Why do we still have the middle MAN?

by Joshsam

The concept behind The Impossebulls song Cut Out the Middle Man is pretty simple, but it leaves one massive question in my opinion. That question is 'Why do we still have so many middle men in Hip Hop?' Or rather why is Hip Hop still so dominated by men in the mainstream, the underground is hard to guage as a lot of acts there are still unknown.

A few reasons for the distinct lack of women in Hip Hop come to mind, some may be accurate and all may be nonsense. But here they are:

-Women just aren't good enough. I don't believe that, I just have to look at the achievements of MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Eve, Salt n Pepa etc both in the spotlight and behind the scenes to know that women can compete. But there is still a perception that men are better rappers etc, maybe the male execs can't think beyond this stereotype?

-The price is too high. Is there a Hip Hop equivalent of the Hollywood casting couch? If that is the case then maybe that is a price most women are not willing to pay - although if it does exist surely for every woman not willing to pay the price there is at least one willing to. Also if there is such a thing, is there also a male equivalent?

-A fear of loosing control. Maybe there is a mindset amongst the male powerbrokers in Hip Hop that runs a long the lines of if women get a bigger share of the action they will eventually gain more power, thus threatening the current set up. Maybe women have been held back because of this?

-Women are too intelligent to fall for or rather sign shite contracts. Again for everyone that won't sign surely there is another who will?

It's all ifs, buts and maybes...I obviously don't know the real reason behind why. Just seems weird to me that if sex sells then why are there so many men up front in the videos - in fact why do we hear of so few female producers, video directors, engineers, etc is it simply a case of jobs for the boys? Maybe more women buy Hip Hop nowadays and the male is needed to sell it to them, maybe the real sex object is the male and the near naked dancers are just there to mop up the sales of any male stragglers? Maybe the male artist is there to satisfy the execs fantasy and the female dancers are there to sell the product?

February 2004