Barely Singing

Recently, musical lyrics, as well as their accompanying videos, have become more provocative and sexually explicit. Beyoncé Knowles, an R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, and model, has fallen into this trap. This musical vocalist is often criticized for displaying herself more as a sex symbol than an artist. Her sensuous image and sexual stimulating lyrics occur in the majority of her videos. This paper will examine one of her music videos, “Ego”, and its perpetuation of “raunch culture.” Ariel Levy, the author of, Female Chauvinist Pigs: Woman and the Rise of Raunch Culture, discusses the “raunch culture” that is engulfing society but little if any progress has been made to limit this behavior since the publication of her book. Empowerment, money, and fame, too often entice women to participate in this culture. This type of behavior may bring temporary stardom or satisfaction but most often does not establish lasting credibility.

Ariel Levy’s book, Female Chauvinist Pigs: Woman and the Rise of Raunch Culture, examines and often criticizes women’s participation in “raunch culture.” Levy examines a wide array of topics, such as Girls Gone Wild, Paris Hilton’s promiscuous sex tapes, the growing popularity of breast augmentation and vaginoplasty, as well as the Playboy enterprise. Levy discusses how society too often embraces as well as markets female sexuality and promiscuity. "Because we have determined that all empowered women must be overtly and publicly sexual, and because the only sign of sexuality we seem to be able to recognize is a direct allusion to red-light entertainment, we have laced the sleazy energy and aesthetic of a topless club or a Penthouse shoot throughout our entire culture" (Levy 26). She explains that women often submit to perform for men as a vehicle to fit in with the “guys.” Levy argues that these women have misinterpreted power and acceptance. The author clarifies that the women who accept this type of “raunch culture”, such as Beyoncé, are gaining a false sense of empowerment and promoting an erotic sect of feminism.

African American R&B artist, Beyoncé Knowles, released her hit song “Ego” on May 19, 2009. Beyoncé Knowles wrote and produced “Ego” with her male colleagues, Elvis Williams and Harold Lilly. The song was the fifth consecutive single from the album to reach top 40 on Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number thirty-nine. This song’s popularity seems to be reflective of the promiscuous lyrics and provocative music video that accompany it. A remix was later produced, featuring hop hop artist Kanye West, which was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 52nd Grammy Award. Although Beyoncé did not win for this category, she did set records by bringing home six Grammy awards. This is the first time a female vocalist won six awards in one evening. This paper is not questioning the artistic talent of Beyoncé. The question is why such a gifted artist is promoting “raunch culture.”

“Ego” is filled with sexual innuendos throughout the lyrics. This song equates strong ego as manhood. This is evident in the fourth stanza.

It's too big, it's too wide

It's too strong, it won't fit

It's too much, it's too tough

He talk like this 'cause he can back it up



The title of the song, “Ego”, refers to the assumption that the strength of an ego often directly correlates with the size of a male genital or penis. Within the fifth stanza, this is further demonstrated.

He got a big ego, such a huge ego

I love his big ego, it's too much

He walk like this 'cause he can back it up

The word ego and penis are interchangeable. If a penis is necessary for a strong ego/identity, how do women gain psychological strength? Children and young teenagers sing Beyoncé’s songs with limited recognition of the words that they are repeating. “Ego” may be heard in middle school playgrounds, on school busses, and/or sleepovers. Young teens’ innocence is prematurely blemished. One would think that a beautiful, talented vocalist, like Beyoncé, has more to offer to her audiences.

The choreographed music video for “Ego” further displays the “raunch culture” that Ariel Levy discusses. The video starts out with a close up of Beyoncé in a nude colored dress that clings to and barely covers her body. At times the viewer may forget the Beyoncé is wearing anything at all. Her breasts are exposed as she dances and toys with the camera. As the video progresses, two other seductively clad dancers join her. All three women expose their derrieres for the audience and continue to flaunt their bodies. When a chair is introduced as a prop, Beyoncé, as well as the other two women, have the opportunity to tease the audience with their long, seductive legs and female genitalia. Beyoncé and her back up dancers are publicly inviting their audience to a private show. Beyoncé appears to be selling her body and not her music. An idea that Levy often criticizes.

Levy explains that society’s support of this type of culture has made it into a multi-billion dollar industry. Some women claim that they feel empowered as they gyrate for the audience. How can a gifted vocalist feel empowered when the audience is entranced by her seductive dance instead of hearing the lyrics which she is singing? Levy clarifies that numerous young girls develop poor body image when exposed to such culture. Egos of such young women may be crushed. Reactions may lead to eating disorders, unneeded plastic surgery, and poor self-esteem.

When one examines the remix video, featuring Kanye West, the double standard the Levy discusses is demonstrated. Nowhere in the music video does Kanye West reveal any part of his body or behave in a sexually provocative manner. Yet the footage of Beyoncé and the other two women accompanying her remains almost identical. Little difference begins to arise between a porn site and youtube? Levy offers examples of other women who display their bodies in addition to their talent. She explains that past Olympic athletes, such as Haley Clark, have posed in Maxim and Playboy to prove that they are athletic gifted but also sexually attractive. “Not one male Olympian has found it necessary to show us his penis in the pages of a magazine. Proving that you are hot, worthy of lust, and necessarily that you seek to provoke lust is still exclusively women’s work” (Levy 33). Until individuals stop producing sexually provocative material and women stop participating in this “raunch culture”, it appears that it will persist. It is naïve to believe that men will tell women to stop flaunting their bodies, posing naked in magazines, and/or baring their breasts for a mere t-shirt.

Beyoncé and Levy have conflicting perspectives with respect to “raunch culture.” Beyoncé profitably markets it while Levy wishes to stifle it. Her music video, “Ego”, is just one of her numerous works that combines sexual provocative lyrics and seductive choreography. Beyoncé’s reasons for participating in this culture are unclear. Perhaps she does feel empower by the size of her audience and the profitability of her videos. Perhaps she believes that a black a woman can thus be as sexual and famous as any other individual: male or female, black or white. Levy negates such behavior and recognition. Just as Beyoncé bares all to fit in with the boys, other women similarly wear costumes to be accepted by their male colleagues. Hillary Clinton dresses in her conservative pant suits to neutralize her femininity in a male dominated, political world. Hillary Clinton hopes to be heard by these gentlemen. Twenty-five years from now individuals will remember Rosa Parks, Maya Angelo, and Michelle Obama. How will Beyoncé be remembered? Seductive fame is often temporary. All women age. Exploitation of women will only stop when women refuse to participate and such material is no longer produced. Unfortunately, it remains doubtful that “raunch culture” will be eliminated in the near future.