1. Princess Nokia
Destiny Nicole Frasqueri, a.k.a. Princess Nokia, is a 25 year old American rapper of Afro-Puerto Rican descent from New York City. She dropped her latest mixtape, 1992 Deluxe, in 2017. She is the co-founder of the feminist collective Smart Girl Club. (Check out the Insta here!) Princess Nokia is a self-proclaimed feminist and makes feminism a staple in her music. She is unapologetically herself, the definition of confidence and female strength. Tracks to check out include “Brick City”, “G.O.A.T.”, “Flava”, and “Tomboy”.
2. Lizzo
Melissa Jefferson, a.k.a. Lizzo, is a 29 year old American alternative hip hop artist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Ayyyy! Shout out to MN.) She is the founding member of indie hip-hop groups The Chalice, Grrrl Prty, The Clerb, Ellypseas, and Absynthe. Her most recent album, Big Grrrl Small World was released in 2015, with her EP Coconut Oil dropping in 2016. Lizzo addresses many aspects of feminism in her music, including positive body image and the experience of being a black woman in America. Tracks to check out include “Truth Hurts”, “Scuse Me”, and “Good As Hell”.
3. Kehlani
Kehlani Ashley Parrish is a 22 year old R&B/ hip-hop singer-songwriter and dancer from Oakland, California. She describes herself as mix of “black, white, Native American, Spanish, and Filipino.” Her latest album, SweetSexySavage, was released in 2017. Her previous album, You Should Be Here, was nominated in 2016 for the best Urban Cotemporary Album Grammy Award. SweetSexySavage addresses topics like metal health and the public perception of black queer women, with the title serving as a nod to the 1994 TLC album, CrazySexyCool. Tracks to check out include, “CRZY”, “Honey”, “Do U Dirty”, and “You Should Be Here”.
4. Angel Haze
Raeen Roes Wilson, a.k.a., Angel Haze, is a 25 year old American rapper from Detroit. Her latest release was 2017 single, “Resurrection”, with her last full length mix tape, Back to the Woods, dropping in 2015. Angel Haze raps about rape, sexuality, and spits bars as well as any up and coming male rapper out there. (Probably better, let’s be honest.) On the brutally honest track “Cleaning Out My Closet”, Haze addresses the horrific sexual abuse she endured as a child. Tracks to check out include, “Babe Ruthless”, “Resurrection”, and “No Limits”.
5. Cardi B
The last feminist artist on the list is QUEEN Cardi B. Belcalis Almanzar, a.k.a. Cardi B, is a 25 year old American rapper from The Bronx. Her latest mix tape, Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 2 was released in 2017. Her 2017 single “Bodak Yellow” reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in October 2017, making her the first female rapper to do so since Lauryn Hill in 1998. Tracks to check out include “Foreva”, “Lick”, and “On Fleek”.