10 Best Female MCs
Full disclosure, I jacked this idea from this Everyday Struggle segment. Their lists definitely made me ask who are my favourite female rappers? I'd also like to take time out right now that my list won't separate artists who have been knocked for having ghostwriters from those who haven't. I also won't be trying to put these artists up against Hip Hop royalty like Roxanne Shanté, Queen Latifah, and my favourite, MC Lyte!
I'm also not going to be that recent with my picks. As Much as I dig a Rapsody or Young M.a, I think I need to wait before I can put them on a list of Top 10 Female MCs. With that said, let's make some people angry and start the list!
Artist/Rank:
#10- Nicki Minaj
Best Example of Her Work:
"Lookin Ass" (From Rise of an Empire 2014)
Still Got It?:
This is as recent of an artist as you're going to get on this list. Mostly because she came out of the gate with fire and made sure her brand was everywhere! The quality of her music may or may not have dwindled but it would appear that the impact she has on the industry certainly has since she dropped a song with Drake and Lil Wayne, in addition to two other songs, and no one is still playing it. At least we'll always have mixtape Nicki as well as "Monster" & "Up All Night" Nicki to look back on to remember her potential and hold out hope.
Artist/Rank:
#9- Missy Elliot
Best Example of Her Work:
"Gossip Folks" (From Under Construction 2002)
Still Got It?:
If her single, "WTF (Where They From)", is any indication then yes Missy is still ready to deliver music that makes you want to dance with visuals that are even crazier than you would have imagined. As you'll notice I'll lean on an artist's impact on the culture over her perceived MC skills whenever it's convenient. For Missy I think there are a bunch of examples of her spitting for real, but, I feel like she's known mostly for her sing-song hooks. Try to find someone who doesn't know "Get Ur Freak On" or try to sing the backward part of "Work It"! My point is Missy is far too creative and implanted in pop culture for her not to show up on this list!
Artist/Rank:
#8- Da Brat
Best Example of Her Work:
"Sock it 2 Me" @2:43 (From Supa Dupa Fly 1997)
Still Got It?:
Here is the first entry based solely on skills on the mic! Unfortunately I couldn't find an album cut to display those skills properly. Sue me! I think Da Brat is a slept on guest verse killer! She is amazing when she shows up on a Dru Hill remix, or a song like "Sock it 2 Me." Having other people on the track appears to elevate Da Brat's game. I haven't heard much from Da Brat for awhile actually which makes me not want to look up if something is wrong with her because I would imagine that she's still got it. She hasn't put out anything to suggest she doesn't have it still! Although... she just hasn't put out anything period.
Artist/Rank:
#7- Rah Digga
Best Example of Her Work:
"Tight" (From Dirty Harriet 1999)
Still Got It?:
Rah Digga became an excellent MC the day I heard her kill it on "Down for the Count." She was always great when she showed up on FlipMode joints but there is something special about how she stands out on "Down for the Count" It meant that I had to listen to her solo stuff and I certainly wasn't disappointed. I don't think Rah Digga has the impact of other women on this list, however, she has bars and I really liked her delivery. Once she stepped away from the Flipmode Squad brand she didn't blow up in her own right like a Nicki Minaj was able to do (even though I'm well aware she hasn't left Young Money). In that sense, I'd have to say she doesn't still have it.
Artist/Rank:
#6- Eve
Best Example of Her Work:
"Love is Blind" (From Let There Be Eve... Ruff Ryders' First Lady 1999)
Still Got It?:
Eve has the skill and the impact. Well she had the impact. The song I picked for her is a perfect example of her being able to rap well but still speak on a topic that effects many people creating impact. Her songs "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" & "Rich Girl" with Gwen Stefani was further proof that she's an artist that appeals to more than just hardcore hip hop fans! According to Everyday Struggle (see link at the beginning of this post), Eve still has the MC skills. I also feel like she's been busy with other things like acting and family life. So she's probably not in a big hurry to throw her hat back in the ring as best Female MC.
Artist/Rank:
#5- Foxy Brown
Best Example of Her Work:
"Oh Yeah" (From Broken Silence 2001)
Still Got It?:
If I'm being honest, Foxy Brown was the best rapper to me at one point! I remember hating that she was working with that hooligan on "I'll Be" Boy how time has changed things. Cause that song is all kinds of dope and the person who showed up on the hook and adlibs turned out to be a prettay prettay prettay big influence on my life. Foxy is almost in the Queen Latifah echelon of rap. Which is to say she's proved herself. There is no point in debating whether or not she's still got it. She had it and when she did she was second (depending on the day) to only one other person. FOR A LONG TIME! So let's just respect the queen.
Artist/Rank:
#4- Lil' Kim
Best Example of Her Work:
"Came Back for You" (From La Bella Mafia 2003)
Still Got It?:
Yeah I have Lil' Kim over Foxy Brown because I feel like she's still competing. Even if what she's doing isn't connecting with me, she's still willing to put herself out there and remind people of her reign. I always go back and forth over who was better. Foxy or Kim. The important thing is they were both undeniably great during their runs and they were both household names even after they stepped away from their mentors. Kim has great guest verses that ultimately put her above Foxy for me. "All About the Benjamins" / "Money, Power, Respect" / "Quiet Storm"! And those are just the songs where she's helping someone else out. Run through her own discography and respect the hits. Kim and Foxy are two of the best and as I said, close to being in the let's not even bother putting them on the list territory.
Artist/Rank:
#3- Remy Ma
Best Example of Her Work:
"All The Way Up (Remix)" @3:05 (Single 2016)
Still Got It?:
It's fitting that Remy Ma and Nicki Minaj exchanged words this year. They are both rappers I feel like are amazing on mixtapes. When they aren't trying to put together a project for the masses, they let the bars fly and it's amazing. I also think they've both bested Jay Z on a track, word to my selection for Remy Ma. I have always respected Remy especially after "Ante Up (Remix)" and "Lean Back." I can't stress enough how happy I was when Remy was released from jail and she didn't show any signs of being rusty. If you didn't think she had the impact part down even though she had clear skills. I think her post jail career definitely has the potential to finally give Remy the impact aspect she deserves.
Artist/Rank:
#2- Lauryn Hill
Best Example of Her Work:
"Lost Ones" (From The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 1998)
Still Got It?:
I bet you thought she'd be number 1. If we are talking about the best musical artist on this list then yes. Lauryn should probably be number 1. I'm talking about rapping though. I feel like Lauryn has been flirting with out and out singing for her whole career. I love Lauryn's first solo album & The Score as much as any hip hop fan but you gotta dig deep for instances of real spitting and no melodic rapping or straight up singing. I'm just thinking of the backlash this placement will get and giving my reasons. Having said that. I don't know much of Lauryn's work after Miseducation and I still think she's dope thanks to songs like "Everything is Everything" / "Doo Wop (That Thing)" / "Ready or Not" and being covered on "All Falls Down." Like Kim and Foxy it doesn't matter what Lauryn does for the rest of her life, she's good.
Artist/Rank:
#1- Jean Grae
Best Example of Her Work:
"Where You Gonna Run" (From Right About Now 2005)
Still Got It?:
I know I called her the Black Widdow of the MCU even though her name is based on an X-Men character. But, here we are. The female MC and just rapper, independent of sex, I have an immense amount of respect for. Like Remy, I don't think Jean gets the respect she deserves based on her skill level. I know she openly hates when people divide rappers into male and female but here I am saying she's the best female MC and definitely can out rap most male MCs. Jean has amazing dexterous delivery and word play that I love. She is also a comic book fan (duh!) so anytime she references comic books I immediately think she's the best. I do think some of her best work was with Talib Kweli but that doesn't mean she isn't still putting on a rapping clinic every time she puts out a project.
-YG