Guys up Front, Girls in the Back

By Josh Schreeder

Redneck rappers, yes they exist. They are rappers who are white and prefer hunting, to clubbing. The person rapping may have changed from the traditional gangster to the good old country boy, but the objectifying of men and women is still present in their music. “Kickin up Mud” by The Lacs, the music video shows stereotypical guys who own a big truck, guns, drink beer, and plays in the mud. It also shows the women in bikinis pole dancing and wanting a ride. The rappers and some of the subjects of the lyrics have changed, but not the treatment of women.

Being a man means you have to act a certain way and own certain items. A big truck, a symbol dominance and fear; are essential. The big trucks are meant to look mean and dominating on and off the road. Some of the trucks in the video tower over everyone, even other trucks establishing dominance over everything. The trucks are loud and aggressive looking. A lot of them are diesel trucks with big engines to show power and strength. Author Aaron H. Devor in “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender” writes about the fact that it’s the nature of masculine men to try to demonstrate their superiority to women and other men. The Lacs capture the idea that to be a real man means that you have to have the biggest and loudest truck.

Off-roading is a manly way of life. It is loud, dirty, dangerous, and only the strongest make it though the elements. In the video you can see the trucks powering through the mud throwing mud into the air. Being in the mud symbolizes man’s need to be wild, careless and adventurous. A man also means being that you love playing in the mud which is made very clear in this video and song; no matter the age you are at, whether you are a young boy with your hands or an old man with a big truck, mud is your playground.

This music video also does what rap does best, objectify women. Women, like in so many other rap videos, are used as sexual objects. In the video all the women have really short shorts on and most have bikini tops. A few women are dancing either on a pole, on the guys, or in the mud. This image is constantly repeated though out the video as if it was a decoration on the set. Author Joan Morgan in “From Fly-Girls to Bitches and Hos” argues against the sexism that is common in rap. Rap is the most sexist music out there on the market and it doesn’t matter whether it’s a gangster or redneck rapper there is going to be sexism in the lyrics and videos.

They say in the video that all guys, no matter the age, have big toys, play in the mud and love girls who will get half naked and play with them. Most of the images are of guys having fun with their trucks, and with other guys. The girls are in the video just to tag along and look good. This style of rap is completely different then other rap music in the fact that it focuses on sex and drugs as things that are manly, this style focuses on getting dirty, having big trucks, and having fun. Women however are still used as sex objects in both styles of rap; however, this redneck style chooses to focus less on the women and more on the trucks.