While hip-hop has been largely transformative in the world of music, as well as social change, it is notoriously a male-dominated genre and the influence of women is oftentimes forgotten. According to Dr. Aria Halliday, who teaches African American and Gender and Womens’ Studies, “Hip-hop is a production of the culture that we live in – American culture. It’s just a product of society that’s built on patriarchy and men that gain and assert power through the treatment of women and non-heterosexual men” (KISA Radio). To commemorate Womens’ History Month, let’s explore the bountiful contributions that women have given the hip-hop genre.
The birth of hip-hop is accredited to a party hosted by DJ Kool Herc, which introduced DJ’ing and rapping to New York City. Lesser recognized is Cindy Campbell, Herc’s sister who inspired and planned the event, which labeled her as “the founding mother of hip-hop” (Daily Bruin). Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” is another notorious piece of hip-hop history, being the first release from Sugar Hill Records which was co-founded by Sylvia Robinson. She is also recognized for her own artistry, R&B hits “Love is Strange” and “Pillow Talk,” in addition to her contributions to “The Record,” a major track by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, which introduced the concept of “conscious rap” (Sound of Life).
As hip-hop popularized in the ‘70s, MC Sha-Rock, otherwise known as “Mother of the Mic,” emerged as the first female emcee, later signing onto Sugar Hill Records herself. Not only was she the first female rap performer on live television, but she introduced “echo chamber” rap methods into the industry (Sound of Life). While most women in hip-hop reached success in the following decades, the genre itself would have never reached success without the work of its female pioneers.
In the mid-‘80s, the emergence of Salt-N-Pepa brought a new wave of liberation to women in rap. The trio rocked the industry with their uber-feminine style and sexually charged lyrics, which had only been spit by their male counterparts thus far (XXL). As men in the industry had been sexualizing women within their lyrics for a long time, it was shocking for listeners to hear the first all-female rap group embrace sexuality in their own empowering way. These lyrical devices have continued on throughout hip-hop history, with artists like Lil Kim and Megan Thee Stallion rapping about sex in ways that empower women instead of demeaning them.
The late ‘80s brought a wave of successes for young women in the hip-hop world. MC Lyte hit the scene in 1987, later becoming the first female solo rapper to release a full-length album. Her album Lyte as a Rock features "I Cram To Understand U (Sam)," a song about the crack epidemic that she wrote at 12 years old. Lolita Shante Gooden, also known as Roxanne Shante, gained success with her single “Roxanne’s Revenge.” The rap was written in response to UTFO’s “Roxanne, Roxanne,” a song in which the male trio rap about advancing on a woman named Roxanne. Her response was written to support women facing harassment, which is quite paramount considering she was only 14 years old at the time (Sound of Life).
While women were making their mark, men still largely ruled the hip-hop industry, which only inspired femme artists to continue pushing for their own recognition. In 1990, Yo-Yo brought female empowerment directly into Ice Cube’s track “It’s A Man’s World.” As he asks, "Girl, what you tryna do?" she spits back “To prove a black woman like me can bring the funk through" (Sound of Life). Queen Latifah continued on with this wave of liberation, rapping about feminist and social issues in hits such as “Ladies First” and “U.N.I.T.Y.” As she brought awareness to pressing issues, she also reached major personal feats, like winning the Best Rap Solo Performance of 1995, becoming the first woman to do so (XXL).
Ms. Lauryn Hill helped hip-hop develop even further, as her work with The Fugees popularized alternative elements within the genre. With the release of her solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, she established herself as the strong solo artist she is. Selling 400,000 copies in a week, she broke records for all female solo artists across all genres, in addition to becoming the first female artist to break nomination and award records at the 1999 Grammys. More importantly, her commercial success was brought from personal, feminine lyrics that detailed pregnancy, motherhood, and self-respect among many other important topics (Sound of Life).
The late ‘90s and early 2000s era of hip-hop brought even more attention towards female rappers. Eve released Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady in 1999, which quickly reached the top of the Billboard chart. The album showcased her own talents alongside features by artists like DMX and Missy Elliott, who was also on the rise to fame. Missy shook the industry with her charisma and outstanding rhyming ability, topping the charts with her works “Get Ur Freak On," “Work It," and “Lose Control” featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop (XXL).
In the mid-2000s, the “Queen” Nicki Minaj made her way into the hip-hop world, stunning audiences with her early works such as “Itty Bitty Piggy”. Her first album Pink Friday instantly topped the charts while blending hip-hop with dance pop, setting a trend that many rap artists followed in later years. Today, she is one of the most successful artists of all time, with 100 Billboard Hot 100 entires and 21 Billboard Top 10 hits, the most for any female rapper (XXL).
Thanks to the contributions of all these lovely ladies, and even more unmentioned, women have made a space for themselves in a male-dominated genre. The later 2010s and early 2020s have brought more and more women to the forefront of hip-hop. In the past few years, femme artists like Cardi B, Saweetie, Doja Cat, and Ice Spice have been some of the most successful artists across all genres of music. As they continue empowering us, let’s continue empowering them – check out this playlist composed by our new Editor-in-Chief Ida Bonkafo!
Information gathered from:
Photo from Women and the American Story