Let’s Highlight A Few Women In Hip-Hop Who Changed The Game
With the world in turmoil and Women’s History month drawing to a close, it’s important that we take a moment to highlight some of the women in hip-hop.
Hip-hop has always been considered a boys’ club, with the marginalisation of the contributions of female MCs. However, the role that female MCs play in hip-hop should not be forgotten.
Over the years some brave females have stepped up and into the male-dominated arena. Here, they showed that females could be seen as more than a conquest, but as a force to be reckoned with.
These MCs told their own stories, with as much wordplay, flow, and lyrical content to rival any of their male counterparts. Let us take the time to celebrate some of these women in hip-hop, who have changed the game and given us a great legacy.
Roxanne Shante:
Shante started rapping at the age of nine and changed her name from Lolita to Roxanne at fourteen. Roxanne was one of the first female MCs to become very popular; when at fourteen, she first gained attention through the Roxanne Wars. As a member of Juice Crew, Roxanne had a hit record with ‘Roxanne’s Revenge‘ a response to U.T.F.Os ‘Roxanne Roxanne‘.
The track got a response from Sparky D to which Shante responded and the ‘Roxanne Wars’ started, which led to the most answered record in history. This was at a time when there were a lot fewer women in hip-hop than we have today.
MC Lyte:
MC Lyte was the first solo rapper to release her own, full-length album, ‘Lyte As A Rock’ which was released in 1988. Lyte’s flow, lyrical precision and refusal to self-censor gained her industry attention quickly.
Five years later, in 1993, MC Lyte became the first female MC to be nominated for a Grammy, when ‘Ruffneck’ was nominated for Best Rap Single.
Queen Latifah:
All hail Queen Latifah one of the earliest female rappers in hip-hop. Latifah became known for highlighting issues that affect the lives of black women.
Queen Latifah became a powerful voice for change with songs like ‘Ladies First’ and ‘UNITY’, which discussed domestic violence, street harassment and the need for building a coalition between females.
Lauryn Hill:
Lauryn Hill started performing in local showcases and high school talent shows, while she was still in high school. At first, she was only a singer for the group Translator Crew, (which later became Fugees). She soon learned to rap, but preferred male rappers and developed her flow from listening to rappers like Ice Cube.
Hill’s solo album ‘Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ was released in August 1998 and received rave reviews from critics. The album blended R&B, doo-wop, pop, hip-hop, and reggae genre and highlighted issues in women’s lives.
Lauryn won several awards and in May 1999, she became the youngest woman ever named to Ebony magazine‘s 100+ Most Influential Black Americans list.
Salt-N-Pepa:
Salt-N-Pepa started in 1985, at a time when much of the record industry still believed hip-hop was a fad. They put out ‘The Showstopper’, a response to Doug E Fresh’s hit ‘The Show’.
Salt-N-Pepa demanded respect, spoke out against discrimination and assault and preached feminist values. They were honest and explicit about their desires and sexuality with songs like ‘Push It‘, and ‘Let’s Talk About Sex‘.
Bahamadia:
Bahamadia‘s debut album ‘Kollage’ was released in 1996 and proved to be an instant success. The MC from Philadephia was a producer, who then became a rapper after she was inspired by female rappers Salt-N-Pepa and Lady B.
Bahamadia possessed a smooth flow and verbally crafted lyrics, which are laid over beats reminiscent of Jazz and Soul, and is very much the sound of Philadelphia, ‘U Know How We Do‘. Kollage was also the first LP which had been co-produced and completely written by a female MC.
Foxy Brown:
Foxy Brown was still a teenager when her career started in 1995. Foxy won a neighbourhood talent contest in Brooklyn, New York. Her talent gained the attention of members of the Trackmasters production team, so much so, that she was invited to rap on LL Cool J’s track ‘I Shot Ya‘.
She emerged into stardom surrounding her debut album Ill Na Na, which was released in 1996, featuring tracks ‘GottaGet U Home‘ and ‘I’ll Be Good‘. Brown also featured on ‘The Nutty Professor’s’ soundtrack, a film released in 1996.
Lil’ Kim:
Moulded in a sexy, feminine and unapologetic package stepped forward Lil’ Kim. This package, Lil’ Kim used to empower herself and others.
Instead of changing to fit the mould created for female MCs, Lil’ Kim shaped her own mould and twisted the paradigm that said female MCs are expected to have a manly posture.
Kim draped herself in lace and lingerie, feathers, mink and diamonds, and embraced the feminine sexual aesthetic that place many females in the genre in the role of a “video vixen”.
Monie Love:
Monie Love was one of the earliest female MCs from the UK, ‘born in L.O.N.D.O.N and sound American, you dig exactly where I’m coming from.‘ Her talent was noticed by Queen Latifah of the rap group ‘Native Tongues‘ and soon a friendship was formed.
Love had been making noise on the UK underground scene but eventually moved to New York. Monie’s first album was released, and a collaboration ‘Ladies First‘ was recorded with Queen Latifah. Today, Monie is still considered as one of the best ever female MCs.
Cookie Crew:
Cookie Crew was one of the UK’s most successful rap acts, with a distinctive style and more importantly masses of respect from male and female counterparts, worldwide.
The female duo was formed in 1983 and performed on the underground scene. They gained recognition in 1987 when they appeared on the first-ever hip-house track ‘Rok Da House‘ with the Beatmasters.
The British female rappers signed contracts and moved to the US where they worked with some of the top names in hip-hop, at the time. They proved to be one of the most successful UK hip-hop acts who had opened the doors for other UK acts to follow.
Estelle:
Estelle was first known as a hip-hop artist for tracks like ‘1980′ and ‘Trixstar‘ with Blak Twang. Today, Estelle is better known for an eclectic mix of various musical genres including hip-hop, R&B, soul, reggae, grime, and dance.
She has experienced mainstream success with the single “American Boy” featuring US hip-hop star/producer Kanye West, which reached number one in the UK.
Amy True:
Amy True is making waves in the UK hip-hop scene. Amy’s work is being recognised after supporting Public Enemy, Mos Def and Slum Village. Her music is influenced by jazz and soul and her lyrics are a combination of conscious, politically engaged and grit with some catchy hooks.
True is a member of the ‘People’s Army Movement’ and describe themselves as ‘a community of individuals working together to provide unity, understanding and positive social change through music, arts and education’.
Shay D:
Shay D is a hip-hop artist, a youth worker, and a feminist, who is always looking to break new ground. She has worked hard to establish her name within the underground UK hip-hop circuit and independently released her debut album ‘Human Writes‘.
This album made an impact across the hip-hop, grime and spoken word scene. Shay has her hands in many pots, which means she ‘Can’t Stand Still‘.
Little Simz:
Little Simz released her 4th album, ‘Grey Area’, in March 2019. It was the highest-rated record by a female artist and earned Simz air-plays on Radio. Simz was showered with five-star reviews announcing her as a once-in-a-generation talent and by July 2019, was nominated for a Mercury.
Stormzyhailed Little Simz as one of the capital’s most exciting talents during his headline show at Glastonbury. It was reported, that Kendrick Lamarcalled her ‘the illest doing it right now’. With everything that has happened since then, it could be agreed that Kendrick was correct.
These female rappers have contributed to the genre in years gone by and continue to do so, by leaving a legacy for others to follow.
We couldn’t have listed all the women in hip-hop who’ve made a contribution to the genre but wanted to highlight a few.
Itch.fm thank you all, for all your hard work and dedication in this industry, and hope that we will continue to see more females use this genre to speak their truth.
We salute and appreciate all females in hip-hop, not just for the month of March, but all year long. Bless!!
