This year, countless women came together from disparate corners of Hip-Hop to deliver collaborations that were fun, innovative, introspective or all of the above. However, women in rap were noticeably excluded from some of the most widely celebrated albums released by their male peers.
Works recognized in the Best Rap Album category at the upcoming 64th annual Grammy Awards featured only one female rapper across the five nominations. While Lauryn Hill was included on Nas’ Kings Disease II, J. Cole, Drake, Tyler The Creator, and Kanye West left lady lyricists off of their guest lists. A social media debate led many to question the motives informing the absence of female rappers on Certified Lover Boy in particular, considering the subject matter of that album and the genre’s wealth of femcees seemed like a match made in rap duet heaven. Of course, others disagreed, doubling-down as they justified the exclusions.
Without being featured on the aforementioned projects, women in rap did score some impressive features on albums from Gucci Mane, Young Thug, Isaiah Rashad, and others. Female rappers also exclusively contributed to the soundtrack for Bruised, Halle Berry’s directorial debut. Overall, 2021 was another banner year for female rap—and the best moments came when women got together to spit their rhymes in the absence of men.
Below is a list of the 21 best women-led collaborations of 2021.
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Kayla Nicole feat. Taylor Girlz - “Bundles”
Image Credit: Screenshot/YouTube Kayla Nicole’s comedic YouTube videos have often gone viral, and now her music is doing the same. “Bundles” took TikTok by storm with more than one trend coming from the track. The record is a celebration of friendship and flawless wigs as Kayla Nicole’s charismatic personality shines through the bass-driven beat.
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Young M.A feat Rubi Rose - “Don Diva”
Image Credit: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for SiriusXM The Brooklyn rapper brings her signature cheeky one-liners as she and Rubi Rose exchange verses. With no hook, Young M.A and Rose spend the entire song trading flexes. “Don Diva” features both rappers sharing dazzling details describing their sex lives, wealth, and opulent lifestyles.
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Doja Cat feat. Eve - “Tonight”
Image Credit: Anthony Ghnassia/Getty Images For Balmain Doja Cat brought Eve out of an unofficial retirement for a slick verse on “Tonight,” featured on the deluxe version of her Grammy award-nominated album Planet Her. The acoustic guitar-laden beat provided the perfect background for both women to explore the messiness that comes with forbidden romances.
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Big Jade Feat. Erica Banks, and BeatKing - “Dem Girlz”
Image Credit: Screenshot/YouTube Big Jade and Erica Banks take David Banner’s “Like A Pimp” and flip it with unmistakable Texas swagger. While BeatKing is also on the track with vocals on the hook, the women carry “Dem Girlz” with assertive, quotable bars.
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Bbyafricka feat. Saweetie - “Baby Mama Coochie Remix”
Image Credit: Screenshot/YouTube Featured on Saweetie’s Pretty Summer Playlist Vol. 1, “Baby Mama Coochie Remix” has all of the west-coast flavor that makes Bbyafricka’s music so unique. On the gritty track, the two women flip the term “baby mama,” which can be used as a derogatory term, and reimagine it to be an asset, as they boast about the men who can have them and flex on the ones who can’t.
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Asian Doll ft Rubi Rose, DreamDoll, Dreezy, Ivorian Doll - “Nunnadet Shit Remix”
Image Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET Each rapper brings a distinct style to this drill-inspired posse cut. Rubi Rose, DreamDoll, Ivorian Doll, and Dreezy all add slick verses to Asian Doll’s irreverent anthem, before the Dallas rapper herself closes the song with the same aggression she starts it with.
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Summer Walker feat. JT - “Ex For A Reason”
Image Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images A different sound for both artists, “Ex For A Reason” shared Summer Walker and JT’s views of their current lovers’ ex-girlfriends, as they emphasize why those women are in the past and not the present. On the track, Summer’s vulnerable, soft singing is paired with JT’s hard-hitting rhymes as both artists remind old skeletons to stay in their respective closets.
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Rico Nasty Feat. Flo Milli - “Money”
Image Credit: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images Sampling 2 Live Crew’s “We Want Some Pu**y” and Tone Loc’s “Wild Thing,” “Money” finds Rico Nasty and Flo Milli clearly and unapologetically stating their desires. The song is a fun spin on two throwback tracks, and the duo’s chemistry is undeniable.
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Lizzo feat. Cardi B - “Rumors”
Image Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for American Express On “Rumors” two of the most polarizing women in music take a “so what” approach to their response to social media gossip. The first new track from Lizzo in two years showcased her signature mix of rapping and singing in addition to a standout verse from Cardi B.
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Enchanting feat. Kali - “Track and Field”
Image Credit: Prince Williams/Wireimage Kali and Enchanting have similarly raspy deliveries during their seductive verses on “Track And Field,” making the duo a convincing pair. In the song, both women make the case that they’re capable of getting to their own bags, while also suggesting if their men aren’t, they “gotta play the field.”
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Nappy Nina and JWords feat. Stas Thee Boss - “Real Tea”
Image Credit: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images On “Real Tea” Nappy Nina and Stas Thee Boss deliver mellow, poetic flows over an upbeat, psychedelic JWords production. The song was the lead single for Double Down, an album that is described as “a call to mass movement” that “forces folks to make dance floors of the spaces we have been stuck in.”
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Bree Runway feat. Missy Elliott - “ATM”
Image Credit: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images Bree Runway is creating a cutting-edge sound of her own, so it was only right she linked up with Missy Elliot, one of the most innovative artists in music history. In 2020, the London musician tweeted Missy, calling her “mom” and earning a cosign in the response. Now, the pair have collaborated on “ATM,” a confident, bass-heavy song that explores what it takes to push their buttons.
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Cast of Queens (Brandy, Naturi Naughton, Eve, Nadine Velazquez) - “Nasty Girl”
Image Credit: ABC/Gavin Bond While the rappers Butter Pecan, Professor Sex, Da Thrill, and Xplicit Lyrics are fictional characters, the talent of the performers bringing these roles to life are very real. “Nasty Girl” was issued as the first single from the television show Queens. Set in 1999, the faux throwback starts with an impressive verse from Eve (Professor Sex), reminding listeners she’s an authentic rapper, not just one on TV. The other three ladies channel their inner lyricists with fun verses as well.
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Erica Banks feat. DreamDoll, and BeatKing - “Toot that Remix”
Image Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for MRC Adding “Toot That Remix” to her catalog, Erica Banks reminds listeners she can flip a throwback hit into a modern twerk anthem with ease. Joined by DreamDoll, the song samples the late Huey’s 2007 breakout single “Pop Lock And Drop It.” Together, the rappers add a twist to the nostalgic beat with raunchy rhymes and a catchy hook.
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Lakeyah feat. City Girls - “Female Goat”
Image Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET The women of Quality Control Music teamed up to prove they are just as capable as the men on the label. Lakeyah and both members of City Girls position themselves as the best out, and promise a rude awakening for anyone who opposes.
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Megan Thee Stallion Feat. City Girls - “Do It On The Tip”
Image Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Glamour Megan Thee Stallion and City Girls connected for an upbeat, raunchy, rhyme-filled song. The rappers, all known for sometimes having risqué lyrics, do not hold back on this one. On the Houston lyricist’s debut album, Good News, the song is credited to Hot Girl Meg, a particularly fiery alter ego in Thee Stallion’s arsenal of rap personas. The twerk-inducing beat is paired with witty punchlines that leave a desire for the three ladies to collaborate again.
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Baby Tate feat. Flo Milli - “I Am”
Image Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty Images Full of affirmations, “I Am” took off on social media, becoming an Instagram and TikTok favorite. Beyond its trending status, though, the combination of Baby Tate and Flo Milli makes for a lyrically elite anthem that’s impossible to listen to without feeling empowered.
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BIA feat. Nicki Minaj - “Whole Lotta Money Remix”
Image Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET Revealed during an Instagram Live broadcast from Nicki Minaj’s residence, the official remix to BIA’s breakout record features the Queen rapper taking the laid-back track up a notch. Minaj adds a verse of her own following BIA’s original rhymes, giving fans a taste of her mixtape days by dropping her infamous “hold up Holiday” lines and running the beat back. The “BarBIA” duo also adds a fun third verse, trading lines back-and-forth.
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Normani feat. Cardi B - “Wild Side”
Image Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET Normani’s sultry R&B single comes with some edge, as Cardi B closes the song with her signature uncensored point of view. The duo’s combined talents turn what would otherwise be a PG-13 listen to an R-rated escapade fit for any after-dark playlist.
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Doja Cat feat. SZA - “Kiss Me More”
Image Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for MTV/ViacomCBS This whimsical, record-breaking collaboration between Doja Cat and SZA features the best qualities of both artists. Doja’s versatile skills allow her to transform from pop vocalist to animated rapper on “Kiss Me More,” while the TDE singer came through with her trademark sound for the playful chart-topper.
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Saweetie feat. Doja Cat - “Best Friend”
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartRadio Recently nominated for a Grammy, “Best Friend” brings two of music’s current “it”-girls to the forefront, showcasing both their abilities to create trends and craft catchy one-liners. The song shares the best parts of friendship through fun verses and an inescapable hook. Both Saweetie and Doja Cat are at the top of their games (and the rap game in general these days), each displaying their individual style and swagger while celebrating the other as their bestie.