A Pantheon of Pleasure: Orisha Revival and the Politics of Black Women’s Sexuality in Hip-Hop
Location
Ponderosa Room D
Presentation Type
Presentation
Presentation Topic
African Diaspora, Hip-Hop, Feminism, Religion
Start Date
6-3-2026 3:35 PM
Event Sort Order
57
Abstract
Part history and part popular culture, this project will examine how the rise of African Traditional Religions (ATRs) in the United States has fueled the reclamation of Black feminine sexuality and spirituality in hip-hop, complicating the discussion of sexuality, the sacred, and identity-making. This project utilizes qualitative methodology to examine these themes in hip-hop as contextualized by the worship of African deities, called orishas. I will use a combination of hip-hop feminist theory, sexual script theory, and queer theory to examine African spirituality and sexuality in hip-hop by analyzing the music of OSHUN, Ibeyi, Khali Ma, Princess Nokia, and ÌFÉ.
The significance of this project lies in the question of power. Namely, how does this broadened representation of feminism, queerness, and traditional African spirituality in hip-hop benefit Black individuals in America? My working thesis for this project argues that the growing visibility of orishas in hip-hop strengthens the Black identity in America by allowing space for the representation of sexuality defined by one’s own terms, rather than relying on restrictive binaries imposed by Western colonial and imperial constructs. What my research will advance to the subject is the interplay between feminine sexuality and African spirituality in hip-hop. There is growing representation and diversity in the genre coming from women artists and queer artists, as well as the appearance of orishas in their lyrics and music videos. While there has been critical work regarding Black feminine sexuality, music, and American culture, my goal with this project is to take the conversation a step further to include African spirituality, namely, how the orishas nuance the discussion of Black identity in hip-hop toward Black women’s empowerment.
A Pantheon of Pleasure: Orisha Revival and the Politics of Black Women’s Sexuality in Hip-Hop
Ponderosa Room D
Part history and part popular culture, this project will examine how the rise of African Traditional Religions (ATRs) in the United States has fueled the reclamation of Black feminine sexuality and spirituality in hip-hop, complicating the discussion of sexuality, the sacred, and identity-making. This project utilizes qualitative methodology to examine these themes in hip-hop as contextualized by the worship of African deities, called orishas. I will use a combination of hip-hop feminist theory, sexual script theory, and queer theory to examine African spirituality and sexuality in hip-hop by analyzing the music of OSHUN, Ibeyi, Khali Ma, Princess Nokia, and ÌFÉ.
The significance of this project lies in the question of power. Namely, how does this broadened representation of feminism, queerness, and traditional African spirituality in hip-hop benefit Black individuals in America? My working thesis for this project argues that the growing visibility of orishas in hip-hop strengthens the Black identity in America by allowing space for the representation of sexuality defined by one’s own terms, rather than relying on restrictive binaries imposed by Western colonial and imperial constructs. What my research will advance to the subject is the interplay between feminine sexuality and African spirituality in hip-hop. There is growing representation and diversity in the genre coming from women artists and queer artists, as well as the appearance of orishas in their lyrics and music videos. While there has been critical work regarding Black feminine sexuality, music, and American culture, my goal with this project is to take the conversation a step further to include African spirituality, namely, how the orishas nuance the discussion of Black identity in hip-hop toward Black women’s empowerment.
Presenter Bio
Elle Prather is a graduate student in the Department of History & Geography at the University of Central Oklahoma, with plans to graduate in May of 2026. Her thesis examines themes of matriarchy, queerness, and power in the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomblé. Elle considers herself to be a maker of stories and art and loves all things weird and spooky. She spends her weekends teaching stained glass art and cuddling with her partner and their two dogs, Jack and Basil. With her newfound freedom, Elle plans to read lots of trashy fiction and create lots of trashy art. Longer-term endeavors include starting a horror journal and insinuating herself deeper into Oklahoma City’s art scene. One day, you may even call her “doctor.”