Sound & Scholarship · SiriusXM, Howard University, Department of Communication Studies, Cathy Hughes School of Communications

Voices of the Movement: Women, Hip-Hop, Media, & Higher Ed

·24 min·2 clips

Dr. Tia Tyree reveals how women in hip-hop have moved from battling for one spot to a saturated, collaborative renaissance.

This episode of Sound & Scholarship explores the evolving role of women in hip-hop, the impact of social media, and the academic study of the culture at Howard University. Host Tyler Brown is joined by Howard student DJ Madison Patterson and professor Dr. Tia Tyree. The conversation examines how streaming, social platforms, and formal education are shaping hip-hop's present and future. Madison Patterson, a senior psychology major, explains how moving from Oregon to Howard exposed her to diverse Black music genres like dancehall and Afrobeats. She describes buying DJ equipment after a friend showed her its financial potential, calling it part of the "Howard Hustle." Patterson notes her favorite artists include Drake, Beyoncé, Summer Walker, and Jhené Aiko. She observes that hip-hop is incorporating more variety and other genres, which influences her DJ sets to mix and match styles. Patterson believes Howard's new hip-hop studies minor will help people understand the culture's origins and historical transformation. She argues platforms like TikTok have changed hip-hop for the better by educating listeners and providing wider access to global sounds like Amapiano. Dr. Tia Tyree, a professor and interim associate dean, helped develop Howard's hip-hop studies minor and conference. Her research focuses on African-American media representations, particularly Black women. Dr. Tyree identifies the current era as a pivotal renaissance for women in hip-hop, marked by an unprecedented saturation of women artists. She contrasts today with past eras where women rappers were often attached to crews and cycled through one-at-a-time prominence. Dr. Tyree connects this shift partly to cultural movements during the pandemic, like Me Too and Times Up, which called for greater equity. She states social media has fundamentally improved hip-hop by allowing artists to release music without traditional industry backing, using Master P's independent hustle as a historical parallel. Dr. Tyree recalls waiting for hours with a tape recorder to capture songs from the radio, a grind modern listeners avoid. She believes Howard, with its passionate faculty and legacy, is poised to become a premier destination for hip-hop academic excellence. Dr. Tyree argues rappers are now powerful activists because social media lets them instantly broadcast experiences of mistreatment to millions, wielding clout comparable to politicians. A formative childhood memory involves secretly listening to N.W.A's album in her Baltimore backyard with her brother, which connected her to broader societal issues. She concludes by stating she would not ask a hip-hop artist a personal question, preferring to respect their lived experiences and narratives. The tone is conversational and educational, blending personal anecdotes with scholarly analysis. The style is interview-based, featuring genuine enthusiasm from both a student practitioner and an established academic. This episode would appeal to listeners interested in hip-hop's cultural evolution, the academic study of music, and the experiences of women in the industry. Those seeking purely musical analysis or entertainment-focused content might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

A Howard conversation that treats women in hip-hop as a real cultural moment, not a trend.

Sound & Scholarship frames a Howard University conversation as a clear-eyed look at how women in hip-hop are being discussed now. It follows Madison Patterson's path into DJing, then widens out to faculty talk about social media, streaming platforms, and the way Howard's hip-hop…

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Hear a Howard conversation on women in hip-hop as a real culture shift, not a sidebar.

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