Rap has always been dominated by men, from legends like Jay Z, Dr. Dre, and Eminem to up-and-coming stars like Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow, and Post Malone. But let’s not forget that the best female rappers still make some of the most creative and fluid flows in rap today.
In a genre where most male rap artists talk mostly about power and money, it is very common for songs to feature women and have lyrics about how women are treated as objects and want to hold on to the rapper.
MIA
MIA is the most experimental artist on this list. She first got a lot of attention in 2000 when she showed up as a visual artist and a filmmaker on the Internet. In 2004, her singles “Sunshowers” and “Galang” helped her break into the underground music scene. “Galang” is a mix of 505 beats and claps with edgy vocals and lyrics.
Her first two albums, “Arular” and “Kala,” where she tried out hip hop and electronic music, got a lot of praise from critics in the underground scene. She also had her first big hit with “Paper Planes,” which reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and she hasn’t stopped since.
Little Simz
Little Simz, an English rapper, is the new big thing. Her song “Venom,” which was on the soundtrack for the movie “Venom,” helped her get a lot of attention. The song in question became a huge hit on TikTok, which helped Little Simz become so famous.
Last year, she released the album “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert,” which was at the top of many lists of the best albums of 2021. With songs like “Women” and “Introvert,” it is definitely the best rap album, if not the best album of 2021.
Lil Kim
Lil Kim was the fashionista of the group. She was so ahead of her time that she was kicked out of her house as a teenager and had to live on the streets. When she was in her teens, she started freestyle rapping, which is how Notorious B.I.G. found out about her.
In 1996, she released an album called “Hard Core.” It was praised by critics for how it talked about women and their bodies. Lil Kim released “Notorious K.I.M.” and “Bella Mafia” at the same time. These were two of her most popular songs.
Salt N Pepa
Salt, Cheryl James, Pepa, Sandra Denton, and DJ Spinderella make up the group.
When they put out their first song, “Push It,” in 1987, it was a huge commercial and critical success, and their first album, “Hot, Cool, and Vicious,” brought them a lot of attention from the general public.
Megan Thee Stallion
Megan is known as the “hot girl summer” and has made a name for herself in both the rap and music industries. She is currently one of the biggest names in rap. Any song or feature she puts out right away shows up on the Billboard Hot 100.
Even though she came out years ago, “Hot Girl Summer” became a hit, and the rest is history. Her career began in 2019 when her mixtape “Fever” came out with the single “Hot Girl Summer.”
Queen Latifah
She is the queen of all trades. She can sing, act, rap, and do all of these things with style. Queen Latifah’s name will be remembered for a long time, and her story is one of the most important in the modern world.
She has made many albums, starting with “All Hail the Queen” and “Nature of a Sista,” which were released by Tommy Boy Records and were her first two albums. Then she was in her first sitcom, “Living Single.”
Cardi B
Cardi B is here, so call all your Bardi friends. She’s at the top of this list for a reason, and it’s not just because of her music. Cardi B is a star for sure. She is a marketing genius and the most fun person to be around.
She came onto the scene with the hit song “Bodak Yellow,” which shot up to the Billboard Hot 100 and made her the first female rapper since 1999 to break the record. The next song was “I Like It,” which has been called one of the best summer songs ever.
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill is the best female rapper of all time and one of the most influential rappers of all time. When she joined the band Fugees, she made a name for herself right away. As a member of Fugees, she made two albums.
The second one won the Grammy for Best Rap Album, making her the first woman to win that award.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj is the unbreakable Barbie of the rap industry. She has carried the female rap industry on her back for almost a decade. From Trinidad to the United States, she has always been a leader in the rap business.
People first took notice of her when she put her stamp on Kanye West’s “Monster” by adding a verse. Even though Kanye West and Jay Z are also on the track, her flow, cadence, and the accents of her different alter egos made her stand out.
Missy Elliot
The original, the best, the time, Missy Elliot is the best female rapper we have, and she has made some of the best beats. As one of the first people to make rap music, she has gotten a lot of praise from critics, but most people don’t know much about her.
In the early 1990s, she started her career with her childhood friend Timbaland. Together, they worked on a number of hip hop and R&B records. She started her solo career with the album “Supa Dupa Fly,” which was the first female rap album to reach the third spot on the Billboard Hot 200.
