Background Story:
In March of 2004, Nelly organized bone marrow drive along
with Asha Jennings of Spelman College for his sister who was dying from bone
marrow cancer at the time. Nelly non-profit organization 4Sho4Kids also
assisted with cause and bringing awareness about bone-marrow cancer. But later
in the month of March Asha was watching videos and saw Nelly’s video “Tip Drill.” The video features woman in
thongs dancing around swimming pool, in a mansion with pool hall and a hot tub.
Lastly, video in the last scene Nelly swipes a credit card through a woman’s
buttocks. The cause for bone-marrow drive changed to female protesters against
Nelly coming to campus in an effort to save his sister life.
Eight years ago Spelman implemented class “Images of Woman
in the Media. According to article from Inside Spelman, there was open dialogue
for many students to participate on the discussion of how woman a portrayed in
the media. I feel differently about this subject towards how woman are
portrayed in rap music or hip-hop music videos. The art form of hip-hop music
cultural is based on our environment what we seen growing up. Therefore,
growing up in poverty woman is sometimes seen as provocative or being very
sexual. Many hip-hop artists who come from this same element only paint a
picture about their lifestyles. The reality is hip-hop gives the youth the
negative harsh realities about living in the projects or low-income
neighborhoods. Lastly, woman need to understand is message mostly in every
record. Nelly’s song “Tip Drill” was about tipping strippers when you go out to
strip clubs. Most women will feel degraded about the messages and the images in
these types of videos. The woman that earns a living being strippers and pay for
their college tuition will have total different view. If you feel degraded as a woman about certain
type of videos just don’t watch that music program. The art form of hip-hop
doesn’t have limits when it comes to expression if you are against the images
or the voice just turned it off.
