- Cassie G.
- Wednesday, October 25, 2023
This year we celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th anniversary. 50 years of a genre of music that went mainstream with one single, but has continued to produce thousands more and counting. So what would you say Hip-Hop means to you?
So, what does Hip-Hop mean to me? To me, Hip-Hop is freedom of expression in lyrical form as well as expressive and visual. Hip-Hop is poetry to music. Hip-Hop is storytelling. Hip-Hop is everything you need it to be as it evolves and new artist emerge and shine. When I think and reflect on Hip-Hop and what it means to me, I think about home! Home for me is the Bronx, New York. Home for me is Hip-Hop's birth place!
Hip-Hop originated in 1973 at a party in the Bronx, New York. Although, it took six more years before being discovered by the mainstream, with the hit Rapper's Delight by the infamous Sugarhill Gang. Who would of thought that in the 80's, women wanted to be a part of the movement and have their voices heard too.
I thought it would only be right for me as a Black Woman, in honoring Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary while also representing #OwnVoices, to honor the Black Women whose songs made an impact on me as well as Hip-Hop. Listed below are my top 5 Hip-Hop songs by just a few Black Women that I feel have paved the way for the female artists after them to truly express themselves however they see fit.
Roxanne Shante – Roxanne's Revenge
At only 14, Roxanne recorded what I consider to be one of the greatest female dis-tracks ever! Not only did she respond to the group U.T.F.O.'s (which is short for UnTouchable Force Organization) dis-track Roxanne Roxanne, Roxanne Shante confirmed in an interview, that she recorded the track in one take while doing laundry
2. Queen Latifah U.N.I.T.Y.
"Who you callin' a B....!" will forever be my favorite opening to a Hip Hop Song. It catches the listeners ear immediately. Queen Latifah used U.N.I.T.Y. off her third album release, as a way to address the casual comfortability of not only the Men in Hip Hop disrespecting women by calling them out of their names, but also the regular men on the streets.
3. Lil Kim Crush on You
Lil Kim’s single Crush on You debuted in 1997. When the video was released, in my opinion, it changed EVERYTHING for female artist to come. Not only was Crush on You vibrant in color and style for the video scenes, it was also a way for Lil Kim to debut the colorful hairstyles and sex appeal in which she would later become known for. Lil Kim's use of vulgarity in her lyrics showed that as a woman, it was okay for women to express themselves in the same manor as the men in the music industry. For me, this video opened the door for the future Nicki Minaj, Cardi B and Megan the Stallion to rap the lyrics they want to in the present, while also showing raw sex appeal in how they visually present themselves.
4. Eve Love is Blind
“Ayo, I don't even know you and I hate you” is the opening line to the song Love is Blind that debuted in 1999 as an open letter from Eve to the man that assaulted someone close to her. Eve’s storytelling lyrics shed some light on what she was seeing happen in real life to her best friend Andrea and the mental and physical abuse that was caused by the toxic relationship she was in at the time.
5. Missy Elliot The Rain
Missy Elliott debut her single, The Rain, in 1997 off of her first solo album Supa Dupa Fly. This unique song and its video opened the door for not only Missy Elliott, but also for what was then known as The Superfriends Music Collective, comprised of Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Magoo, Ginuwine, Tweet and the late Aaliyah as well as a few other members. Missy Elliott was originally discovered and signed by Devante Swing from Jodeci’s label Swing Mob. When things didn’t turn out so well on Swing Mob and the label fell, some of the label’s artist, writers and producers decided to continue to work together creating The Superfriends Music Collective. The video for The Rain, features Missy Elliott rapping in an inflated trash bag suit. It set the expectation for her future videos to come. I always wanted to know what she would do next and if she could out due the last video’s visual creativity.
Did you enjoy my Top 5 Female Artist? If so, check out the albums below of other female artist that I enjoy.
TLC
The Richland Library #OwnVoices initiative is a space for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) staff members to provide thoughtful and well written book reviews, book lists and blog posts. These posts work to promote authors of marginalized groups and their work about the life experiences of these under-represented groups through their own perspective. The series invites our customers to learn one more way we are continuing the conversation in our community and speaking our voice. Find more resources on race, equity, and inclusion, here.