Self-Esteem, Misogyny and Afrocentricity: An Examination of the Relationship between Rap Music Consumption and African American Perceptions

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between African American audiences, rap music videos, Black collective self-esteem, and attitudes towards women. One-hundred and forty-one African American college students participated in a survey measuring their amount of rap music video viewing, collective self-esteem, Afrocentric identity, and their belief that rap degrades women. The results revealed that viewers who consumed more rap music videos also had a higher sense of collective self-esteem. Additionally, individuals who had strong Afrocentric features tended to identify with rap music videos that contained characters with strong Afrocentric features. Finally, consumption of misogynistic rap content was negatively related to the belief that rap music degrades women. These results are discussed in light of Allen's (1993, 2001) cultural lens perspective, Appiah's (2004) theory of ethnic identification and the priming paradigm. Suggestions are made for future research concerning African American audiences and rap music.