Love and Hip Hop

This study seeks to make meaning of Black college women's interpretations of Black womanhood through the lens of urban reality television. This study highlights the consumption of urban reality television in higher education and works to determine how the confluence of identity development and media influences inform understandings of Black womanhood among Black undergraduate women. I examined their interpretations of (1) urban reality television, (2) Black womanhood, (3) campus life, (4) their interactions with family and friends, (5) role models, and (6) romantic relationships. My preliminary findings indicate that while the students frequently consumed these shows for entertainment purposes, their understandings of Black womanhood were largely shaped by family and role models. Still, parallels existed between the women's lived experiences and the portrayals of reality on television. Specifically, the participants determined the attitudes surrounding committed relationships among urban reality cast members reflect hook-up culture on-campus. Additionally, both the women cast in the shows and the respondents used predominantly White systems (educational system, the media) to acquire social mobility and improve their socioeconomic status.