“Guys you know you’d better watch out, some girls, some girls are only about..” Now, I hope you are familiar with the rest of this powerful, controversial lyric in Lauryn Hill’s 1998 lead hit single. If not, the song is called Doo Wop (That Thing), written, produced and sung by Ms. Hill herself. The song provides awareness to both men and women by abstaining from “that thing,” people would pursue from them- sex, fame, money etc. Lauryn Hill and countless of other female MCs have paved the way into hip hop music by demonstrating that the rap game is not solely dominated by their male counterparts. With a touch of feminism, consciousness, raunchy sexual content and urban lifestyle, female MCs -from way back to the 80s- have exemplified such appeal. From the likes of MC Lyte, Lil Kim and Lauryn Hill, current female hip hop artists have continued to embark on this legacy, but In today’s generation, there seems to be a low quantity of female rappers who are mainstream. Why is that? What happened to the multitude of female rappers who were constantly making hits in the 90s and early 2000s? Why does it seem that there is only one female hip hop artist that seems be receiving the most critical attention? Below are a list of female rappers that changed the game with their distinct flow, sultry sound, and creativity.
Lauryn Hill
Born and raised in East Orange New Jersey, Lauryn Hill is considered to be one of the greatest and most talented female hip hop artists during the mid-late 90s. The start of her career took off when she joined a mixed-gender group called, The Fugees. Afterwards, she released her only solo album "The Mis-education of Lauryn Hill," which sold 8 million copies in the US alone. Jail time as a result of tax debt became the rapper downfall. Since being released from prison, Hill still performs. Her recent performance was in Atlanta, Georgia where she was 2 hours late due to “aligning her energy with the time.”
Lil Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones, known as Lil Kim “The Queen Bee,” was the centerfold for Notorious BIG’s rap group, Junior Mafia. After a year with Junior Mafia, she began her solo career releasing her first album, "Hard Core," which sold over 78,000 copies during the first week. The album spawned three No. 1 hit songs: “Not Tonight," "No Time" and "Crush on You.” She continued to release two more albums that went certified platinum. Later during the years, Lil Kim had faced legal troubles which lead to her receiving jail time for three counts of conspiracy. After her release, Lil Kim continued to release music and also appear on reality TV shows.
MC Lyte
The Brooklyn native became the female hip hop pioneer. With a distinctive, commanding voice and edgy-tomboyish appeal, MC Lyte stepped on the hip hop scene with full feministic flavor. She became the first female rapper to release a full-length album, called “Lyte as a Rock.” She is considered one of the first female hip-hop MCs in the US and was the first female solo rap artist to be nominated for a Grammy. Her hit singles include: "Ruffneck," "Cha Cha Cha" and "Cold Rock a Party.” Today, MC Lyte still is active within the hip hop community. Not does she rap, but has Dj'ed and done voiceovers for tv shows. She has also been a spokesperson for colleges and universities presenting a message about empowerment.
Missy Elliot
Melissa Arnette Elliott, known as Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, is an American female rapper who has sold more than 7.6 million records. Missy Elliott began her career in the 90s with a girl group Fayze. She later became a songwriter and producer with Timbaland and worked on projects with SWV, 702 and Aaliyah. Missy Elliot is considered a multi-talented hip hop artist from writing to producing and rapping. She performed at the Superbowl XLIX halftime show alongside Katy Perry in 2015. She has released two hit singles since then, WTF {Where they from) and Pep Rally.
Queen Latifah
Some may remember her as Khadijah James from the sitcom Living Single or Matron "Mama" Thornton from the Academy Award winning film Chicago but it seem's that other then being an actress, she is also an MC as well. Currently, Queen Latifah is probably one of the most successful women compared to the female hip hop pioneers from the 90s. Queen Latifah released her first album "All Hail the Queen" in 1989. She then released two more albums, while her third album "Black Reign" received the most success. Queen Latifah has received many accolades including a Grammy award, an Emmy award, a Golden Globe award and Academy award nomination. She has been a spokesperson for Covergirl and acted in over 20 films. From 2013-2015, Queen Latifah was a tv host for her own tv show.
