The document discusses how female R&B artists like Rihanna, Alicia Keys, and Nicki Minaj have challenged conventions by wearing expensive jewelry in their music videos, showing their influence in the industry equal to men. It describes Nicki Minaj as a feminist icon who has become the most charted female rapper through her ambitious music promoting girl power and smashing patriarchal norms. The document also notes that even early in her career, Beyoncé promoted feminism through songs and public performances declaring herself a feminist.

2.  It is an R&B costume convention
for men to wear ‘bling’ in their
music videos. Recently more and
more female R&B artists wear
excess jewellery which challenges
this convention. Items such as
large hooped earrings, rings and
necklaces can be seen on stars
such as Rihanna, Alicia Keys and
Nicki Minaj. Jewellery is expensive
and this relates to making money
and success. The idea of women
wearing these items shows that
they are every bit as influential in
the industry as men are.

3.  Nicki Minaj is a female R&B artist
and a feminist icon. Walking into a
male dominated industry and
becoming the most charted female
rapper on the Billboard Hot 100 is
impressive. She frequently dons
the colour pink in order to make a
statement. She is an ambitious
motivational speaker (examples of
this are below) and in her music
videos and raps she frequently
uses references to girl power and
smashing a patriarchal society. In
her music video for Anaconda
there is a bit where she snaps a
banana in half, chops it up and
then throws it away. The banana is
an innuendo for a penis.

4.  Even when Beyoncé was in
Destiny’s Child she was still an
activist for feminism, producing the
single Independent Women. At the
2014 MTV VMAs she performed
her song Flawless (lyric video
posted below) in front of a giant
screen blazoned with the word
FEMINIST. This act even earned her
an article in The Guardian, a
reputable newspaper. The artist
also wrote an article herself in
support of equal pay for women.