Women have been in the music industry for decades as singers. When the rap era became popular it was not long before women were joining in on the rap style. These women were mostly of African American race and opened up a new music genre for the listeners across the globe.
A female rap duo had made a huge hit in the late 1980’s. The two women called themselves Salt-N-Pepa. The had hit after hit on the billboard charts and rapped about songs that may have been controversially explicit in that era of music. They two women had helped pave the path for other rising stars in the industry. “Rap music flow had been around in the black communities before it was every named or labeled as such” . This music had a way of expression and feelings with words that rhymed freely.
In 1985 Cheryl James, Sandra Denton, also known as Salt-N-Pepa had teamed up with Deidra Roper (DJ Spinderella). The three sung songs that gave the music industry an awareness of real life and real issues in the world. Songs that revolved around sex and the dangerous that can happen when having unprotected sex. They also related their rap lyrics to focus on HIV/AIDS and the dangers that relate to this disease.
One woman who became an enormous success in the rap industry and film industry is Queen Latifah. She had her first hit in the music industry in 1988. Her rhyming story-telling was similar to the sassy ladies of Salt-N-Pepa. She has been in the rap industry for decades and has succeeded in smoothing the path for other rising artists of rap music. It was not an easy road for women to follow. Men were dominating the rap scene, and it women had to work twice as hard to get recognized in that genre. “Women like DJ Lady B and MC Lyte had to fight their way into the industry” . These women had opened doors for Lil Kim and Foxy Brown.
MC Lyte had blossomed in the 1980’s and was a female solo rapper who had produced rhymes that told stories of life and struggles. One hit she had was a song relating to drug addiction. The song focused on being in a relationship with a person addicted to cocaine. She had changed directions in the early 1990’s and began acting in movies. “One of her unique accomplishments in 2011, was being the first black female to become president of the L.A. Chapter of the Recording Academy” .
Lil Kim made her debut in the music industry of rap when she had become a member of Junior Mafia. The group was produced by Notorious B.I.G. The female artist had gone out on her own and released hits that were on the top of the charts. Her album had gone double platinum. Although her success was brewing, there was a lot of controversy concerning her music lyrics in and out of the industry. Her dance moves and sex appeal was just one of the issues that were being brought to the attention of the industry. The lyrics she would use had also stirred up constant chatter behind the scenes of the music industry. This did not slow her down or did it deter her from releasing more explicit music.
Nicki Minaj has been a rising star in the recent years of the rap industry. She has produced many billboard hits and has gained fame in the women rap music group. Her and Lil Kim has had issues in and out of court over their dislike of each other. These women and more recent artists have given rap a new look, sound, and appeal that men could never completely accomplish without these women.
Work Cited
BROWN, STACIA L. "It’s Time to Tell the Stories of Women in Hip-Hop." New Republic (2015): 1-6. web.
Jackson, Will. "Female Hip-Hop Artists Who Changed The Game." WestCoastRydaz (2014): 1-6. web.
