Female rappers reclaiming their power and position!

May 2021 Nicki Minaj takes the fourth spot on the 2010’s Mount Rushmore along-side Drake, J Cole, and Kendrick Lamar. Nicki Minaj is the only female on the Mount

Nicki gathered 39.9% of the votes, Kanye West came after with 33.1% and future with 17.9%.

Could this be a symbol of a change in time?

From the beginning of rap/hip hop it has traditionally been very male dominated.

However, over the years, women have been climbing up the ladder shattering the stereotypes,

and bringing both young and older women a new kind of confidence that had not been seen until relatively recent years.

Photographer: @bynataliejeniffer

Sourced by @symworldd

SYM, (@symworldd on instagram) an upcoming female rapper from London she highlighted some very key points regarding being a woman in the rap industry.

From the beginning, female rappers have consistently been judged in the industry and Sym adds ‘anything female rappers do is hyper analysed and dissected in a way male rap isn’t. Women can’t be aggressive or sexual because it’s seen as bad, but when you look at mainstream rap, all the male artist speak on the same content.’

‘74% of girls say they are under pressure to please everyone’ (Girls Inc, The Supergirl Dilemma) and whether accepted by society or not, there is no doubt the female rappers provide women with a sense of self confidence and belief.

‘They influence me in a positive way because they make me feel more self-confident and although female singers do also,

it’s mainly female rappers who bring me that special kind of confidence because their lyrics are like empowering affirmations to me’

Aliya Manne-Sampson 20 year old Aliya Manne-Sampson, who listens to female rappers

Some of the early female pioneers of rap include the likes of Queen Latifah, Roxanne Roxanne and there was also Lil Kim.

Where Queen Latifa’s side of rap was more what they would call conscious rap which explores politics, sexism and relevant issues. It has not always been accepted for a woman to speak on serious issues either and so in different ways, female rappers are combatting misogyny.

According to the National Report on the State of Self-Esteem, Dove self-esteem Fund.

‘7 in 10 girls believe they are not good enough or do not measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with family and friends.’

Lil Kim was one of the first female rappers where her lyrics where just as vulgar and explicit as her male counter parts. While it’s accepted as the norm for men to do so, there’s a double standard when it comes to women.

It was not easy for these women, and they have been met with all kinds of sexism in the industry and from viewers. As not everyone at the time nor now is ready to accept the evolution in rap and hip hop and the evolution of a woman.