Fiesty Foursome – Alternatives to Nicki Minaj 이 언니들 랩하는 거 본 적은 있니?

Photos by mypinkfriday.com

Following a brief interlude where the female MC was essentially absent from hip-hop, the excitement and buzz around Nicki Minaj has firmly cast the limelight back on the relevance of strong female rap artists. Famously professing; “I am the female Weezy,” Nick Minaj has never been one to shy away from the limelight, so, for numerous music lovers, female hip-hop doesn’t just begin and end with Nicki Minaj, it belongs to Nicki Minaj.

Thankfully, alternatives to the diminutive diva exist, females that would think twice before releasing questionable tracks like Starships and Superbass. Don’t get me wrong, Minaj possesses unquestionably polished mic skills; however, the following four females are more than a match for the Roman’s Revenge star.

 

1. AUDRA THE RAPPER
A formidable talent, Audra The Rapper recorded her very first track at the tender age of 15, and I Got Yo Weave turned out to be the catalyst for an already impressive career. A year later, Audra won songwriter of the year in the categories of Hip Hop and R&B in an international competition sponsored by VH1.

At just 24 years of age, she is the very first Lady of Rick Ross’s MayBach Music Group, and Audra has generated an insanely intense buzz on the hip-hop circuit. Grabbing the mic and delivering the smoothest of flows, it’s this dexterity that has ensured a resolute fan base up and down the East Coast.

A uniquely talented individual, Audra is all too aware of the great things that the first ladies of rap have gone on to do. Just think of Trina with Slip N Slide, Lil Kim with Junior Mafia, even the great Foxy with Roca Fella, so many great groups propsper from the direction of a strong, confident, leading lady. Rick Ross is firmly a believer in the principle: Behind every great man stands a greater woman.

 

2. RAPSODY
Beginning her career as a member of Kooley High, Rapsody’s artistic endeavours with the North Carolina based hip-hop group helped launch her solo career in 2008. Fast forward two years, and in 2010,although billed as a mixtape, Return of the B-Girl possessed enough first class beats and slick rhymes to rival numerous fully fledged records. This came as little shock, especially when you consider the fact that 9^th Wonder was responsible for the supreme production.

On this debut, Rapsody made a real impact through an intensity that was as captivating as it ws impressive. Instead of being intimidated by a guest list that included the legendary Big Daddy Kane and the versatile Mac Miller, the self professed Rapdiddy let her terrific wordplay obliterate any doubts. Delivering style and substance, Rapsody is an artist with the ability to interchage between the grittiest and most sultry narratives possible.

On “Win,” arguably one of her finest tracks, Rapsody’s irregular, rapid-fire bars highlighted the very reasons why she is constantly compared with Lauryn Hill. High praise indeed, so why not take a listen and decide for yourself.

 

3. JEAN GRAE
Jean Grae is a Cape Town-born, New York native MC, a rapper who has a splendid ability to establish the perfect equilibrium between cynicism and emotional discovery. Maintaining this balance seems to be second nature for Grae, an artist who is both an accomplished writer and musician. Possessing a wicked sense of humour, Grae displays this brilliantly on Gotham Down, her latest EP trilogy. An extremely witty offering, her visualization stems from an introspective source, thus making Grae’s creative scope so damn exciting. Displaying a creative energy akin to Lil Kim, this can, at times, be a little daunting, but Jean is unique in the sense that she deliberately challenges the listener to broaden their hip-hop horizons.

 

4.Tiye Phoenix
She has been around for quite some time, yet Tiye Phoenix may not be an immediately recognizable name. However, once you hear this girl rhyme, you sure as hell won’t forget her. Talented doesn’t even begin to describe the MC, as Phoenix assisted Public Enemy in writing the He Got Game project, and, in the late 90’s, she was one of the first rappers to collaborate with the pioneering Rawkus indie impress.

An innovator with a seasoned delivery, intellectual wordplay and an unrivalled vocal capacity, an aspect that comes to the forefront on so many of her tracks. Phoenix is a rapper who constantly attempts to move away from the glamorization of the diet culture that seems to envelop so many teen girls. An example of this comes when Phoenix spits: “Guess that’s why they use their ass, hips, breasts and thighs/I don’t feel ’em, like a patient that’s anesthetized,” on “Stop Right There,” one of those tracks you must experience to truly appreciate.

A classically trained pianist-turned-rapper, Phoenix has everything you would want in a strong female rapper. And there you have it, give these four ladies a listen and you’ll see that alternatives to Ms. Minaj do exist.

 

Contributor, John Glynn

As a contributor of CultureM Magazine, he is writing about global culture, for example, movie, music so on. And he has a PhD in Psychology.

영국 출신의 컬쳐엠매거진 컨트리뷰터 존 그린은 영화, 음악 등 문화 관련 컨텐츠에서 날카로운 분석을 통한 심도 깊은 이야기를 전해주고 있다.