MISSY ELLIOT

Missy Elliot rejects conventional representations of women and doesn't conform to stereotypical gender representations therefore is free from objectification.

ANALYSIS OF MISSY ELLIOT-SHE'S A BITCH

This is a performance based music video. I feel that Missy Elliot subverts stereotypical female characteristics in this video in my ways mainly through the mise-en-scene. Her costume is very androgynous*: Bald, leather, spiked costume, jewel encrusted which shows her body image as refusing to conform to idealised female stereotypes. This is reinforced by Missy driving fast cars and the fact that towards the end of the video she sticks out her tongue showing she doesn't take her video/music/lyrics seriously. This gives audiences an alternative ideology about women. The video uses codes and conventions from a traditionally male geared futuristic sci-fi films. Missy herself inhabits the persona's of iconic male American Heroes such as The Cowboy. The camerawork in this video contributes to giving an alternative view of women. The use of low angle and crane shots highlight the spectacle of Missy's power. Aspects of the video conforms to stereotypes. The video uses female dancers in minimal clothing. This conforms to the idea that in music women are seen as decorative objects dance/pose and don't play instruments. I feel that this is done to grafity audiences of the Hip Hop genre as it is a typical code used within it and audiences are familar with it. The use of male dancers in the video subverts the idea that men in music are more active and instrumental as there is a role-reversal of the men in the video seen as objects that pose and dance whilst Missy takes on the active male instrumentalist role.

*androgynous= Masculine codes of movement, stance & dress e.g. tailored suits/shirt & tie, dungarees/army wear