Serbian rapper Mimi Mercedez shocked the public with a combination of brutal lyrics about the arrogant life, sex and drugs, along with footage of girls crushing carrots on the student index. She is one of a number of female rappers who have appeared on the regional scene in recent years, and about what it is like to be a woman in the male world of hip hop, alongside her, MC Sajsi, Remi and Labia spoke for "Vijesti".
Youtube removed Mimi's video due to complaints
"I recorded the first song about three years ago. I listened to rap a lot and wanted to record something fun and unusual, but at the time I didn't have the conditions, and technically I sounded very inexperienced. However, the song caused a lot of backlash in rap circles and people reported it a lot, so it was quickly deleted from YouTube. That reaction was fun for me and encouraged me to continue filming", says Mimi Mercedes, born Milena Janković.
Commenters on Youtube did not spare the insults, and Mimi says she expected it. What stands out, however, is that there are those who have nothing against no less controversial rhymes of rappers like Prti Bee Gee. In the macho world of hip hop, it has always been difficult for women to assert themselves, let alone gain more attention and understanding from the rap audience.
"I think the audience is two-faced. Double arshins are an integral part of the society we live in (I don't mean Serbian or Balkan, but capitalist in general), so why shouldn't they exist for local rap fans? My goal is not to fight against windmills, nor did I imagine that I will be treated like a man, but rather to test the limits and have personal fun", explains Mimi.
Women have to prove themselves more
"No one told me that I shouldn't rap, but there were suspicious, strange looks when I started. I didn't face direct chauvinism, but maybe I didn't feel comfortable at the start", recalls Mirela Priselac, Remi from Elemental, maybe the most famous rapper in the Balkans.
However, she is aware that the patriarchal system is dominant in these areas, and that it is reflected in the rap scene.
"Our region lives in a patriarchal system in which latent chauvinism is present all the time. When women speak about any topic that is considered more serious, they have to have a lot more credibility and credibility and have to prove themselves more than men. As far as the topic is concerned, it is clear to me that maybe girls are in unenviable situations when, for example, they write songs in which they talk about politics, the situation in society, because someone can always say "what are you going to do now, what do you know about it, come back to the kitchen". This is where the latent chauvinism is shown," the Zagreb rapper believes.
They don't comment on the music, but the appearance
MC Sajsi (Ivana Rašić) from Belgrade also knew how to experiment and flirt with taboo topics, so, she says, she got used to negative reactions.
"But it's not my music that's being commented on, but everything else - from my makeup, hair, to my physical attributes. Men comment on whether I have cellulite or not. "Men are focused on how old I am and why I'm so old still doing music, why I don't have a family and a job," she points out.
"And some girls who were much better accepted by the rap audience get comments like - how disgusting it is when a girl is a whore, when she mentions sex or violence, and that from people who normally listen to that kind of rap. This is of course limiting, the girl needs to muster a lot of courage to go public with her opinion, her text, because she is automatically condemned to attack", adds Mimi. She points out that many colleagues supported her, but not publicly.
They support, but not publicly
"They don't promote my songs, they would never get involved in the discussion about me when it is held in their circles, but when they see me they tell me that they support me. Such support is worthless", she believes.
Mimi does not see her lyrics as problematic. "Problems are big when they are not discussed", she is convinced.
Remi once said that women are partly to blame for how society perceives them and accused pop singers like Jelena Rozga of reinforcing patriarchal views with their songs and behavior.
"It is typical in pop that women are treated as an object, it has become inevitable that nowadays you don't listen to music as much as you watch singers. In that case, the woman becomes an object of desire or admiration, girls want to be like her, and boys would like to have her as their girlfriend. On the other hand, in alternative music, a woman speaks with a strong voice and is rarely perceived as a sexual object, more like a female voice," Remi explains.
Sajsi concludes that things will change on the stage, when society's attitude towards women also changes:
"That should happen at all levels. Women in rap cannot be accepted if they are not female leaders. Rap reflects the society from which it originated".
Labia experienced no discomfort
Montenegrin rapper Labia, unlike her colleagues, says that she did not experience discomfort. Admittedly, she stood out even less, since she has not released a single release yet, but only a few songs, primarily a collaboration with Who See Klapa.
"I started listening to rap in elementary school. I don't remember how it started, but I know that at that time I didn't know anyone who would share that passion with me... In high school, I met Who See and Grandpa loaded me with a "real" old school rap, and that's where the more intense story begins... I also record the first song with Deda", she recalls.
"People who are a little better informed about the subject gave me support, while the others had comments like - what's the point... A woman has less in rap and I had the opportunity to hear exactly that sentence - rap is a man's game. It's true that is certainly somewhat more difficult for the gentler half, but it all depends on how passionate you are about what you do and how up-to-date you are. Rap doesn't really take breaks. That is why I have remained a "demo" rapper until now", he admits.
As expected, Labia also says that she needs more colleagues from Montenegro and the region to share the burden of strengthening the female influence on the rap scene.
"Perhaps then I would also have more inspiration and desire to prove myself," she concludes.
Bonus video:
