Where are Our Feminist Hip-Hop Artist Today?

“A SYTYCB entry”

Growing up, it was never hard to find a hip-hop track that was easy to listen to as well as empowering. I was able to rap along without having to adjust the tone of my voice into deep tones or using words like “bitches” and “hoes” while convincing myself that what I was rapping along to had nothing to do with real black women. I even had my mother and grandmother who was 80 years old at that time reciting the lyrics. Today’s female hip-hop artists are nothing like these ladies who I call feminist hip-hop artists:

Salt N Pepa: Debut album  Hot, Cool, & Vicious dropped  in 1986. These were the first female rappers I heard when I started listening to rap in the late 80’s.  I remember them most for “Let’s talk about Sex” bringing awareness to AIDS and “Ain’t Nuthin But a She Thing” an anthem that calls awareness to gender equality. These women were politically conscious and aware of responsible sexual behaviors; topics that many did not want to publicly discuss.

Just listening to these lyrics brings back memories of me and my grade-school best friend rushing back to her house after school to catch Video Music Box with Ralph McDaniels. When “Push It” came on we mimicked the dance moves as we dropped backwards to the floor landing on our hands and getting back up as quickly as possible without falling in the process. We just knew we were Salt N Pepa because she was tall and I was short.

MC Lyte: Who stepped on the scene with the critically acclaimed 1988 album, Lyte As A Rock, the first solo female rap artist to release an album. At the age of 17, she carried on to be a hip-hop feminist legend that brought messages of female respect to the fullest. With lyrics that tackled social issues such as poverty, violence, sex, drugs, money and love she was able to draw attention to key problems in society.  Her “tomboy” approach was her way of say, that all women do not have to follow the societal construct imposed on us. She dropped singles like; “Ruffneck”, “Keep on Keepin” and ‘Poor Georgie” and one of the pioneering female hip-hop artist, she made her way with her rapping skills and not sexuality.

Queen Latifah: Who dropped the bomb album in 1989 with All Hail the Queen included the hip-hop feminist anthem “Ladies First” featuring Monie Love. Later she released “U.N.I.T.Y”, with the most memorable lyrics, “who you calling a bitch” as a response to male rappers’ reference to women.  This song was a call to all: We demand respect from all. In the 90′s this album got me through college. I can remember going to the record store requesting it but having to have it special ordered because it was so old.

My Question to Feministing.com blog readers are, where are our Feminist Hip-Hop artist today?