Multilingualism and Gender in Rap

A Longitudinal Analysis of Chadia Rodriguez's Songs

Abstract

This paper delves into the intersectional space of multilingualism, gender, and educational linguistics in the Italian rap music scene, with a specific focus on the production of Chadia Rodriguez, one of the most prominent female rappers of second-generation migrant background. Through a qualitative, longitudinal content analysis of 18 songs released between 2018 and 2024, the study investigates the artist’s linguistic strategies, including code-switching across Italian, English, Spanish, Arabic, and French, and the thematic treatment of gender stereotypes, and female identity. While Chadia’s lyrics reflect some of the most typical stylistic and expressive features of the rap genre – such as braggadocio, explicit language, references to sexuality to name a few – they also show an original attempt to challenge misogyny, reclaim slurs, and redefine the role of female within rap culture. Given their engagement with real-life sociolinguistic and gender issues, the paper further considers the potential of these lyrics for educational use, particularly in Italian (second) language and culture classes for adolescents. The study builds on the results of the analysis to consider the educational value of rap from a multilingual and sociocultural perspective, as an authentic, engaging resource capable of promoting a critical reflection on language, identity, and gender.