Re: Conspiracy Against Smart Female Rappers?
I dunno if I’d say that rap is a male art form- cuz i don’t think of art forms as having genitals or anything- but i’d say the measure of bellicosity and boastfulness that has been the norm since jump has definitely been more in the male -oriented, feel me?
Female MC’s are a tough sell either to the public or the dinosaurs at the labels. It used to be more accepted to be a bad-ass chick on the mic, now not even that can really fly. Since Lil’ Kim and Foxy popped up, there’s sadly little mainstream paper for non-slut femcees. Really, it’s not a conspiracy against female rappers, it’s the same conspiracy against smart females period thats always at play.
That said, my favorites:
Heather B(possibly my favorite), Roxanne Shante, Lyte, Mia X, Sista Soulja, Rah Digga, Jean Grae at her most vicious, Marvaless, Bahamadia, Yo-Yo…
Oh, and let’s not forget about Eve. She’s been pretty goddamn successful, and is nice with hers. I fear, though, that Gwen Stefani may have really deaded her cred forevermore.
If you read David Toop's excellent book Rap Attack, he talks about how in the early days there were many talented female MC's most of which never recorded. I think the Mercedes Ladies was one of the most popular groups in New York at the time. Maybe it started off as a more open forum, and became a somewhat closed system later on.