Culture Bully Asks: Where My Ladies At?
This week, we’re celebrating the return of “B-Girl Be,” the great Twin Cities celebration of women in hip hop. So let’s make a list. Who are your favorite female-identified hip hop artists? Explanations and links are appreciated.
[B-Girl Be Block Party | Saturday, September 19, 2009 | 12:00 AM - 10:00 PM | Intermedia Arts | $10 Students/Members/Advance Ticket Sales | $15 General Admission]
Whether it be listening to dance tapes in elementary school that had Salt-n-Pepa on them, or most recently when you introduced me to Invincible, Kyle, but I don’t find myself returning to female hip hop artists on a regular basis.
In the mainstream, I think my interest peaked with a few late ’90s diva-MCs, but a lot of that had less to do with the MC and more to do with other factors. Not that I was ever too crazy about them, but Lil Kim and Foxy (if I had to choose though, Foxy, hands down) were sex-symbols hidden (well, hidden is a relative term) amongst a testosterone-driven landscape. Same with Eve, she was the smooth contrast in the Ruff Riders.
Lauren Hill was great, but despite the love that flowed for her solo album, I still look back at her days with Pras and Wyclef as her best.
Since then, the mainstream has had Missy, but she was always hit or miss for me, often relying on guest contributors to help keep her album’s afloat (which is kinda moot considering that’s pretty much how a lot of MCs do it).
Now? I don’t know, is M.I.A. considered an MC? She’s certainly developed a style of her own and has taken that niche across the globe. I suppose that in recent years, I’d probably have to say that she’d be my favorite if in fact she fits the label.
I am embarassed to admit that I am not familiar with a lot of female hip hop artists that I actually like either – and the ones that I do like are generally labeled more as crossover artists. Janelle Monae for instance, M.I.A., or Ninja (of the Go! Team).
I guess as far as more traditional artists go, I was a fan of the Lady of Rage back in the day. Locally I think Dessa (Doomtree) is great. I also used to dig Spanish MC Mala Rodriguez, though I have no idea what she is doing now
Chris there are still a lot of dope female emcees out there. I love Jean Grae aka What? What? She was so sick when she was kickin’ it in Natural Resource and then on her first solo ep “Attack of the Attacking Things.”
Salt-n-Pepa will always be close to my heart and anyone that knows me I still consistently bump their tapes in my car.
Foxy is a good choice and hands down still reigns over Lil Kim too bad she’s deaf now…Mystic is also a dope semi-mainstream female emcee…who else represents?? Rah Digga–siiiick, Shawana (more of the Foxy/Kim look but way more badass), Heather B, BO$$, Bahamadia, T-Love, Dimples D (“Sucker DJ” classic joint)…I could go on and on and on.
Thanks for bumpin’ the ladies!
oh and response to Jon: Dessa is an excellent spoken word artist and can write but I think she could step it up more as a rapper.
Gangsta Boo…nuff said!
For me, my favorite will always be Ladybug from Digable Planets-she had a nice smooth flow that went well with the band’s style. I could listen to her rhyme about New York all day.
And I’ll always have a soft spot for MC Lyte and Queen Latifah, who were the first female MC’s I was ever introduced to. They had a tough road making their way in the male dominated hip-hop world, and always came across as genuine and strong women-never getting swallowed up by the game or sexing it up for the almighty dollar. And, because I loved Boogie Down Productions so much, Ms. Melodie will always be one of my favorite female MC’s.
Recently: Kid Sister
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7ScDAvF6Gk
Questioning: Amanda Blank (interesting live show…)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co8SwKe_4vA
Always: Lauryn Hill, Psalm One, Nina Simone’s Influence on hip-hop
Lauryn Hill, she made a classic with her debut. She has virtually disappeared since, perhaps broke-down by the stress of its success, hopefully when her headspace in cool, she’ll make a grand return. Jean Grae is technically dope but hasn’t made a great record yet.
Haha, Ms Melodie yes Heather B was fly with it too. Mecca was also top ranked,as is MC Lyte.
Sound Verite, “Attack of the Attacking Things,” Is a CLASSIC and only good album in my book of Grae’s. She does great on other people’s tracks and she smashed it on the “Negro League Baseball” with Natural Resource.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir08yQO-ncU
yups, and I forgot about “Negro League Baseball†with Natural Resource, they were niceeeeee.
C-Rocka – honestly I think that on the last Doomtree album Dessa took the lead on two of the strongest tracks, Dots and Dashes and Sadie Hawkins. In my opinion she has really started to come into her own as a rapper. Sure, she isn’t up there with the Jean Grae’s or Lauryn Hill’s of the world, but definitely still a talent
Jon-Written, nuff said.
Matt-Kid Sister-Candy Coated hipster raps for chicks.
Where are the ladies on here? About to blast this again, I want to see some ladies points of view.
It’s not fair to even mention the “hipster-rap” of Kid Sister and other electro, trendy artist as MC’s. They are “hipster” of the moment shit.
Amanda Blank is dope and talented as a vocal stylist, I heard tracks that didn’t make the record that was waaaaaaaaay better than anything on her debut. They were songs. Hopefully she’ll evolve beyond the hipster tag.
I don’t tag Amanda in the hipster genre I see her going beyond the trend she’s got the skills to pay the bills. Girl can rap, freestlye, hold her own and that’s what’s up!
invincible is great, but she’s also part of a larger crew called the Anomolies who are fantastic as a unit:
http://www.myspace.com/anomolies
also, ARIANNA PUELLO. one of my favorite emcees:
http://www.myspace.com/ariannapuello
Have always been an L-Boogie fan from the Fugees to Miseducation to her Unplugged material.
MC Lyte follows in a close second.
I, like Jon Behm, enjoy La Mala Rodriguez. Check her out.
Kid Sister is ok, but I’ve been grooving off of Empress Stahhr Tha Femcee, the MC holding it down with DOOM on “Still Dope” off his latest, Born Like This.
C-Rocka: not saying that there aren’t some great voices in the female hip hop community… just that there’s very little out there right now that’s leaping out and grabbing me. Also, not to say that I have my finger directly on the pulse of hip hop… but what I do end up enjoying and listening to on repeat isn’t coming from the the voices that we’re focusing on here.
Oh, also–could not stand Rah Digga.
Also check out new artist,BMore’s Milly July, a blogger who steps in the rap game at a time when there aren’t many new school female MC’s, she’s clearly gifted with the wordplay and drops a few jewels, she takes a non-traditional, creative approach,
http://soundverite.blogspot.com/2009/05/milly-july-sneak-chamber-mixtape-summer.html
one word……….MEDUSA…../end