Hello!

Hello Everyone!  I am completing this project for a capstone  in my Media Literacy Certification at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.  Throughout this project, I will be analyzing the way the word "bitch" is used  in a number of various hip hop songs.  Hip hop music has primarily perpetuated heterosexism since its origins, and has only evolved into suggesting stronger motives.  Although African American women still grow with success within the hip-hop industry and mainframe, the gender roles they take on is either in forms of empowerment or submissiveness.  With that being said, the word "bitch" has integrated itself into the Hip Hop music world, and has evolved over time into more complex definitions to understand, internalize, and become more difficult to read the meaning or purpose of the word's usage in each song.

Simply put, when the word "Bitch" entered the Hip Hop world, it was used mainly to downgrade women, and make them more inferior to men.  It was utilized in a derogatory way, towards women that upheld bad reputations, or committed actions that were considered "un-lady like".  Over time the word has evolved into taking on many more meanings.  The word is used interchangeably with men and women  now.  With women, it can sometimes take on it more derogatory origins; however, more hip hop artists are attempting to utilize the word to suggest empowerment.  This can be controversial because, fans and audiences may choose to interpret the song and the way the word is used based on their own perceptions, and not the intentions of the artist.

Many problems are associated with this word "bitch", yet we are seeing it being used more and more whether it is in our daily lives or in the media.  When the word "bitch" originated it was simply used  to describe female dogs.  Over a hundred years ago, the word had evolved into being directed towards women in negative ways.  The Oxford Online Dictionary defines Bitch as,
bitch |bi ch |noun1 a female dog, wolf, fox, or otter.2 informal derogatory a woman whom one dislikes or considers to bemalicious or unpleasant.• [in sing. ] informal a thing or situation that is unpleasant or difficultto deal with : the stove is a bitch to fix.verb [ intrans. ] informalexpress displeasure; grumble : they bitch about everything | [as n. ] (bitching) we're tired of your bitching.ORIGIN Old English bicce, of Germanic origin 

With that being said, is it okay for this term to take on so many meanings and be used in so many ways without causing repercussions for our future society?  When it is used toward men, it is also used in a derogatory way, that is more often rejected and not accepted by society, in comparison to its use towards women.  Why is this so?  I've been coming across, that in today's society the acceptability of the word "bitch" is depending more and more on the context in which it is being used.  However, if definitions and contexts are all constructed depending upon a person's perception, this leaves a lot of room for misinterpretation.

This link is a mini-documentary conducted by Chantel van Milligen titled "Bitch: A mini-documentary on the Gender Slur".  She asks many people their perceptions of the word, and also about when and when it is not okay to use the term.  I found this very interesting, and she did a great job.  I am including this link in my project, because her research speaks profoundly to the subject of my project.
Bitch: A mini-documentary

Throughout this project, I will be analyzing three different songs, and the way the word bitch is used within them.  With that being said, I will discuss implied meanings, and what bloggers, comment contributors, and fans say about the song, as well as my own interpretation or perception of the song.  I will be looking at how others internalize its lyrics, and discussing my reactions.  In addition to taking a more critical approach to conveying how bitch is being utilized.

Is it irony or problematic that a word's meaning has shifted from derogatory to imply empowerment?  

If so, can the word "bitch" ever lose its degrading past?  

How is the term supposed to take on different meanings and become an accepted part of the American culture to use regularly, when its use in the past has been solely connected to downgrading people?