ABSTRACT
There’s a new wave of feminism in Latin America. It is a thriving movement adopted by and spearheaded by a diverse generation of young women who are not just outspoken but unapologetically hip hop. In “Latinoamérica Unida,” the title track of the 2015 album from the female collective Somos Mujeres Somos Hip Hop—a group composed of twelve women representing ten countries—the performers take turns demonstrating the significance of hip hop feminisms as a way to combat gender inequality in Latin America. According to MC Rebeca Lane, “Feminism for me and for us and many women in Latin America it’s not about a book, it’s not about theory, it’s not about academics. It’s about how you feel and how you want to live your life without machismo.” Although their exact interpretation of feminism may differ, as demonstrated by the individual songs which make up the rest of the compilation, their central argument is clear and unified. MC Roja of Ecuador describes the inspiration:
There are women across Latin America that see feminism, not as a way of women dominating, but about equal opportunities for everyone. So we decided to start Somos Mujeres Somos Hip Hop as a Latin American wide project. We ended up with a group of twelve women representing ten countries all using music to address different social issues.
(Rima Roja en Venus 2015)