The Greatest Women Rappers of All Time

Responsible for some of the hottest tracks of 2020, these women rappers and MCs know how to handle a mic. Since the early days of hip-hop, women took part in crafting the genre's overall tone and sound. Though hip-hop music is commonly associated with a glorification of male-exclusive camaraderie, women MCs help to break that mold, off-setting more men-centric attitudes with a steely, seen-it-all perspective of their own. Some women rappers make up a part of a successful rap group, such as Digable Planets or Salt-N-Pepa. But just as often, the best female rappers pursue their own solo rap careers, sometimes with the assistance or stewardship of an established rap act. (For example, Bahamadia got an early boost in the '90s from Gang Starr's Guru. Lil' Kim, as well, was mentored in the rap game by none other than the late Biggie Smalls himself.)

Who are the best women rappers out there? As of today, more and more women hip-hop acts generate just as much buzz for new releases as men. So much so, in fact, that acts like Cardi B are now scoring the top-charting singles around. Girl power, indeed.