Hovering over videos in the TikTok algorithm, creeping into music playlists and making its loud presence known is what some have called the return of female domination in the rap industry.
Numerous female rappers have seen success this past year with GloRilla’s latest album “Glorious” reaching number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and rapper Latto, kicking off her fall 2024 “Sugar Honey Iced Tea” tour, some feel that female rappers are reestablishing themselves in the industry.
Tia Tyree, a professor in Howard’s School of Communications and rap scholar, credits this new wave of female rappers to important social movements that have emerged over the past seven years.
“This was on the heels of the MeToo and Times Up movements that began around 2017.
They demanded women receive their rightful places in the various spaces in the United States that they deserved,” Tyree said.
In a similar form of advocacy, Tyree said women in the rap industry had to fight for respect.
“The fight for women to have space in the rap industry in the 1980s and 1990s was intense. At that time, they were marginalized and often pitted against one another for a single ‘top’ spot,” Tyree said.
Fans of these artists hold strong beliefs of their value inside the industry and impact on the future of rap.
Jaylon Strand, a sophomore architecture major, is a long-time Nicki Minaj fan who values the rapper’s influence and longevity in a male-dominated field.
“With her being in the industry for 17 years now, there is a high expectation for other female rappers to be here as long as she has been. Her longevity in the game has made me have the same expectation of other female rappers,” Strand said.
Others shared similar sentiments witnessing the new era of rap.
“I feel like they are reclaiming their spot in the industry. Basically saying ‘Just because I am a woman, doesn’t mean I can’t compete with anyone else,’” Nyla Eweka, a freshman marketing major, said.
Some fans find comfort in the authenticity found in the public images and lyricism of modern female rappers.
Kalisa Lee, a senior television and film major from Memphis, Tennessee is a huge fan of the rapper GloRilla.
“Being a woman and at the top of the game is always huge. Being unapologetically you as a Black woman from the South, that’s the best thing you can do,” Lee said.
The theme of self-empowerment is shared amongst the new faces of female rap, gaining the attention of listeners and fans. Female rapper and 2024 Howard graduate, Aisha June, known by her stage name ‘June,’ values the importance of empowerment through lyricism and carrying on the legacy.
“It’s been time for Black women to shine. I know for me as an artist growing up, I didn’t really get to see a lot of women get recognition for what they were saying. They are finally getting that opportunity,” June said.
The female rapper acknowledged the legacy she wishes to leave upon her audience.
“The message I want to give to people is to keep going. No matter what way they tried to count you out, continue to shine your light,” June said.
Tyree reflected on the exposure of female rappers from the past compared to now.
“There were moments in radio history when you would listen for hours and not hear a single woman rapper on the radio. Now, you can’t listen for a single hour and not hear a woman rapper,” she said.
The noticeable transition inside the music scene has led listeners to reflect on its impact upon the industry’s future.
“There’s finally a normalization of hearing women rappers, and there’s no need for their entrance to be tied to a specific rap crew or record label like in the past. I think this shift should allow women rappers to be a permanent part of rap music culture in a way they haven’t been,” Tyree said.
Some feel that the industry is currently experiencing the rise and success of female rappers, and that it’s important to credit those who have come before.
“This era will definitely be remembered because there are a lot of female rappers that are joining the industry. I think they will look back and see all these new women that are coming into the game, taking a stand and making history,” Eweka said.
Copy edited by Camiryn Stepteau
