University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Black women reclaiming their sexuality through hoochie mama culture

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Black women reclaiming their sexuality through hoochie mama culture

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Content Black Women Reclaiming Their Sexuality Through Hoochie Mama Culture By
Maya Broomfield
A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ANNENBERG SCHOOL
FOR COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM)
May 2024

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to first thank God, for whom I owe everything.
I would like to thank my mother and father for all of their continuous support and love. I am
forever grateful and don’t know where I would be without the both of you. I pray that every day I
make y’all proud.
I would like to thank my brother and cousins for always sending me love and support.
I would like to thank my thesis committee, Dr. Allissa Richardson, Myra Turner, and Erin
Osmon, for all of their help and support as I completed my thesis.
I would like to thank my classmates and friends for helping me get through this program with
endless laughter and late-night calls.
And lastly, I would like to thank me for never giving up and staying strong even when I didn’t
know I could.
Thank you!
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TABLE OF CONTENT:
Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................ii
Abstract .............................................................................................................................................iv
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1
Chapter 1:The History of the Black Hoochie……………………………………………................3
Chapter 2:The Original Hoochies………………………………………………………..................8
Chapter 3: The Girl Next Door…………………………………………………………..................11
Chapter 4:Hip-Hop and the Black woman………………………………………………................13
Chapter 6: Money to be Made…………………………………………………………...................17
Chapter 5: The Modern Hoochie………………………………………………………...................20
Bibliography …………………………………………………………………………….................23
iii

Abstract
This text studies the origins and cultural impact of Hoochie Mama culture within
inner-city communities, particularly among young Black women, and its integration into
mainstream media and popular culture. Initially emerging as a subculture of expression in inner
city environments, Hoochie Mama culture has transcended not only geographical boundaries but
social and economical boundaries as well.
Through an examination of the historical and sociocultural factors contributing to its
creation, this article explores how Black music and popular culture have played pivotal roles in
the popularization of Hoochie Mama aesthetics and culture. Despite originating within
underrepresented communities, Hoochie Mama culture has garnered widespread visibility, often
appearing in media spaces where Black women historically have had limited representation.
The commodification of Hoochie Mama culture has led to its exploitation as a lucrative
market trend, with individuals and corporations capitalizing on its appeal for financial and social
gain. This commercialization raises difficult questions about cultural appropriation, authenticity,
and the exploitation of Black females for profit.
Within the Black community, Hoochie Mama culture remains a subject of contentious
debate. The culture sparks discussions among scholars, activists, and everyday women. These
conversations navigate issues of empowerment, sexism, self-expression, respectability politics,
and the perpetuation of stereotypes.
By examining the complex dimensions of Hoochie Mama culture and its journey from the
outcasts to the mainstream, this thesis aims to provide insights into the complexities of cultural,
gender, consumption, and representation in modern society. It covers the importance of critically
iv

engaging with media narratives and challenges the exploitation of marginalized communities
while also acknowledging the agency and diversity of Black women's experiences and
expressions.
v

Introduction
Their full lips outlined with brown liner and filled with the infamous 99-cent beauty
supply lip gloss. Their hairstyles change almost every week. Detailed, elaborate and complex
with pops of color and sharply sculpted curls and parts. Their hands are decorated with gold
bangles and rings that cover every finger. When they enter or exit a room, they leave a trail of
scent, which consists of the pleasant combination of the fresh but sweet scent of Spritz liquid
moose and cocoa butter. To tie it all together, their outfits are the perfect combination of high-end
brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Coach and low-end brands like Rainbow and Fashion
Nova. Every piece of clothing is chosen to perfectly accentuate their physical attributes.
If you aren’t sure who I am describing by now, it is a Hoochie Mama. The image and
style of Hoochie Mamas are the defining features that have allowed the culture and aesthetic to
remain relevant and iconic for well over 30 years.
No one is exactly sure of the origin of the term Hoochie Mama, but the word Hoochie has
been around for more than a century. It is traced back to the French word hochequeue, which
means to wag or shake a tail. The word was first used in America as the name for the provocative
and sensual dance known as the Hoochie Cootchie. The dance was brought to America during the
Chicago World's Fair in 1893. The term has been used by several artists throughout history.
The term Hoochie Mama became popular in mainstream culture in the ’90s as the
picture-perfect girl-next-door persona were pushed to the back burners for a more sensual and
liberated aesthetic that Hoochie Mama offered. This shift was fueled by the rise of hip-hop.
Female artists like Trina, Lil Kim, and Foxy Brown became the faces and voices of young Black
women living in America.
1

In 1995, the hip-hop group 2 Live Crew released their song “Hoochie Mama” on the cult
classic movie Friday soundtrack. This song mixed with the iconic scene from Friday of Craig's
girlfriend Joi confidently switching her hips up his driveway and swinging her long blond braids
out of her face with her hands that sported extra-long red curved fingernails. This movie scene
would be many people's first and maybe last encounter with a Hoochie Mama.
For some, this was just a comedic take on a group of Black women — women whose
limited resources and creativity have created a culture that has reshaped how we view Black
women. This scene, though a very small piece of the larger film, was a prime example of how
Black women were negatively stereotyped and sexualized in American society for simply
behaving and dressing in a way that wasn’t seen as socially acceptable.
The Hoochie Mama culture, while serving as a fun and fashionable throwback for some
Black women, holds a significance that runs much deeper. Young Black women like Crystelle, a
fashion influencer and inspiring music artist who epitomizes the aesthetic with her distressed
Y2K-style shirt, bangs-adorned haircut, and understated gold hoop earrings, are reclaiming the
term. She explains, “When I hear Hoochie Mama, the first word that comes to my mind is
rebellion. You know, I feel like Hoochie Mama culture in itself is just an act of resistance.”
Sadly, the term Hoochie Mama is often used to negatively describe Black women who
are seen by others as overly sexual and promiscuous.
2

The History of the Black Hoochie
This isn’t a new concept. The stereotypes of Black women being overly sexual can be
dated back to Europeans' first encounter with Black women in the 16th century during their
exploration of Africa. The European colonizers equated nudity, polygamy, and cultural dances as
proof of Black women’s hypersexuality, especially when compared to European women who
were seen as the epitome of morality.
These stereotypes would continue to America via the Transatlantic Slave Trade becoming
known as the Jezebel and Sapphire stereotype. These stereotypes were used to dehumanize Black
women. Black women were seen as property. According to many slave owners’ logic, Black
women couldn’t be raped. They had no control over their bodies. Their bodies were used freely
as a means of sexual satisfaction. Angela Davis says in her book “Women, Race, and Class” that
“Rape was a weapon of domination, repression, whose covert goal was to extinguish slave
women’s will to resist, and in the process, to demoralize their men.”
Black women were treated like animals and “bred” to create more profit for their owners.
An article by Kellie Carter Jackson states, “...enslaved women’s reproductive life cycle was
composed of rape, pregnancy, giving birth in a field and, with little to no recovery, within six to
twelve weeks one could be pregnant again.”
The control of Black women’s bodies didn’t just stop at those who were enslaved. There
are countless records of Black women being sexually abused regardless of their class, religion, or
status as an enslaved or free person.
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Even after slavery was outlawed in 1865 and well into the 20th century Black Codes and Jim
Crow Laws continued to feed these stereotypes about Black women. Black Codes and Jim Crow
Laws not only controlled the way Black women were allowed to own property, hold jobs, and
conduct business but also affected how Black women were able to interact socially.
Black women were not allowed to speak freely, talk back, or even be seen in certain
public settings. There was nowhere for Black women to go when they were faced with
emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. Even within the Black community, there is an underlying
issue of sexism, classism, and respectability politics. The article “The Revolutionary Practice of
Black Feminisms” written by Max Peterson states “Black women’s experience of racism, sexism,
and classism are inseparable.”
As the Great Migration began in the 20th century, Black people were literally running out
of the South in search of new opportunities as far away as possible from the Jim Crow laws that
plagued the South. Cities like New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Los Angeles became the homes
of many Black communities.
While many Black families thrived in their new homes, some were left with the
realization that they were Black in America no matter where they went. According to the
National Archives “...many African Americans faced injustices and difficulties after migrating.
The Red Summer of 1919 was rooted in tensions and prejudice that arose from white people
having to adjust to the demographic changes in their local communities.”
By the ’70s Black women were the face of the Black community in the media. Movies
like “Foxxy Brown'' and “Coffy” , which starred the iconic Pam Grier, featured Black women
from inner city communities. If Black women were not being sexualized in film they were being
4

portrayed as welfare queens and mammy stereotypes seen in movies like “Claudine” and the
television show “Good Times” with the mother Florida.
Despite many of the negative stereotypes associated with these Blaxploitation films, there
is a sense of a double-edged sword. Some Black women found a sense of empowerment in these
Black women who were the lead characters and heroes at a time when there was limited visibility
for Black women, especially those from inner cities. In an article written by Louis Tambue titled
“Black Women and Liberation in Blaxploitation Films,” they state, “While the casting of Black
women for lead roles as heroes during this time period changed the perception and representation
of Black women on film, the overall depiction of Black women heroes in Blaxploitation
regarding their sexual freedom of expression and femininity reveals the ways their true liberation
on screen was subdued.”
Hip-hop was born on August 11, 1973, in South Bronx, New York when the Bronx was
literally on fire. Young Black and Brown teenagers from around the area came to a low-income
apartment and created what we now know as hip-hop. Since then Black women and hip-hop have
had a love-hate relationship.
Hip-hop was a fan favorite because it acted as an outlet for many young Black and Brown
youth who often were overlooked and silenced by the media. The lyrics found in hip-hop gave an
honest and raw depiction of what growing up in inner city America looked like. While dominated
by men, women were the backbone that helped and continues to share and carry the sound. Hiphop not only changed music but also Black culture.
5

Even the history around the birth of hip-hop has excluded women. A commonly
overlooked fact about this day and party that happened in the apartment building was that it
would have never happened if it wasn’t for a woman. It was Cindy Campbell, the sister of D.J.
Kool Herc, who decided to throw the back-to-school party in the first place making her the first
lady of hip-hop.
Hip-hop continued its wave but on a much bigger platform. Record companies like Death
Row Records, No Limit Records, Cash Money Records, So So Def Recordings, and Roc-A-Fella
Records were popping up all over the country with the main goal being to produce and sell
hip-hop. The founders of these companies are now music legends like Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter,
Bryan "Baby" Williams, and Jermaine Dupri. Television shows like Yo! MTV Raps and Soul
Train helped to introduce the music to audiences all over the country.
Adding to this was the Spring Break event known as Freaknik. Freakknik was created in
1983 in Atlanta, Georgia, by college students who couldn’t go home for spring break. Originally,
the attendees were mainly from Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morris Brown
College, and Morehouse College. But by the mid-'90s, young Black people were traveling from
all over the country to attend.
Black girls from all over were putting on their best and sexiest outfits. They went all out
with their nails and hairdos to make sure they stood out in the huge crowds. These looks that
were created by then 18, 19 and 20 years old were so creative and unique that they are still being
duplicated to this day. Spray-painted shirts that were unique to every person. Girls dressed in
short shorts and cut-off t-shirts left little to the imagination. Layers of hollow gold bangles and
earrings, allowed them to be heard from miles away.
6

The Hoochie Mama continued into the 2000s and became more popular through music
videos and social media like MySpace and Facebook. Currently, Hoochie Mama culture has
expanded beyond America, and its influence can be found throughout all forms of media.
7

The Original Hoochies
Long before the song “Hoochie Mama” was charting and playing on the radio, there were
Black women in America reclaiming their sexuality.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Black creativity was at an all-time high. Black people
were leaving the South and taking their culture with them. Music genres like blues and jazz were
taking over the country and the world as both WWI and WWII sent Black soldiers to Europe and
Asia.
Gertrude “Ma” Rainey is often cited as the Mother of Blues. She was the inspiration for
artists such as Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday and was recently depicted by Viola Davis in the
Netflix film “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom." Rainey saw the peak of her career during the roaring
20s when everyone was partying. Just like many modern Hoochies, Ma was very vocal, proud to
be a woman, and talked freely about her sexuality. Her song lyrics covered topics such as love,
anger, pride, and lust. Some of the lyrics from her most famous song, “Ma Rainey’s Black
Bottom,” are far more seductive than most song lyrics of their time, stating,
“Want to see the dance you call your big black bottom
That puts you in a trance
All the boys in the neighborhood
They say your black bottom is really good
Come on and show me your black bottom”
8

Outside of her seductive lyrics, Ma was also an originator of the Hoochie style. Her most
iconic features are her gold teeth and red lipstick. A staple of the aesthetic to this day.
Another original Hoochie was Josephine Baker. In the 1920s and 30s long before there
were the Michael Jackson and Beyoncés of the world, there was Baker. Known for being the
world’s first superstar, Baker took the world by storm. People would come from all corners of
the world just to see Baker's performance in France. Baker was drawn to Paris because of how
free the city felt compared to the racist reality of living in America.
Most known for her banana skirt, which was inspired by the erotic stereotypes of African
women who dressed topless in skirts made from natural materials, Baker subverted the
stereotypes by empowering not only herself but other Black women. In an article written by
Alicja Sowinska, she states, “Her body can be seen as a site of competing images, which allowed
her to insert herself into an ideological inscription of gender and race as both fascinating and
threatening. She polarized her image to protect it from the imposition of damaging
representations of black femininity.”
The last of the original Hoochies is Lucille Bogan. Rising to fame during the late 1920’s
the native Mississippian is now known as one of the originators of Dirty Blues. While she was
also inspired by the music of Ma Rainey, her lyrics took the sexually explicit lyrics up a notch.
The main themes of her music were drugs, alcohol, and sex. And unlike many of the songs of
this period, Bogan didn’t hide the true meaning of her lyrics behind clever metaphors and puns.
During the 1930’s her lyrics were an accurate depiction of the raw reflection of the reality most
Black women faced during this period. Some of her lyrics sound like they came straight out of a
Lil Kim or Cardi B single from the last 30 years.
9

While these women were never called Hoochie Mamas in their lifetimes, their
contributions to the sexual liberation of Black women can never be overlooked. The ability to
take control of their bodies and the conversation around them, especially in a time when women
didn’t even have basic human rights, is the framework for which all Hoochie Mamas can live
within.
10

The Girl Next Door
According to Dictionary.com the girl next door is defined as “... denotes a girl or woman
who appeals to traditional or “all-American” gender norms with the allure of purity, simplicity,
and charm, with a natural, modest, or effortless.”
Within the Black culture, there is a hidden conservative ideology that stems from
religious and Eurocentric cultural values. The pressure of being the perfect woman only
intensified due to these women being Black and having to live up to these standards while
hoping not to fall into stereotypes that Black women are forced to live against.
The image of the girl next door can be found in Black culture on television programs like
“The Cosby Show" and “Proud Family." The female characters, such as Clair Huxtable and
Trudy Proud, were the ideal respectable Black women. They were light-skinned and wore their
hair straight. They came from well-to-do social backgrounds. The style in which they chose to
dress was modest, and their temperament was very mild-mannered.
The girl next door is the complete opposite of Hoochie Mama. Yet this is the prototype
that the Hoochie Mama is placed up against.
Feminista Jones points out where the influence of class and social norms comes from:
“...when we think of how we compare black women or class levels, what we're doing is
comparing them by European standards.” Since Black people have been living in America, they
have had to constantly live under the scrutiny of white people.
For many Black people, this meant trying their hardest to assimilate and be acceptable.
Oftentimes, Black people were just trying to prove that they were equal.
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This is where the divide comes into play between the girl next door and the Hoochie
Mama. Hoochie Mamas are the complete opposite of assimilation. While the girl next door
doesn’t stand out and follows the rules, Hoochie Mamas break all the rules, from fashion to
personality.
For some young Black women, walking around in little to no clothing and actively
expressing their sexuality is seen as a negative thing in the Black community. This is a narrative
that was strongly voiced in the ’90s and 2000s. From religious groups like T.D. Jakes’ churches
and the Nation of Islam to movies like “Madea's Family Reunion,” all preached this message.
Even in 2024, there are countless YouTube videos, podcasts, and social media posts
dedicated to teaching or telling Black women how to be more “feminine” or "classy."
Oftentimes, these concepts of feminism and classiness are all rooted in Eurocentric standards.
It should be noted that Hoochie Mama is not the only option for Black women, just like
the girl next door is not the only option. Black women should be allowed to be whoever they
want to be, regardless of their physical looks or economic status.
12

Hip-Hop and the Black Woman
It would be impossible to talk about Hoochie Mamas and not talk about hip-hop.
Female artists like MC Sha-Rock, Roxanne Shante, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and
Salt-N-Pepa were some of the pioneers of what we know as hip-hop today. These women helped
push hip-hop toward mainstream audiences during the 1980s. While their lyrics often differed in
topics, Queen Latifah took a more cautious approach to her style of rap. One of her most famous
songs, “U.N.I.T.Y.” talked about the way Black women were treated in Black communities and
pushed for unity. Mc Lyte gave the audience a more tomboy feel in the way she carried herself
style- and lyric-wise. The group Salt-N-Pepa pushed sexual boundaries and created an open
dialogue around safe sex for young women. One thing all these artists had in common with each
other was their honest reflection of what life was like for young Black women at the time,
especially in inner cities.
Male rappers often discuss women in their rap lyrics. A famous song that highlighted the
Black woman from the hood was “Around the Way Girl” by LL Cool J. The song celebrated the
street-smart woman he stated, “a girl with extensions in her hair, bamboo earrings, at least two
pairs. A Fendi bag and a bad attitude.”
While this was a more positive take on women, most rap lyrics degraded women and
created a narrative that women were only for men’s desires. This made it all the more important
for Black female rappers to get their voices heard.
In the '90s, female artists continued to dominate the hip-hop industry. As Salt-N-Pepa
started in the ’80s, female artists pushed the boundaries even more than many could imagine
13

when it came to expressing themselves sexually. Artists like Lil Kim and Foxy Brown were
shaking the tables with their raunchy and straight-naughty lyrics. And as Andree 3000 of
OutKast famously stated, the South had something to say. Trina, Mia X, and Gangsta Boo all hail
from the South and added a new perspective on what being a Black woman is like.
Another important female image was being added to the mix. In the 80s and 90s, MTV
ruled television when it came to young people and music. Music videos were an important part of
hip-hop artists’s image. Labels were giving artists millions of dollars in budgets for music videos.
With these videos came video vixens. To this day these models are seen as idols of Black beauty.
They sported the latest trends and were breath-taking when it came to looks. Some of these
women created names of their own and were highly sought after by artists and music video
producers.
This is where the more high-end version of Hoochie Mama aesthetics came into play with
the rise of female rappers and video vixens. Artists like Lil Kim and Foxy Brown were wearing
designer brands like Fendi, Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Versace at a time when designer brands were
targeted towards young white women. Video vixens like Melyssa Ford and Jeannette Chaves
were wearing Dolce & Gabbana, Tom Ford, and Trosman Churba in their roles as leading video
vixens.
Video vixens were helping to amplify the Hoochie Mama culture and introducing it to
different social classes.
As mentioned before, there has always been a love-hate relationship between Black
women and hip-hop. While these artists proudly owned their sexuality and didn’t shy away from
breaking down barriers in a male-dominated industry, it was often their sexuality and
14

independence that were used to disrespect them. Sadly, a lot of this hate and disrespect came
from within the Black community and even from other Black women.
A great example of this is the 1997 episode of The Rolonda Watts Show featuring Lil
Kim. Lil Kim was forced to defend her lyrics and style to a mixed crowd. Unlike the male
rappers of the time, who were not forced to apologize and defend themselves on live television,
Lil Kim was forced to defend her music and the way she chose to express herself.
By the 2000s, Black women were still fighting to defend the way they represented
themselves in the hip-hop world. Another issue that followed Black women in hip-hop was the
protest against video vixens and the way Black women were displayed in music videos. There
were whole summits created to have conversations about Black women and the way they were
sexualized in music videos. Video vixens sat down with scholars to discuss the effects of these
videos on the Black community, but even more especially on Black women.
At one point, there was even a protest at Spelman University, an all-girls historically
Black university in Atlanta, refusing to let rapper Nelly hold a blood drive to find a match for his
sister in retaliation for the way women were depicted in his music video for his song “Tip Drill.”
The battle between women and hip-hop is still ongoing in a constant battle between
self-expression and sexism.
Feminista Jones is an educator, writer, public speaker, community activist,
award-winning writer, and author of the critically acclaimed book Reclaiming Our Space: How
Black Feminists Are Changing the World From the Tweets to the Streets. Jones argues that “...the
15

principles and tenets of feminism and hip-hop can't exist. It's an oxymoron. And it is because
hip-hop is so inherently misogynistic.”
While many female rappers believed that the embracing of their sexuality and the
Hoochie Mama aesthetic equaled feminism, some Black women don’t believe this to be the case.
While female rappers are arguably some of the biggest artists in the genre now, there has been
very little improvement in the way Black women are talked about and depicted in hip-hop music.
From early hip-hop with songs like Big Daddy Kane’s “Cause I Can Do It Right” to more
modern songs like Future’s "Collection,” male rappers have dominated the industry while
making music that degrades and disrespects Black women. This is all while seemingly facing no
consequences and continuing a toxic tradition of sexism.
While Black women have done a good job of paving their way as artists in the hip-hop
genre, there cannot truly be feminism in hip-hop until male artists are held responsible for the
misogyny in their lyrics.
16

Money to be Made
Outside of Black women being revolutionary in the Black community, they have
revolutionized the beauty industry as a whole.
While the origins of the Hoochie Mama aesthetic are simplistic, there is a lot of money
that goes into maintaining the aesthetic. Hair products to maintain edges and updos. Multiple
packs and bundles of hair get thrown out every other month just to be replaced by a new pack.
Gold hoops and earring options that cost no more than five dollars have to be bought again after
turning green. The real gold options can start at almost $300 a hoop at locations like Slauson in
Los Angeles. And we haven’t even begun to start on make-up, shoes, and clothing.
According to a study conducted by McKinsey and Company, “In 2021, they (Black
Americans) spent $6.6 billion on beauty. That’s 11.1 percent of the total US beauty market,
lagging slightly behind the 12.4 percent Black representation in the total US population.”
From the most well-to-do neighborhoods to the lowest-income communities, Black
women are constantly investing in their appearance. In Black communities, you can be sure to
find a beauty supply store, which is much different than Sally’s or Ulta, on almost every corner.
According to an article written by Beauty Independence, the unfortunate reality is that “Of the
9,000 beauty supply stores the Black Owned Beauty Supply Organization estimates are in the
United States, about 3,000 are owned by Black people. The remainder are predominantly owned
by Koreans.” Inside, you will find rows and rows of gels, creams, polishes, and hair, all targeted
toward Black women. This demand for the beauty supply has only intensified as social media has
exposed the once-hidden gem of the hood to a wider audience.
17

Also adding to this intensity of marketability is the appropriation of the Hoochie Mama
culture. Celebrities such as Katy Perry and Kim Kardashian have been accused of making money
off of imitating styles that originate in the Black and Hoochie Mama culture. Oftentimes the
images and styles that Black women are criticized for are the same ones that white women make
money off of once they make it culturally acceptable.
Lauren Michele Jackson author of the book “White Negroes: When Cornrows Were in
Vogue and Other Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation” said in her interview with Vox about
culture appropriation that “Increasingly there’s this repeated story in our country where a whole
lot of people don’t get to profit off of the creative insights that they have. That is totally racially
structured. That is totally class-structured.”
NBC News reports that “Once they have landed their jobs, Black women with textured
hair are twice as likely to experience microaggressions in the workplace compared to Black
women with straight hair. And 25% of Black women ages 25 to 34 surveyed said they were sent
home from work because of their hair.” Showing that what is seen as fashionable for some is the
difference between financial security and social acceptance for many Black women. This is one
of the reasons Black women continue to try and explain that it is bigger than just style and hair.
Black culture, including Hoochie Mama culture, has influenced so many people in not
only America but the world. Styles that originated in inner-city communities have become ones
to be imitated. And with this imitation comes money to be made. Yet, Black people are being left
out of that profit. In the same McKinsey and Company study mentioned earlier, it states, “Black
brands make up only 2.5 percent of revenue in the beauty industry. Yet Black consumers are
responsible for 11.1 percent of total beauty spending.”
18

While culture and art can be shared, and that is a beautiful thing, there is something
off-putting about Black culture being imitated yet reaping the least. The profit being made off of
products made for Black women, or to look like Black women should be going to Black women
too.
19

The Modern Hoochie
According to Zorine Truly, who is a self-described Hoochie Historian and creator of the
worlds very first Hoochie Convention, a Hoochie Mama is “Somebody who is obviously a Black
woman, a creative, somebody who is innovative, somebody who can express their sexuality
openly, however, that looks.”
Many young Black women have found and are still finding comfort in the aesthetic and culture of
Hoochie Mamas. Dr. Jian Jones, a licensed occupational therapist and assistant professor at
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, says there is a middle ground when it comes to
Hoochie Mama culture. In an interview, she explains, “I think in a patriarchal world, you do need
representatives to show what the world would look like so that those who have been oppressed in
terms of sexuality or wanting to express their sexuality can know what that looks like.”
For so long, female and especially Black sexuality has been demonized. There is a muchneeded presence for what sexual freedom can look like without limitation in the patriarchal world
we all live in.
The flip side to this empowerment of female sexuality Dr. Jones explains is that “...if the
media or society is oversaturated with a narrow perspective of one type of woman, then it can be
detrimental to Black women and girls.”
Feminista Jones also highlights the point that instead of trying to reclaim a name, we
should move beyond the word. She states in an interview “I don't want us seeking empowerment
through words that men have created to describe us. That's not empowerment to me, you know,
so you can say you're reclaiming whatever, but I want Black women to move beyond being
defined by men's terms.”
20

For many young Black women, the Hoochie culture is associated with a sense of rebellion,
comfort, and attainability.
Created by young Black women who lived in predominantly Black communities and
were able to use their sometimes limited resources around them to create their unique styles.
These women are also not afraid to own and express their sexuality. Using their fashion as a way
to express that often leads to the false narrative that all Hoochie Mamas are sexually
promiscuous.
Hoochie Mama culture is unique in the fact that almost anyone can participate in it.
Regardless of social class, sexuality, or religious views, You don’t have to be rich or look a
certain way. The culture thrives on the concept of making something out of nothing. You can take
a pair of jeans from Goodwill and turn them into shorts or wear two-dollar hoop earrings from
the beauty supply store and still be a stylish Hoochie.
Many Gen Zers have begun to adopt ’90s and 2000s cultures because of the comfort and
the appeal of a time before social media.
Young Black women have attached themselves to the ’90s Hoochie Mama culture. Previously
mentioned rappers like Trina, Lil Kim, and Foxy Brown have now become fashion icons. Events
like Freaknik have become the inspiration for parties and editorial photoshoots. And
rappers like Sexyy Red and Sukianna have begun to label themselves as Hoochie Mamas.
To many Hoochie Mama culture is the reclaiming of the Black female body. It allows
those who partake in the culture to be themselves without feeling guilt. It is about freeing oneself
21

from the restrictions and rules of society. To some, it is proof of women being stuck in an endless
cycle of misogynistic traditions.
I believe there are truths on both sides of these points of view. I think it's important that
we continue to have conversations and create space for growth. I also think that just like TLC
and Salt-N-Pepa used their platforms to educate, if we talk about sex, we also need to talk about
safe sex. Hopefully, one day, in a perfect world, we won’t need labels at all and can be free to be
who we want to be.
Crystelle expresses, “It's resisting societal beauty norms. When we present ourselves
authentically, people are turned off, and they're confused because the social norm is calm,
laid-back, just acting normal, acting simple. Whereas Hoochie Mama is the complete opposite of
that. It's extroverted, it's loud, it's rambunctious, it's fun, and it's colorful. Is everything that white
people have always taught us not to be.”
There is something beautiful that should be celebrated about Black women who were
boxed into communities that were designed to fail, who instead came out with a culture that is
now known as Hoochie Mamas. A culture that will continue to shake the room for generations to
come.
As Truly puts it, “Black girls aren't a monolith; we're different types of people. We can be
a part of the punk culture; we can be part of the hoochie culture. You can be whatever culture
you identify with outside of solely being a Black girl.”
22

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24

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Asset Metadata

Creator Broomfield, Maya (author)

Core Title Black women reclaiming their sexuality through hoochie mama culture

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Specialized Journalism

Degree Conferral Date 2024-05

Publication Date 06/12/2024

Defense Date 06/12/2024

Publisher Los Angeles, California (original), University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag beauty,Black culture,Black history,Black women,culture,feminism,hiphop,history,Money,Music,OAI-PMH Harvest

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Richardson, Allissa (committee chair), Osmon, Erin (committee member), Turner, Miki (committee member)

Creator Email broomfield.maya.1202@gmail.com,mbroomfi@usc.edu

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