Along with a gang of other shit that’s declined in hip-hop over the years, female MCs have lost a lot of the presence they used to have. It’s always been a male-dominated game, but there was always some chicks on the mic makin’ their own moves. While there is one girl currently developing quite a buzz for herself, it’s been like five or six years since the last time, and that didn’t turn out too festive in the long run. In the ’90s, females stepped up to the plate more than they have in any other decade so far.
There were always females present in the ’80s, but they were outnumbered by far, and most were taken as novelties. With the exception of a few (i.e. Salt-N-Pepa, Roxanne Shante, MC Lyte, Queen Latifah), a lot of ‘em came and went quicker than dolphin earrings. After the successes of the ones who broke through, there were a lot of girls being signed but usually catchin’ hot bricks. For every S-N-P or Lyte, there were acts that were only half as talented, but tryin’ hard-as-fuck to duplicate them. It wasn’t until the mid-’90s that things changed, with more women becoming more viable by establishing their own niche. Lil’ Kim, Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, Foxy Brown, Da Brat, and Eve all blew up in the later half of the decade by taking that approach.
The thing is, female rappers are kinda in the same boat as White rappers. Since Black males make up like 90% of the game, anyone who’s not a Black male doesn’t have the same privileges. Just like White rappers, there’s certain lines that are hard to be crossed by a chick. The same way a lot of the paleskins got the side eye for tryna come off hardcore, it also happened to girls who came out actin’ all manly and tough (even tho’ I did fukk with Heather B for a minute). Whereas 15 different niggas can have the same style with no problem, a girl almost needs her own look just to be noticed, because they’re instantly gonna be compared to each other. I’ve found that even women, who’ll always be their main demographic, don’t care for female rappers much unless they’re makin’ some undeniable shit. For that same reason, when one stands out from the pack and makes that undeniable shit, they get love.
As a listener, I’ve liked a lotta joints by female rappers, but there’s only been a few that I really got into. There was Lyte, who at one point was just as nice as anyone else out there. I spent a couple years lookin’ forward to Rage‘s album back when Death Row was poppin’, and I also wasn’t mad at Latifah’s early-’90s stuff, especially the Black Reign album. Then of course, there was Lauryn, who was not only the sole reason I ever had any interest in The Fugees, but one of my favorite artists period. And although she caught crazy flack when she came out, I actually liked Kim’s first album a lot. There’s a number of others who delivered some cool singles and whatnot, but I liked the songs more than I liked the actual artists.
More than anything though, I never minded the female voice in hip-hop, even when it didn’t directly speak to me. At best, they brought classic material that was just as great as anything else out there. At worst, at least they were nice to look at. All in all, the ’90s have been the peak of female MC’s, both creatively and commercially. Since that time, most of the standouts from that era have either mentally or musically melted down (especially Lauryn). Maybe there’ll be another outbreak soon to come, since the void’s been left open for a while. In the meantime, here’s 16 to think about:
Salt-N-Pepa “Expression” (1990)
Monie Love “Monie In The Middle” (1990)
Queen Latifah “Latifah’s Had It Up 2 Here” (1991)
Yo-Yo “You Can’t Play With My Yo-Yo” (1991)
Nikki D “Daddy’s Little Girl” (1991)
The Lady Of Rage “Afro Puffs” (1994)
Heather B “All Glocks Down” (1995)
Bahamadia “Uknowhowwedu” (1996)
Foxy Brown “Foxy’s Bells” (1996)
MC Lyte feat. Missy Elliott “Cold Rock A Party (Bad Boy Remix)” (1996)
Missy Elliott “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” (1997)
Lauryn Hill “Lost Ones” (1998)
Da Brat “That’s What I’m Lookin’ For” (1999)
-D!
Wow, I’m speechless. For the first time LOL.
You covered all the bases, there’s really nothing left for me to say except good job!
Oh, and when are you coming over?
‘preciate it! I try to cover all the bases and do what I can do, when I can do it. *Arnold Drummond shrug*
As for that last question, I’m charging up the batteries for the camera right now… haaaa.
-D!
LOL Why you gotta be such a damn fool!
Ain’t nothin’ but the dog in me…
-D!
Ummmmmm….Im gonna need to be invited. Thanks
great posts, memory lane keep on getting longer!
Yep… even when I was uploading these, I was listening on some ‘damn, this really was a long time ago’. It’s been a minute since that many women were out at once and making relevant music.
-D!
HEATHER B COULDN’T MAKE ME PUT MY GLOCK DOWN.
You know if you aint have BO$$ in there i would have got at you right…lol
Naah man, good list.
sum it up in one word COMPREHENSIVE
Come on now… I couldn’t possibly leave her out- ‘Deeper’ was the shit.
…as was ‘All Glocks Down’. I used to WAIT for that shit to come on Rap City. Album wasn’t bad either.
‘preciate it, bruh
-D!
i just learned that daddy’s little girl song from the movie just another girl on the IRT, nice sample
90′s kim had the best flow imo, nobody could interpret biggie lyrics like her, my favs are no time, big momma thang, not tonight
foxy has a few standouts(ill be,get you home,oh yeah)
i dont consider missy and lauren rappers, just all around artists…
Yeah… ‘Daddy’s Little Girl’ was rockin’. Funny you mentioned ‘IRT’- that’s a movie I’ve known of since it was out, but still haven’t actually seen.
Agreed on Kim… of course, the BIG flow was prob. the main reason I rocked w/ her music. I’ve always said ‘Hard Core’ was like the female version of ‘Ready to Die’.
Fox was nice… when she came thru on that ‘I Shot Ya’ joint, I think ey’body got knocked backwards by that. She fell off when she got on that Kim clone shit, tho’. After that, she made some good shit but she never got her following back. And she’s also a nut, lol.
Agreed on Missy and Lauryn. Actually, I don’t even care for Missy as a rapper. The joints she sang on >>>>> her raps.
-D!
[...] Danj Presents: Ladies Night……Danj Loves the 90s [...]
Whenever I start to ask myself on why I love you, you go and do this. I dont know how many convos I have had this year alone about the absents of female MC’s. I actually miss hearing a feminine voice every once in a while. You covered all bases here. Im so glad that you added Monie to it becuz most ppl forgot how great of a lyricist she is becuz she was in the game a short period of time. I idolized Kim. If you play Hardcore I will sit and recite the whole damn album. Lyte and the Queen were the fucking best. I lived for Roxanne Shante. I dont know who remembers Mc Trouble but that was my bitch. Woman in hiphop made you feel good and proud. I got crunk for Jesus the other day at the My chick bad remix with Eve killing the track. Lauryn got caught up in the Marley voodoo and aint been right since. Female MC’s are missed. It’s like they are extinct. Nicki cant hold it down by herself. Hopefully more female rappers will step up to the plate to battle her.
Trouble! I def. know who you’re talkin’ about- the joint w/ the Good Girls, right? Yeah… I’m onnnnn it! Haaa.
But yep, there’s females out there, but there’s not many who are really doin’ it in terms of consistently dropping relevant music. Kinda like a lot of things in hip-hop, they’re def. an element that’s currently not in the scope.
-D!
Im gonna lose my damn mind when I get to this damn Boss “Deeper”. *takes deep breath and clicks play*
hope you enjoyed…
‘this is deep! I’m goin’ deeper!’
-D!
No Mia X??? She was better than %99 of the chicks on here, and most dudes that were out then. That’s the only ommission I see. Great site though!!
‘preciate it… I admit, I never listened to her much. Been meanin’ to check out the ‘Unlady Like’ album.
-D!
Two female artists that definitely deserve recognition are Jean Grae and Stahhr the Femcee.
Yeah Mia was the truth!! Her solo song on TRU was ill too!! She could sing her ass off also!