Intro – 90’s: The Rise

Hip-Hop emerged out of the late 70’s, with early female hip-hop artists such as MC Lyte and Roxanne Shante starting to make waves for women in rap with the beginning of their careers in the 80’s. However, it wasn’t until the 90’s that Hip-Hop started to give leeway for women to reach a higher peak than they were able to in past years. In this post, I will be talking about eight significant albums from women in hip-hop that have been released in the 90’s.

Salt-N-Pepa – Very Necessary (1993)

“Understand that your double-standards don’t mean shit to me”

The all-female hip-hop group broke out in the mid-late 80’s with a very noteworthy amount of commercial success and stood out a fair amount from their contemporaries, especially with much of the subject matter in their music. They were a rather influential group for artists in both hip-hop and pop music, with their biggest and arguably most impactful body of work being their aptly titled album, Very Necessary.

Salt-N-Pepa’s fourth album was their highest charting record, peaking at #4 on the Billboard 200 and #6 on the Top R&B Albums (which was later renamed to Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 1999 in order to acknowledge the growing popularity of hip-hop). It is currently certified 5x Platinum and the best selling album by an all-female hip-hop group. With elements of pop-rap and pop-funk, the album’s themes include authority, relationships, feminism, and sexuality. The rollout started with the lead single to the album Shoop. This funky and sexual song ended up peaking at #4 on the Hot 100 and is one of the most well-known songs in their discography. A song that showcases the activism they often showed in their music is the single None Of Your Business, a song that has the group tackling double standards between genders when it comes to sexuality, stating that it is a woman’s prerogative to do what she would like with her body without the concern of others. None Of Your Business won them the Grammy for Best Rap Duo/Group Performance, making Salt-N-Pepa the first all-female hip-hop group to win a Grammy. The album closes off rather interestingly, with the final track not even being an actual song, but an interlude of sorts between a couple that breaks up after the woman tries to tell her boyfriend that she has HIV and he denies it, then later regrets denying it. Very Necessary not only solidifies Salt-N-Pepa as one of the most commercially successful female hip-hop acts to date, but is also the best showcase of the sexuality they often had in their music while still speaking out against societal issues and discrimination against women.

Music Videos: Shoop (feat. Big Twan) l Whatta Man l Heaven ‘n Hell l None Of Your Business (Muggs Metal Mix)

Album Links: Spotify l Apple Music

Queen Latifah – Black Reign (1993)

“I’m not takin’ it no more. I’m not your personal whore, that’s not what I’m here for”

Queen Latifah started her music career in the late 80’s, gaining some traction with her debut album All Hail The Queen that received mostly positive reception from listeners. Latifah would continue to expand upon her popularity, with her highest commercial and critical peak as a hip-hop artist on her third studio album, Black Reign.

Black Reign peaked at #60 on the Billboard 200 and #15 on the Top R&B Albums. This record features elements of reggae, east coast hip-hop, soul, and jazz. As the title suggests, Latifah exudes black pride for the vast majority of this record as well as women empowerment. Dana (Latifah’s real name) shows herself as somewhat of a vocal chameleon on this album, as she transfers some singing sweetly and soulfully on the jamaican-influenced endearing single Weekend Love to her signature husky and hefty tone of rapping on tracks such as Listen 2 Me and Rough…, the latter of those songs where Latifah flexes her rapping skills along with her male contemporaries on the track, arguably even surpassing them due to her confidence on the mic. In contrast to the somewhat more lighthearted version of herself Latifah showed when she first started her music career, Black Reign shows a bolder and even more socially conscious artist than before, with the track I Can’t Understand speaking on substance abuse, violence, and many other societal issues that she has witnessed in her life. The main stand out song on the project to many and the most popular rap song in her discography is the single U.N.I.T.Y., where Latifah essentially speaks out against misogyny and sexism towards women and opposes harassment on the streets and the many ways women are oppressed or disrespected when it comes to hip-hop culture. The song peaked at #23 on the Hot 100 and won a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance, making Queen Latifah the first solo female rapper to win a Grammy. Black Reigns is a statement for black women expressing that they can still be just as rough and hard hitting as the men while simultaneously having a more vulnerable and tender side to them as well.

Music Videos: U.N.I.T.Y. l Just Another Day l Black Hand Side l Weekend Love (feat. Tony Rebel) l I Can’t Understand

Album Links: Spotify l Apple Music

Da Brat – Funkdafied (1994)

“I’m hitting switches like Eric on the solo creep for yo jeep it’s Da B-R-A-T”

Da Brat started her career in the early 90’s, meeting producer Jermaine Dupri as a reward after winning a local rap contest, who later signed her to his So So Def label. Cultivating her early image as the “female Snoop Doggy Dogg”, Jermaine and Da Brat joined together for the recording and release of her debut album, Funkdafied.

Funkdafied reached the top spot on the R&B Albums Chart and peaked at #11 on the Billboard 200. Entirely produced by Jermaine, the album takes elements of psychedelic funk and west coast hip-hop – sounds that are often reminiscent of Dr. Dre – in order to complement Da Brat’s confident delivery and charismatic voice. Taking inspiration from MC Lyte and Snoop Dogg, Da Brat represents the west coast with her smooth charm by using themes of braggadocio rap, gangster images, and of course, love for marijuana. With the project being just a little over half an hour, Da Brat takes the “quality over quantity” route on this nine-track album, leaving little to no room for filler. One standout is the deepcut and third track Fire It Up, which is essentially Da Brat’s weed anthem where she rides over the psychedelic-soul influenced beats made by Jermaine. The biggest song on the album and most well-known song in Da Brat’s discography is the title track that functions as the rapper’s debut single, with Jermaine accompanying her on the vocals. Featuring background vocals from the Isley Brothers as a sample, this boastful funk-rap song peaked at #6 on the Hot 100 and reach the top 3 on several other US charts. Both the album and title track became certified Platinum, making Da Brat the first solo female hip-hop artist to receive this certification. Although Da Brat’s career afterwards was rather inconsistent in terms of both popularity and personal problems, Funkdafied was one of the more commercially successful projects for female rappers during its time and makes for a solid showcase of what the rapper was willing to bring to the table for women in hip-hop.

Music Videos: Funkdafied (feat. Jermaine Dupri) l Fa All Y’All (feat. Kandi) l Give It 2 You

Album Links: Spotify l Apple Music

Lil’ Kim & Foxy Brown – Hard Core & Ill Na Na (1996)

“Got buffoons eating my pussy while I watch cartoons”/”Brace yourself as I ride on top, close your eyes as you ride”

I decided to talk about these projects under one section as both albums had a similar impact in hip-hop.

Since 1995, childhood friends Foxy Brown and Lil’ Kim started to rise in popularity, becoming household names before even releasing their debut solo records; Foxy having a number of well-known guest appearances and Lil’ Kim being part of Hip-Hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A. formed by Biggie Smalls. About a year later, they dropped their solo albums within a week of each other, both records leaving a noteworthy impact on women in hip-hop, simultaneously shocking and impressing listeners.

Hard Core debuted at #11 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at #3 on the Top R&B Albums while Ill Na Na debuted at #7 on the Billboard and reached #2 on the Top R&B Albums. These albums are comprised of straightforward east coast hip-hop production with contemporary R&B influences here and there. Both records are noted for their unapologetically raunchy and sexual rhymes, even exceeding the usual level of provocativeness that Salt-N-Pepa had in much of their music. Listeners would also commend the rappers’ delivery and flow throughout their respective records. Both albums also have their themes surrounding drugs, fashion, and mafia. One song from each record that showcases the effortless blend of Mafia and Lust the two rappers became known for were the singles No Time and and I’ll Be, both songs which reached the top 3 on the Top Rap Songs Chart. A standout deep cut from both albums are the storytelling songs M.A.F.I.A. Land and Holy Matrimony (Letter To The Firm) which talk about loyalty to their respective groups. By expanding on the impact of Salt-N-Pepa’s music, these records are commended for helping carve a now-popular lane for multiple female rappers by taking the misogynistic sexuality of male rappers and turning it into an empowering sexuality for women in general, especially during a time when female hip-hop artists talking about sexuality was often frowned upon and not as widely accepted or common as today. Despite their backlash for their sexual themes as well as rumors of having ghostwriters, these albums are viewed as a pivotal moment for female rap, laying down the blueprint for many Female MC’s today by giving them the ability and courage to be just as sexually explicit (or even more) as their male counterparts as they desire.

Hard Core Music Videos: No Time (feat. Puff Daddy) l Crush On You (Remix) [feat. Lil’ Cease & Biggie Smalls] l Not Tonight (Ladies Night Remix) [feat. Angie Martinez, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Da Brat, Missy Elliott]

Ill Na Na Music Videos: Get Me Home (feat. Blackstreet) l I’ll Be (feat. Jay-Z) l Big Bad Mama (feat. Dru Hill)

Hard Core Album Links: Spotify l Apple Music

Ill Na Na Album Links: Spotify l Apple Music

Missy Elliott – Supa Dupa Fly (1997)

“Me and Timbaland, ooh, we sang a jangle. We so tight that you get our styles tangled”

In the first few years of hip-hop, there was little representation from south coast hip-hop that was popular or well-respected, especially for women. Mainly east coast and west coast hip-hop were the main centers of attention. During the 90’s, more south coast hip-hop acts emerged as more well-known and admired representations, such as Outkast and Three 6 Mafia. One of the other acts that helped in this movement were the duo Missy Elliott and Timbaland, who broke out in the late 90’s with the release of Missy’s solo debut album, Supa Dupa Fly.

Supa Dupa Fly reached the top spot on the R&B Albums chart and debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200. This LP received a grammy nomination for Best Rap Album, making Missy the first solo female rapper to be nominated for this category. Being produced almost entirely by Timbaland, the album is full of electronic, R&B, funk, hip-hop, and soul influences. The themes on this record include futuristic production throughout, sexual empowerment (Sock It 2 Me), heartbreak (Why You Hurt Me), confidence (They Don’t Wanna Fuck wit Me) avant-garde style, and much more. During a time when Hip-Hop was rather competitive and focused much on the Black Struggle, Missy brought this fresh and unique sound to multiple listeners. It started with the release of her debut solo single The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) which ended up peaking at #4 on the Hot R&B Songs as well as Grammy nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance. Although this song was not one of her most commercially successful singles for its time, this trip hop song set a solid impression for what was to come from Missy Elliott as a solo artist. The visuals for this song as well as many other singles from the album is what set her apart from her contemporaries. During a time when music videos were mainly seen as promotion for much of hip-hop, Missy brought these out-of-the-box and futuristic music videos such as The Rain and Hit ‘Em Wit Da Hee that helped prove the importance of having visuals in Hip-Hop and R&B. While many attempted to replicate the sound that Missy and Timbaland introduced in her solo debut album, Supa Dupa Fly still stands out as one of the most unique and innovative records of its time.

Music Videos: The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) l Sock It 2 Me (feat. Da Brat) l Beep Me 911 (feat. 702 & Magoo) l Hit ‘Em Wit Da Hee (ft. Mocha)

Album Links: Spotify l Apple Music

Ms. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

“Some wan’ play young Lauryn like she dumb, but remember not a game new under the sun”

Lauryn Hill emerged out of the early/mid 90’s as a member of hip-hop trio The Fugees, most known for their sophomore album The Score that ended up winning the Grammy for Best Rap Album. When she decided to work on her solo album, she sought inspiration in her pregnancy and her faith, as well as other personal struggles she was enduring at the time. Lauryn expressed such emotions and passion in her first and only solo studio album out, The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill.

The album debuted at the top spot on the Billboard 200, making Lauryn the first solo female rapper to reach this achievement. The record is a blend of mainly R&B, Hip-Hop, and Neo-Soul influences, with Lauryn sharing her personal experiences as well as her viewpoints on society using a blend of mainly Hip-Hop, R&B, and Neo-Soul influences, speaking on love, societal struggles, pregnancy, dependence, etc. Throughout the record, she switches from rapping to singing effortlessly, from one moment of having a captivating and authoritative flow in her rapping voice (highlighted on Lost Ones) to the next moment having her sing sweetly and soulfully over multiple well-written and well-composed songs (highlighted on Nothing Even Matters). One song that executes this blend rather well is her biggest song as a solo artist, Doo Wop (That Thing), her first and only #1 on the Hot 100. Frequently cited as one of the greatest albums of the 90’s regardless of the genre as well as one of the greatest Hip-Hop/R&B albums of all time, Miseducation had a vast amount of both critical and commercial praise, with the record not only winning Lauryn a total of five Grammys out of the nine she was nominated for, including Album Of The Year, but also being certified Diamond in the US, making Lauryn the first (and so far, only) female rapper with this certification for an album. Although Lauryn has yet to release her official sophomore album and has been involved in a number of controversies, Miseducation is a timeless record that continues to have impact on plenty of both Hip-Hop and R&B artists, regardless of gender.

Music Videos: Doo Wop (That Thing) l Ex-Factor l Everything Is Everything

Album Links: Spotify l Apple Music

Eve – Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady (1999)

“Roc-A-Fella rap guerrilla, blonde bombshell bitch, I Ruff Ryde”

Prior to making it in the music industry, self-proclaimed “pitbull in a skirt” rapper Eve struggled landing a substantial record deal after being dropped by Dr. Dre in favor of Eminem. However, she later found a long-term record deal with Ruff Ryders, becoming one of the leading rap figures in the label, especially after she released her debut album Let There Be Eve… Ruff Ryders’ First Lady in the late 90’s.

Eve’s first LP debuted at the top spot in the Billboard 200. The title of the album was inspired by her being the first and only female artist signed to Ruff Ryders. The vast majority of the album is straightforward East Coast Hip-Hop production by Swizz Beatz, Most of the features also being from Ruff Ryders themselves. Although the album is not the most groundbreaking or experimental in terms of sound/production, Let There Be Eve continues to be a solid introduction to the aggressiveness and determination in Eve’s voice and delivery. Eve’s smooth flow and confident delivery complements Swizz rather well and allows her to go toe-to-toe with her male features on the album, at times even surpassing them as the main center of attention. Such moments are highlighted on the tracks Scenario 2000 and Let’s Talk About. However, hardcore hip-hop is not all the album contains, as the rapper also has moments where she gets more vulnerable and emotional in her music. One example of this is the single Love Is Blind, a self-narrative song in which Eve counts the story of when she witnessed an abusive relationship where a pregnant woman is beaten to death by the man she was with. Although Queen Latifah and Salt-N-Pepa would speak out against misogyny and domestic abuse in their music, such topics were fading out of mainstream hip-hop when Eve broke out onto the scene, especially with more sexualized female rappers such as Kim and Foxy being more on the forefront of most people’s minds at the time. Eve’s choice in recording a song like this for her debut album helped in bringing such topics back to mainstream hip-hop. Let There Be Eve functions a solid introduction to Eve as a hardcore rapper and feminist for women in hip-hop.

Music Videos: Love Is Blind (feat. Faith Evans) l Gotta Man

Album Links: Spotify l Apple Music

End

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Some honorable mentions I didn’t get to talk about:

Salt-N-Pepa – Blacks’ Magic (1990) Bahamadia – Kollage (1996)My Top Honorable Mention MC Lyte – Bad as I wanna B (1996) Queen Pen – My Melody (1997) Gangsta Boo – Enquiring Minds (1998)

Thank you for those who took the time to read this. Hope this has introduced you to someone whose catalogue you weren’t too familiar of back then. If there’s any other artist/album from this decade that you think deserved a shoutout, feel free to mention them down below. 2000’s Edition will most likely be finished by the end of September, so keep an eye out for that one.