Forging equality through Rap

 January 15, 2020

By Janet Taras of Speaking Rights

You have not misread, I'm on a mission is to empower with rap, as in hip hop and grime.

The irony is not lost on us. Many rap lyrics are so misogynistically offensive that most feminists boil with rage in the first 15 seconds of listening.

To make matters worse, not only are many rhymes chauvinistic, but the genre has a historical association with violence and gangs.

An odd choice for women’s equality? Not really

The origins of hip hop and rap are neither violent nor misogynistic. The word itself is slang for ‘having a conversation’.

Sources report that villagers in Africa used to tell their stories to families while playing instruments. The tradition carried on during the time many Africans were captured and forced into slavery in America. Expression though music was used to cope with their enormous pain.

In the 70’s rap become popularised, transforming it from a form of expression to become a means to have a voice.

Rap can provide a perfect genre to communicate our feminist views. It just makes sense.

A lot of ground to be made

Sadly, the world of hip hop is far from equal. According to a Guardian article the pay gap between women and men rappers is more accurately described as a Chasm, it’s massive.

Female rappers are battling for recognition at every stage of their career - and this serves as a reminder for many further women’s equality issues.

I''m on a mission to help women raise their voices in ways that can forge equality, and to supoprt them in having the challenging conversations that often we all need to have.

And, hopefully, over time collectively we can help level the rap industry and break the barriers facing women artists.

About Janet Taras, Founder of Speaking Rights

Janet Taras is an award-winning speaker and a conversational strategist who challenges and supports people in the workforce to have productive difficult conversations that lead to progress, not arguments. Janet's keynote speeches and training programs have unleashed 1,000s of essential conversations, resulting in more people feeling empowered to tackle everyday challenges. Janet's clients include Superdrug, GSK, Coutts, Merck, Willmott Dixon, Prudential, Marks and Spencer’s and many more. She is known as one of the most provocative speakers on Leadership Conversations and has spoken in over 25 cities inspiring people to stop avoiding conflict. 

Janet has 25 years' experience in the consumer goods industry developing and marketing products around the globe. She has worked for small and large size businesses and created over 1,000 products in her career, which can only be done with effective communication. Janet is currently studying for her MSc in Organisational Psychology. She is an entrepreneur who founded 2 businesses. She has lived in 6 different countries and is slightly dog obsessed.