Music Videos Imagery and Lyrics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqs7iXKc93Q-- "Spa Day" Le1f

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaSy8yy-mr8-- "Before he cheats"

More and more often in pop culture, artists challenge stereotypical gender roles in a variety of ways. One phenomenal song/video that challenges these roles is "spa day" by Le1f, an openly gay rapper. The first way Le1f challenges typical gender roles is through the music video. The first time he appears in the video he is wearing a pink robe and performing typically feminine acts such as rubbing himself and nibbling his fingers in very provocative ways. The background dancers in the video are also not typical. Although there are woman scarcely dressed, there are also men almost naked. Many of the woman are fierce looking, with tattoos and piercings although not all fit that description. This is similar for the men. There a men dressed in a stereotypical homosexual way, but also typically heterosexual ways with guys with gaudy jewelry and skull caps etc. The most intriguing part is how the video uses men and women dancing explicitly in an interchangeable way. As far as the lyrics, they also challenge gender roles. Obviously it is not typical for men to openly flaunt being attracted to men especially talking so openly which is often considered a heterosexual trait. Le1f uses lyrics such as "peep how your man wants to eat it like a kati roll", "I'm not a yoga master but he want to see my body fold", and "dudes just want to bring me home like the troops". Obviously, there aren'y many like Le1f. The most intriguing lyric is "now what you wanna do, and who you wanna do it with".  Shattering the stereotype that a man should be with a woman and vice versa. 

Another song that challenges gender roles in a much less explicit way is Carrie Underwood's "Before he cheats". As we discussed in class, women are perceived as innocent and pure, but no way Carrie Underwood is in this video/song. Throughout the song, Carrie looks beautiful as always, but certainly not dainty. She has fierce black makeup on and dark clothing. Her body can not be viewed at any time in the song. In one scene she has large dark glasses on, black gloves, and is carrying a baseball bat in manner making her look like she is about to do some damage. The song is about Carrie not standing on being cheated on, the opposite of submission. In return for her man's unfaithful acts, she destroys his vehicle. Smashing the windows and keying the car, a tough act undoubtedly. In addition to the video there are two awesome lines where Carrie takes shots at typical roles. Firstly, "Right now, he's probably buying her some fruity little drink 'cause she can't shoot whiskey". Carrie calls typically feminine drinks fruity and pokes fun at his other woman because she can't shoot whiskey. She turns around the stereotype and basically ostracizes the woman for not being "tough'. The other line is "Cause the next time he cheats oh, you know it won't be on me". Often women are portrayed as submissive to men even when they cheat, but Carrie is clearly not the "typical" woman.

Overall, both of these songs challenge typical gender roles in very contrasting ways.