The Empowerment of Female Rap

Written by Sidney Stipanovich

In the midst of Women’s History Month, one of the various ways we are able to commemorate women is by celebrating their music. Within the past few years, a new wave of female hip-hop artists have taken the genre by the reins and added an entirely new dynamic to rap music.

Doja Cat, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Saweetie, Flo Milli, City Girls, Rico Nasty, Lizzo, Ashnikko, and Princess Nokia are some of the newer female faces of rap who have seen success within the past few years. In 2020, Meg Thee Stallion was the first woman to hit No. 1 on Billboard’s rap songwriters chart, and Doja Cat and Nicki Minaj became the first two females to share billing on a No. 1 single for “Say So.” This year, Meg Thee Stallion and Beyoncé took the Grammy home for best rap performance and best rap song, in addition to Meg winning Best New Artist.

While I enjoy the rap music made by men and often sing-along, a significant amount of it consists of misogynistic lyrics that objectify women. This makes listening to male hip-hop artists feel like an internal conflict. Female rap, however, is empowering and, in my opinion, more fun to listen to. The songs seem more like anthems, made up of lyrics that talk about confidence, having fun, and owning your sexuality. Singing along to “I Am” by Yung Baby Tate and Flo Milli or “Tempo” by Lizzo with a group of friends is a confidence boost in itself.

Seeing women take over this traditionally male-dominated side of the music industry is inspiring, and I think their recent successes mark a turning point in the future of rap. Watching these artists create record-breaking albums that dominate the charts is exciting, and it creates a relatable music atmosphere for all women to enjoy. I’m looking forward to watching this group of women become larger and release even more chart-toppers that I’ll definitely be singing along to.