“Said little bitch you can’t fuck with me if you wanted to” This was the world’s introduction to Bronx rapper and former reality TV star Belcalis Almanzar, professionally known as Cardi B. For the first time in 19 years, Cardi B was able to conquer a feat that not many female rappers or male rappers could achieve in such a short span of time. She reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as a solo female rapper with her song "Bodak Yellow". This hadn’t been done since Lauryn Hill’s smash hit "Doo Wop/That Thing" off of the critically acclaimed debut solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Before reaching number one the hip hop community began to recognize and praise Cardi B’s demeanor from her petty antics on the reality TV show Love and Hip Hop: New York to her outspokenness of her past being a stripper.

The moment Cardi B hit number one the hip hop community went into an immediate uproar on social media. Some people had nothing but congratulations and positivity to give the femcee who rose above poverty in the Bronx. Others decided to take the headline of her being the first female solo rapper since Lauryn Hill to go number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts and compare Cardi B and Hill. Many people on social media began to say Cardi B did not deserve to be in the same conversation as Lauryn Hill, others said her song wasn’t “real rap” and people began to bash Cardi B because of her former life as a sex worker, claiming that her success and clout will driver her younger audience to believe being a stripper turned rapper is something they should aspire to become.

Lauryn Hill and Cardi B are not two separate entities in hip hop or as women in life. Cardi B, obviously, has a very long time to go, more projects that need to be released and other accolades to collect before she can be considered as a force to be reckoned with. Also she has to prove she’s an established artist that isn’t just a one hit wonder. But to say her song is not “real rap” is a stretch. During the span of three minutes and 54 seconds Cardi B delivers a liberating anthem to women across the world to make their own money, follow their dreams and never allow a man to dictate their lives,

“Hit the store, I can get 'em both
I don't wanna choose
And I'm quick, cut a nigga hustle
Don't get comfortable
Look, I don't dance now
I make money moves”

In these lyrics she describes her ability to buy the material items she wants because of moving into a new economic status in society by living her dreams of not having to strip anymore. Also she addresses that any male can be replaced at any moment, so "don't get comfortable" as if Cardi B needs you around.She also does not use auto tune or any type of melody throughout the song for it to go number one like Hill did (the melody of her singing on the hook), which is heavily being used in hip hop today by artists like A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Lil Uzi Vert who are finding success as well. Granted the hook of her song is remnant of the sound Florida rapper, Kodak Black, used on his break out hit "No Flockin’" but she was able to take that sound and create entirely more success off of it.

Hip hop continues to show the dilemma of misogny it has yet to conquer. The only time people give praise and respect to Hill in her abilities as a rapper is when a new femecc begins to gain success. Queens rapper Nicki Minaj had to deal with the same comparisons when she decided to incorporate her singing abilities into her rap music. In conversations about the top five or top ten best rappers, dead or alive, Hill is barely mentioned unless a woman is apart of that conversation. This shows the misogyny of hip hop where it exposes the real agenda of those fans who claim Cardi B is undeserving of her achievement. If they faithfully supported “real rap” or rappers who show their influence Hill has on their careers Cardi B would not be the first female solo rapper in 19 years to go number one. There has been a plethora of femcees to come out before Cardi B even decided to step in a recording studio and none of them received the proper support to give them this achievement they “deserve” more than Cardi B.

Hill and Cardi B are not separate entities as women. Without Hill we can’t have Cardi B and without Cardi B we can’t have Hill. They depend on one another where Hill speaks to the vulnerability women weren’t able to express before in hip hop. Cardi B speaks to the women that hip hop doesn’t want to acknowledge outside of being video vixions (sex workers overall) and believe are not deserving of respect because of the tunnel vision they have on how women should carry themselves.Both women need to be respected, heard and given credit for the contributions they are trying to give in the hip hop world.