Ladies of Hip Hop H

ip-hop has always been a storytelling art. The success of Hip Hop’s MCs was built on their willingness to smash traditional forms and use the shards to forge a new form of self-expression, just as the sound of the movement was produced by the inventive reuse of pre-existing music. The most talented male and female rappers of the 1980s and 1990s used wordplay, repetition, and extended metaphor to describe dark, violent, romantic, or hopeful situations while posing as a hero, witness, or seer. However, given the history of the music industry’s marginalization of women’s contributions, it’s simple to assume that hip-hop is a men’s club. In a genre where braggadocious lyrics about violence, sex, swagger, and masculinity rule, women are frequently portrayed as conquered women or a faceless chorus, with little attention paid to their personal experiences. Female rappers, who unabashedly detailed their perceptions and experiences of the world they lived in, were starting to make up a significant portion of the genre’s biology in the early days of the genre, when critics were still dismissing hip-hop as a transitory phenomenon. Each lady had a distinctive style, flow, and lyrical content, but what they all shared was a fiercely independent voice and the strength to persevere.

Sha-Rock

Sha-Rock was the first female emcee-rapper to release a hiphop album “on wax,” or on vinyl, when the genre originally emerged in the 1970s. In the early 1980s, during the South Bronx hip hop scene’s early years, she started out as a local b-girl, or breakdancer. The 12-inch singles “Rapping and Rocking the House” (on Sugarhill Records, 1979) and “That’s the Joint” (on Sugarhill Records, 1980), both of which were featured on public television, gave The Funky 4 + 1, Sha-Rock as the extra member, their first notable hit. MC Sha-Rock, a pioneer connected to the Zulu Nation, is credited with creating the “echo chamber” rap genre, which Run DMC popularized. “The story of the beginning and end of the first hip hop female MC”, luminary icon Sha-Rock”, was published by Green as a book in 2010.

Shante Roxanne

Shante Roxanne, was a Juice Crew member, she was asked to write a song impersonating Roxanne from the U.T.F.O. song as a response to their rap song “Roxanne, Roxanne” . The original beats from an instrumental version of “Roxanne, Roxanne” were used by Marley Marl to create the song “Roxanne’s Revenge.” Shante, who was only 14 at the time, was made when the song quickly became popular. Rapper Sparky D, who had previously released a song called “Sparky’s Turn, Roxanne You’re Through” as a diss track about her, collaborated with Shante to make a record in 1985. “Round One, Roxanne Shanté vs. Sparky Dee” was a record that was released by Spin Records. It had six songs on it, including the two original battle tracks (“Roxanne’s Revenge” and “Sparky’s Turn”), “Roxanne’s Profile” by Shante and “Sparky’s Profile” by Sparky D, as well as a battle track with censored and uncensored versions where the two rappers “Have a Nice Day” and “Go on Girl” were some of the other hits. Shante competed against Busy Bee Starski for the title of “best freestyle rapper” in 1985, but she lost owing to unfair judgment.

Queen Latifah

As a child, Dana Owens of Newark, who was raised as a Baptist, took the name Latifah after learning that it is Arabic for “delicate, sensitive, and gentle.” She was the top female rap artist when she released her debut album, “All Hail the Queen,” at the age of 19, which featured the smash single “Ladies First” and spread a message of female empowerment and self-respect in a genre known for its misogyny. In 1994, she was awarded a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance. When she was 20 years old, she co-founded the management and production company Flavor Unit Entertainment with her childhood friend Shakim Compere. Latifah continues to manage her own career with Compere’s assistance; Flavor Unit represented, among others, rapper Eve and actor Terrence Howard. Queen, she picked that title as a teenager, convinced that all women should feel like queens, including those in lowly circumstances.Queen Latifah gained notoriety, and she soon began to have an effect on the movie industry as well. She has skills on the mic, she’s an outstanding actress and a savvy business woman, there is nothing that Queen Latifah can’t do. All hail to the Queen!!!

MC Lyte’s Lyte As A Rock, the first full-length album by a solo female rapper, was released in 1988. Lyte soon attracted the attention of the industry thanks to her flow, poetic accuracy, and lack of self-censorship. She has said that in its early years, the scene was competitive and skillbased, but not without a gender bias. “There might have been instances where promoters refused to pay me what I was due, They didn’t want to position me in a lineup where my songs called for me to be. However, none of it had a significant impact on me”. Despite any failures, I never allowed them to get the better of me.

MC Lyte became the first female rapper to receive a Grammy nomination in 1993 for “Ruffneck,” which was nominated for Best Rap Single. Lyte has recently campaigned for the Female Rap Solo category to be brought back, claiming that “not having the perspective of a woman damages Hip-hop culture.”

Salt N Pepa

When Cheryl James and Sandra Denton teamed up in 1985, a large portion of the music business still thought hip-hop was a fad. The two released “The Showstopper,” a response to Doug E. Fresh’s blockbuster song “The Show,” under the name SaltN-Pepa. This pair, who were dressed in short shorts and tight shirts that exposed their midriffs, led the sex-positive movement of the 1990s. With songs like “Push It,” “Do You Really Want Me,” “Let’s Talk About Sex,” and “Shoop,” Salt-N-Pepa demanded respect, preached feminism, and spoke out against discrimination and assault while still being open and outspoken about their desires and sexuality.

Da Brat

Da Brat’s first significant success came when she won first place in a regional competition held in her native Chicago, Illinois, and supported by Yo! MTV Raps. Her prize? Meet the hugely successful rap group Kris Kross. They introduced her to Jermaine Dupri, their producer, who signed Da Brat for his So So Def record label. Da Brat was one of the first female rappers to talk openly about her life, and Dupri originally wanted to position her as a “female Snoop Doggy Dogg.” Funkafied, the debut album of Da Brat, debuted in 1994 and peaked at No. 11 on the Rap Albums chart. She became the first female solo rapper to sell one million copies of an album after it went platinum.

Monie Love

After Latifah and Native Tongues traveled to the UK, where they met the British rapper, who had been making waves in the underground scene there for years, during a show, they quickly became friends with Monie Love, one of Native Tongues’ only other female rapper. Later, Love moved to New York to join Native Tongues, where she worked with Latifah on “Ladies First” and recorded her own album with Afrika Baby Bam’s production. Without losing the flow, songs like “Monie In The Middle” and “RU Single” subtly and definitely rebutted stereotypes and prejudices about black women in relationships.

Lady Of Rage

If every section of the rap scene could be linked in two steps to Lady of Rage, the entire rap realm could be. The female rapper from Los Angeles who was born in Virginia played a crucial role in several important rap movements. She played a significant role in the groundbreaking albums The Chronic and Doggystyle by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, both of Death Row Records. Lady of Rage had a production deal with L.A. Posse, who produced multiple singles for LL Cool J, and worked on a project with Gang Starr before leaving the rap scene to pursue acting.

Lil

Kim

No introduction is necessary for the rapper who famously sang, “had buffoons eatin’ my pu___ y while I watch cartoons.” Kim continues to be regarded as one of the most talented MCs of either gender even though she hasn’t put out a significant studio album since 2005. Lil’ Kim subverted the stereotype that a female rapper in the 1990s needed to have a macho swagger by turning sexual mores on their heads. Kim adopted the feminine sexual aesthetic that kept many women in the genre confined to the character of “video vixen,” dressing in mink and diamonds, lace, and lingerie. In 2014, Kim told Billboard, “I’ve always been incredibly sexy and feminine.” “My record label couldn’t get how a female rapper could be seductive.

Lauren Hill

Lauryn Hill was regarded as a star from the minute critics heard her for the first time on the Fugees album “Blunted On Reality” in 1994. In a lyric on The Score from 1996, fellow Fugee Wyclef Jean admitted as much, saying, “The magazine stated the female shoulda went solo/The boys should cease rapping/Vanish like Menudo.” Hill did go solo and received both critical and popular acclaim with her 1998 album “The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill”. Hill explored the challenges of motherhood, black femininity, and the music industry while fusing neo-soul sounds with strong feminist lyrics. Songs like “Doo Wop (That Thing),” “Everything Is Everything,” “Lost Ones,” and “Ex-Factor,” which were all hits at the time they were released, still sound as exciting and captivating now.

Foxxy Brown

Foxy Brown, one of the most recognizable female rappers of the 1990s, made her debut on LL Cool J’s album Mr. Smith, rapping over the remix of “I Shot Ya,” when she was just 15 years old. In 1996, the same year she collaborated on the Bad Boy Remix of “No One Else” with Lil’ Kim, Total, and Da Brat, she was signed to Def Jam. Additionally, her debut album, Ill Na Na, came out that year. Although there were conflicting reviews, Foxy’s sales were robust, and “Get Me Home” was one of those exceptional radio hits with long-lasting appeal. Like Lil’ Kim, Foxy was open and honest about her sexuality and her desires while still gaining and maintaining respect.

Jean

Grae

In the 1990s, Jean Grae played a significant role in the New York underground. Thanks in part to her exciting collaborations with partner Quelle Chris, she gradually started to establish herself as a key player in the 2010s indie scene. Grae gained a big following all around the world in her early years thanks to her sharp bars and distinctive delivery. She is regarded as a favorite emcee by many notable figures in the industry, including Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, and Black Thought of the Roots, thanks to her unquestionable lyrical skill. Grae was a key player in the independent music movement as well. She began by selling all of her guest verses on Craiglist for a set price and then joined Bandcamp as an early user.

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.

Bahamadia

A former producer who became one of Philadelphia’s first well-known MCs, Bahamadia, was motivated to enter the rap game by female rappers like Salt-N-Pepa and Lady B. Bahamadia’s verses serve less bombast than those of her contemporaries, yet they are no less verbally nimble and have a smooth, unflappable flow. Her 1996 first album Kollage, which was the first fulllength album co-produced and composed by a female rapper, became an immediate classic. The album is both warm and fresh, full of the jazz and soul influences that have come to be synonymous with the Philadelphia sound. It is loaded with deceptively basic beats that show their depth as they flow over, under, around, and through layered melodies.

Missy Elliot

It is hardly an exaggeration to state that Missy Elliott, a native of the South, altered the game with her singular visual and aural lexicon. Elliott entered the studio to begin work on her debut album with childhood friend and frequent collaborator Timbaland after years of working with artists like Jodeci, Ginuwine, and Aaliyah. Supa Dupa Fly, which came about in just two weeks and gave rise to the radio song “The Rain,” was the outcome. “The Rain” was a surprise and a smash, with clever wordplay (“I sit on hills like Lauryn”) that sampled Ann Peebles’ 1973 single and one of the most creative music videos in the medium’s history.

Trina

Trina was preparing for her real estate license back in 1998 when Miami artist Trick Daddy drew her eye. He accidently hired her to appear on his tune “Nann Ni a.” The song, which debuted at No. 3 on the Rap Songs list, was released as the lead single from Trick’s second studio album, www. thug.com, in 1998. Trina’s rap career was largely launched by the feature, which led to a record deal with Slip-n-Slide Records and distribution from Atlantic Records. Two years later, she would release her debut album, Da Baddest Bitch, and launch a career praised for its length and consistency.

Remy Ma

In the hip hop community, a Big Pun certification is highly valued. One of Pun’s favorite MCs, Remy Ma rose to fame for her work as a member of Fat Joe’s group, Terror Squad, once he learned of her potential. She was featured on True Story, their second and last album, which was released in 2004. For three weeks, their song “Lean Back” was at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, earning Ma her first Grammy nomination. Her solo work has an equally significant impact. In the world of rap, There’s Something About Remy: Based on a True Story is still regarded as a masterpiece.

Gangsta Boo

Hail to the Queen of Memphis! Three 6 Mafia were the city’s pioneers of horrorcore long before musicians like NLE Choppa and Moneybagg Yo were ruling the scene, and Gangsta The only female rapper, Boo, along with Project Pat and Juicy J, stole the show. Boo’s first solo album, Enquiring Minds, was released in 1998 and peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 46 on the Billboard 200. Outside of her work as a member of Three 6, which is as influential as any rap group from the 1990s, Boo is best known for her work as a solo artist. Where Dem Dollas At!? was a surprise big hit on the album. RIP Gangsta

Rah Digga

Rah Digga first gained notoriety as a longstanding associate of Busta Rhymes’ hip-hop crew Flipmode Squad. Busta Rhymes and Eve were on her debut solo album, Dirty Harriet, which was released in 2000. She co-wrote the song “Be Ok” from Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 1 with Bahamadia. They were the two prominent female members of the Lyricist Lounge movement at the time, which was also the base of operations for musicians like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Pharaohe Monch, Common, Lord Have Mercy, Foxy Brown, and Shabaam Sahdeeq.

Mia X

You ought to be familiar with Mia X if you dig Southern rap. She earned the moniker “Mother of Southern Gangsta Rap” since she was the first female rapper to sign with Master P’s No Limit Records. She has worked with a variety of No Limit Records artists in addition to her solo projects, including Master P and Silkk the Shocker on the influential Louisiana albums Ice Cream Man, Ghetto D, and Charge It 2 Da Game.

Rapsody

Grammy-nominated emcee Rapsody . She has rapidly established herself as one of the best emcees of this generation with a number of projects, a critically acclaimed first album, and the lone guest rap feature on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly. Her debut album, The Idea of Beautiful, was hailed as one of the best hip-hop debuts in recent memory by XXL Magazine. Rapsody has collaborated with some of the most well-known musicians in the industry in a short period of time, including Chance The Rapper, Erykah Badu, Raekwon, Anderson.Paak, Estelle, Kendrick Lamar, Busta Rhymes, and Mac Miller, among others.