by Jen Sabella

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Women rappers stay under the radar

Jen Sabella

Queen Latifah has noticed a serious decline in female voices in the rap world these days, and, being the Queen MC that she is, plans on doing something about it.

We have discussed issues of homophobia in rap music, before, but when it comes to the mainstream rap world these days, there appears to be yet another problem: The boys club has even more members while the ladies are almost nowhere to be found.

CNN, of all media outlets, noticed the trend recently and published an article last week asking, “Where have all the successful female rappers gone?” The article points out that the days of putting out new female rappers seem to be non-existent, mostly due to a “marketability” issue.

Lil' Kim

"It's a lot of women trying to get into it, but most young women don't know what direction to take," Alonzo Williams, founding member of the popular '80s rap group the World Class Wreckin' Cru told CNN. "They don't know whether to be a gun moll for a gangster or a mother and they are confused as to what role they should take."

Because, clearly, when a woman gets into rap, she better know whether to be a “gun moll” or a “mother.” Sigh.

Sadly, rapper MC Lyte, who became popular in the late '80s when many female rappers were coming up, agrees.

"When you have this major business that has been kind of taken over by corporate hands, it's like, how necessary is the black woman's perspective?" MC Lyte told CNN. "Not unless she is talking about being that kingpin's main girl and she's wearing next to nothing and she's talking about nothing that is really going to nurture the people the way we are known innately as black women being able to do, there's really no space for that type."

The article made me wonder whether women were avoiding the mainstream rap game by choice, and finding comfort in an underground scene that allows them to show off their talent without selling their souls. It also points out that women are seeing success in R&B and pop music, but the “sexism and inequality” that has always been present in mainstream rap may have finally taken its toll.

Missy Elliott

"There are not enough female rappers out there right now," Queen Latifah said. “The voice of the female is not strong enough in the game at all right now. It's almost nonexistent."

Even Williams, with his “gun moll” and “mother” analogy, agrees, saying that the sexual double standard within the industry creates an issue between street marketability and radio marketability.

Salt-N-Pepa

With Latifah’s shift back to rap music in her latest album, Persona, she hopes to inspire a new breed of female rappers by taking the grass roots approach — kind of.

Latifah, along with Cover Girl (which is why I said “kind of”) is sponsoring a contest called “Ignite Your Persona,” which will allow contestants to submit brief videos of themselves rapping, singing, dancing or performing along with an essay. The winners, which will be chosen from each city, will open for Latifah on her tour.

It’s a small step that will hopefully land a label for some up-and-coming artists, but the real problem here is the marketability problem. A woman should not have to choose to be a “good girl” or “bad girl” in the rap world, just like she shouldn’t in the real world. It’s time these record companies and radio stations realize that.

Jen Sabella's blog

Submitted by

Jen Sabella

on October 23, 2009 - 1:00pm.

TAGS ::

Simple things

Submitted by

Domonique_Ivory (11 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 1:43pm.

Females in Hip Hop are a dying breed because of simple things like:

They don’t stick together. They tear each other down as much as the male rappers tear them down.

Not being able to step outside their cosigners shadow. Foxy brown/ Jayz, Amil/ Jayz, Shawnna/ Luda,etc.

Either ur SEX,SEX,SEX. materialistic, gangsta gangsta or to dominate for the male audience.

Having other people write ur lyrics

Not being TRUE to themselves and their core audience.

These are my top 5 reason and I cant go on and on…

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

Not Marketable!?

Submitted by

Nona J. (342 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 1:58pm.

Where have all the successful female rappers gone?

Hell, I’d disappear too, if the record executives only want to market me as a wannabe “Bonnie” standing by her Clyde or a woman who only raps, in grave detail, how she likes to pleasure her man. Of course they aren’t marketable, especially when it interferes with the millions of dollars that the head honchos invest in promoting misogyny. Then you have the puppets that go right along with it.

“So while you imitating Al Capone

I’ll be Nina Simone

And defecating on your microphone”~ Lauryn Hill

" True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are ever united" ~ Wilhelm von Humbolt

Ahhh Ms. Lauryn Hill...

Submitted by

patticak23 (40 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 4:52pm.

bring her back, bring her back I say!!! Man she never gets old to me...either solo or with The Fugees! She's SO SO amazing! Good call Ms. Nona. ;)

Yes!

Submitted by

ducati (38 posts)

on October 24, 2009 - 9:58pm.

Lauryn is one of the best...hands down!

see why you had to bring out the Lauryn!

Submitted by

sweetiedarlinmia (384 posts)

on October 26, 2009 - 3:40pm.

Man I miss her!! She is just like on a level that the rest of us only aspire to be on. I mean, The Miseducation... is fierce, but that Unplugged! I had to listen to that like 30+ times to get through it. I had to stop and replay and really meditate on what she was saying.

I need a moment...

"tell em' what they wanna hear"

Submitted by

Viva (2376 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 2:44pm.

as Rashad said, is imho the "marketing" strategy women should go for in hip hop. Who's them? Middle class, suburban, teenagers who are the ones buying. If it's about making money, and selling records, those are the people you want to appeal to. So, as a female, coming out and talking about, "Look at me wrong, and I'm gonna pop a cap in your ass" is not going to sell. Talking about "lip gloss" will. lol So personally, it's not so much an identity crisis issue, but just a basic thing of "knowing your audience". Not saying, sell out, but if it's success you want, then you want to target the ones who are willing to spend the money, have way too much time on their hands to call into a radio station for a request, and not illegally download. lol

"Progress is not an illusion, it happens, but it is slow and invariably disappointing." Orwell

Rap in general

Submitted by

Mély Mel'eau (159 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 3:06pm.

Isn't really my cup of tea, well at leat mainstream rap 'cause well it is what it is... Most of those female rappers are so oversexed it’s pretty sad. They all want to say “I’m the baddest b*tch” how about “I’m the kindest, nicest” ? Seriously. Nicki Minaj says is it write in her song Still I Rise. It’s a crabs in a bucket kind of business and I'm not even a fan of Nicki Minaj...

"You've been staring at my goldfish all afternoon" Domino

word; being a nasty s.o.b.

Submitted by

LiveFree (66 posts)

on October 25, 2009 - 4:34am.

word; being a nasty s.o.b. is a good thing in a lot of rap music culture. being nice is for sissies, i guess. who needs that anyway? i'm hoping that women have wised up and are just voluntarily opting out of a business that really doesn't offer them anything positive.

that line

Submitted by

Mély Mel'eau (159 posts)

on October 25, 2009 - 1:56pm.

is so old and tired lol the whole bad byotch thing is just lame. I also do hope that they are not in the game because they're smart enough not to sell their souls but what I really wish was that people would get a lil' smarter and stop being sheeps and mass followers of things that are not good for them.

"You've been staring at my goldfish all afternoon" Domino

Female Rappers

Submitted by

bluerocks (69 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 3:36pm.

Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott should come together and have their own TV show to find the new Salt & Peppa....or better still S&P should have a comeback tour...whatever happened to them - Remember Push It!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auMrN_d_kTo

Check out http://www.yer-wan.com

Hate it !!

Submitted by

Galaxyglue (153 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 5:10pm.

I wish all rap music and rap artists would just disappear. The genre of music is awful. I guess it has its marketplace but no one I know listens to it. Queen Latifah should stick to acting. The only ones I know who listen to rap are teens and those under 25. Adults dont bother with it.

Rapaphobic??

Submitted by

Domonique_Ivory (11 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 5:35pm.

You know people say that samething about Homosexuals? We cant preach equality for all and then say things like ur first sentence because for people like myself HIP HOP and RAP is a way of LIFE! Jay-Z said it best, "Rap music is still evolving. We have to respect each other's genre of music and move forward."

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

wow

Submitted by

Mély Mel'eau (159 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 6:54pm.

That's kind of extreme rap music and artists should disappear. Geesh, I don't like country music, i maybe like 3 songs max, and there's no one I know really who likes country music, but I don't ever think that it should stop existing, 'cause I know that there are people who enjoy that music... I know plenty of adults who listen to rap music and enjoy it ^_^

"You've been staring at my goldfish all afternoon" Domino

hate is not a family value

Submitted by

jessi.lee (11 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 9:32pm.

while eloquence, positive social commentary, and the act of creating something out of our own lifes experience are.

turn off the radio.. do some research and you might just find that you enjoy something a lil bit out of your comfort zone.

i am 32 and often listen to hip-hop.. all rap and hip hop is, is poetry set to a beat.. there is nothing juvenile about it.

it is rather unkind to assault any human who creates and spreads positive messages in their community.... i for one am glad wishes can not make people disappear.

'where you stumble, there lies your treasure' j. campbell

you mentioned "it is rather

Submitted by

LiveFree (66 posts)

on October 25, 2009 - 4:56am.

you mentioned "it is rather unkind to assault any human who creates and spreads positive messages in their community." which rap artists regularly "spread positive messages?" are they the exception or the rule? i admit that i don't listen to rap a lot, but it seems that almost every time i hear it, the message is far from positive. it is usually being blasted at a million decibels by people who obviously don't care about the other members of their community, it contains much profanity, insults, and angry yelling, a lot of victim mentality excuses, references to doing very vile things to all sorts of people, etc. is it unkind to dislike this kind of music? i'd say it is pretty sensible.

i have to say, i agree with

Submitted by

LiveFree (66 posts)

on October 25, 2009 - 4:46am.

i have to say, i agree with you, galaxyglue; there isn't a lot about rap that is very redeeming. my complaint is not with the "music" itself; i couldn't care less what it sounds like. my complaint is with the lyrics and ideas behind most of it, and the occaisional "good" song can in no way make up for the bad ones, because the bad ones are as wrong as anything can possibly be. i wouldn't miss the whole genre if it dropped of the face of the earth tomorrow.

Check out Kid Sister

Submitted by

Hornito (143 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 7:38pm.

Kid Sister is going places (and she's hot) but mostly she is super talented. I believe her full-length comes out this November so get ready for her to make the scene a better place.

I dont normally like hip hop

Submitted by

iamnachos (117 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 9:09pm.

I dont normally like hip hop or rap from the States (I'm more of an Aussie hip hop child, love it) but I just recently bought Amanda Blanks new album. I love it.

If you've heard of Spank Rock you will have heard her because she was the guest female rapper on the track Bump from Yo Yo Yo Yo Yo.

I'd like to see more female hip hop artists like her around.

There is also an Aussie chick that goes by Macromantics, if you can get hold of her stuff its great. (she also rapped on a song called Coming In From All Angels by Ground Componants which sounded awesome).

But yeah, I'd love to see more chicks in Aussie hip hop. With the support Triple J puts behind Aussie hip hop I dont see why it cant happen either.

Amanda Blanks

Submitted by

Meshia (43 posts)

on October 24, 2009 - 11:49pm.

I love her. Shes amazing and Spank Rock too. Its rare that people know who I'm talking about.

It is better to be hated for who you are than loved for what your not.

hmmm

Submitted by

BrookeJarae (5 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 10:59pm.

I agree, hate is a strong word. I have an eclectic music collection, i have everything from Uh Huh Her to Corrine Bailey Rae to Jay-Z to Devendra Banhart. I enjoy Hip Hop immensely it's my 2nd fav genre next to rock/alternative. I only have 3 female rappers in my collection (Eve, Mz. Dynamite and Lauryn Hill) i also have Queen Latifah but only her Blues/Soul albums. The only reason why i don't listen to female rappers from the last decade is because they are so oversexed but then demand for respect from their male counterparts and people in general. How can i respect any woman who says "I can make a Sprite can disappear in my mouth" for the public to hear? For those who don't know, Mz. Dynamite is like Lauryn Hill circa 2004 and she's really awesome. i only have her 1st album and i love it, unfortunately she didn't get much recognition and i think her career has kind of stalled. As far as rappers go, i can only respect 1 without question, and he's a dude: Lupe Fiasco . I like Common, Kanye West (his music only, he can go suck something), Jay-z, Mos Def, and Pharaoh Monche. I also like groups like Gorillaz, Gym Class Heroes, Flobots (which has a female member), OUtkast, The Roots, Linkin Park, Korn and P.O.D. My wish isn't just for hip hop to have more female MCs but to have more female MCs that we can respect. Missy Elliot? Lil Kim? Foxy Brown? take a hike. And as far as marketing goes, i'm kind of glad that people like Lil Kim can't sell a record, listen to her lyrics, She's gross! I'm glad that the public has higher standards as far as rap goes, it took a while to get there but i'm glad. Oh and Lady Sovereign is in my Zune collection also!

Hmm...

Submitted by

WILD_CHILDx087 (51 posts)

on October 24, 2009 - 3:09pm.

Sad but true... Mainstream female rappers have fallen off the radar. Even more sad... the one girl getting air-time is Micky Minaj. Micky Minaj???

The last significant thing I saw with mainstream female rappers was the "Touch (Remix)" Video. I miss Missy, Lauryn, Rah Digga, Queen. I even miss Shawnna, Foxxy Brown, Lil Kim, etc...Oh well, there's always the underground, right?

Micky Does here thing, but we've had better....Much better.

I am what I am. Love me or hate me. Just consider me.

that picture

Submitted by

Mély Mel'eau (159 posts)

on October 25, 2009 - 12:17pm.

of Nicky Minaj is so wrong lol... it's a remake of an already distasteful picture by lil' Kim, she seems (Nicky) to have sorta kinda cleaned up her "image"... what's her deal anywho, is she gay? Her lyrics are a bit suggestive.

"You've been staring at my goldfish all afternoon" Domino

Lmao, yes the pic is

Submitted by

WILD_CHILDx087 (51 posts)

on October 26, 2009 - 10:01am.

Lmao, yes the pic is wrong... :) I believe she's bi. Pretty open about digging the ladies.

I am what I am. Love me or hate me. Just consider me.

They could start

Submitted by

KiwiGirl1974 (69 posts)

on October 24, 2009 - 8:06pm.

by coming out.

God-des and She

Submitted by

Casey (1 post)

on October 24, 2009 - 8:19pm.

You should check out God-des and She. They're amazing. God-des raps from the heart with relevant topics for today's gay women, and She has an AMAZING voice that will just lift you up. Some of their music is a little edgy -- hell, okay, all of their music is edgy -- but everyone needs to walk on the edge sometimes.

And with God-des and She, you won't just walk on the edge, you'll dance on it.

I'm not a big rap music fan, usually, so don't knock it until you try it... their website is god-des.com, and they're on facebook and myspace too. Lots of great tunes on both, and also available to buy on iTunes. Check them out, as they've noticed the same problems with women in rap today, and want to change it up!

Naw..

Submitted by

ducati (38 posts)

on October 24, 2009 - 10:00pm.

They borrow to heavily from similar styles. They arent that original.

Kid Sister

Submitted by

Invisible Circus (49 posts)

on October 24, 2009 - 11:48pm.

Ive been waiting on her album for WAY too long. I turned blue holding my breath. I think her label has no idea what to do with her.

__________________________________________________

We've gone and made such fools of ourselves.

I think....

Submitted by

Meshia (43 posts)

on October 25, 2009 - 12:02am.

I think this is the perfect time for women MC's to step up to the plate. Underground music is starting to surface recently and granted now a days you don't need a label. So female MC's need to step up to the plate and not wait around for a label to pick them up on the side of the road.

I'm sick and tired of the Heterosexist, macho, homophobic, adittude of the rappers to day. Honestly, **** auto tune, you can't sing so stop trying. And hip hop is defecation on my shoe now. I want to love Hip Hop again!!

It is better to be hated for who you are than loved for what your not.

I feel the same way. Right

Submitted by

Looski (7 posts)

on October 27, 2009 - 11:07am.

I feel the same way. Right now is the perfect time for some new MCs. Most of the people I listen to are underground because maunstream is just plain awful. Hip-hop/rap is torn right now with underground being where most genre lovers are, and mainstream being what everyone hears and sees. I would love to see a female in here. The only female I have seen lately was Rye Rye with Bang and only because of the Fast and Furious soundtrack. Yet again, people are still in awe that now a lot of underground artists are surfacing, a lot of them are white. I can't believe how many people I hear complaining about skin color or calling every white rapper an eminem wannabe. Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Sweatshop Boys, Nature of the Beast.

I think the struggle content wise is not just female. Even the Male stuff has the same problem. Which is why I love the underground stuff because you start to hear stuff that isn't sex, killing people etc. Its just a giant push for the genre to become real and stop auto-tuning fricken everything. Would be really nice hearing a female though.

I know I'm a couple days behind on this response. Blame the flu

FELONI

Submitted by

Tai (13 posts)

on October 25, 2009 - 10:34am.

God-des and she are just one of raps 'underground', for lack of a better word, artists. but FELONi is a lesbian rapper based out of detriot. My iTunes actually suggested her. She is very talented and self produced for the most part. Her songs are all about women and it's nice to see the sexism of male rappers turned, its actually kinda empowering to hear a girl rap about another girl's ass. :D

Ooooh

Submitted by

patticak23 (40 posts)

on November 11, 2009 - 2:01pm.

how could I forget about Feloni?!? I'm glad you mentioned her, I like her music a lot! Good call!

Tables turned?

Submitted by

Galaxyglue (153 posts)

on October 25, 2009 - 3:25pm.

Ive never heard of Feloni or God-des, To each their own. I cant call it "music". Its just loud and obnoxious to me, but I dont deny some people like rap and different tastes make this country great. I dont believe in trying to stifle someones message or boycotting rap like some people do.

I find all rap music heterosexist but I dont agree that a woman rapping about another womans "ass" is any better. Its still treating a woman like a piece of meat. Its no better than the men doing it. You have to be consistent!. Maybe if rappers would deliver a positive message I could tolerate it but its always fueled by sex and violence. It would be nice if female rappers would be positive but it sounds like they just fall into the same trap as the male ones. Maybe thats what sells, but you wont catch me buying it.

...

Submitted by

Tai (13 posts)

on October 25, 2009 - 5:28pm.

im not denying what you are saying but honestly...in America, as in the rest of the world, only sex is marketable. At least gay female rap is funny at times and points out stereo types. i don't listen to it, infact i listen to very little, but its nice to not be called a hefer or bitch or whatever else that the men rap about. i think you misunderstood what i wrote. I also believe that consistency is what should be sought after but for the couple of years that i lived in america i saw that much of what was presented in the media and musical industry was fueled mostly by sex and then by current events, morals, etc. And I lived in the south were the confederacy was still strong and most people listened to country and even that followed the same basic format. Sex. Dierks Bentley is hot, therefore tickets for him cost an arm and a leg and all his media pictures feature him in tight shirts and sexy cowboy jeans. Nothing different than rap. They also sing about shooting this and not liking that culture or in international harvester he sings about people who aren't farmers not being worth as much as he is when he 'rides his tractor' down the highway while people are driving to work, its down played, but still there. And in pop...also sex sells, even more than any other genre. But in the end at least with female rappers you get a choice in the types of lyrics they present to the public. They are still about sex and everything else and maybe that is why at the end of the day female rappers dont get as much media attention, but unfortunatly what started in the 50's with Elvis is thriving even more today. And the music industry is the only pure form of self-expression left in the world today. No matter what music you listen to you will be presented with ideals and things that the singer believes (or we are led to think they believe and stand for), so Rap can't be singled out, maybe it's the type of music that is most in your face about it; but so what, as you say people can listen to it, it's up to you to buy it or not. But be aware that no matter what music you listen to, it's all caught up in marketing. I could go on for days about this and include every genre including classical music and disect it but i think you get my point.