With the increased popularity of hip hop culture in the 1980s, it was only right that women took their rightful places at this musical table. Many female emcees, or rappers as they would come to be known, saw the 1990s as their opportunity at stardom. They felt that their messages were just as important as those of their male counterparts. From the legendary MC Lyte who rocked the late 80s into the early 90s to Ms. Lauryn Hill whose sultry voice bridged hip hop and r and b, female emcees of the 1990s were a force to be reckoned with. They enlightened the world about important issues such as the respect of women, female equality, sexism, and social injustices in the “hood”, while simultaneously displaying sensuality and sex appeal.
The dawn of the 90s broke with artists like Queen Latifah, YoYo, and Lady of Rage. They spoke out about how women should be treated, and the respect that they deserve as part of society and the rapidly growing hip hop genre. Latifah’s hit record “U.N.I.T.Y.” addressed sexism with lyrics like, ” I had my cutoff shorts on right cause it was crazy hot/ I walked past these dudes when they passed me/ One of ’em felt my booty, he was nasty/ I turned around red, somebody was catching the wrath/ Then the little one said (Yeah me b****) and laughed/ Since he was with his boys he tried to break fly/ Huh, I punched him dead in his eye and said “Who you calling a b****?”‘ (Genius). Lady of Rage let the world know that she ran things and wasn’t a punk or scared rather “[she] rock[s] rough and stuff with [her] Afro Puffs/ (Rage)/ Rock on, wit’ cha bad self.”
Although many of the first female emcees hailed from the northeast of the United States, in 1994 a young woman who would come to be known as Da Brat released her debut album that sold over a million copies making her the first female hip hop artist to go platinum (March). The mid-90s ushered in a much more liberated, coarse, raw era. The likes of Foxy Brown and Lil Kim opened the doorway for female hip hop artists to be as sexually and verbally explicit as their male counterparts. They addressed “street life” from the female perspective. From the hood beat of Kim’s chart toppers to the island vibe of Foxy’s club bangers, these female emcees publicly gave women permission to live life adulterated and unapologetically uncut as they spit lyrics only previously heard by men and dressed in a manner which left little to the imagination.
As the new millennium approached, many more artists began to rise to power. Eve: First Lady of Ruff Ryders, Missy Elliott, and Lauryn Hill diverged in different directions as they diversified the hip hop genre. The rough around the edges, Philadelphia native, and only female member of the Ruff Ryders crew immediately came in marking her musical territory. Missy Elliott hailing from Portsmouth, VA arrived on the scene with her futuristic concepts and vivid musical metaphors. Finally, none other than Ms. Lauryn Hill only female member of the group The Fugees (Refugees) that spoke to social consciousness. Her warm, embracing voice and old school hip hop vibe allowed her to bridge the gap between genres and generations. Her debut solo album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” earned her five Grammy awards at the 1999 awards show. Female emcees definitely made their mark on hip hop history and paved the way for artists on the future. –Nikkia Grant
Works Cited
Genius Media Group Inc. Genius. 2012. Web. 28 November 2015. <http://genius.com/Queen-latifah-unity-lyrics>.
March, Chase. The History of Women in Hip Hop. 6 April 2013. Web. 20 November 2015. <http://chasemarch.com/2013/04/the-history-of-women-in-hip-hop.html>.
