6 Female Rappers Who Should Drop New Music (Right Now)
The rap scene this year has done the unthinkable. Somehow the stars have aligned and made it possible for more than one female rapper to flourish at a time. With the buzz surrounding Nicki Minaj, Iggy Azalea, Remy Ma and the ladies of Sisterhood of Hip-Hop, it’s only right that we dig up the lost MCs of yesteryear and pray to the rap gawds for the return of some of our favorite ladies on the mic. Here are 6 female rappers who should release new music right now and take advantage.
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CHARLI BALTIMORE
Who She Should Work With: Pusha T, YG, Jeezy
Why We Need Her: Best known for her collaborations with Ja Rule and Murder Inc., Charli made a rep for being the industry’s ride-or-die chick. Her fiery red hair and “us against the world” attitude made it hard to hate Chuck. It's hard for us to ignore that Iggy is Charli’s musical doppelgänger. The two sound eerily alike. We know Charli was nominated for a BET Awards and all, but if there were any time for her to make a real comeback, it should be now while the Iggy frenzy is in full effect.
Photo Credit: Instagram/charlibaltimore
SHAWNNA
Who She Should Work With: Migos, YG, Young Thug Why We Need Her: Shawnna’s raspy Chicago drawl made its debut on Ludacris’ “What’s Your Fantasy?” Only a few years later, she had a salacious single of her own. The Disturbing Tha Peace lady’s ballsy song “Gettin’ Some Head” landed her the No. 31 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100. The Queen of Chi-Town had an impressive flow that we could see fitting with an artist like Young Thug, making it an instant club banger.
EVE
Who She Should Work With: Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Beyonce, T.I. Why We Need Her: Throughout her career, the Philly native didn’t have to be raunchy or suggestive as she morphed from the angry lyricist in “Love Is Blind” to the woman with crossover appeal (see: her collaborations with rocker Gwen Stefani.) Her platinum blonde cropped cut and paw print chest tats made a statement, but her music made an even larger one. Eve went from bragging about Steebie in “Got A Man” to marrying Maximillion Cooper—emphasis on the “million." Can we get a 16 on your life overseas, pronto? Photo Credit: Instagram/therealeve
MISSY ELLIOTT
Who She Should Work With: Chris Brown, ScHoolboy Q, Kanye West, Drake Why We Need Her: The lyricist with eccentric visuals and bold beats was lightyears ahead of her time. Play "Supa Dupa Fly" now and it probably still trumps your rotation today. Misdemeanor released nothing but heat for eight years straight. Your favorite rapper probably doesn’t even have that longevity, not to mention she did it in finger waves, garbage bags and velour sweatsuits. If Missy was futuristic AF in the late '90s, there’s no telling where her mind is now. RELATED: 5 Reasons We Still Need Missy Elliott Back Photo Credit: Getty Images
LAURYN HILL
Who She Should Work With: Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, Miguel Why We Need Her: We know, we know. We’ve been here before. But we still have hope. not only was Lauryn blessed with buttery vocals, but she also could rip a verse like nobody’s business. And she didn’t do bubblegum nursery rhymes. The ex-Fugee wordsmith was speaking truth and we were not worthy. Before her brief stint in jail for tax evasion in 2013, Lauryn penned two rap songs “Consumerism” and “Neurotic Society." Not quite reminiscent of the Lauryn we remember, the new music read like speed-reading through a laundry list while the New Jersey native spat socio-political theory to us. Either way, it was one small step. L. Boogie’s flow circa ’96 was effortless; please pick up your pen again. Photo Credit: Getty Images
FOXY BROWN
Who She Should Work With: Trey Songz, A$AP Mob, August Alsina, Ludacris Why We Need Her: When she wasn’t boasting about her na na, Foxy's flow was nothing like we were hearing. Her delivery wasn’t about being cute. She dropped each line with an intensity that matched her male counterparts, whether it was Jay-Z or Method Man. Foxy figured out how to be raunchy, while still making sure that each verse was a jab, a technique the game has been missing for quite a while. Photo Credit: Getty Images
