Here we are again! If you have not read Part 1 of this post please click here to check it out.
Since the release of Part 1, I have taken a deeper dive into why female rappers are a lot less common in the mainstream, and though the ability to go "viral" on social media has been eating away at some of the gatekeeping, it also has provided issues of its own.
The need to go viral
In the music industry today there are lots of artist who are given a much bigger platform because of their ability to grab the attention of the masses rather it be through humor, compassion, or even shock value. The issue is, those same viral sensations lose their thunder as quick as they gain it, and most female rappers don't get that attention through serious lyricism or storytelling abilities. As a matter of fact, very few rappers go viral because of their talent, most go viral simply because they are easy to make fun of.
Rapper Blueface gained his fame from rapping off beat and being "ironically" compared to legendary rappers like Tupac and Eminem. After his rise to fame through memes he released "Buss Down Thotiana" and even had a remix with Cardi B, thrusting him into stardom. Atlantic Records signed the "Cash me outside" sensation Bhad Bhabie, a rapper who had no musical background before inking a deal with the label. These are just 2 examples of how going viral can dictate an artist's career.
Artist like Cupcakke, Doja Cat, and City Girls have been on the grind to make it to the mainstream, but unfortunately their breakout moments are nowhere close to showing their full range of talent, and when they don't deliver the viable hits that brought them into the spotlight they quickly fade away. City Girls has weathered this storm, but it's for a reason that is also an issue.
Over Sexualization
I'd like to start out by saying there is nothing wrong with being attracted to an artist, or enjoying an artist who talks about sex. The issue with the sexualization of women in hip hop is simple, if they can't be objectified, they aren't being acknowledged. One of the main reasons the City Girls weathered the storm of going viral is because they provide content that is very, very easy to sell...sex. When female artist are seen as objectively attractive, or sell sex throughout their catalog, hip hop fans (particularly the male fans) are more inclined to pay attention. Check out the music videos for Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, City Girls, or even Meg the Stallion and you will find the greater part of their viewership comes from music videos that are overtly sexual.
Since when did it become a requirement for a female rapper to know how to twerk?
Why is it that the women in mainstream hip hop today have all been (mostly) naked at some point in a music video?
Why are female rap concerts for major female rappers been ass shaking contest and strip teases?
How is a female artist who sells their craft and not their assets supposed to survive?
You can claim it's empowering, you can claim they have free choice in how they run their career, but the main reason is because female rap has become another way to sexualize women.
Since when did it become a requirement for a female rapper to know how to twerk?
Why is it that the women in mainstream hip hop today have all been (mostly) naked at some point in a music video?
Why are female rap concerts for major female rappers been ass shaking contest and strip teases?
How is a female artist who sells their craft and not their assets supposed to survive?
You can claim it's empowering, you can claim they have free choice in how they run their career, but the main reason is because female rap has become another way to sexualize women.
Lack of Cosigners
In hip hop there's nothing more valuable than a good cosigner, someone who is already thriving in the music industry that says "Hey, this person is dope". Many times the artist is in a similar sub genre as the artist they are cosigning or they very early to a new trend in music, and enjoy what they hear. Here's a short list of artist who have had their careers changed by a simple cosign...
- Travis Scott was cosigned (and later signed) by Kanye West
- Migos were cosigned by Gucci Mane
- Trippie Redd was cosigned by Lil Wayne
Each of these artist as seen as big deals now, and it all started with bigger artist who were able to help lift them into the spotlight with their acknowledgement. Unfortunately, this is hardly the case for female rappers. Out of all the years Nicki Minaj has been active she is yet to cosign a smaller female artist, Kendrick Lamar cosigned Rapsody and put her on his To Pimp a Butterfly album, but since the track was not a single she received very few looks from it. Timbaland cosigned rapper Tink, but the numerous holds on her album has completely eaten away at her momentum.
In conclusion, there's a lot of reasons why there are not more mainstream female rappers, and unfortunately almost none of it has to do with talent. The roadblocks for women in music can be visualized in the society we have lived in for decades, and the only way this issue can be remedied is with care, effort, and support.
If you don't know where to start here are a few female rappers who I encourage you to check out:
Noname
Rapsody
Rico Nasty
Princess Nokia
Tierra Whack
Tink
Mumu Fresh
In conclusion, there's a lot of reasons why there are not more mainstream female rappers, and unfortunately almost none of it has to do with talent. The roadblocks for women in music can be visualized in the society we have lived in for decades, and the only way this issue can be remedied is with care, effort, and support.
If you don't know where to start here are a few female rappers who I encourage you to check out:
Noname
Rapsody
Rico Nasty
Princess Nokia
Tierra Whack
Tink
Mumu Fresh
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