If rapper Rocky Rivera‘s powerhouse anthem doesn’t inspire you to become a feminist, we’re not sure what will! ‘Turn You’ is a track off her album Nom de Guerre, which was released in 2015. Nom de Guerre means “an assumed name under which a person engages in combat or some other activity or enterprise”, and it’s clear Rocky is fighting the patriarchy with tracks like ‘Pussy Kills’, ‘GRLGNG’ and of course ‘Turn You’.
It’s a specific kind of patriarchy, however, one that is most commonly found in the male-dominated hip hop genre where lyrics boasting the objectification of women’s bodies and acquisition of superficial items are the norm. The San Francisco-born artist started out as a journalist, writing for publications such as Rolling Stone magazine, before entering the music world.
The Filipino-American has dropped a couple of mixtapes as well as solo albums and steadily gathered a loyal following which has led to opportunities such as opening for artists like Macklemore, and performing alongside Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar at the 2012 SXSW Festival.
When you hear her music, there is no mistaking her boldness, her powerful presence lyrically and emotionally, and there is no confusion in regard to what she is passionate about. Whether it’s social issues, politics, or rhyming about her family’s journey to the United States from the Philippines, there is an unmistakable essence of a woman telling the world to “hear her roar” as she dominates the mic.
It turns out Beyonce has good company when it comes to feminist artistry, and there are more and more women in music unapologetically stating their belief in gender equality. The lyrics in Rocky’s ‘Turn You’ are almost like a creative middle finger to the way women are typically depicted in hip hop music videos especially.
“You think I live Happily Ever After?
This ain’t a muthaf****n’ fairy tale
Yeah I was caught up in the rapture
But now common sense must prevail, huh?
I ain’t a muthaf****n’ princess.”
Ya heard? That’s Rocky’s opening rhyme which basically backs up a recent study from Brigham Young University which found that the girls engaging in the Disney Princess culture are more susceptible to gender stereotypes. Already we’re in agreement with her.
“See, I’ma turn you to a feminist
I’ma show you how good it is
To have a woman on top, handlin’ biz
Handlin’ mine – ain’t nothin’ wrong about it
Tired of talkin’ bout it, we need to be about it
I’m liberated, ain’t nothin’ you can do about it.”
The idea of a woman directing the course of her own career shouldn’t be controversial at all in 2016, but in certain industries it still can be. In an interview with Time magazine not too long ago, arguably the world’s most famous hip hop artist Nicki Minaj talked about how she had to fight for equal opportunities (including pay) and doesn’t regret taking the reigns of her career. It’s a message that bears repeating, especially in the genre where feminism and equality isn’t necessarily the norm.
“But it’s more than just philosophy
You can have the world, I have the universe inside of me
You can have the fame, I got my family to ride with me
Take my last name, but you can’t deny my history
I’ma show you what it means to have equality
I’ma make my ancestors proud of me
I’ma help you redefine masculinity
My fate is greater than the gender you assign to me…”
We’re seeing a lot of discussion around toxic masculinity and the idea of gender equality being just as liberating for men as it is women. With the acknowledgement and enlightenment of women breaking free from narrow ideals of femininity, Rocky taps into what is happening among the modern feminist movement where women are now also speaking out in favor of men who deserve better.
Rocky Rivera is certainly an artist to watch and we can’t wait to see how her messages of girl power and feminism make an impact on her audiences as she grows. You can watch the entire ‘Turn You’ video below (language warning!):
