The summer of 2019 was one for the books. Appropriately called a “Hot Girl Summer”, the term became a sensation via the debut of, arguably, this year’s hottest music sensation: Megan Thee Stallion. With incomparable sex appeal, an infectious personality and insane talent, the rapper dominated the charts all summer long with hit after hit all while somehow managing to get half of the music industry drunk along her ride to the top. Meg, a proud Texan, was a force of nature and she knew it; she not only talked the talk, but she also walked the walk – and the world loved it and her.
Meg’s not only popular for her talent and unbreakable knees, but a huge portion of her platform is also geared towards her female empowerment. Her first hit, “Big Ole’ Freak,” was an introduction to Thee Stallion’s unapologetic presentation of self: the song’s raunchy lyrics, overflowing with sexual innuendo after sexual innuendo, featured the artist proudly toting her most admirable traits while owning her sexuality and dismissing any negative opinion on her, her lifestyle, or her body. For women – that’s powerful. But Megan Thee Stallion isn’t the only Black female artist living her truth: 2019 was for the girls. Alongside Thee Stallion, female rappers like Kash Doll and City Girls gained considerable notoriety as they rose to the top, off of similar platforms built off of unapologetic and powerful womanhood.
Courtesy: Hot 107.5
Female representation in a genre as male-dominated as rap is a huge win for women everywhere. It’s important to shine a spotlight on the women doing their thing, as much as possible, because the success that they’ve attained on the platforms which they’ve built in their careers is nothing short of inspirational and feminist as f*ck. What makes these women so unique in their rise to stardom has little to do with their public image – but we love all their curves – and more to deal with the content they promote. Thee Stallion isn’t just a rapper with vibranium knees, she’s also pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public health; effectively showing her audience, her fans and the watching world that women can be comfortable in their sexuality without having to compromise their success. Kash Doll’s hit single “Ice Me Out” might seem deceptively simple, in where Doll lays out all of the goodies that she requires from any man interested in being with her, but Kash Doll is a master of reminding women to know their worth, respect who they are, and to want nothing short of what they deserve. The rap duo known as the City Girls singlehandedly sensationalized the word “period”, launching an entire career off of songs that are nothing short of cut-throat, bossy, but most importantly, unwilling to put accept anything remotely toxic from men and the games which they play.
Courtesy: Complex
What’s not to love? Especially in a culture as inherently sexist as the music industry, seeing these women shine in ways that women have been traditionally shamed for is the example that women and girls need every day. Be it dealing with men, chasing a bag, or loving you and your body, these female rappers reject the idea that rap should be dominated by male rappers and bring much-needed change to a culture riddled with misogyny and female degradation. And we hope it doesn’t stop anytime soon!
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