Contemporary feminist scholars examine how Hip Hop objectify black and Latina women and question if there is a space for them within the Hip Hop world. Tricia Rose, in her 2008 book The Hip Hop Wars argues that because of how women are discussed in Hip Hop, the American public is very divided about Hip Hop, either strongly “for” it or “against” it. Historically, hip hop has symbolically annihilated women. There are limited portrayals of strong, independent and autonomous women; rather, women in Hip Hop are often defined by their submissive relationships to men. When they are not defined by their relationship to men, they are either shown as victims or are completely ignored.

Cite;

Many noteworthy artists of the Harlem Renaissance were gay, like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Alain Locke, and Claude McKay, just to name a few. (78)

The unexpected success of 1986 film, She's Gotta Have It, signaled to studios there was a large black moviegoing population. This motivated studios to hire more black male directors. (57)

In cinema, black women are usually stereotypical portrayed as either the bitch or the 'ho. (96).

In the film, Jungle Fever, oral sex is stigmatized because it is coded as a "gay" sex act. It is also seen as a threat to the male protagonist, Flipper, because it alludes to female sexuality and pleasure. (126)

Many of the successful black-directed blockbusters of 1991 lacked female representation. (109-110)