The Feminine Rappers Who’ve Proved Rap Was By no means Only a Man’s Sport

“Us girls have at all times been gifted. Nevertheless it was a factor the place there may solely be one girl [rapper] at a time. You bought all these man rappers out right here who ain’t actually speaking about loads! [Laughs.] However all of us would commend them, as many as they arrive.”

That is how Megan Thee Stallion described the state of gender equality within the rap sport to Billboard in late 2019. And she or he’s not unsuitable. The male-dominated style—to not point out its fan base—has lengthy had a sophisticated relationship with the feminine MCs daring to edge in on their turf and spit bars like one of the best of them.

And but, at each level in rap’s storied historical past, you will discover girls pulling the highlight, proving that they only is perhaps “one of the best” of them.

From the pioneers like MC Lyte and Queen Latifah to the ’90s queens like Lil’ Kim and Missy Elliott, the trendy divas like Nicki Minaj and Cardi B—who celebrates a birthday on Sunday, Oct. 11—to the rising stars like Meg and Doja Cat, there are queens reminding these so-called kings that this has by no means been simply their kingdom.