The 25 Best Female Rappers of All-Time (Staff Picks)

It’s a Whack World and we’re just living in it. Tierra Whack breathed fresh air into hip-hop with her acclaimed 2018 visual mixtape of that name, where every track clocked in at one minute as the Philly native welcomed us into her imaginative rap funhouse. (Her eerie “Mumbo Jumbo” video picked up a Grammy nomination in 2019.) Since then, Whack’s proven to be a lethal collaborator while shining on high-profile team-ups, like Lil Yachty’s “T.D.” with Tyler, The Creator and A$AP Rocky. She also got the call from Beyoncé to guest on The Lion King’s “My Power.” Whack’s 2024 included a verse-of-the-year candidate on Chief Keef’s “Banded Up,” and she looked inward for her raw World Wide Whack debut LP. – MICHAEL SAPONARA

Although we’re still waiting for the Tampa MC’s debut studio album, Doechii has already cemented her spot in history with her Grammy-winning Alligator Bites Never Heal mixtape. Just the second solo woman to win the best rap album Grammy, Doechii has quickly risen from quirky Internet sensation to an Anna Wintour-approved force across music, fashion and pop culture. As she’s collected hits like the therapy boom-bap tour de force “Denial Is A River” and the frayed-nerve, Gotye-sampling revived single “Anxiety” — her very first Hot 100 top 10 hit – Doechii has refused to compromise or sacrifice her artistic integrity, spinning 2020s gold out of sounds and styles that would be completely unviable for nearly any other artist in this era. – KYLE DENIS

The first lady of Three 6 Mafia and rap’s high priestess, Gangsta Boo helped the influential group out of Memphis tell hood tales from the female perspective. At just 15 years old, she became one of the first female rappers in the hardcore rap scene when she contributed to Three 6 Mafia’s debut album Mystic Stylez. A few years later, at 19, she dropped a classic debut of her own in Enquiring Minds, which included the standout track “Where Dem Dollas At.” Before her untimely passing in 2023, Gangsta Boo was having a bit of a resurgence – as she had recently collaborated with the likes of the late BeatKing, Run the Jewels, GloRilla, Latto and fellow Hypnotize Minds affiliate La Chat. — ANGEL DIAZ

As an integral part of Death Row Records’ mid-’90s peak, Lady of Rage served as the secret sauce to many of the label’s biggest moments. She was an integral part of Dr. Dre and Snopp Dogg’s groundbreaking debuts The Chronic and Doggystyle, appearing on many of the album’s hardest tracks including “Standing on Death Row” and “For All My N—az and B—hes.” She entered the arena herself with the slick Above the Rim soundtrack hit “Afro Puffs” in 1994, followed by her lone album Necessary Roughness in 1997. While she would eventually pivot into acting, many oldheads to this day regard The Lady as one of the most underrated MCs ever. – MACKENZIE CUMMINGS-GRADY

The husky-voiced Memphis, Tenn. MC gained buzz in 2022 with her chant-worthy, Hitkidd-produced breakout hit “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” which led to GloRilla signing to Yo Gotti’s label Collective Music Group and scoring her first Grammy nomination in 2023. She kept the momentum going months later with “Tomorrow,” and the Cardi B remix earned Glo her first Hot 100 top 10 hit. 

Even after an uneventful 2023, Billboard’s hottest female rapper of 2024 commenced her comeback year with her two-time Grammy-nominated “Yeah Glo!” from her sophomore mixtape Ehhthang Ehhthang; the project also included her other Hot 100 top 40 hit “Wanna Be” with Megan Thee Stallion. The viral success of her Rihanna-approved, scorching summer smash “TGIF” paved the way for Glo’s debut album. She found harmony between turning up and bowing down on GLORIOUS, which became her highest-charting project on the Billboard 200 (No. 5), where GloRilla had the highest opening week in 2024 for a female rapper (69,000 units). Glo’s Southern charm, updated crunk sound and trend-setting glossary prove she’s one of the premier rap girls of this generation. – HERAN MAMO

The British Invasion in rap music came to the States way before Skepta and Central Cee crossed over. Along with Slick Rick, Monie Love’s impact on rap’s early days of mainstream success is undeniable, proving that hip-hop was a global force to be reckoned with. She moved to NYC from London during the ‘80s, and immediately made a splash with high-profile features on De La Soul’s “Buddy” remix and Queen Latifah’s “Ladies First,” as she eventually became a member of the influential Native Tongues collective. Monie also showed how rappers can transition into second careers, and has a stellar radio broadcast career to show for it. — A.D. 

After winning the first season of Jermaine Dupri’s The Rap Game in 2016, Latto proved she wasn’t playing around. Under her previous, racially controversial moniker Mulatto, she broke out with her raw 2019 debut single “B—h from da Souf” from her RCA Records debut album Queen of da Souf. But her “Latto” rebrand in 2021 spawned an even more rewarding era: Her funky, feel-good hit “Big Energy” (featuring Mariah Carey and DJ Khaled on the remix) became her bid for the mainstream pop world. 

“Big Energy” reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 and conquered pop, rhythmic and rap radio, hitting the jackpot ahead of her 2022 sophomore album 777. With her newfound commercial appeal, she balanced hard-hitting trap beats with tender pop, R&B and gospel melodies, resulting in two 2023 Grammy nominations. But on her third LP (and first Top Rap Albums No. 1) Sugar Honey Iced Tea, Latto made her case on why she belongs in Southern rap’s elite, delivering sweet hometown odes with her rap-sung cadence, and scoring A-list features from the ATL legends whose status she hopes to share one day. – H.M.

The Terror Squad MC broke through initially on Big Pun’s Yeeeah Baby album before bringing her signature Bronx swagger to the breakout hit “Lean Back,” where she and Fat Joe delivered a New York City classic and Hot 100 chart-topper that has stood the test of time. Her debut album There’s Something About Remy tapped some of the top producers in the name for cuts like “Conceited” and “Whuteva,” but it was after she spent six years in prison on a gun charge that her career hit new heights with the Fat Joe/French Montana collab “All The Way Up,” her first-ever top 40 hit on the Hot 100 (peaking at No. 27), which landed two Grammy nominations in 2017. – DAN RYS

A five-time Grammy nominee, Rapsody deservedly won her first golden gramophone this year for best melodic rap performance for “3:AM” featuring Erykah Badu. The romantic track appears on the North Carolina rapper’s latest project, Please Don’t Cry. The 2024 album is the fourth in a string of critically acclaimed mixtapes and albums, which began after Rapsody signed with production guru 9^th Wonder’s It’s A Wonderful World Music Group and released the 2012 debut album The Idea of Beautiful. Signed to Roc Nation since 2016, the soft-spoken Rapsody lets her soulful style, astute lyrics and intricate rhymes speak volumes about living life. – GAIL MITCHELL

Even after five years of repeatedly proving her rap prowess, Doja Cat’s doubters weren’t letting up and in 2023, she decided to do something about it. Not only did Doja proceed to help SZA earn her first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 when delivering a maniacal ex-killing assist on her Grammy-winning collaborator’s “Kill Bill” remix, she took her razor-sharp bars to another level on the rap-leaning Scarlet, which boasts the chart-topping smash “Paint the Town Red” and the Grammy-nominated boom-bap hit “Attention.” Another rap-centric era from Doja Cat and she should find her way even further up this list. – M.S.

The Houston, Texas-bred MC started making a name for herself by rapping circles around the male competition in local cyphers with her silver-tongued, unapologetically raunchy delivery. But she broke into pop culture’s upper echelon in 2020 with her deliciously saucy smash “Savage,” featuring hometown hero Beyoncé on the two-time-Grammy-winning remix, and the culture-shaking, sex-positive anthem “WAP” with Cardi B, which drove conservative pundits and politicians crazy on its way to the top of the Hot 100.

As the world continued to punish Black women for promoting their own pleasure, Meg transformed their collective pain into powerful art, with her passionate plea to protect Black women taking center stage during her Saturday Night Live performance in October 2020, months after her shooting incident with Tory Lanez (who is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence as a result). She continued expressing her vulnerability and resiliency in her 2022 album Traumazine and 2024’s Megan, the latter of which marked her first release under her independent entity Hot Girl Productions. Meg shed her skin on her self-titled LP, reflecting on the highs and lows of being on top without backing down. – H.M.

Undisputedly TLC’s heartbeat, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes left an indelible mark on the pop and R&B worlds with her spunky raps and mesmerizing presence. Left Eye was a masterful playmaker when given the ball, dribbling through classics like “No Scrubs” and “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” with seamless precision. And when she wasn’t bruising the egos of hapless bachelors, she injected women with courage and wisdom, as shown by her timeless verse on “Waterfalls.” Before her tragic demise in 2004, Left Eye also grew into a punchy features star, shining bright on the remixes to Donell Jones’ “U Know What’s Up” and Missy Elliott’s “Ladies Night.” – CARL LAMARRE

Few artists can rightfully claim to have remained consistent and relevant enough to both enjoy their own mammoth runs and still get called to assist the next generation. Then again, few artists are Trina – a.k.a. “da baddest” female MC to come out of Miami. Best known for hits like “Pull Over” and “Here We Go,” Trina’s catalog has been instrumental in outlining the template for sex-positive Southern female rap that stresses independence, a woman’s innate gangster and the virtues of tricking. 

With an assertive tone that’s wholly unconcerned with mimicking the bass-heavy approach of New York female rappers, Trina’s voice perfectly pairs with the Miami bass beats she tends to opt for. From her ‘00s hits to her more recent collaborations with the new class of female rap stars like City Girls (“I Just Wanna”) and Latto (“B—h from da Souf”), Trina has emerged as a key bridge between generations of woman MCs. – K.D.

Da Brat was a trailblazer right from the jump. After signing with Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def in 1992, she exploded out of the gate with her debut album Funkdafied in 1994, which became the first album by a female hip-hop solo artist to go platinum. The album’s lead single of the same name peaked at No. 6 on the Hot 100, an astonishing feat for a female MC during a time when misogynistic gangsta rap ruled the hip-hop airwaves. Da Brat was merely looking to celebrate herself and catch a vibe, and that sentiment clearly connected with both men and women en masse. – M.C.G.

Even with only one album to her name, Cardi B has reshaped the rap stratosphere during her eight-year run. After Nicki Minaj dog walked the competition for nearly a decade, in 2017, Cardi entered the fray, looking to detonate and explode on the female rap scene. “Bodak Yellow” was her first declaration as she barreled herself into the conversation, with saucy taunts and racy lyrics that made her easy to love. Once Bardi secured her first Hot 100 chart-topper with “Bodak,” she caught fire, notching four more No. 1s: as a lead artist on “Up,” “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion and “I Like It” with J Balvin and Bad Bunny, and as a guest on Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You.” The proverbial icing on Cardi’s tall cake of accolades lies in her 2018 opus, Invasion of Privacy – arguably one of the best rap releases of the modern era, Cardi not only became the first solo female artist to win best rap album at the Grammys, but also the first to have every song on her album go platinum. – C.L.

Hailing from the thoroughest borough, Foxy Brown is still one the illest MCs – male or female – to ever touch a mic. She scored a Def Jam contract at just 17 after impressing Trackmasters at Park Slope talent contest as a teenager, kicking off one of the most impactful careers in female rap history. In addition to her seven Hot 100 entries – including 1997’s Jay-Z-assisted “I’ll Be” (No. 7) — Foxy also boasts two Billboard 200 No. 1 LPs, making her the first female rapper to have multiple albums top the chart. 

Known for her provocative lyrics, high fashion pull (she was John Galliano’s Dior muse in ‘99) and husky flow sourced from dancehall’s raw aggression – a genre she consistently nodded to as a first-gen Caribbean-American – Brown helped streamline the blueprint for the contemporary female rap star. With enduring hits like “B.K. Anthem” and beloved guest verses like her appearance on 112’s “U Already Know,” Foxy’s ability to seamlessly flow over any beat and weave in and out of different genres made for a stacked, Grammy-nominated catalog that expressly influenced a fellow GOAT in one Nicki Minaj. – K.D.

Since the late ’90s, the blonde bombshell has broken necks with her silver tongue and quick-witted delivery. The First Lady of Ruff Ryders roamed tracks like a speedy gazelle, capable of going 0-60, as proven on classics like “What Ya Want” and “Who’s That Girl?” And when seated alongside East Coast beasts like Jadakiss and Styles P (“We Gon Make It (Remix)” and DMX ( “Scream Double R”), the Philly stallion still galloped past the competition. Besides being box-office in the streets, Eve was a credible hitmaker, with an impressive four top 10 Hot 100 hits, including the Dr. Dre-produced “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” and “Gangsta Lovin’” with Alicia Keys.  – C.L.

Queensbridge, NY’s Roxanne Shanté played an undeniably impactful role in hip-hop history, starting at 14 years old with her debut single “Roxanne Speaks Out.” Renamed “Roxanne’s Revenge,” the 1984 DJ Marley Marl-produced track was rap’s first recorded beef, created in response to rap group UTFO’s “Roxanne, Roxanne.” The beef not only incited the Roxanne Wars, a year-long narrative of answer songs. It also fired up the trailblazing career of the first woman rapper to unequivocally prove that female MCs could hold their own  —  and more — against their male counterparts.

As Shanté (born Lolita Shanté Gooden) told Billboard in 2018, “I didn’t want to be second best, I didn’t want to be the best girl — I wanted to be the best.” That quest was finally solidified earlier this year when Shanté, whose fierce freestyling and fearlessness laid the foundation for decades of female and male rappers, became the first female solo rapper to receive the Grammy’s Lifetime Achievement Award. – G.M.

As one of the first female rap groups to break through the mainstream, Salt-N-Pepa helped pave the way for every woman MC that came after them. Whether the trio was expressing sexual confidence over the funky “Push It” or encouraging emotional intelligence on “Let’s Talk About Sex,” the ladies sold 15 million records advocating for feminism in every conceivable measure. Their messages and their grooves remain timeless, and to this day, there remain plenty of men who could heed Salt-N-Pepa’s advice. – M.C.G.

You can’t talk about rap’s founding mothers without including MC Lyte. The Queens, NY-bred dynamo has scored several milestones in a career that began in the late ‘80s when she broke through with her critically acclaimed 1988 debut album Lyte as a Rock: the first full solo studio album released by a female rapper. Her sophomore album, 1989’s Eyes on This, reached the top 10 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and also charted on the Billboard 200, making it the first set by a female solo rapper to do so. Known for her brand of braggadocio rap sprinkled by her husky vocals, Lyte addressed spirituality and social issues as well like addiction, misogyny and racism. Still active on the recording front, Lyte released ninth studio album 1 of 1 in 2024, featuring assists from Queen Latifah, Stevie Wonder, Q-Tip and Common. – GAIL MITCHELL

Arguably the most important artist on this list in terms of impact and influence, the Queen outta Jersey continues to reinvent what it means to be a bonafide superstar. Not only could she rap with the best of her era — male or female — she showed cats how to properly crossover into the mainstream without losing any flava. Her 1989 debut album All Hail the Queen changed the game, showing how women played a crucial part during hip-hop’s early days of mainstream relevance, and songs like “Ladies First” featuring a young Monie Love and “U.N.I.T.Y.” helped establish her as a feminist icon. If you go back and listen to her albums, you can hear where a lot of rappers got their whole styles from, as she effortlessly switches from rapping to singing as if she’s changing lanes on a Kawasaki Ninja. — A.D.

The Queen Bee is not only a rap icon, she’s a style icon as well. The colorful wigs, the runway pieces she helped introduce to the streets, and her unrivaled confidence on wax and in her music videos inspired generations of women to be themselves. Her looks in the “Crush on You” video are still copied and used as mood-board material almost 30 years later, while Kim’s braggadocious rhymes on her classic 1996 debut album Hard Core and scene-stealing features on tracks like Puff’s “All About the Benjamins” and Mary J. Blige’s “I Can Love You” set the bar for their era. Lil Kim’s legacy remains just as important to the game as her mentor Biggie’s is. — A.D.

Timeless isn’t even a weighty-enough adjective to describe the sound of Ms. Lauryn Hill. From her melodic work on the Fugees’ blockbuster sophomore effort The Score to her own groundbreaking debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, her genre-bending talents across those two albums alone redefined what was possible in rap. Blurring the line between R&B, funk, jazz, boom-bap and pop, Lauryn Hill’s amalgamated approach to music inspired many of today’s biggest stars (including Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Nas). While no sophomore effort would ever appear, Miseducation led to Ms. Hill earning five Grammys at the ‘99 ceremonies, including album of the year and best new artist. But don’t get it twisted – she’s still got plenty of gas in the tank, as she most recently proved by hopping on Nas’ “Nobody” in 2021. – M.C.G.

It’s hard to think of a more daring creative visionary than Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott. Emerging as part of the ‘90s Swing Mob collective alongside her childhood friend Timbaland, the pair branched off in 1997 for Missy’s seminal debut Supa Dupa Fly. The album was a commercial juggernaut, in part due to Missy’s ability to boil down raw emotions into quippy, succinct bars, and because of her larger-than-life presence in the song’s eye-popping, MTV-dominating music videos. Hits like “The Rain” and “Sock It 2 Me” felt just as pop-adjacent as they were hip-hop, and their explicit lyrics pushed the boundaries of what female empowerment looked like at the time. Countless other beloved smash records (“Get Ur Freak On,” “Work It,” “Lose Control”) and classic visuals later, Missy remains an immovable force in hip-hop culture. – M.C.G.

“I’m number one, y’all go argue over top four,” Nicki Minaj boastfully flexed on Pink Friday 2. Who else did you expect to see at No. 1 on this list? Fifteen years after she left earth with her godly verse on Kanye West’s “Monster” and delivered her seminal Pink Friday debut album, the First Lady of Young Money is still running laps around the competition. Minaj quickly usurped the throne and stylistically rewrote the playbook for female rappers, while becoming an architect of pop music in the process. Whether she’s tapping into her storied rap personalities Harajuku Barbie, Roman Zolanski or Chun-Li, or just spitting as Onika, the story of rap can’t be told without Minaj – and she’s got plenty of “sons” around the industry running through the doors she busted down. 

The Queens icon became the first female rapper to eclipse triple-digit Billboard Hot 100 hits in 2018 (with 149 entries to her name as of publishing) and her connection to the Barbz remains stronger than ever, as the Pink Friday 2 World Tour became the highest-grossing tour for a female rapper in history. One thing’s for sure, the road to the crown on a list like this still runs through Gag City. – M.S.