Ride or die chick

A "ride or die chick" (also known as a "down-ass chick" or "down-ass bitch") is a term used in hip hop to describe a woman willing to support her man and his illicit lifestyle despite how this might endanger or harm her. Sometimes this is portrayed as a more passive "support and love regardless of their transgressions"[1] but oftentimes it requires women to take an active role in these transgressions and manifests in a "willingness to help men in dangerous situations," and "a sense of shared risk."[2] It is often referred to as a hip hop manifestation of the Bonnie and Clyde dynamic.[2][3][4]

Classification as a stereotype

Historically there have been four stereotypes of Black female sexuality, the Jezebel, mammy, matriarch, and welfare mother. Researchers Dionne P. Stephens and Layli D. Phillips reinterpreted these categories and claimed the modern day hip hop equivalent of these sexual scripts are the Diva, Gold Digger, Freak, Dyke, Gangster Bitch, Sister Savior, Earth Mother, and Baby Mama. Of these stereotypes the ride or die chick is most similar to Philips' description of the Gangster Bitch. Like the Gangster Bitch, the ride or die chick comes from a violent, impoverished, crime-filled environment and is considered an important ally in surviving this environment because of her lack of fear, street smarts, and devotion. However, the two terms do have their differences. For example, according to Philips the Gangster Bitch and her partner recognize they are in a short-term relationship whereas the ride or die chick and her partner are often portrayed as being in life-long relationships.[5]

Use in hip hop music

The "ride or die chick" trope is invoked by both men and women in hip hop with men stating their desire or love of ride or die chicks and women identifying themselves as willing to ride or die. Many of these songs are duets between male and female artists and contain both of these perspectives within the same song. Examples of this include:

Use in hip hop discourse

This term has also been used to describe the lives and decisions of women in the hip hop community. In their interview with Tashera Simmon's following the announcement she was divorcing DMX (rapper), Essence magazine referred to her as "having a reputation for being the ultimate ride or die chick," citing her support of DMX despite his jail time, drug use, and infidelity.[6] Lil' Kim was also called a ride or die chick after she went to jail for perjury for lying to a jury about her manager regarding a shootout involving several rappers.[7][8]

Alternative use of term

While the term usually implies drama and danger, it can also be used a shorthand for any heterosexual commitment in the hip hop community as was the case in the Philadelphia Tribune's statement that Beyonce and Jay-Z were ride and die after they renewed their wedding vows.[9]

In response to the negative connotations and possible negative impact of the ride or die and down-ass chick stereotype some women and men have attempted to redefine the term for themselves. According to one definition, the meaning of a DAC (down-ass chick) changes with age and "for a 30+ year old man, who has his ish together, a down ass chick is someone who is down for you in other ways...Both versions are loyal and have your back but... the 30+ DAC is not willing (nor required) to sacrifice herself or her goals for her man. They are building together."[3]

Defense of term

Black feminist scholar Treva Lindsey claims the ride or die chick is a challenge to a dominate narrative in hip hop that privileges homosocial male relationships and undermines heterosexual romantic bonds between men and women.[1] Drawing on scholars Patricia Hill Collins and bell hooks she argues this love is not only personal, it is also an act of political rebellion because "In a culture that claims black women are unlovable and undesirable, and black men are violent and irredeemable, it is considered "rebellious" when black men and women love each other."[3] Others have also argued that the "ride or die" narrative is a recognition of the disenfranchisement these couples face because of race and class and it is because of this systematic oppression that they feel it is them against the world.[2] n this understanding by claiming to be a ride or die chick, a woman is not diminishing her own self-worth or inviting mistreatment, but symbolically invoking a politically-aware alliance. Her recognition that committing to this relationship will require her to ride or die is a statement about the difficulty her partner will likely face as a Black men living in a racist society.[10]

Critique of term

Despite these positive readings and the fact that ride or die chicks are often the subject of male praise or female self-identification in hip hop, they have also been critiqued as a negative and damaging ideal imposed on Black women. Critiques have argued that ride or die chicks are a heterosexual male fantasy that privileges male pleasure and ignores the costs women must pay to fulfill this fantasy.[1] Feminist author Gwendolyn D. Pough claims the rising number of Black women in prison, currently the fastest-growing prison population, is evidence of the high cost ride or die chicks must pay.[11] The “ride or die chick” can also be understood as a hip hop reiteration of the Madonna–whore paradigm. In this understanding the ride or die chick is the Madonna and her opposite is the trick/hoe. Unlike the “Madonna” the ride or die chick is sexualized but unlike the trick/hoe her sexuality is praised and valued. The ride or die chick is not seen as sexually deviant because her partner is the only man with access to her body. Like the Madonna/Whore, in this schema women's sexuality is only for male pleasure and is limited to fulfilling one of two restrictive opposing roles.[12]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lindsey,, Treva B (Spring 2013). "If You Look in My Life: Love, Hip-Hop Soul, and Contemporary African American Womanhood". African American Review 46 (1): 87–99. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Philips, Layli (Summer 2005). "OPPOSITIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS WITHIN AN OPPOSITIONAL REALM: THE CASE OF FEMINISM AND WOMANISM IN RAP AND HIP HOP, 1976-2004". Journal of African American History 90 (3): 253–277. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "The Evolution of a Down Ass Chick". Crunk Feminist Collective. 31 May 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Anderson, Amanda. "The Problem With the Ride or Die Chick". urbanbellamag. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Stephens, Dionne P.; Philips, Layli D. (Winter 2003). "Freaks, Gold Diggers, Divas, and Dykes: The Sociohistorical Development of Adolescent African American Women's Sexual Scripts". Sexuality & Culture 7 (1): 3. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  6. ↑ Penn, Charll. "Tashera Simmons: Why I'm Really Divorcing DMX". Essence. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Preston, Julia. "Lil' Kim Gets One Year in Prison". New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  8. ↑ Morgan, Joan (Nov 9 – Nov 15, 2005). "Lil' Kim" (45). Village Voice. The Village Voice. Retrieved 4 March 2015. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ↑ Jackson, Patty (Oct 24, 2014). "What's the 411". Philadelphia, PA. S10. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  10. ↑ Phillips, Layli; Reddick-Morgan, Kerri; Stephens, Dionne Patricia (July 1, 2005). "Oppositional Consciousness within an Oppositional Realm: The Case of Feminism and Womanism in Rap and Hip Hop, 1976-2004". The Journal of African American History 90 (3): 253–277. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  11. ↑ Pough, Gwendolyn D (Fall 2007). "What It Do, Shorty?: Women, Hip Hop, and a Feminist Agenda". Black Women, Gender, and Families 1 (2): 78–99. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  12. ↑ Jeffries, Michael P. (Fall 2009). "Can a Thug (get some) Love? Sex, Romance, and the Definition of a Hip Hop Thug". Women and Language 32 (2): 35–41. Retrieved 11 April 2015.