These "Hoes" Are Winning...

The phrase "Hoes are Winning" has taken society by storm, especially urban culture! The term "Hoe" has been used to describe almost every type of woman, from the "Stripper Hoe" to the "Classy, Sassy, & slightly Smart-Assy Hoe"...Every woman has done something that falls into SOMEONE'S definition of a "Hoe".

However, there are women who have acquired the title "Hoe" by the way they entered into the entertainment industry or acquired FAME, whether it's through their affiliations or their past professions. Former stripper, Amber Rose is synonymous with the word, hoe; reality TV personality Kim Kardashian is also heavily affiliated with the word hoe... but why? Do we know enough about those women to give them the "Hoe Crown"? We as a society, we have this thing we do... We pass judgement on surface situations. People see strippers, label them as hoes because they get naked for money, THEN get salty when someone in the entertainment industry decides to date them... Why are YOU mad?!

I'll probably get slaughtered for this but what makes them different from someone that went to college? Networking has no designated area. Let's take Amber Rose for example, she grew up in South Philly and was raised by a single mother who worked as a waitress to support her family. After falling into financial hardships, Amber and her mother became homeless. At the tender age of 15, she began stripping at the very prominent Sue's Rendezvous in New York under the alias "Paris. Not PROSTITUTING, but STRIPPING. Amber Rose has stated "I would dance; I would make my money, and then go home and pay bills." She then met Kanye West (who pursued her) and is now engaged to and [possibly] pregnant for rapper Wiz Khalifa. In the few short years it took Amber to acquire fame, she has appeared in numerous videos as the leading lady, been the spokesperson for Smirnoff Vodka, walked the runways of London, Paris, and New York, began a music career, launched an eyewear line, and so much more!

We all start from different beginnings, and its the people we encounter, places we go, etc. that help determine our success. How can you blame a person for networking opportunities that were presented to them? How can you judge a person's beginnings and sling mud over their triumphs? In all of this, she has been tied to a strip club, two rappers, and an insane hustle. Whether she had to make ends meet as a stripper or not should not define her as a person. She has maintained her status as a celebrity on her own! She has her own deals, endorsements, and endeavors.

Kim Kardashian is another one that definitely gets crucified for her choices. Although Kimmy is connected to multiple people in the entertainment industry, her accomplishments are rarely a table talk topic. We are more concerned about who has been with her, physically and sexually, yet it's very rare that Kim receives praise on her business savvy. The public tends to think the people are talentless because they can't sing, act, or play a sport. No, those are not any of her strong points, BUT no one can take credit away from her as a business woman. Kim Kardashian's net worth is $38 million, and that's money she made of of her own projects (reality television, perfumes, clothing lines, endorsements, etc). Although she was born to high profile attorney (Robert Kardashian), Kim has created opportunities for herself to maintain her lifestyle and her status. Kim Kardashian is now connected to rapper Kanye West (what a coincidence!) and it appears as though they both found happiness.

But why is that not enough for us? Why must we, as a society, pick apart those who've taken different avenues to reach success? The media digs into people's pasts to give us something to talk about and we just run with it. Strippers are hoes, Socialites are hoes, yet you slept with someone last and now you have rent money... but you're not in that category, right?? Women can't scream "Hoes Are Winning" when their behavior mirrors that of the women on Sunset Boulevard... I'm not here to judge though...

No one can blame either of these women for who they were able to meet through their affiliations; as a woman, I commend them on their ambition and determination to succeed and open doors for themselves. If people stayed from between Amber and Kim's legs and got inside their heads, then MAYBE success will come knocking at their door too!

Take a look below!!

Kim opens up to Oprah about her and Ray-J's sextape and it's effect on her life, past and present

Amber dishes to Wendy Williams about the truth behind her and Kanye's relationship

 "Keep your life in a positive perspective. We are not defined by our pasts" -Kim Kardashian

Bitch Bad...Woman Good... Lady Better...They Misunderstood

Lupe has left his mark with his new controversial single and music video "Bitch Bad"...

Wasalu Muhammed Jaco aka "Lupe Fiasco" is a Chicago born rapper, who initially despised rap music for it's vulgarity. It was only after he found his own style and a little assistance from prominent rapper, Jay-Z, that Lupe embraced the culture and signed a record deal. Since 2006, Lupe's lyrics have become conversational pieces and topics of controversy (mainly, his song "Words I Never Said").

Lupe Fiasco- Words I Never Said

Lupe is one that is committed to staying true to his beliefs and ideals on culture, politics, religion, etc. With that being said, it should come as no surprise that Lupe's latest video "Bitch Bad" has the entertainment industry buzzing and the streets talking! Before we delve into the lyrics of this song, lets discuss the concept and content of this video. The visual of this song is portrayed in a way to explain the long-term psychological effects of the connotations and use of the word "Bitch". 

We, the audience watch how the word is introduced to a little boy by his mother and it is introduced to a little girl by a rapper; these introductions cause both to have skewed views of the phrase "Bad Bitch". We are taken on a journey through time, which displays the growth process between the little boy and little girl, now a young man and young woman. These skewed ideals are displayed once they try to interact with each other on a romantic level. He connotes "Bad Bitch" with a woman that looks like his mother and she associates "Bad Bitch" with the oversexed woman in the music video, causing a psychological disconnect between the two. Lupe interviewed for RapFix on MTV and stated "I think it's something [the word bitch] --the idea of it, the 'bad bitch' -- it's very subtle but it definitely has some destructive elements to it." "It has some troubling elements to in. Especially when you look at who it's being marketed towards. That's why we put the children in the video."

Lets get into the lyrics a bit, Lupe divided the video into three acts. In Act I, he introduces us to the little boy and his mother:

Now imagine there's a shorty, maybe five maybe four

Ridin' 'round with his mama listening to the radio...

His mama sings along and this is what she says

"Niggas I'm a bad bitch, and I'm bad bitch

far above average"...

First he's relatin' the word "bitch" with his mama, comma

And because she's relatin' to herself, his most important source of help,

And mental health, he may skew respect for dishonor

In Act II, we are introduced to a group of little girls that are being raised by the internet and what it has to offer: 

Yeah, now imagine a group of little girls nine through twelve

On the internet watchin' videos, listenin' to songs by themselves

It doesn't really matter if they have parental clearance

They understand the internet better than their parents...

... their favorite singer's preference

"Bad bitches, bad bitches, bad bitches

That's all I want and all I like in life is bad bitched, bad bitches"...

...ideal girl acquiescent to his whims

... High heels, long hair, fat booty, slim

Reality check, I'm not trippin'

They don't see a paid actress, just what make a bad bitch

Finally, in Act III Lupe bridges the boy's understanding of what a "Bad Bitch" is and the girls interpretation of what a "Bad Bitch" is:

The little boy meets one of those little girls

and he thinks she's a bad bitch and she thinks she's a bad bitch

He thinks disrespectfully, she thinks of that sexually

She got the wrong idea, he don't wanna fuck her

He thinks she's bad at being a bitch like his mother

Momma never dress like that, come out the house, hot mess like that

Ass, titties, dress like that...

Just like that, you see the fruit of confusion

He caught in a reality, she caught in an illusion

Bad mean good to her, she really nice and smart

But bad mean bad to him, bitch don't play your part

But bitch still bad to her, if you say it the wrong way

But she think she a bitch, what a double entendre...

Lupe Fiasco-Bitch Bad

Lupe vividly paints a Picasso piece of artwork for the audience. It's almost impossible not to give the phrase "Bad Bitch" a second thought. Although some may not agree with Lupe's ideas of it's effect on children and society, he did succeed with presenting a piece of work that is guaranteed to evoke strong opinions and open a platform for conversation... Your thoughts? Your opinions?