FEATURE:
U.N.I.T.Y.
IN THIS PHOTO: Lauryn Hill won five GRAMMYs - a new record for a female singer in a single award ceremony - on 24th February, 1999/PHOTO CREDIT: Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images
The Women Who Helped Shape and Transform Hip-Hop
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IN today’s music…
IN THIS PHOTO: Bree Runway
we have artists like Little Simz and Bree Runway, who are helping to shape and elevate Hip-Hop. I have always felt that the women of Hip-Hop have both been under-explored and overlooked. Stunningly innovative and important regarding the history of the genre, I am reading a book called Flip the Script: How Women Came to Rule Hip Hop. Written by Arusa Qureshi, it is revealing and illuminating. In the book, she discusses the women who helped shape Hip-Hop. From success stories like Cookie Crew in the U.K. to the sexism that surrounded Roxanne Shante’s rise and success in the U.S., it has made me respect more the women who have paved the way for the new wave. There is still sexism and prejudice in Hip-Hop, though I think there have been doors open and steps made since the 1980s and 1990s. I am going to end with a playlist of songs from women who, from decades back to today, have been hugely influential – including quite a few modern-day queens and pioneers. Before that, I want to reference some articles that explore and spotlight the women whose voices are essential and inspiring. Before rounding off, I am going to source the liberally from some features which not only chart the history of women in Hip-Hop and their impact. There is a great feature that highlights the most important women of the genre.
Before coming to that - and as I mentioned her book -, Arusa Qureshi spoke with Cookie Crew in an article for The Guardian in November last year. It is very clear that they made an enormous impact on the scene:
“When considering the history of women in hip-hop, some pioneering names will always stand out. There’s Debbie D, a member of DJ Marley Marl’s Juice Crew; Pebblee Poo, who joined DJ Kool Herc’s Herculoids; and Lisa Lee, who was in Afrika Bambaataa’s Universal Zulu Nation. Then there’s Sha-Rock, considered the first prominent female MC; Mercedes Ladies, the first all-female group in hip-hop; Roxanne Shanté, the formidable battle rapper. But as in many parts of the music industry, these women were told they’re good for a girl: a patronising framework that is one of the core reasons women are left out of the history of the genres they helped revolutionise.
In the UK in 1983, two more young women were also about to be underestimated. MC Remedee (Debbie Pryce) and Susie Q (Susan Banfield) were just getting started as Cookie Crew, inspired by what was happening in the New York music scene. Cookie Crew pre-dated other prominent women in UK hip-hop such as She Rockers and Wee Papa Girl Rappers, not to mention Monie Love, who would go on to settle in New York in 1988 to massive success. As one of the first female hip-hop groups in the UK, they were also among the first to battle the hurdles women faced in the genre; constantly compared to adjacent male rappers, forced to prove themselves despite their evident success, and constantly pushed in different, and often contradictory, directions.
IN THIS PHOTO: Debbie Pryce and Susan Banfield, a.k.a. Cookie Crew/PHOTO CREDIT: David O’Neil/ANL/Shutterstock
“We started listening to hip-hop because Debbie would go to New York with her family in the early 80s, record the radio on a cassette tape and bring it back for us to listen to,” Banfield explains. “We would listen to it at home, and it was amazing to us.”
The pair would spend time in the park near where they grew up with their crew of friends, roller skating and playing double Dutch – once they started writing, this was the ideal place to test the waters with their rhymes. “Malcolm McLaren did this documentary in a place in Covent Garden where breakers [breakdancers] used to hang out,” she recalls. “We started to connect the dots with everything that was happening in the hip-hop scene. There were graffiti artists down there, there were breakers, and there were rappers – everyone started to try a little something.”
This included Banfield and Pryce, who were writing raps, not realising that there weren’t really other girls doing the same thing locally. “We had no clue because we saw American girls doing it. We were listening to female rappers like Sha-Rock, Lisa Lee and Debbie D and we were influenced by them. There were a lot of rappers out there [in the UK] at the time, all male, but we did see Michelle Devitt also known as Mystery MC of Family Quest. We saw her rapping on stage; she was freestyling and she blew us away – the first female rapper that we had seen from England.
It was at this point in 1985 that they heard about a rap competition being run by a young Tim Westwood, with prize money and a recording contract up for grabs. “The boys that we used to hang with were saying, ‘You could win this!’ And so our friends forced us to go down there, and we put our name down for the first week. We saw all the rappers that were taking part and then thought, OK, we’ll go back next weekend and take our name off the list, because this is looking really hard and we’re not sure. But the night came and we thought: We’re just gonna go out there and do it because it doesn’t matter. I remember the stage being so big that they had to lift Debbie up on to it! We rapped over Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force’s Planet Rock, and it was fast. It was so fast!”
“Basically, we killed it,” Pryce adds with a grin. “We could see all the guys from Battersea who came with us, who were our support network. The crowd was just going crazy. When they made the announcement on the night that we won, it was like our feet didn’t touch the ground. It was a complete blur, but it was sheer excitement. We went away feeling like champions and after that, the world was our lobster.”
They took the prize money but not the contract. “It’s a good job we didn’t take it, because it probably would have been a mess,” Pryce notes. “We went for a meeting and I just remember coming out unsure. We knew nothing about the business. We just wanted to hang out and build our reputation on the scene. Thank God we didn’t sign – but we did get a trophy!”
After signing with London Records, Cookie Crew took on the US, and soon they were working with the likes of Stetsasonic and Gang Starr. But through all of this, they stuck to their truth, and to their British identity, and did all they could to represent the burgeoning scene at home. Songs from their debut album Born This Way make direct reference to their home town and to their journey (“We’ve got a message to all who said we couldn’t do it / take a look at us now, take your words and chew it”); Black is the Word captures their pride in their Black British identity and From the South is a homage to their home.
“We’ve always stayed true to our roots because we were very patriotic about London, and about south London particularly,” Pryce says. “All the narratives on the tracks are based around our experiences, even though the delivery might have had that American tone, because that was our reference point. Our subject matters were very, very British. When we were in New York, we were very proud of being British. We also felt that we were educating them about what was going on outside the US. A lot of the people we met didn’t realise that there were actually Black people in England because not many people had passports back then and they weren’t travelling. We were educating them on who we were, being British, but British Caribbean too.”
“Our references came from our parents, and our parents were the Windrush era,” Banfield explains. “Hip-hop in a way introduced us to what was happening in America but it didn’t introduce us to wider issues we faced as Black people. For example, we spent a lot of our time doing anti-apartheid gigs. We spent a lot of time making sure that we were involved with any gig to do with freeing Nelson Mandela as much as we could. We boycotted certain things, we were involved in everything possible that could be against Margaret Thatcher. We’ve always had that side of us”.
Tied into the new T.V. show, The Real Queens of Hip-Hop (on Hulu), Deena Zaru wrote an article that began by stating how women were right at the core of Hip-Hop from its inception and roots:
“Even before hip-hop was called “hip-hop,” women were on the frontlines of the culture as emcees, rappers and producers.
From the earliest icons of the 1970s and 1980s, to the trailblazing stars of the 1990s and the chart-toppers of today, women have empowered each other and broken down barriers for generations to come.
“The Real Queens of Hip-Hop,” an ABC News special that is set to air on Monday, explores the inspiring rise and powerful force of women in hip-hop, in their own words. It is narrated by Salt of the iconic group Salt-N-Pepa; it includes original spoken word performances by the legendary MC Lyte and interviews with iconic artists like Eve, Da Brat, Trina, Monie Love, Yo-Yo and more.
Here’s a look back at the legacy of women in hip-hop and some of the artists who changed the game:
Early pioneers
MC Sha-Rock, known as the “Mother of the Mic,” got her start as the first female emcee of hip-hop in the 1970s when her rhymes earned her a spot as a member of The Funky 4+1.
But during its earliest days hip-hop was not taken seriously by older generations and record companies, she said, so artists had to fight for recognition.
“They felt as though this was something that just was never going to go any place,” MC Sha-Rock said. “I can tell you how we were told as young teenagers that this was just a fad. It wasn't until corporate America radio stations saw that these young kids with little or no resources created something out of nothing.”
The Funky 4+1, with Sha-Rock at the center, became the first hip-hop group to get a record deal and the first to perform on mainstream television when they were invited to appear on “Saturday Night Live.”
This was the beginning of hip-hop’s foray into the mainstream.
IN THIS PHOTO: Roxanne Shante poses for a portrait session in 1988 in New York City/PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Another important moment took place in 1980 when Sylvia Robinson, the founder and CEO of Sugarhill Records, released “Rapper’s Delight,” -- the first hip-hop song to achieve commercial success and the first to chart on the Billboard Top 40.
“Rapper's Delight was a huge deal. And then they started playing it on the radio. So that was even grander,” MC Lyte, the first female hip-hop emcee to release a solo album, said. “But then later to find out that it was a woman, Ms. Robinson, behind it all … it was wonderful.”
But at the time, rappers did not wait for record companies to release their music; they released their own cassette tapes, which were a form of communication at the time.
“I didn't come through no great studio. My record was made on a cassette tape … and what it did was it opened up the floodgates,” said Roxanne Shante, who was known in Queens in the 1980s as one of the fiercest MCs.
“I think I was able to open up those doors as a woman ... to allow a lot of these other rappers to come in and say … you know what? I can do this,” she added.
A message of empowerment
As hip-hop made its mark in mainstream culture in the 1980s, women had to battle for recognition in a male-dominated industry.
“Today you need to have thick skin, but back in the 80s, you needed to be a rhino, honey, because for one, you could be as good as any man and you still wasn't getting the level of respect that you deserved as a woman on the mic,” said Grammy-nominated rapper Monie Love.
Monie Love and Queen Latifah perform "Ladies First" at Newark Symphony Hall in Newar...Read More
In 1989 Queen Latifah called on Love to join her in writing an anthem to empower female MCs, which led to the all-time classic single “Ladies First,” which celebrates the lyrical prowess and talent of women in the industry.
IN THIS PHOTO: Monie Love/PHOTO CREDIT: Asanteworks PR
“I love the unity that the women came together because that's what I've always been about,” said MC Lyte. “... that was historical, because I think [it’s] the first time that I'd seen women come together on a rap song, and they brought it.”
At the time, in some hip-hop lyrics women were given derogatory terms but “Ladies First,” which was featured on Queen Latfiah’s 1989 album, “All Hail the Queen,” honored women as “queens.”
Love said that as a female emcee in the 1990s she was constantly asked about misogyny in hip-hop, but she would say, “‘I don't own it’ ... me and Latifah are over here calling sisters queens. That's what we doing.”
Hip-hop has been standing up for Black lives for decades: 15 songs and why they matter
Compton rapper Yo-Yo was outspoken against misogyny in hip-hop at the time and advocated for women’s empowerment in her music in songs like the 1991 classic, “You Can't Play With My Yo-Yo,” featuring her fellow West Coast rapper Ice Cube.
“[The song] has a lot of femininity, adult femininity in it, and it's powerful to me because it's everything that I am. My name is Yo-Yo, I'm not a h--, no,” she said.
“It was really a chance to stand up and be bold and be fearless and to represent women in a different kind of way.”
Yo-Yo, MC Lyte and Queen Latifah perform onstage during Queen Latifah's "Ladies First"...Read More
Embracing sex appeal
A new generation of female hip-hop stars in the 1980s and 1990s sent another message of empowerment to women by boldly embracing their sexuality.
And it all started with Salt-N-Pepa.
The group released their first studio album in 1986, becoming the first female rap group to sell more than a million records and their style distinguished them from other artists on the scene as they brought sex appeal into the game.
“Everybody today took a page out of Salt-N-Pepa's book. Everyone,” Love said.
In the 1990s, artists like Lil Kim would take this image to a whole new level.
Lil Kim’s debut album “Hard Core,” which was released in 1996 was certified double platinum, and the rapper became known for her raunchy lyrics and unapologetic sex appeal.
IN THIS PHOTO: Salt-N-Pepa/PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Putland
“That was the first time for me that I saw that much sexiness in female hip-hop -- she created and started that,” said rapper Trina, who rose to prominence in the late 1990s.
Da Brat, who released her debut album “Funkdafied” in 1994, becoming the first solo female rapper to sell a million records, said that it’s important for women to have the freedom to express themselves however they choose.
“I love the fact that Lil Kim was comfortable in her own skin, which apparently she was because she did the damn thing, and I was comfortable in my skin, and nobody tried to change me, and if nobody tried to change her, then more power to her,” she said.
According to MC Sha-Rock, in the early days of hip-hop there was less of a focus on a woman’s looks and more a focus on her skills as an emcee.
But as hip-hop got more corporate, things began to change and women faced more pressure to fit into a certain image.
“I say that that shift started in the 90s when they took the female rapper and didn't make her the more prominent female figure in hip hop,” Shante said. “Instead, they took the video vixen and made her the more prominent female in hip-hop, so people were looking for her rather than looking for a lyricist.”
IN THIS PHOTO: Da Brat
Changing the game
Despite the pressures of the industry, trailblazing female artists stayed true to themselves and produced legendary work that continues to influence and define hip-hop today.
When Missy Elliot released her debut album “Supa Dupa Fly” in 1997, not only did the rapper stand out for her unique style, but also for her artistry, which was reflected in her iconic, larger than life performances and music videos -- the first of which was her debut single, “The Rain.”
Da Brat was one of the many artists who made memorable cameos in the video.“Missy has always been way ahead of her time with her thought process,” Da Brat said.
“I love he still to this day for that and what she's done for the culture. She changed the game for women completely.”
Another artist who embraced her individuality in the late 1990s was Lauryn Hill.
Lauryn Hill won five Grammys, a new record for a female singer in a single award ceremo...Read More
Hill, who was a member of The Fugees, took the entire music industry by storm when she launched her solo career with the release of “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” in 1998.
The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, was nominated for 10 Grammy Awards and won five, including Album of the Year.
“Lauryn Hill introduced the aspect of the multi-functioning female artist within hip-hop. I mean, write, produce, rhyme, sing and deliver the artistic vision of it all, too,” Love said.
According to Da Brat, Hill’s “sound shifted the whole game.”
Breaking down barriers
Rap music became more mainstream in the 2000s but female artists struggled to get recognition as record executives signed less women.
“In 2005, I think at some point I did realize or look around and say, where are the women? Because even when I came out, there were a few of us,” Grammy-winning rapper Eve said.
Eve released her debut album, “Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady," in 1999, making history as the third female hip-hop artist to top the Billboard Hot 200 chart.
And although she considers herself “completely lucky” to have the support of Ruff Ryders where she was able to be herself, she struggled to navigate a male-dominated industry.
"When I say male-dominated, I don't mean in front of the cam, those people on stage. I mean the people that you have to sign contracts with, the people that you have to negotiate with," she said.
Nicki Minaj burst onto the scene in 2010 with her debut album “Pink Friday” and her hit single “Super Bass” at a time when mainstream hip-hop was missing female voices.
Over the past decade, she has become one of the top selling female artists of all time, with more than 100 million records sold.
But it wasn’t until the rise of social media that big barriers would break.
A notable example is the rise of Cardi B, who became the only female solo artist to win a Grammy for Best Rap Album.
She was initially known to America as an up-and-coming artist on the reality TV show “Love and Hip-Hop.” But through social media, Cardi B was able to promote her mixtapes, grow her own platform and develop a fan base -- all before scoring a big record deal with Atlantic Records in 2017.
“There are things that artists do now that are fascinating and the way they use social media and the way they can launch their careers by themselves and the way they don't have to wait for a label to sign them,” said radio personality and rapper Angie Martinez. “There is a lot of independence and a lot of amazing things happening in hip-hop now.”
Yung Miami of the hip-hop duo City Girls said that social media is a “big part” of music and platforms like TikTok and Instagram have helped them promote their music.
“I feel like we bring fun music, turn up music, girl power. I feel like we just like empowering women to be the best they can be,” she said.
The group is known for viral singles like “Act Up” and "Twerk,” featuring Cardi B -- both of which are certified platinum.
“When I see all of the women on the top of the charts, it reminds me of back in the day ... back in the nineties when every record label had representation of a female MC,” MC Lyte said.
“I love all those ladies. I love Meg, Nicki, Cardi. I love them all. I love everything that they stand for,” Eve said. “... I don't think you'll see another period like the 2000s where [women] are just gone. That's not going to happen”.
I have not gone as deep as I could have but, to give a sense of how many great women through the years have changed Hip-Hop for the better, I hoper the playlist at the bottom is good and respectful representation. In terms of the pioneers and players, this article is fascinating. It is another great read from last year. Another terrific book about the women of Hip-Hop that was released last year was The Motherlode: 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop. It is wonderful reading about the iconic women of Hip-Hop from the early days to now:
“From the start, hip-hop was about storytelling. Just as the sound of the movement was created by the creative repurposing of music that already existed, the success of the genre’s MCs was based on their willingness to shatter old forms and wield the shards to create a new style of self-expression. Male and female rappers alike used wordplay, repetition, and extended metaphor to relate experiences that were dark, violent, romantic, or hopeful, casting themselves as hero, witness, or seer.
But given the music industry’s history of marginalizing the contributions of women, it’s easy to see hip-hop as a boys’ club. Braggadocious lyrics about violence, sex, swagger, and masculinity reign in a space where women, in most cases, are cast as either conquests or a faceless Greek chorus, their own stories largely ignored. But in the early days of the genre, while critics were still deriding hip-hop as a passing fad, female rappers were beginning to make up a formidable piece of the genre’s biology, unapologetically detailing their interpretations and experiences of the world they lived in. They all had distinct variations in style, flow, and lyrical content, but what each woman had in common was a fiercely independent voice and the power to remain consistently and resoundingly herself.
MC Lyte
The first solo rapper to release her own, full-length album, MC Lyte’s Lyte As A Rock dropped in 1988. Lyte’s flow, lyrical precision, and refusal to self-censor gained her industry attention quickly. She has described the scene in its early days as competitive and skill-based, but not without a gender bias. “There may have been times when promoters didn’t want to pay me what I deserved. In a line-up, they didn’t want to put me where my songs warranted me going. But none of it affected me to a degree to where it mattered. There may have been setbacks but I never let them get to me.”
In 1993, “Ruffneck” was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Single, making MC Lyte the first female rapper nominated for a Grammy. In recent years, Lyte herself has called for the Female Rap Solo category to be reinstated, saying “it destroys [hip-hop] culture to not have the perspective of a woman.”
Queen Latifah
Part of the New York area’s storied Native Tongues crew, along with the likes of Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, and A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah was one of the earliest female rappers in hip-hop. The Native Tongues collective were known for their socially conscious, largely positive lyrical content, but Latifah made a name for herself talking about issues in the lives of black women. Songs like “Ladies First” and “UNITY,” which discussed domestic violence, street harassment, and the need for coalition-building between females, made the New Jersey native a powerful voice for change.
Monie Love
One of the only other female rappers in Native Tongues, Monie Love and Queen Latifah struck up a fast friendship after Latifah and Native Tongues traveled to the UK, where, at a show, they met the British rapper, who had been making noise in the underground scene there for years. Love eventually joined Native Tongues in New York, where she collaborated with Latifah on “Ladies First,” and released her own album, produced by Afrika Baby Bam. Songs such as “Monie In The Middle” and “RU Single” both slyly and cleverly struck back at expectations and assumptions about black women in relationships without sacrificing the flow.
Salt-N-Pepa
When Cheryl James and Sandra Denton joined forces in 1985, much of the record industry still believed hip-hop was a fad. Calling themselves Salt-N-Pepa, the two put out “The Showstopper,” a response to Doug E Fresh’s hit “The Show.” Clad in short shorts and tight midriff-baring shirts, this duo ruled the sex-positive revolution of the 90s. With songs such as “Push It,” “Do You Really Want Me,” “Let’s Talk About Sex,” and “Shoop,” Salt-N-Pepa were frank and outspoken about their desires and their sexuality, while simultaneously demanding respect, preaching feminist values and speaking out against assault and discrimination.
Bahamadia
One of Philadelphia’s first prominent MCs, Bahamadia, a former producer, was moved to join the rap game after being inspired by the likes of female rappers Salt-N-Pepa and Lady B. Lyrically dexterous with a smooth, unflappable flow, Bahamadia’s verses serve less bombast than her contemporaries, but are no less verbally crafty. Her debut album, 1996’s Kollage was an instant classic, and the very first LP to be co-produced and entirely written by a female rapper. Loaded with deceptively simple beats that reveal their complexity as they weave over, under, around, and through textured melodies, the album is both warm and fresh, full of the jazz and soul influences that have become synonymous with the Philadelphia sound.
Foxy Brown
One of the most distinctive voices in rap, Foxy Brown entered the scene at a mere 15 years old, and first appeared on LL Cool J’s album Mr. Smith , rapping over the remix for “I Shot Ya.” She was signed to Def Jam in ’96, the same year she appeared with Lil’ Kim, Total, and Da Brat on the Bad Boy Remix of “No One Else.” It was also the year her debut album, Ill Na Na, dropped. Critical reviews were mixed but Foxy’s sales were strong, and “Get Me Home” was that rare radio banger with decades of staying power. Like Lil’ Kim, Foxy was frank and outspoken about her sexuality and her desire while still commanding – and demanding – respect.
Lauryn Hill
From the moment critics got their first taste of Lauryn Hill on the 1994 Fugees album, Blunted On Reality, she was hailed as a star. Fellow Fugee Wyclef Jean acknowledged it himself in a verse on 1996’s The Score: “The magazine said the girl shoulda went solo/The guys should stop rapping/Vanish like Menudo.” Hill did go solo, releasing The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill in 1998 to public and critical acclaim. Mixing neo-soul sounds with powerful feminist lyrics, Hill delved deep into the complications inherent in womanhood, motherhood, black femininity, and the music business. Hits like “Doo Wop (That Thing),” “Everything Is Everything,” “Lost Ones” and “Ex-Factor” still sound as fresh and compelling today as they did at the time of their release. Hill hasn’t released an album since a compilation in 2007, but remains an irreplaceable voice in the canon of female rappers.
Lil’ Kim
The woman who rapped “got buffoons eatin’ my pu__y while I watch cartoons” needs no introduction. She hasn’t released a major studio album since 2005, but Kim remains in the canon as one of the most gifted MCs of either gender. Flipping sexual mores on their head, Lil’ Kim twisted the paradigm that said a female rapper had to come with a masculine swagger. Draped in mink and diamonds, lace, and lingerie, Kim embraced the feminine sexual aesthetic that kept many women in the genre locked in the role of “video vixen.” “I’ve always been super sexy and feminine,” Kim told Billboard in 2014. “My record company didn’t understand a female rapper being sexy. They thought I needed to look like MC Lyte, wear sweatsuits and all that.” Instead of changing to fit the mold of female rappers, Lil’ Kim doubled down on her sexuality and used it to unapologetically empower herself in a world of men, whom, in many ways, she still needed in order to access power.
Missy Elliott
With a visual and sonic vocabulary that’s one of a kind, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the southern-born Missy Elliott changed the game. After years of collaboration with the likes of Jodeci, Ginuwine, and Aaliyah, Elliott headed into the studio with childhood friend and longtime collaborator Timbaland to work on her debut album. The result, which took only two weeks, was Supa Dupa Fly, which yielded the radio hit “The Rain.” Laced with inventive wordplay (“I sit on hills like Lauryn”) that sampled Ann Peebles’ 1973 single and with one of the most inventive videos in the history of the medium, “The Rain” was a surprise and a smash.
Elliott’s next album, Da Real World, was equally successful, and her third album, Miss E… So Addictive, gave the world “Get Ur Freak On,” one of the most enduring hits of the decade. Missy’s look – baggy pants, cartoonish silhouettes, and bright colors – added comedy to an often hyper-serious musical genre. She was in stark contrast to many of the newer commercial female rappers who were scantily dressed and hypersexualized, working hard to appeal to a fanbase of young men. Through her unique vision, Missy created a body of work that has cemented her position as one of the legends of modern music.
Roxanne Shante
Roxanne Shanté began rapping at the age of 9, displaying an almost inherent knack for rhyme schemes and flow patterns. This talent earned her acceptance into the widely popular Juice Crew, which included Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, and Kool G Rap. The crew was tough-talking and wouldn’t take slander from anyone, and over the course of the group’s existence, the crew produced many answer records in response to disses and engaged in numerous beefs. They were also a major player in the rise of the posse cut, when each member would handle a verse on an extended song. Shanté was also a frequent collaborator of Marley Marl. Though she practically retired at the age of 25, her monumental impact on the rap game is still felt to this day.
Sha-Rock
Every artist on this list has a rightful claim as a pioneer, but no one had the impact Sha-Rock had. She was quite literally the first female rapper recorded on vinyl, and she was rapping during a time when female MCs just weren’t accepted in any meaningful way. Within the hip-hop community, she has rightfully come to be celebrated as the “Mother of the Mic.” As a member of the first hip-hop crew to appear on television, known as the Funky 4 + 1, her style of delivering raps on early mixtapes influenced notable superstars like MC Lyte and DMC (born Darryl McDaniels) of Run-DMC. McDaniels cited Green as a significant influence on the style of rapping associated with the pioneering group.
Trina
Way back in 1998, Trina was studying to get her real estate license, when she caught the attention of Miami rapper Trick Daddy, who serendipitously recruited her to appear on his track “Nann Ni__a.” The song was released as the lead single from Trick’s second studio album, www.thug.com in 1998, reaching No.3 on the Rap Songs chart. The feature essentially kickstarted Trina’s rap career, leading to a record deal with Slip-n-Slide Records with distribution from Atlantic Records. She released her debut LP, Da Baddest Bitch, two years later, and would forge a career celebrated for its consistency and longevity.
Da Brat
Da Brat’s first major breakthrough occurred when she won the top prize in a local contest in her hometown of Chicago, Illinois, sponsored by Yo! MTV Raps. Her reward? Meeting the wildly popular rap duo Kris Kross. They introduced her to their producer, Jermaine Dupri, who signed Da Brat to his So So Def label. Dupri initially intended to position Da Brat’s image as a “female Snoop Doggy Dogg,” and she became one of the first female rappers to spit openly about her life. Da Brat’s debut album Funkdafied was released in 1994 and entered the Rap Albums chart at No.11. The album went platinum, making her the first female solo rapper to sell one million copies.
Ladybug Mecca
Ladybug Mecca introduced the world to her slick, impossibly cool rhymes as a member of the seminal jazz-rap group Digable Planets. The group signed to Pendulum Records in 1992, and Ladybug, born and raised in Maryland, relocated to Brooklyn to record their debut. That album, Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space) was released in 1993 and certified gold soon after, thanks to the unimpeachable interplay of the members. Ladybug went on to pursue a solo career after the group disintegrated, releasing the brilliant Trip The Light Fantastic in 2005. She continued to collaborate regularly with other musicians, notably on Legacy/Sony’s Billie Holiday Remixed and Reimagined album, Del tha Funkee Homosapien’s Eleventh Hour, and with rap supergroup eMC.
Lady of Rage
The entire rap world could be connected in two steps if every segment traced back to Lady of Rage. The Virginia-born and LA-based MC was pivotal to a number of essential rap movements. She was an integral part of albums from several Death Row Records artists, including Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg on their seminal albums, The Chronic and Doggystyle. Before she departed the rap world to take up acting, Lady of Rage also appeared on a project with Gang Starr, and had a production deal with L.A. Posse, who produced several hits for LL Cool J.
Eve
It can be argued that DMX was the most popular rapper alive in the late 90s. Right by his side was Eve, who in 1999 released her debut album, Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady. The project reached No.1 on the Billboard 200, making her (at the time) the third female rapper to accomplish this feat. She continued to be a magnetic force in the Ruff Ryders universe, though she began her career on Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Records. But it wasn’t until the release of her 2000 breakthrough album Scorpion, that she would become a household name.
MC Trouble
LaTasha Sheron Rogers, better known as MC Trouble, left a large legacy during her short life. She became the first female rapper signed to Motown and was an early pioneer for blending hip-hop and R&B styles. Her biggest hit, “(I Wanna) Make You Mine,” featuring the Good Girls, charted at No.15 on the Billboard Rap Charts, but it was her influence on MCs like Q-Tip and Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest, Boys II Men, and more, that resonated so deeply with the rap community. Though she only released one EP and album during her career, she quickly became your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper, a legacy that will live on forever.
Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes
In 1990, after hearing word of an open casting call for a new girl group through her then-boyfriend, Lisa Lopes moved to Atlanta to audition. Originally starting as a female trio called 2nd Nature, the group was renamed TLC. The members didn’t stick, but Lopes did, recruiting new members and re-branding herself as Left Eye. TLC, obviously, went on to enormous fame, one of the biggest hip-hop and R&B groups on Earth, but Lopes’ deft lyricism as an MC is celebrated by rap aficionados everywhere. Left Eye was planning to work with Death Row Records after TLC split up, even boasting a song with Tupac they recorded before he died. But Lopes died tragically in 1992, leaving behind one of the most successful legacies in rap history – male or female.
Jean Grae
Jean Grae was a massive part of the New York underground in the 90s, and effortlessly began to become an integral member in the 2010s indie scene in part due to her thrilling collaborations with partner Quelle Chris. Back in her early days, Grae built a large, worldwide fanbase thanks to her clever bars and unique delivery. Her unimpeachable lyrical prowess has earned her recognition as a favorite emcee by many stars in the game like Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, and Black Thought of the Roots. Grae was also an influential figure in the movement of artists going independent, first offering all of her guest verses for a fixed fee via Craiglist, and later becoming an early adopter of the artist-friendly platform Bandcamp.
Remy Ma
A Big Pun endorsement goes a long way in rap circles. Remy Ma was one of Pun’s favorite MCs, and after he discovered her talent, she came to prominence for her work as a member of Fat Joe’s group, Terror Squad. She appeared on their second and final album, True Story, released in 2004. Their single “Lean Back” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and garnered Ma her first Grammy nomination. Her work as a solo artist was equally impactful. There’s Something About Remy: Based on a True Story remains a classic in rap circles.
Gangsta Boo
All hail the queen of Memphis! Long before artists like NLE Choppa and Moneybagg Yo were dominating the scene, Three 6 Mafia were the pioneers of horrorcore in town, and Gangsta Boo was the lone lady stealing the show alongside Project Pat and Juicy J. Outside of her work as a member of Three 6 – which is as impactful as any rap group from the 90s – Boo’s first solo album, Enquiring Minds, was released in 1998 and reached No.15 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No.46 on the Billboard 200. The album featured the surprise massive hit “Where Dem Dollas At!?”
Amil
Amil came to prominence in the late 1990s as a Jay-Z protege and recorded the single “Can I Get A…” with him from the Rush Hour soundtrack. She got her start after Hova was looking for female vocalists on his album Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, but when Jay heard Amil freestyle, he decided he didn’t need to look elsewhere for vocalists. It fast-tracked her career, and her solo debut album, A.M.I.L – All Money Is Legal, was released in 2000. The album featured the single “I Got That”, a duet with Beyoncé, and All-Star Roc-A-Fella single “4 Da Fam.”
Rah Digga
Rah Digga came up as a longtime member of the Flipmode Squad, a hip-hop group led by Busta Rhymes. Her debut solo album, Dirty Harriet, was released in 2000 and featured Busta Rhymes and Eve. She also worked with Bahamadia on the track “Be Ok” from Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 1. At that time they were the two leading women of the Lyricist Lounge movement, which also served as the home base for artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Pharaohe Monch, Common, Lord Have Mercy, Foxy Brown, and Shabaam Sahdeeq.
Mia X
If you like Southern rap, you better know about Mia X. She was the first female emcee to get a contract with Master P’s No Limit Records, and subsequently, started being called the Mother of Southern Gangsta Rap. Aside from her solo output, she has a number of collaborations with several No Limit Records artists under her belt, including Master P and Silkk the Shocker on the seminal Louisiana albums, Ice Cream Man, Ghetto D, and Charge It 2 Da Game.
Diamond And Princess
Diamond and Princess were members of the Atlanta-based crew Crime Mob. Casual rap fans will likely recognize their groundbreaking hit, “Knuck If You Buck,” though the group’s impact on Atlanta’s sound goes much deeper than just one hit. Rumors have since grown quiet, but the duo was reportedly making music together as recently as 2019.
Yo-Yo
Yo-Yo is one of the first female rappers to openly advocate and be a staunch advocate for the feminism movement in the industry. Much of her music touches on a need for female empowerment and denouncing the frequent sexism and misogyny in rap. Yo-Yo is the protégé of Ice Cube, who helped inspire her political bent. True to form, she dubbed her crew the IBWC, for the Intelligent Black Woman’s Coalition.
Charli Baltimore
Anyone that names themselves after Geena Davis is good in our book. Luckily, Charli Baltimore raps her ass off, too. Her stage name is taken from Geena Davis’s character in the film The Long Kiss Goodnight, which by our estimation, is a total power move. Baltimore began her musical career when she met The Notorious B.I.G. and they became involved in a romantic relationship. Rumor has it that several months into their relationship, she left him a voicemail of a rap verse that she had written and he immediately recognized her natural lyrical abilities. From there, Baltimore became a fixture in the rap scene, releasing her stellar lone studio album, Cold As Ice, in 1999.
Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu glided so smoothly onto the scene with 1997’s Baduizm that you could be forgiven for failing to realize she was about to change the game. Cleverly barbed and artfully built lyrical structures and a jazzy funk-tinged bluesy sound got her branded as the first lady of “neo soul,” a label that makes feeble attempts to describe her sound. It’s exceptionally difficult to describe Badu’s music without resorting to 70s-sounding expressions like “tapestry” or “potpourri,” but it’s even tougher to recall another artist from any era who infused a distinct, modern sensibility with the level of historical richness and references that Badu brings to every project.
Elements of soul, funk, and R&B are brilliantly deployed through rap rhymes and references to hip-hop culture. There’s rarely a genre that can’t find a home on one of her tracks. The music is as layered and polychromatic as the woman herself. If she’s sly and knowing (“You Loving Me”), she’s also vulnerable and seeking (“Out My Mind,” “Just in Time”). She’s the lady who wrote “Tyrone,” perhaps the most poignant song about being done with a dude’s bulls__t ever sung, while “Green Eyes” remains a timorous ballad about the danger of an open heart.
Nicki Minaj
If you want to know what the soil’s like, look at what’s grown on it: Nicki Minaj, Queens native. She’s what happens when 90s predecessors feed your already-sharp tongue, drawling delivery, and the kind of syllable-stacking honed-blade verbal dexterity that forces Kanye to let you show him up on his own track. Her domination of the verse is absolute, and her aesthetic sensibilities are one of a kind. If her talent weren’t enough, her insight makes her additionally formidable. Her off-the-cuff remarks on the now-viral video known as “the pickle juice clip” were an astute and poignant distillation of the absurdity of double standards in the music industry – but really in any workplace – and her comments about a culture that chastised women for the same behavior it encourages in men feels eerily prescient. Her early works have been a proving ground and, with a new batch of singles under her belt (“Changed It,” “No Frauds,” “Regret In Your Tears”), Minaj seems in every way to be poised for long-term success.
New school artists: Azelia Banks, Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Doja Cat, and more
As the hip-hop scene continues to star more female rappers, we thought it would only be right to list a few of our favorites, like the groundbreaking Azelia Banks, whose anthem “212” became the official song of New York shortly after it was released. Then there’s Megan Thee Stallion, who has not only become the most exciting female rapper out of Houston, but arguably the best rapper in the city, period. Her “WAP” collab with Cardi B became an instant classic upon its release in 2020. Doja Cat has topped the Billboard chart and racked up Grammy Award nominations. We’re also partial to Miami’s City Girls (Yung Miami and JT), who create dancefloor anthems at every opportunity, and Tierra Whack who has melded the avant-garde and mainstream in a thrilling and fascinating way. Some of our other favorites include Rico Nasty, Latto (FKA Mulatto), Lakeyah, Buffalo rapper Armani Caesar, Flo Milli, and more”.
Maybe it seems like a bit of a cheat when I take an entire article! I could not short-change the remarkable words and work that illustrate and emphasise the importance of women in Hip-Hop. To this day, I feel women are at the vanguard. They are the most creative and compelling. Many think that it is the men and male groups who have defined Hip-Hop. From researching and reading, I would say it is the stunning and innovative women who have made the biggest mark! I feel that the Hip-Hop community…
OWE them such a debt.