Nicki Minaj & More Female Rappers Who Rocked The Industry: Pics

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May 18, 2022 4:58PM EDT

There have been many female rappers who have stepped into the spotlight and led a successful career. See pics of some of them here.

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Nicki Minaj & More Female Rappers Who Rocked The Industry

Nicki Minaj & More Female Rappers Who Rocked The Industry — Today hip-hop is at the top of the charts. With the likes of Lizzo, Nicki Minaj, and Cardi B taking over Billboard’s Top 10, the hip-hop industry has become quite the spectacle.

If you are a true hip-hop head, you’ve probably studied the eccentric evolution of the art form, including the feats, downfalls, and everything in between. Women have made quite a name for themselves in the realm and evolution of rap music, and it would totally be remiss of us not to acknowledge them. From “Roxanne’s Revenge” to MC Sha-Rock performing on ‘Saturday Night Live’ to MC Lyte releasing the first major label album by a solo female rap artist, there are so many accomplishments that need to be celebrated.

Some iconic women to have graced the stage and Billboard charts for years include the likes of Queen Latifah, Missy Elliot, and Lauryn Hill. Click through the gallery for some of the realest women in hip-hop history.

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Missy Elliot

Missy Elliot — We’d be amiss not to mention legends like Missy Elliot — amongst the iconic women who paved the way for the Nickis and Cardis of the world.

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Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill — The famous member of Fugees instanty wooed the rap world when she released her solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on August 25, 1998. It won many awards!

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Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah — The Newark, New Jersey native signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album All Hail the Queen on November 28, 1989. She has since worked as a rapper, actress, and even had a gig as a talk show host.

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Tkay Maidza

Tkay Maidza — Fresh names like Tkay Maidza are succeeding at combining hip-hop with indie and dance music. Here she is on stage showing off her talent.

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Salt-N-Pepa

Salt-N-Pepa — Salt N Pepa – Sandra Jacqueline Denton and Cheryl Renee James — were two of the biggest female voices in hip-hop during the 1980s and 1990s. With hits like ‘Push It’ and ‘Whatta Man,’ the group etched its place in hip-hop history.

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Lil Kim

Lil Kim — Before there was Nicki Minaj and Cardi B, there was Lil Kim. The contemporary of The Notorious B.I.G. (and member of his Junior M.A.F.I.A. Group), Kim announced her arrival with 1996’s ‘Hard Core,’ an album that was certified double-platinum.

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Foxy Brown

Foxy Brown — Foxy Brown’s legacy will be that of one who effortlessly weaved R&B songs into hip-hop hits, specifically her genre-shifting record “Ill Na Na.’ Though often compared to Lil Kim (two women being pitted against each other is a tragic staple of music), Foxy has etched her own name into the history of hip-hop with her style, her flow, and her chart-topping album, 1999’s ‘Chyna Doll.’

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Roxanne Shante

Roxanne Shante — Roxanne Shanté was only 14-years-old when she became huge in hip-hop. Her response record, “Roxanne’s Revenge,” created a rap beef dubbed ‘The Roxanne Wars.’ Her legacy was given the respect it deserves in 2017 with the biopic ‘Roxanne Roxanne,’ and many have made sure to give Roxanne her flowers for helping shape the early days of hip-hop.

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Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes

Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes — Thought TLC is mostly known as an R&B group, Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes brought some edge to the silky sultry sounds. The late rapper’s verses can be heard on their biggest hits, including “Creep,” “No Scrubs,” and “Waterfalls.”

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Eve

Eve — Eve will go down as one of the most acclaimed, successful entertainers of all time. Though often overlooked in the conversation of “Greatest Hip Hop Artists,” this Grammy-award winning rapper and singer has found chart success with “Let Me Blow Ya Mine,” “Gangsta Lovin,” and a handful of collabs (“Rich Girl,” “Who’s That Girl,” “You Got Me.”) On top of that, she’s had a successful transition into films – ‘Barbershop,’ ‘Whip It,’ ‘The Woodsman’ – and television, where she had her own UPN sitcom and co-hosted ‘The Talk.’ Give it up for Eve!

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Da Brat

Da Brat — Da Brat was one of the female voices that helped define hip-hop in the early/mid 1990s. Often associated with Missy Elliott, DaBrat experienced success with her songs “Funkdafied, “Ghetto Love” (with T-Boz of TLC fame), and “Give It 2 You.” Her legacy is a bit understated, but there’s no denying her influence on the genre.

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MC Lyte

MC Lyte — MC Lyte is credited with being a the first solo female rapper to release a full album, with 1988’s ‘Lyte as a Rock.’ Her track ‘Ruffneck’ is the first record by a female solo rap artist to be certified gold, and her style influenced the generation that came after her – from Lil Kim to Missy Elliot and more.

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M.I.A.

M.I.A. — M.I.A.’s ‘Paper Planes’ was an explosion of a record, and it drew a lot of eyes to this politically-minded rapper. Though her star has fallen a bit in the late 2010s, a bit unfairly, she remains a huge influence on hip-hop.

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Megan Thee Stallion

Megan Thee Stallion — It’s too early to say how much Megan Thee Stallion will influence hip-hop, but at the moment, she’s poised to be one of the mainstream artists who carries the genre into the next decade. Along with Saweetie, Flo Milli, and Erica Banks, the future of hip-hop is female.

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