We all know “WAP”, we all know Ms. Nicki M, we all know the TikTok dance to “Savage” and “Say So”. We all know the same rap songs by the same female rap artists. And of course, those artists and songs are pivotal to us as women in embracing ourselves and our femininity. But who else is out there, and what else does the female rap genre offer? Move over Cardi, because here are the other ladies in the game that we can listen to to feel the empowerment.
Tierra Whack
Cardi B herself shouted out Tierra Whack when asked about other female rappers in the game. Tierra brings a style other rappers don’t, drawing from childish sounding beats and simplistic layering to create a flow that is truly the center of attention. She raps about dealing with annoying boys, mean girls, and other important life lessons she’s learned. Every single one of her songs flows in a way you’d never expect, from her delicious beats to her funny voices. My favorite song(s) because I can’t choose just one: “Only Child”, “Gloria”, “Hungry Hippo”, and “Wasteland”.
Rico Nasty
Rico Nasty was one of the first girls to give us that super grungy, almost yelling rap (e.g., Stunna Girl and ppcocaine, to name a few) and although that energy is still found in a lot of her songs, she’s also matured into a more stylized type of rapping that gives me big Doja Cat vibes, but more blunt and gritty. Rico is unapologetic in her style of music, yell-rapping on top of hard rock tracks but also giving us some more pop style bops. She is one of the realest female rappers out there, and she’ll let you know about it. My favorite song: Own It (and her feature on Doja Cat’s “Tia Tamera” goes hard.)
Noname
Noname brings us to the complete other side of female rap, with chill beats and lyrics like spoken word poetry. Noname raps almost completely about her struggles as a POC in America, and her honesty is what drives people in. She hasn’t put out new music for a while (and, as far as we know, doesn’t intend to), and she’s been in quite a bit of controversy (look it up if you want to know), but the music she does have out speaks volumes and gives us a different perspective on female rap. My favorite song: “Reality Check”.
Princess Nokia
Princess Nokia can play many roles, and we can see her many sides in her music. (She is a Gemini, so she has many different faces and makes music with every one of them.) She can make pop-rap, bad b*tch rap, and chill flow rap, and all the music she makes is based on her personal experiences. Princess Nokia has a song for every mood a girl could be in, and she also has some very impressive wordplay and flows. My favorite song: “Gemini”
Tinashe
Tinashe blurs the line between female rap and R&B. She has a sex appeal that is super prominent throughout all of her music, and her voice switches between singing and rapping like no other. Her energy is very much alpha, but also emotional and raw. She raps and sings about going out and getting money, but also about getting her heart broken and being in love. Tinashe brings out a new side in every song, and her music is heavily influenced by early 2000s R&B (e.g., Usher, Ne-Yo, etc) but also brings a modern twist with bass-heavy beats and exotic sounds. My favorite song(s): “Throw A Fit” and “Rascal (Superstar)”.
There is more in the female rap genre than our favorite ladies, Megan, Nicki, Doja, and Cardi. And there is room for all of the ladies that want to defy stereotypes and make music in a predominantly male field. Long story short, listen to “Bodak Yellow”, but also give the underrated ladies who are killing the rap game a try.
