The Queenpens: Women Who Are Shaping the Sound of Hip Hop
Edit By: Jaleel Dumas
For three consecutive years, a female rapper has won Best Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist at the BET Hip Hop Awards: Glorilla (2022), Ice Spice (2023), and Sexyy Red in (2024), highlighting the continued rise and influence of women in hip-hop. Additionally the 67th annual Grammy winner for Best Hip Hop album was released by a female rapper — Doechii.
Glorilla performs at 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards
From Grammy stages to sell-out tours and viral TikTok trends, today’s female rappers are not only in the culture, they are culture. Cardi B gained recognition with “Bodak Yellow” in 2017, but the impact only deepened after she became the first solo female rapper to win Best Rap Album at the Grammys for Invasion of Privacy. Her unfiltered online persona, Bronx style and crossover appeal quickly made her a household name.
Megan Thee Stallion’s southern swagger and lyrical prowess made her a figure of empowerment and resilience. From “Hot Girl Summer” to calling for the protection of Black women, Megan represents both strength and vulnerability. In 2021, she won three Grammys in a single night, including Best New Artist — making her just the second female rapper of all time to do so.
Doja Cat blurred genre lines beyond recognition. A combination of rapper, singer and internet sensation, Doja’s creative brilliance has brought her to the forefront of contemporary music. With big songs like “Say So” and “Woman,” she’s shown you can be quirky, sexy, funny, and a No. 1 hitmaker all at the same time. Say So (Remix) featuring Nicki Minaj hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2020, making it the first time in history two female rappers topped the chart together.
Doja Cat, headlining at the 2024 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Becoming the first female rapper to headline this festival.
Beyond the music, the City Girls — Yung Miami and JT — helped define the language of a generation. They popularized the emphatic use of “Period”—or “Periodt”—to punctuate boldness, shut down uncertainty, and assert their positions without explanation. From interviews to IG captions to lyrics, the way they delivered “PERIOD” became an unbreakable energy. That one word became an entire vibe in the culture, adopted on social media, used in music, and folded into everyday slang — proving their impact extended far beyond the booth.
Other female artists like Latto, Kash Doll, Flo Milli, and rising stars Doechii, GloRilla, Ice Spice, and Sexyy Red have each carved out their own lanes — embracing femininity, rawness, and authenticity. Today there’s a plethora of representation on the women’s hip-hop scene and the women are letting us know, there’s room for it all.
Nicki Minaj, performing at her first sold out show on her Pink Friday 2: Gag City World Tour in 2024.
And then there’s Nicki Minaj — the generational bridge. Nicki held it down nearly solo at the top for over a decade, balancing pop ambition with hardcore bars. Her impact is undeniable. Many of today’s artists cite her as a major source of inspiration. As a lyrical beast, fashion icon, and a generational talent, she opened a door that had nearly closed, laying down a pinkprint for other women to follow and thrive.
Nicki Minaj’s recent run reassures that she is a hip-hop powerhouse. Her fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — the first female rapper with three No. 1 albums. It sold over 228,000 copies in its first week, with 92,000 in pure sales, making it one of the biggest hip hop releases of 2023.
Afterward, she embarked on Pink Friday 2 World Tour, the highest-grossing tour by a female rapper of all time — grossing more than $109 million across 70 dates. Nicki’s Madison Square Garden stop alone grossed $2.86 million, breaking the all-time record for a female rapper concert.
What’s powerful about today’s scene isn’t just the music — it’s the freedom. Today, female rappers take ownership of their narratives. They’re building empires, launching fashion lines, acting, producing, and speaking up. And despite the challenges — industry sexism, double standards, and online hate — they continue to rise, unify, and redefine success.
The rap scene for women today isn’t merely a movement — it’s a renaissance. And the most exciting part? It’s still growing.