Gender and Communication How the Female Gender is Portrayed in Kenya in Secular Hip-hop Music Videos

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out how the female gender is portrayed in Kenyan secular hip-hop music videos. The music videos under study were produced by Ogopa Deejays, one of the biggest music production houses in Kenya. Data was gathered through the use of in- depth interviews, viewing the videos and documentation. The study found out that the female gender was portrayed negatively and stereotypically in the Kenyan secular hip-hop music videos. These negative stereotypes indicate the female gender is submissive to the male gender; girls are materialistic and prostitutes, and finally the girls are portrayed as objects. The results also show that the Kenyan hip-hop artists are heavily influenced by their counterparts from the West. Another important finding was that hip-hop music is listened to and sung by the youth. Based on the findings, this study recommends the use of hip-hop music as a tool of addressing problems and issues that face the youth. It also challenges the music producers to portray both genders as equal. The Christian fraternity is borrowing from the secular world and it is recommended that they borrow with caution.