FEATURE:
Shining a Light
IN THIS PHOTO: Lady Leshurr is one of the strongest voices in British Grime (despite this, women are still in the minority in a genre that is slow to evolve)/PHOTO CREDIT: Derrick Kakembo
When Will the Women of Grime Get the Respect and Focus They Deserve?
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THIS year has been a busy and eventful one…
IN THIS PHOTO: Ms. Banks is one of the most underrated Grime artists in the U.K. right now/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
where we have seen some of the best albums of the past decade released. In my view, the best albums have been made by women. Maybe it is the passion on display or a greater sense of variety. In any case, it has been a tremendous one for female artists and, as I keep asking, I hope this reflects next year when festival line-ups are announced. It seems like the issue of under-representation is not going away. I shall come on to black women in Grime (which the BBC documentary/show tackles) but, even in 2019, it seems Grime is a genre that is still struggling to give its female artists a level platform. Whereas some genres are still struggling with gender inequality and not given women enough attention – Country and Metal spring to mind – others are starting to progress and improve. As early as 2016, when there was a wave of impressive female talent emerging, there was little talk regarding creating balance and addressing sexism. Pitchfork reacted to this:
“Yet for all the hype surrounding grime’s current wave, not enough of it is devoted to the scene’s women, who are every bit as impressive in their skills. Lady Leshurr is the most visible of grime's women at the moment—for good reason—but her melodic shit-talking is nowhere near as known as it deserves to be. Croydon MC Nadia Rose recently put her own spin on the “Eskimo” instrumental and made it sound as fresh in 2016 as it did in 2002. Ms Banks sets booths on fire, packing mentions of politics, financial aspirations, and female empowerment into one slick verse and wondering if anyone who might question her talent is “feeling alright.”
IN THIS PHOTO: Little Simz is a Grime/Rap artist who is inspiring a new wave of female artists/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
In a recent interview, Stormzy said that misogyny wasn’t really associated with his genre, or rather that it was more prevalent in hip-hop. The latter point is debatable: Of course misogyny in hip-hop culture has long been a topic of discussion, but if you listen to enough grime, it won’t take long to notice that one of the easiest ways to shut down another contender is to liken them to part of a woman’s anatomy. It took a trifecta of raw talent, determination, and shrewd business sense to propel Nicki Minaj to the top of the rap game, but if she looks around, her cohorts are overwhelmingly male”.
There are people out there – such as photographer Ellie Ramsden - who are not willing to let this discrimination and ignorance continue - but there is, clearly, a problem. Some might say Grime is evolving and more women are entering the scene and, whilst that might be true, are they given the same coverage and opportunities. Look at Grime/Rap artists like Little Simz and the amazing work she is doing. We know Hip-Hop has always had a problem with misogamy and sexism and, even now, there are vastly more men in the genre than women; the same holds true of Grime. I wonder whether it is a case of men controlling the labels and studios; venues holding all-male Grime nights and the media not doing enough to shine a light on the amazing women in Grime.
IN THIS PHOTO: Whilst Nadia Rose is one of the best Grime artists around, she does not get the same coverage and acclaim as many of her male peers/PHOTO CREDIT: The Squad
2016 seems to be as pivotal year when discussions were happening and great articles emerged that highlighted women pushing Grime forward. The likes of A.G and Julie Adenuga were striking hard but one hardly heard about them in magazines and on the radio – compared to the men, at least. Today, the likes of Little Simz and Lady Leshurr are creating incredible music but, when it comes to the list of the best Grime/Rap tracks of 2019, they are massively in the minority. Earlier this year, a BBC article talked about gender perceptions and how, from clubs to radio stations, the microphone is largely in the hands of male artists – and why Grime and Rap should be judged on merit and not gender. I don’t agree with the opinion Grime is more popular with men because women are not interested: the comparative lack of women is as a result of a lack of acceptance, great women being overlooked and those in a position of power unwilling to promote female artists the same way as men. The BBC feature raised some interesting points:
"Music should be measured on its merit, not on its gender," according to Dotty, the host of the Radio 1Xtra Breakfast Show.
Dotty was a Grime MC herself at one point.
"I think we need to stop looking at 'women in grime' or 'woman in rap' as a separate category," she adds, "and put them on a level playing field with the guys."
And she says there are stereotypes around the genre that need to be looked at.
"Grime is seen as more of an aggressive genre, and I think we're trying to break out of that. It's about breaking those boundaries and saying 'it's ok for women to do this'."
"We should be further, but you know what? Let's celebrate the fact that we've already made some steps," concludes Lady Fury.
"The world is changing".
It is interesting reading that last point about Grime being aggressive. I do not think genres like Grime and Hip-Hop are violent or angry: it is more about passion and, when it comes to talking about the realities of life, a degree of energy needs to be expended. Are we saying, then, that women cannot be aggressive…or they do not have the prowess and chops to succeed? Grime is about flow and conviction; the poetry and physicality of the moment – women, in all genres, are releasing sensational music with these attributes so why does Grime still struggle to bring women to the forefront?! I think there are misconceptions regarding Grime’s sound and ethos; a feeling that it should be driven by men and that they have the best lines and shout the loudest. Grime and Rap are genres evolving and growing more nuanced as the years go by. Artists are bringing in other sounds and genres to ensure Grime remains pure but is much broader and accessible.
IN THIS PHOTO: Caroline Simionescu-Marin is a former editor of Grime website GRM Daily and is now a talent scout at the label XL Recordings/PHOTO CREDIT: GRAZIA
When it comes to critics’ lists of the best Hip-Hop and Rap albums, men still dominate…and I wonder whether we will see change. It is a lie to suggest women are inferior regarding the music they put out and they do not want to come into these genres. The fact of the matter is that there are fantastic female artists in Grime but they are not viewed as essential, rich and strong as the men – something that has to stop. Not only does Grime have a problem regarding gender but there is a real issue when it comes to showcasing black women. Again, this is not a new trend and, as we know there are brilliant women in Grime, it is alarming to see so little movement regarding progress. I want to bring in a couple of articles that speak about a lack of black women in Grime getting props. The Guardian investigated the problem last year:
“Most “women to watch” lists hailing top female talent in the genre are dominated by white women – in i-D magazine’s 2017 rundown of women in grime, of 10 game-changers listed, only three were black. If lists detailing grime’s male talent saw a dearth of black men, there would be widespread outrage. But when black women are absent, the issue barely registers.
One black male journalist who asked to remain anonymous claimed that male MCs have exacerbated the issue by giving preferential access to white female journalists and presenters. “Grime is built more like an aristocracy than a nation. That’s why they cut out black women”.
IN THIS PHOTO: Stormzy is one of the most celebrated Grime artists of the moment/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
With fierce talents like NoLay, I wonder whether strong women are a threat to male Grime artists. A lot of male artists are not taking women on tour and collaborating with them. It is a divided genre and one that would be a lot more diverse and harmonious if there was more acknowledgment from men. Here, in this BBC article, the plight of black women is explained:
“Whether as MC’s, managers, journalists or taste-makers, black women are underrepresented in Grime.
There is a dearth of successful black female artists, but what is less well known is that behind the scenes, many of the biggest female names who have worked or are still working within the industry are white - Hattie Collins, Olivia Rose, Hyper Frank, Chantelle Fiddy to name a few.
Very few black men and white women are willing to speak up on behalf of black women, perhaps as Dr Joy White, an academic of the Independent Social Research Foundation suggests, for fear of revealing complicity. The majority of insiders willing to put their heads above the parapet, albeit hesitantly, were black women.
Though many were understandably worried about potential repercussions, they spoke openly about the difficulties faced in the industry of which there were several. In the documentary, DJ Kaylee Kay from the platform Girls of Grime spoke about how black women were often written off as ‘bitter’, the angry black woman stereotype colouring their valid grievances before they were even aired.
In asking where the black women are in Grime, we also have to ask where the black women are in any other music genre, particularly in Britain. They tend to be in the same place in each scene – overlooked”.
IN THIS PHOTO: Grime M.C. Lady Fury/PHOTO CREDIT: gene-glover.com
There is a link to a discussion that was held on Woman’s Hour back in 2016 but, three years down the line, has the situation improved greatly? Not only are black women still overlooked but women in Grime are seen as a less important and potent commodity. The fact there has been such little change means some promising Grime artists will be put off and feel their voices will not be taken seriously. It can be controversial talking about women in Grime and, when the issue is posed on social media, you always get comments that say the same things: women are not as interested in Grime as other genres; the strongest and most popular Grime is being made by men and the genre is as open as accepting as any. I do not necessarily agree with any of these notions and feel that, as Grime becomes more popular and important at a time of division, women have a vital role to play. There is still a lot of attention put the way of leaders like Wiley, Stormzy and Dizzee Rascal…what about the legendary women and newcomers who are part of the fabric? There are articles dedicated to pioneering women in Grime; those who have shaped the scene and pushing things forward. I hope 2020 sees Grime making changes and spotlighting the work of women more because, with every passing year, there are discussions around women in Grime and why they are not as prominent/popular as men. One only needs to check out the likes of Nadia Rose, Lady Leshurr and Little Simz to realise what immense…
IN THIS PHOTO: Ebi Sampson is a rising name in Grime/PHOTO CREDIT: i-D
QUALITY is on display.