Not Tonight Remix - Lil' Kim featuring Missy Elliott, Left Eye, Angie Martinez, Da Brat

All the ladies, all the ladies make noise ( Fatman Scoop Issac Freeman III).

There is power in unity. When women come together, they create inspiration, influence, magic, and love amongst themselves. In a community of femininity, there’s protection with respect for one another. Competition is motivation for success, not covetousness. Each achievement accomplished is a hammer to break down the barriers for the next generation. Not Tonight remix by Lil Kim is a collaboration of influential musical artists of the late 90’s into the 2000s. It was an expression of successful women acquiring the same things as men -success, riches, power, wealth, recognition, etc. Especially in hip-hop, as in other fields of artistry, men have dominated.

[Intro: Lil' Kim | Missy Elliott]

*Dice sounds*, uhh, yeah

Uh, here's another one (Uh)

Uh-huh, and another one, yeah (Yeah, yeah)

Lil' Kim, the Queen Bee (Yeah, yeah, yeah)

[Verse 1: Angie Martinez | Missy Elliott]

It's ladies' night, what? It must be Angie on the mic (Okay)

The Butter P honey got the sugar, got the spice (Hm, hm)

Roll the L's tight, keep the rhymes right (Hmm, hmm)

Yo, I just made this motherfucker up last night (Hmm, hmm, hmm)

And uh... I'm the rookie on this all-star team (Hey, hey)

Me and Kim is gettin' cream like Thelma and Louise (Hey)

But on chrome, never leave that Brooklyn shit alone (Oh)

So if you say it's on, then it's on.

On many occasions, women have been the most influential individuals in history.

Each point in time, like the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, paved the way for the women's suffrage movement and the 19th Amendment. Other examples of women’s power in 1851, Sojourner Truth's speech“ Ain’t I a woman “ made waves by drawing attention to the sexism women experience. In New Zealand, in 1873, women made their voices heard with 32,000 signatures on a petition to parliament demanding that they provide women the right to vote. New Zealand granted the request, making it the first self-governing country, sparking a global movement. By March 8, 1911, the first International Women’s Day was celebrated by Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland for women's suffrage and labor rights.

The rights women have today are a direct consequence of women coming together for change. Each woman featured on this track has proven that women deserve to be in all spaces. Unfortunately, it’s been an up and down battle no matter how many times they have proven themselves. Regardless of the struggles, women continue to confront and surpass the barriers plaguing them in society.

Breaking records, collaborating, sharing their successes and supporting each other through all of it. Making sure to let the public know where they stand with their actions, and activism or lack there of. Cardi B, Megan The Stallion, Angel Reese, Teyana Taylor, Beyoncé, Kelly Roland, Aj’a Wilson, and so many other women setting the model of female collaboration.

A woman, feminine energy, earthly energy. Compassion, kindness, love these words and many more are used to describe a woman. The feminine side is more than docile, passive or submissive It’s also fierce, dominant, accepting, intelligent, confident, comforting , truthful and accountable. For many years women have struggled to embraced their talents and self worth because systems are built to limit who,where and what a woman can do or become. Women have been left out of rooms, conversations, and decisions about their bodies and destiny.

Are there sociological reason why women are disdained in society? Are there historical examples?

There are a few theories to explain how and why gender roles are formed.There are plenty of historical examples of men in society belittling, dismissing, and patronizing women into submission. None of those examples can provide an clarified why.

One specifically is the structuralist function theory. In a paper published by Ruth A. Wienclaw in 2021 wrote a paper titled Structural Functionalist Theories of Gender Inequality. She explores the how gender roles are created in role of the labor market. “These theories suggest that boys and girls are socialized differently: boys are encouraged to adopt an instrumental worldview, focusing on tasks and long-term goals, while girls are taught to be expressive, prioritizing emotions and interpersonal relationships.”

What It doesn’t explain is why the desire to maintain gender roles by demoralizing womanhood. Structural functionalists define the theory of gender roles as existence of disparities amongst individuals solely based on gender. Structural Functionalists according to the author Males at a young age are taught to identify with the instrumental world view. Placing their focus on long-term goals and task , meanwhile little girls are taught to be expressive, concentrating on emotions and interpersonal relationships. As the industrial age faded and the technological revolution has become the new norm skewing gender roles clashing against the structural functionalists forcing society to rebel masked as deviance.

Lil’Kim’s verse highlights what she has to offer, while ignoring and fighting against sexism.

Bang this in your whips (Uh, yeah)

Platinum-coated Rollie with the chips in the wrists, here's a French kiss (Uh-huh)

I dismissed all you chicks

Split six from the four-fifth, make you dance, ow! (Hm, hm, hm)

I stay focused and the dopest

Like a penny with a hole in it, y'all just hopeless (Hey)

And toke this, I ain't lyin'

Niggas trying to knock me off, keep tryin' (Hm)

All it takes is one phone call to my street team

Promote that ass, like a soundtrack New Jack (Yeah) City

Set it off with the eight-fithy

Y'all missin' the buck, what the fuck?

Bump Biggie in the truck and the buck to my thorough bitches

Lemme see ya do the Bankhead if ya richest

It's the rap Mae West, the QB

And I got all my sisters with me, hey

Will restructuring the structural functionalists theories of gender inequality making it applicable to current societal standards explain the current societal dynamics for and against women?

Theoretically, pieces of the current definition along with sociological learning theories can be integrated into a more comprehensive understanding of why male counter parts treat women negatively. A woman treatment is learned and conditioned by society, family observation and lack of knowledge about self. The female exploration of self shouldn’t disrupt the male experience in life. For some reason it does. Has the male species been misguided by their conditioning to believe skewed societal models? Is it the lack of knowledge about women’s anatomy and expectations? Is it a resentment towards a female figure? Is it the lack of accountability by authority as a youth? Is it a male lack of emotional awareness and maturity?

It’s not a woman responsibility to figure it out.It’s the men’s goal to work on themselves while unlearning behaviors impacting them negatively. The functionalist theory is structured around times of war and conflict. Once the draft stopped the theory should have evolved to fit the current technological culture. The outcome of continuing implement a theory based on another time period without evolution forces the female species to be hyper conscious of males.

Arming and warning others of the consequences of masculine dangers, arming themselves against predators. Pressuring women to be more protective of themselves and others.

This has only placed a dented in the domestic environment. Until governmental institutions hold men accountable for the terror they can cause towards women. Women will be forced to take things into their own hands.

Fighting back against the struggles they endure with expression, violence, intelligence, self-awareness anything to protect themselves and others.

Is it a ladies year?

This year is no exception to the possibilities of what women can do, while they seek equality in all areas of society.

The problem surrounding gender inequality are deep rooted in a patriarchal system’s twisted ideology by wealth and privilege. Women support for one another is growing, as more women are no longer willing to stay silent to the oppressive realities. Women are winning all around the world, WNBA pay increase, WNHL had a big win with a gold medal put them on the map.The list doesn’t stop there it continues to grow progressively bigger eliminating dismissal. It hasn’t stopped there the women politicians in the VA are in the business of restoring and restructuring the political arena for betterment of women and children.

Application

Business should take notice of the women making “boss” moves. They are the ones moving culture, new habits and consequences of injustices. A Woman's will power is constant until she solves the problem, that alone makes a great leader. Unfortunately, the majority of women have had their talents muffled with no attempts of male society acknowledging what has been there along. A company needs to ask itself, if a woman is responsible to raise a child, why can’t those same skills translate into the business world?

Brands connected to women directors, artist, producers etc are trailblazing their stories around the world. A company that gets behind one of up and coming women’s brands showcases the company is not culturally deaf, they are here for all their customers. It speaks volumes when a company completely understands the brands they work with, the causes they are behind and the communities they serve.

The best companies are those who understand what people need especially women. Brands and companies take note of women’s issues, maternal, mental, physical and emotional health. No turning a blind eye from domestic violence, mental abuse, and sexual assault. Women want and deserve to feel beautiful, loved, respected and empowered beyond the functionalists theory. Products are useful but temporary, experience, knowledge and opportunities have a longer business customer lifespan.

"A woman is like a calabash; she carries life and wisdom."- African proverb from Mali 🇲🇱