'm just naming my personal favorites. But also social narratives that

02:46reveal real struggles. But we can't ignore the darker side where violence, particularly against women,

02:52is often glorified. In gangster rap, women are often reduced to disposable playthings. In too many songs,

02:59getting what you want through violence if necessary is celebrated. And it's not only hip-hop, the entertainment

03:05industry across genres reinforces these themes. Think of songs like Blurred Lines in pop

03:14or even Eminem's graphic Kim in rap.

03:24In rock, Rammstein has used graphic themes in ways that walk a fine line between

03:28art and normalized violence. In reggaeton, sexualizing and pretty much degrading women

03:38is almost a must-have for a successful hit.

03:47Or if you watch Brazilian funk videos, the only thing women are useful for there is just shaking

03:53their parts. I know about all of this because I also enjoy listening and dancing to all of these

04:00examples. But sometimes I can't help but wonder if I will ever be able to enjoy music without

04:05occasionally being taken aback by the misogyny. A sprinkle of hatred against women or just really

04:11terrible lyrics that are probably not necessary. These disturbing topics have permeated music genres

04:18mostly because of patriarchy. So hip-hop is not the main culprit here. But I would say that hip-hop songs

04:25feature such themes most often. The industry's tolerance of these themes has been critiqued by

04:31scholars like Kate Mann in her book Down Girl, where she argues that misogyny doesn't arise in isolation.

04:39Rather, it is a matter of social norms, expectations and consequences that order the lives of women and

04:45girls under a system of patriarchal oppression. Rap Mongols, especially those at the level of Sean

04:58Combs, often embody a larger-than-life persona that blurs the line between eccentricity and harmful

05:04behavior. And Didi, along with other rap legends like Dr Dre and Russell Simmons, build empires in an

05:11industry that sometimes valorizes these behaviors. Unlike indie artists, who may be socially conscious,

05:18these powerful figures are surrounded by wealth and fame, creating a bubble where harmful actions can be

05:23dismissed as the cost of genius. And fans are encouraged to see these artists as untouchable,

05:30their controversies as part of their mystique, adding to their allure. But there's an interesting

05:36detail. Bell Hooks captures this dynamic in her essay on gangster rap, where she discusses how the

05:42capitalist system elevates this man but also subjugates them. And she argues that white supremacist

05:49capitalist patriarchy rewards young black men for perpetuating misogynistic values, using them as pawns

05:56on a plantation of misogyny. She warns that this culture, far from being authentic black expression,

06:03is a distortion driven by white patriarchal interests that sell misogyny as a viable path to success.

06:10There's actually a striking difference in how we hold different musicians accountable. While pop stars

06:15like Taylor Swift are constantly scrutinized as role models, rappers, particularly male rappers,

06:22are often expected to be edgy or authentic, and the violent imagery surrounding their personas is often

06:29excused. This is part of a larger social problem. For some fans, the controversies of black hip-hop

06:35artists playing to voyeuristic or even racialized expectations, where these scandals become

06:40entertainment rather than moral concerns. As Bell Hook points out, society's tolerance of gangster rap's

06:47themes also reveals a deeper apathy toward protecting black women in her particular essay,

06:52but I would also extend it to just women overall.

07:01Hooks claims in her essay that feminist critiques of black male sexism fail as meaningful intervention

07:07if they demonize black men without addressing the white supremacist capitalist patriarchy that fuels

07:14and rewards them behavior. The violent themes in rap aren't just about individual artists. They are rooted

07:20in the social and historical conditions that birthed hip-hop itself. Gangster rap emerged from the streets

07:26of America's inner cities, reflecting the violence and despair that defined daily life. Initially,

07:32these themes were an expression of struggle and resistance, but as the industry grew, music labels began

07:38to see the appeal of these edgy lyrics. They went from rejecting misogynistic songs to actively signing

07:45artists who leaned into violent and explicit content, thus turning a subculture into a commercial goldmine,

07:53just like it happens usually with capitalism. Bell Hook contends that gangster rap didn't develop

07:58in a vacuum, rather it was a direct response to a culture that has long romanticized violence through

08:03the lens of capitalism. Movies like Reservoir Dogs, for example, portray violent urban male archetypes

08:10as cool, and gangster rap mimics these portrayals, making misogynistic expressions seem glamorous rather

08:16than deeply harmful. When influential figures like PDD engage in misogynistic behavior, they send a

08:23powerful message to society that these actions are somehow acceptable or excusable, and as scholars

08:29Vlad and Pease argue, repeated public tolerance of these behaviors only strengthens the cycle of abuse

08:36and discrimination in society. This idea is further supported by the social learning theory, which suggests

08:42that when influential figures model misogynistic behavior, it can encourage others to adopt

08:47these attitudes as well. By observing these role models, listeners may begin to see abusive behavior as

08:52acceptable. Within the context of patriarchy, this deeply embedded misogyny continues to reinforce

08:59and reward male dominance at the expense of women's autonomy.

09:08To combat misogyny in music, we need to hold artists accountable, but not just through cancelled

09:14sponsorships or social media backlash, which is the case nowadays, but also through a serious industry

09:20reform. Bell Hooks urges that this change must extend beyond targeting just black male artists,

09:26to include all aspects of white supremacist capitalist patriarchy. Addressing the industry

09:31at its root could open space for healthier, more respectful representations of women in hip-hop

09:38and all the other genres. And of course, as consumers we have responsibility too. While we might love

09:43this artist's music, we can't ignore the harmful messages some of them promote. Bell Hooks essay was

09:49written in the 90s, but the issue of misogyny in rap is still there. So it's really time to push back

09:57against misogynistic themes while still honoring hip-hop's role as a powerful cultural force. With

10:03recent global events, we as common people have learned that we do hold immense power through social media.

10:08We can boycott companies that finance harmful movements, we can mobilize online to raise awareness,

10:15we can sign petitions and put pressure on governments and influential figures. So I believe that keeping

10:21the topic of this video in mind in our day-to-day life is crucial to promote the systemic changes that

10:27our society really needs and despite some doubts is fully in our power as common people. And that's it for

10:35today. Thank you so much for watching this video. Let me know in the comments if you have any thoughts on

10:39the PDD case or the music industry and the questions raised in this video. And yeah, let's continue

10:47demanding accountability in the industry we all love.

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