As one of the most popular musical genres globally, hip-hop’s presence and power are undeniable. Its history is a rich tapestry that blends beats and crisp lyrics, and the world’s appetite for more is evident. Specifically, the rise of confident, body-positive, sex-positive, direct, and powerful female rappers is a testament to hip-hop’s global influence. Megan Thee Stallion, the magnetic ringmistress at the Crypto Arena in Downtown LA on Friday, June 21, claimed her crown in front of an ecstatic audience, further solidifying hip-hop’s global impact.
Despite “female rapper” not being classified as a musical genre more than “girl group,” the technicality blurs in current hip-hop music. Of course, the world is easily distracted by Kanye’s shenanigans or Drake and Kendrick’s lyrical beef battle. Still, the sheer volume and power being thrown into the ring by female hip-hop talent catching fire in recent years is a magnificent moment to experience. From Doja Cat, Doechii, Saweetie, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, Sexyy Red, and many more, the wealth of female talent choosing to focus on their music career is breathtaking.
With the current surge of female talent in the hip-hop scene, it’s a question worth pondering: has this talent always been here, or are we entering a golden era for female hip-hop artists? The history of hip-hop is adorned with the likes of Salt-N-Pepa, JJ Fad, Queen Latifah, Lil’ Kim, Missy Elliott, Da Brat, Foxy Brown, Lauryn Hill, Eve and other fierce females with lyrical prowess. The stories, passions, and voices of female hip-hop artists have always been present, but perhaps the door was slightly ajar rather than knocked down.
When radio stations previously only allowed one female ’80s rock band to be in its rotation at any one time, it is hard to imagine that this level of misogyny was genre-specific. Leslie Knauer of Precious Metal’s band once stated, “The radio stations would tell us that they had one spot for an all-girl band… One spot. Why not seven spots? Why not 30 spots out of 100? They would say, ‘Between you and Vixen, it’s whoever can pay for the most ad time.'”
If female musicians have been subjected to an unequal playing ground, the music scene is experiencing a golden age for female rappers.
The atmosphere at the Crypto Arena during Megan Thee Stallion’s show may indicate that the world has been hungry for these influential female artists all along, and their appetite is far from satisfied. Greeted by screams from loyal fans as she walked onto the stage, with lights and flames blazing everything around her, Megan Thee Stallion has undoubtedly risen to the top, joining the ranks of Nicki Minaj and Cardi B.
Attracting both old-school hip-hop lovers and contemporary electro-pop enthusiasts, Megan Thee Stallion is a force of nature that demands attention, soaking up the love from fans as she performed “HISS,” “Cobra,” and “Boa” on stage, all of which are from the snake-themed forthcoming third album Megan.
With hypnotic dancing and a captivating smile, the rapper created a frenzy among the crowd by performing the globally controversial song “WAP.” During the rap banger, you could hear the crowd offering Cardi’s lyrics, connecting with Megan Thee Stallion.
Closing the show, Megan Thee Stallion performed “Savage,” a lyrical testament to her self-definition and some of the reasons why the world has fallen in love with her.
