Respectez-nous as We Feminize the Rapped Rhyme
Until I was taken far from my home sweet home
I took an eight-hour flight to become metropolitan
Métro , police hatred , suburbs , hardly had it better ( ... )
We used to play with those who insulted us , I stood up for myself
It was from all of that where I became conscientious of the color that I am . 5
The discussion of one ’ s ethnocultural identity and marginalized social position is a frequent topic found in French hiphop . The above lyrical example shows that Lady Laistee also used rap music in order to protest against majority society or send out a social message , albeit from a women ’ s perspective . Further lyrics throughout the song “ Black Mama ” address the realities of downward mobility and exclusion as faced by immigrant women in France in particular , including those residents coming from the overseas départements and territoires ( known as the DOM-TOM ). Despite their lack of traditional immigrant status ( they are French citizens in full ), people from the Caribbean and Indian Ocean colonies are frequently marginalized in mainland France . Similar to immigrants from French-speaking regions of Africa , Caribbean residents also tend to live in the socially disadvantaged suburbs of Paris and other cities where they are faced with racism , low educational attainment vis-à-vis the majority culture , as well as constant suspicion by the police . Unemployment figures amongst youths of color aged 15 – 25 years old in many Paris suburbs are estimated to range upwards to 85 percent , with women being the most underrepresented in terms of jobs and upward mobility ( Kokoreff ; Mallière ).
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