TheHotness #2
The Pink Side of Hip-Hop (Part I)
I was listening to the Star & Bucwild show this morning and they were listing their Top 5 Female MC’s. There was much debate on who should make the Top 5 and not surprisingly Crossover, whose knowledge of hip-hop is suspect and whose love for Black women is even more questionable, could not name any artists because as he puts it “there are no women who can be considered mc’s since most of them don’t really write their own rhymes.”
Well if that didn’t get me burning and on the horn at 7:30 this morning, then I’m not theHotness Grrrl. Women are too often relegated to the sidelines and stripper poles of hip-hop culture and I’ve had enough of the b.s. When I thought about it I actually had a tough time trying to compile my Top 5 Female Rappers because there were so many ladies I thought qualified.
I however agreed with Crossover who said that Salt-n-Pepa should NOT be on anyone’s Top 5 because they didn’t write any of their rhymes– Herby “Luv Bug” Azor did. True dat! So that would also probably knock Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown and Eve out of the running as they are all alleged to have had ghostwriters. With that in mind here’s my Top 5. Who makes your list?
5. Sharock (from the Funk Four +1More)
4. Roxanne Shante
3. Lauryn Hill
2. MC Lyte
1. Queen Latifah
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By Nicole Moore on 8/11/2005
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[22 comments]
The 2-Way
22 comments
Crusade galleries
posted by: LARRY LOVE on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
5. Queen latifah
4. Ra Diggah
3. Da Brat (JD wrote SOME)
2. Lauryn Hill
1. Lyte
posted by: 770Princess on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
I heard once that MC Lyte didn’t write all of her stuff either. Did anyone else hear that?
posted by: AmandaBlue on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
QUOTE (770Princess @ Aug 11 2005, 10:16 AM)
I heard once that MC Lyte didn’t write all of her stuff either. Did anyone else hear that?
LL Cool J wrote a lot of stuff for her.
He wrote her verse on the “Stop The Violence” record for one.
posted by: james on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
Lauryn Hill
posted by: KeNYC on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
I heard Roxanne Shante didn’t write her rhymes back in the day? Any heard the same?
posted by: BC2 on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
Queen Latifah
posted by: P. Midi on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
This list is bogus! How are you not going to have Lauryn Hill, Rah Digga and especially the Illest of them all Jean Grae somewhere on that list! Those three ladies will hurt nuff man pon deh microphone! Seen?
posted by: Froglips on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
I don’t know about that Amanda.
I do know however that Grand Puba wrote alotta her early stuff.
Lauryn is my top. But I gotta give props to the Queen Bee too. lol
posted by: LKaos on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
I gotta give props to Miss Elliot for record sells and style….
No JJ Fad
posted by: Solarre on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
Many MCs, both male and female, have had ghostwriters. I think that a more wholistic way of assessing the top 5 would take charisma, stylistic influence and overall cultural impact of a woman MC on global hiphop culture.
So, with that said:
Salt n Pepa, Lyte, Latifah, Foxy, Kim
posted by: Solarre on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
oh oh Lauryn, but of course!
posted by: hnic357 on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
Lady of Rage
posted by: Dead Wrong on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
QUOTE (Froglips @ Aug 11 2005, 11:16 AM)
QUOTE (AmandaBlue @ Aug 11 2005, 10:49 AM)
QUOTE (770Princess @ Aug 11 2005, 10:16 AM)
I heard once that MC Lyte didn’t write all of her stuff either. Did anyone else hear that?
LL Cool J wrote a lot of stuff for her.
He wrote her verse on the “Stop The Violence” record for one.
I don’t know about that Amanda.
I do know however that Grand Puba wrote alotta her early stuff.
Lauryn is my top. But I gotta give props to the Queen Bee too. lol
I also heard about LL writing her “Self Destruction” verse. It’s true.
But, believe it or not, Milk and Giz (Audio Two) wrote the bulk of her rhymes.
P.S. — aside from switching Latifah and Lauryn’s positions, I have no problem with the list.
posted by: james on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
L-boogie’s performance at the BET awards recently was proof she is the best female MC right now.
posted by: legalscorpian on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
I agree with P. Midi - the illest female MC out right now is Jean Grae!
posted by: The Truth on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
What about Bahamadia for this debate?
posted by: nixoplix on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
P. Midi how ya gonna say my list is bogus when I have Lauyn Hill. Rah Digga has not impressed me at all and live, she is garbage! Jean Grae was hard for me but interms of overall impact she does not surpass anyone on my Top 5…yet. But I love her. I interviewed her recently and so I will post it soon. I also had trouble not including Bahamadia.
posted by: nixoplix on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
I also find it hard to believe that Lyte didn’t write the bulk of her rhymes. uuughh….
So who are the Pink Stinkes in hiphop? The Worse 5 Lady MC’s:
5. Vita
4. Lil’ Kim
3. Babs
2. Oaktown 357
and the worse chick on the mic…
1. CHARLI BALTIMORE
posted by: rand on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
i was listening to that episode of Star & Buc too. For the record, Crossover has proved time and time again that he is an idiot. the only reason his resonse bothered is because i know it is reflective of too many men out there.
someone else in the comments section asked about Roxanne Shante writing her own rhymes. In an interview of her’s that i read in the the Vibe Hip HOP Divas book, she admitted that some of her songs were ghostwritten. The songs she did that had hooks in them, to make them more radio palatable, were usually written by someone else cause she didn’t know how to write hooks really. but the songs she did that were straight rhymes were all her own.
posted by: Gregoire on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
Heather B??
posted by: Detroit on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
Lauryn Hill
Latifah
Eve
Lil Kim
Foxy
To be honest, these women will destroy lyrically alot of male MC’s.
posted by: marnie on 08/11/2005 at 9:30 am
Kool G Rap Used to write lyrics for Roxanne Shante. Lyte used ghost writers as well. LL wrote her part on Selfdestruction. And Treach wrote for Latifah. So you can’t slam Salt and Pepper, plus Salt did a lot of writing on some of their bigger hits.