At the beginning of the podcasts, one of the hosts stated, “another thing about hip-hop, it has a hard time seeing women as heroes. Some of the most successful women in rap are still seen as accessories to the boys club.” Although this opinion does have some truth to it, I disagree with most of it. Yes, we are in an era where women are starting to be recognized for their work without the help of men, and that women can work independently. But I do believe that if someone is good at something, regardless of race, gender, or sex, they will be recognized for it. Some of today’s biggest artists, actually credit female artists for inspiring them to make music or having an impact on their style of music. Lauryn Hill, one of the most influential artists in the music scene, is one of the female artists who inspired many male and female artists such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Adele, Beyonce, and Amy Winehouse. These people are regarded as some of the best artists music has ever seen and they credit a woman for their inspiration. At this year’s Grammys, female artists swept the floor in terms of winning awards. Artists like Beyonce and Megan thee Stallion won multiple Grammys including best rap song, best new artist, and best music video. Beyonce is now the most decorated woman in Grammys history, now having 28 Grammys, 5 more than her husband Jay-Z. So I do believe women are seen as heroes in music and the world. A lot of successful people accredit their own mothers for their success because mothers sacrifice so much for their kids. Due to the standards of society in earlier times, women were seen as dependents to men, but with the progression of society, this is not true. 

Today, many conversations and actions are politically motivated or related. Politics used to never be discussed, but now with the trends of social media, politics is a normal topic, and most of the time, controversial. Many people have different experiences and opinions, and everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. Many artists are now talking about politically related topics. This is where Isis Tha Saviour comes in as she tells her journey from prison to an artist. Unfortunately, a journey many artists especially in the hip-hop scene have experienced. Isis also accredits Lauryn Hill as an inspiration and even states that Lauryn Hill’s music empowered her. Unfortunately, more black women are being incarcerated at a higher rate than men. Isis tells her experience in prison and it was not easy nor pleasing to listen to. In fact, it was very upsetting and sad. She talks about being in prison while pregnant, which is just absurd, where a woman in prison has to have the thought of protecting herself, and her baby, that is scary. She also explains being handcuffed to a bed while giving birth which is inhumane and unhealthy for both the mother and child. Her music reflects her experiences as a black woman in America where the system goes against her. It is very upsetting to hear that a mother had to go through this, but her journey after prison made me happy as she is an activist through her music and she did not allow the system that goes against her to defeat her.