With Hip-Hop Turning 49, Here Are Some Female Hip-Hop Icons Who Are Ruling The Genre

With Hip-Hop Turning 49, Here Are Some Female Hip-Hop Icons Who Are Ruling The Genre

Hip-hop as a genre has long been associated with some of the greatest and most famous artists in the music industry including but not limited to The Notorious B.I.G, Tupac Shakur and of course, 50 Cent, the Slim Shady a.k.a Eminem. Hip-hop also introduced the world to some of the greatest female artists in the history of the music industry including Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa, Missy Elliot and of course, Rihanna and Queen Beyoncé- All the Queen Bey fans, Now put your hands up!

Although these artists are still the most known and loved, there are a lot of other female hip-hop artists who are the modern queens of the world of hip-hop. They are setting the world ablaze. Are you wondering who these amazing artists are? Here’s a list to help you out!

Also Read: #HauteSounds: Hip-Hop Beats From The Streets Of Mumbai

8 Female Hip-Hop Divas To Look Out For:

1. Doja Cat


Doja’s career got a jump start from TikTok when her song Say So went viral. Later she dropped a remix of the same featuring Nicki Minaj. Doja released her album Planet Her in 2021 which turned into a best-selling album. She has been called one of the ‘modern queens of Hip-Hop’ ever since. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including one Grammy Award from eleven nominations, five Billboard Music Awards, five American Music Awards, and three MTV Video Music Awards.

2. Cardi B


Cardi B became the first female rapper to achieve a diamond-certified song by the RIAA ( yes, it’s Bodak yellow) and the first one to top the Hot 100 with a solo output in 19 years. Her song I Like It made her the first female rapper to achieve multiple number-one songs. Forbes has called her ‘the most influential female rapper of all time’. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a Grammy Award, eight Billboard Music Awards, six Guinness World Records, six American Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, six BET Awards (including Album of the Year), and fourteen BET Hip Hop

3. Megan Thee Stallion


In 2016, Megan participated in a cypher freestyle session with local Houston rappers where she delivered such a flawless freestyle that it earned her much wider attention. Megan began in the industry on L.A. Leakers’ Power 106 show in 2019, she turned heads for her impressive freestyle over 2Pac and Snoop Dogg’s 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted, She’s best known for her songs Savage, Body and Thot Shit as they went viral on TikTok. In 2020, she collaborated with Cardi B on her song WAP which was a massive success and topped all the charts.

4. Young M.A


Young M.A first gained widespread recognition with the release of the quadruple-platinum hit single Ooouuu. This single managed to break into the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, boosting over 300 million YouTube views on the music video. She’s best known for her skills with underground rap and hardcore rap. Young was honoured by Forbes as they named her the ‘Hip-Hop Cash Princes’ of 2017 for her outstanding lyrics and rapping style. She has even been appreciated by many OG’s of the hip hop industry including Eminem and 50 cent.

5. Hard Kaur


This woman is known to be the first female hip-hop artist and she is as genuine, blunt and action-packed as they come. Her song Ek Glassy when released in 2006 remained at the top for like ages. I mean, who doesn’t know and love that song? She won Best Female Act in 2008 at the UK Asian Music Awards. I think what pushed her to fame was her album, Superwoman; yet, the song that put her on the world map remains Move Your Body from this Bollywood movie called Johnny Gaddar. She is a powerhouse of talent and deserves all the love and fame.

Also Read: Lizzo Channels Her Inner ARMY To Support Her BFF BTS Member J-Hope. Their Friendship Is So Cute!

6. Nicki Minaj


Nicki Minaj was Determined to make it in the music business, she started by taking on backup singing roles for local New York City rappers. Soon, she began writing her own material and was eventually discovered by the Dirty Money CEO Fendi, who came across Minaj’s MySpace page and loved what he heard. Nicki was immediately signed to his label. She has earned over 20 top ten singles in her career, giving her the most, among all female rappers. Since 2010, Nicki Minaj has accumulated 123 chart entries on the Hot 100 and has collaborated with many great names in the hip hop industry. Some of her most iconic songs are Superbass, Starships and of course, Anaconda.

7. Lizzo


Lizzo has always been more than an artist, she is probably the most authentic person who dares to fight for herself and everything she stands for. Her activism has my heart. She was nominated for all the big 4 categories in her first year itself and she did have three wins and a Billboard Music Award win in addition to 10 further nominations. She has always expressed herself unapologetically and freely through her music and I love her for that. Lizzo released her album ‘Special’ in July 2022 which took her three years to make and the album is a huge hit.

8. Raja Kumari


Raja Kumari, also known as Svetha Yellapragada Rao in her actual life, is a hip-hop star that is known no bounds. She is best known for her collaborations with notable artists such as Gwen Stefani, Iggy Azalea, Fifth Harmony and more. She has received various BMI Pop Awards and has been nominated for Grammys as well. Her most famous album was Mute and some of her super famous works include Shook, City Slum and of course, Meera.

Hip-hop as a music genre is all about being yourself and letting the filter go. People talk about their hearts and vent unapologetically I mean hello, have you heard ‘Kim’ by Eminem? This genre has always appealed to people who are searching for more reality in their lives and it had since, made a huge place for itself in the industry.

Of course, this has been made pretty evident by all these wonderful, talented and strong women. Let me tell you now, they are here to shine and they have no intentions of stopping!

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Mehak Walia

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