Living Lavish
The chart below highlights the presence of lavish lifestyles among both female and male rap songs. This chart demonstrates how both female and male rap songs mention some variation of living lavishly regardless of the way it was framed used to describe it. When coding for living lavishly, name brands, spending mass amounts of money, owning property, and travel.
Status symbols were also a highly notable concept that reoccurred in both male and female rap artists. The luxurious lifestyles that were emphasized are associated with brands, traveling, cars, and property. The rap artists frame their success not only by the money they are acquiring but the status symbols associated with wealth. Several rap artists, regardless of gender talk about living a lavish lifestyle. Foxy Brown, Nominee for 2002, says “Lot of planes, lot of cars, a lot of chauffeurs, Lot of Gucci, lot of Louis, lot of Prada loafers” (Marchand, I. Fallin. 2002. Def Jam Records), while describing the life she lives. The list of name brands and expensive assets relay to the listener that she is wealthy and suggests she is of high status. Male rap artists also echo this idea, Asap Rocky, Nominee for 2013, “And them red bottom loafers just to compliment the mink” (Mayers, R. Goldie. 2013. RCA Records) further pushing the idea of flashy items to symbolize status. It reflects a symbol of the American Dream, to be able to attain high ranking, wealth, and display it to verify the attainment to others (Hanson and Zogby 2010). Therefore, it can be suggested that rap music reinforces the capitalistic ideology that is rooted in the American dream and characterizes it as an institutional goal that needs to be maintained for an individual to be considered as successful. The association of status with materialism is noted throughout rap songs, and artists emphasize these symbols to portray a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. Overall, 62% of male rap songs mentioned at least one version of lavish lifestyle living which was similarly represented in female rap songs where 69% of songs noted lavish style living. The culture surrounding extreme wealth and discussion of status symbols are consistent for both genders and can suggest a normalization among extreme spending and name-brand items.
The ThingLink below serves as an example of my coding of lyrics to highlight themes of living lavishly with attention to name brands: (Foxy Brown, Fallin 2001, 2002 Nominee)
The association of status symbols was highly prevalent among both male and female rap artists. However, 5.5% of female rap songs noted women talking about men buying them items and funding a luxurious lifestyle. Rasheeda, 2009 nominee, notes “wana wife me now here he go giving credit cards and House keys that’s wat happens” (Buckner, R. 2009. Let it go. D-Lo). She references being in a relationship with a man who will fund expenses and give her a home. This suggests a relationship between credit cards to wealth as it is associated with high-priced purchases. Having a man fund her luxurious lifestyle and expenses creates a new picture of the dream, of finding a man that will support you financially. Other artists note this as a goal to strive for. Saweetie, 2020 nominee, says “Wrist on glitter (Ayy), waist on thinner (Ayy) I’ma show you how to bag a eight-figure n*** (Hoo)” (Harper, D. Tap In. 2020. Warner Bros Records.) The mention of having wrists with “glitter” refers to jewelry. Being able to afford jewelry that “glitters” sends the message of wealth and status. Therefore, when she pushes her verse towards a leadership approach and teaches other women how to get a man who has 8 figures, it shows a different version of how to attain this lavish lifestyle. The switch in the notion of a lavish lifestyle to how to attain it as a woman presents a multilayered understanding of what is associated with wealth.
The ThingLink below serves as an example of my coding of lyrics to highlight themes of living lavishly with attention to male endorsement: (Saweetie, tap in 2020, 2020 Nominee)
The connections of money, status, and materialism all symbolize and frame this substitute approach to the American dream. The statements that all the symbols provide capture the essence of what the American dream means to these rap artists. Whether that be name brands, luxury lifestyles, or endorsement from men. The connection between different pathways to success and individualism is echoed by rap artists as it is with the American dream (Bukowczyk 2016; Hanson and White 2011; Hanson and Zogby 2010). Both female and male rap artists embody the spirit of the American dream through their materialism and contribution to the economy, upholding the ideology and keeping the spirit alive contemporarily. The way they frame their approach to achieving high status varies, as noted previously, is consistent with Merton’s theory. Additionally, the inclusion of female rap artists’ advice on acquiring male endorsement to achieve economic freedom suggests the presence of intersectionality, as men are assumed to support themselves and women need to be supported.