Hip Hop HIPocrisy: Hip Hop Overlooks Latto’s Complaint About Abuse Of Power From Male Counterparts

Will Hip Hop ever evolve to the point that women are respected as equal business cohorts? Granted that the visual of the evergreen female rapper established by the Roxanne Shante, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte tribe still thrives in reincarnations such as, Rapsody, Tierra Whack, and Lakeyah, for instance, thanks to some sexually liberated female lyricists who were willing to empower others through suggestive music and clothing, there’s a hoard of women in rap that need to be protected.

Some would argue that 90s rappers single-handedly changed the game to the point of ruination when it comes to how women are represented in hip hop. Now, female rappers are expected to “sell sex” despite not really wanting the advances of men. And although there’s always an out for those not willing to go the distance, these female rappers usually become obsolete as no one pays attention to them. Once again, women are left to fend for their own.

Rapper Latto nonchalantly mentioned an egregious offense when she interviewed on Big Boy’s Neighborhood, a Los Angeles based radio segment featured on REAL 92.3 FM.

As the “Big Energy” artist preps for her upcoming album release, she’s recently ran into some issues with clearing music, saying that an unnamed male artist “dropped their nuts on me because I won’t respond to a DM.”

Big Boy responded in shock, although the very way he kicked off the interview further supported Latto’s point about male gatekeepers in hip hop not sticking to business when he introduced Latto by saying, “We’ve been waiting on this one to get into the neighborhood. I just wanted to tackle you. You know, you ever see some people and you just want to tackle and like dry hump? It sound crazy.”

Yes, Big Boy — however, harmless — it’s crazy. And because of the politics of a**-kissing industry minions, some of them being women, men who violate women in hip hop will not be held accountable for how they treat and speak to women. Luckily, Big Boy quickly switched his disposition to be more forward conscious, further inquiring about Latto’s potential to influence the culture.

Latto continued, “I love the song so much and I had to turn it in yesterday, so I didn’t really have a choice so I was, like, backed into a corner, like bullied. But, I wish more females would speak up on stuff. I know like the label and stuff, they say that, you know, ‘Don’t do that, it’s bad business,’ whatever. Man, these folks be trying to drop nuts on female rappers. I’m not going to shut up about it.”

Watch the full interview HERE.

Latto isn’t alone. Nicki Minaj recently admitted that, at the subtle behest of her male counterparts, she felt pressured to change her body in order to be sexually appealing. Not surprisingly, both Latto and Minaj’s admissions were barely recognized, and certainly no action was taken.

What it comes down to — unwelcome sexual advances, inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature, inquiries for sexual favors, are all forms of sexual harassment. Blacklisting a female entertainer because she is unwilling to participate in these acts is not only a moral violation but also negates the law.

Even when self-employed or independently contracted, as rappers tend to be, the perpetrator can find themselves personally liable for committing these offenses (Refer to surge of rideshare sexual abuse lawyers that are now available).

For whatever reason, there are no unions to protect music artists. There isn’t even a hotline bling dedicated specifically to the hip hop industry that solely focuses on these unspoken travesties.

So, for now, it’s up to every female artist to speak up, just like Latto and Nicki Minaj did, and to support each other. Otherwise, hip hop will continue to ignore the various stories of sexual allegations and weirdos running rampant in an industry that has yet to be served its own version of the #MeToo meltdown.