The last couple of years have been fantastic for female rappers, for the first time they’re leading the charge forward in the industry and not living in the shadow of their male colleagues. With every new release, bit by bit, they rework the game and set the bar for new artists inspired by their come up. Here’s a few of our top choices for the best female rappers since the start of the 2020’s.
1. Ice Spice
As a native of the Bronx, Ice Spice set fire to the scene in 2022 with her first viral sensation “Munch (Feelin' U).” It’s catchy hooks, conversational flow, and unapologetically confident lyrics, made her an instant sensation with audiences around the internet. The casual manner and everyday-type storytelling in her breakout hit “In Ha Mood” saw her receive widespread critical acclaim for her charisma and fresh approach to the game.
Fresh from the streets of NYC, Ice Spice's lyrical style, smooth flow and no-nonsense lyrics, resonate with younger listeners thirsty for raw, authentic voices in hip-hop. She’s created a name for herself with her down-to-earth dress style, and signature red curls, it’s a bold instantly recognizable as her brand.
2. Lola Brooke
Another NYC resident, Lola Brookes hails from Brooklyn, and she’s a fresh talent that’s hot on the block right now. The raw aggression in her tone and flow reflects her time growing up in the hardest New York streets with the hardest people. She built momentum with her first breakout single, “Don’t Play With It,” with fans hyping her up on social media as one of the freshest artists of the year.
Lola Brooke is an unapologetic force of flow and fire on the mic. Her music is edgy and hardcore, giving fans what they expect from a female rapper in the NYC scene. Her stage presence is overwhelming, and her social media presence is everywhere you look online.
3. Flo Milli
Straight outta Alabama, Flo Mill launched to superstardom online with the release of “Beef Flomix,” following up shortly with “In the Party.” Her confident lyrics speak to expressing female sexuality and building self-confidence, driving millions of fans around the world to her music.
Her debut mixtape, “Ho, Why You Here?” being received well by critics and fans alike. Her lyrics aren’t as hard as Lola Brooke, and she’s got a more playful thing going for her content, bringing something fresh to the scene for the 2020’s.
4. Doechii
Doechii broke the internet when she dropped her debut single, “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake”. Her fresh approach to storytelling through her lyrics drew in her audience through her clever use of raw, introspective lyrics and a style that's hard to nail down to any specific genre.
She’s all about motivation and inspiring women towards self-empowerment, and her lyrics reflect those themes. It comes together in a style that’s really unique, punching powerfully at the conventional styles of hip-hop. Her background in theater makes her videos some of the most impressive visual displays of storytelling in hip-hop, with high-level production value that’s crazy hot.
5. Rubi Rose
Rubi Rose first gained buzz by showing up in the video for Migos' “Bad and Boujee,” but she's an up-and-coming rapper in her own right. Tracks from her like “Big Mouth” and “He in His Feelings” let Rubi Rose go full bore, delivering brazen lyrics unapologetically, in confident increments.
Rubi Rose boasts the bold, confident lyrics mixed with hot beats, previously allowing her to focus on themes of power and freedom. Her voice, whether she is being aggressively sassy or slyly sensual, marks her out in a crowded field of new artists, and with this growing number of fans, she is established as one "ones to watch" hip hop stars.
6. KenTheMan
Contrary to her name, KenTheMan is female rapper coming out of Houston due to her slippery wordplay and punchlines. Hyped on her hit single “He Be Like,” KenTheMan has received much attention for her lyrics, largely because they're so relatable while simultaneously adopting the attitude of confident, no-nonsense rap on topics.
KenTheMan brings straightforward delivery blended with witty lyricism, and a southern style that’s modern and so very hot right now. Her lyrics touch on female empowerment in relationships, and her clever wordplay makes for amazing hooks and drops in her catalog of smash-success hits.
7. Lakeyah
Her heavy hitting style comes from her affiliation to Quality Control, the label behind heavyweights like Lil Baby and Migos. Lakeyah is on fire right now, with tracks like “Big FlexHer” and “Female Goat” earning tens of millions of views on streaming platforms. Her versatility in blending rap and R&B into melodic hooks creates a new sound that people love.
She’s got mad skill in the lyrical department, with great content and really catchy hooks. The production in her music and her videos is insane, with her big label backing showing it’s benefits to her production and the results she gets with her videos on streaming platforms.
8. BIA
While BIA is ne of the more established female artists on this list, she only rose to viral status recently when she dropped “Whole Lotta Money." Known for her smooth flow and laid-back delivery, BIA's music focuses on lots of themes of wealth, empowerment, and self-confidence. She gained much more attention when she collaborated with Nicki Minaj on the remix of “Whole Lotta Money.”
Instantly what sets BIA apart in the rap world is the uniqueness of her voice and the smooth, unhurried delivery. The style carries cool confidence over to the listeners, and her knack for creating these infectious memorable hooks has made her one of the most promising new voices in hip-hop.
The Future of Female Rap
These brilliant newcomers are rewriting the rulebook of what a female rap artist could-should-be, each with their own style, perspective, and voice applied to the genre. The girls are taking over the game, whether we’re talking about Doechii's genre-bending ingenuity or Ice Spice's infectious hooks, these female rappers are here to stay, baby.
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