Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, the Hip-Hop community hasn't been this amped about a collective of female MC's for a while.
Unlike their male counterparts whose name, style and demeanor get passed down from one generation to the next, love and appreciation for the female MC seems to only come in waves.
When it comes to discussing Hip-Hop or the culture in general, regardless of who you have the conversation with, you're gonna hear 'you can't say that without mentioning...[insert a list of male rappers/influencers here].
After the above thought came across my mind, it made me angry. See I understand the importance of giving credit where it's due and as a lover of Hip-Hop in general, I couldn't help but find the underwhelming homage being paid to female rappers upsetting.
Until I did my Google's I thought this was simply because there weren't many female rappers. I honestly contributed a large part of the women who did make it success' to their rarity.
It wasn't until I looked beyond the surface and began to actively seek out female rappers that I realized the only thing that's rare is acknowledgement.
My previous thoughts on female rappers came from lack of information. I didn't know there were so many female battle rappers, let alone all female battle rap events or even that Lady of Rage was once signed to Death Row.
How does the saying go, 'the more you know'?
Well inspired by Remy Ma's Summer Jam performance, I wanted to take a moment appreciate a record from the first albums of some of the women she brought out.
You can't tell me that these women didn't inspire some of your favorite rapper's... Jay-Z for one. 🙃
But, per usual, that's just my opinion...
MC Lyte - 1988 - "Lyte As A Roc"
Lyte as a Rock, or I should say a boulder
Rolling down your neck, pounding on your shoulders
Never shall I be an emcee, called a wannabe
I am the Lyte, L-Y-T-E
This is the way it is, don't ever forget
Hear the rhyme by someone else and you know they bit
Queen Latifah - 1989 - "Latifah's Law"
Prepare to feel the wrath of the giver of all life
Fire and desire make you go a little higher
When I grab the wire of the mic
And get hype, I'm sorry your sound died
Cause I roll like the homicide squad
You must be broke and, hoping that I'm soft but I'm dope
Lady of Rage - 1997 - "Necessary Roughness"
I strike hard like Ben Frank's lightning rod
Leave you suckers scared (uh-huh) leave you suckers charred
Now you're burnt to a crisp, so check the vocalist
I get sick with my shit, wicked like sadistics
It'll be a +Black Moon+ when I _Enta Da Stage_
Grab the microphone, turn from Robin to Rage
Then I shoot from the jugular, I get rough and ruggeder
You can't front on this big body Southerner
Rah Digga - 2000 - "Showdown"
I'm runnin with my mens, I rock a pair of Timbs
With rhymin on the brain like scarves and hairpins
I'm tryin to see a black Benz with my back end
House on the hill with my publishin deal
Shows pay the bills, make it all connect
And do some corporate type shit, with my royalty check
Comments