The word “real,” and all the complexities that word engenders in light of the seminal American popular music form: Blackface Minstrelsy. In this form, Blackness was largely expropriated as artifice and farce, while gender identities were simultaneously stereotyped and queered. We explored how particular expressions of gender, and specifically the “Real N***A” trope of NWA, are portrayed as “more real” than others, and how vocal distortion techniques can challenge some of these stereotypical and sometimes regressive ideas about gender and race. In the song “Keep it Coochie” by the brilliant Brooklyn rapper Cakes da Killa. In this song, Cakes uses vocal distortion to queer his voice and challenge gender norms, and similarly does so through Signifyin’ on words that have historically been used to insult women and queer folks alike, flipping them to make them empowering.
What do you hear? How does Cakes make the idea of gender less rigid and “real” through vocal distortion? How does he challenge gender norms through his use of Signifyin’ language?
Cakes uses a lot of language that feels empowering for him, but may feel harmful to others. Be sure to use quotes directly from the rapper and asterisks when needed!***
https://youtu.be/_fqWW_DIoSg
