Women have always been essential to rap and, today, they’re getting their deserved recognition more than ever before. The world of female rap has continuously contributed to the genre’s sound, fashion, commercial success — not just in comparison to their male counterparts, but across the genre as a whole — increasing its global impact.

The lyrical prowess of early pioneers such as MC Sha-Rock and MC Lyte demanded respect in a male-dominated industry, while rappers such as Queen Latifah, Monie Love and Yo-Yo advanced conscious hip-hop and confronted misogyny. Salt-N-Pepa owned their sex appeal, while Lil’ Kim introduced a feminine perspective to a sex-positive narrative that had previously been controlled by men.  

The current and future landscape of women in rap appears even brighter. Gone is the genre’s unwritten rule that only one female superstar can exist at a time, and women are thriving in new ready-to-be-conquered rap territory. In 2020, Nicki Minaj and Doja Cat’s "Say So (Remix)" topped the Billboard Hot 100, marking the first time a female rap collaboration led the chart. That same year, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s "WAP" broke the record for the biggest debut steaming week in U.S. history. Today, more women rappers are finding success than ever before — from City Girls and Latto, to Saweetie and Flo Milli. 

In honor of Women’s History Month, GRAMMY.com highlights some of the pioneering, culture-shifting women who have changed the course of rap and one promising up-and-comer who is at the forefront of the genre’s future.

MC Lyte: The first GRAMMY-nominated female hip-hop artist and first woman to release a solo rap album

A 16-year-old MC Lyte broke onto the rap scene with the single, "I Cram To Understand U (Sam)" in 1987. The following year, she released her debut album, Lyte As A Rock, becoming the first female rapper to release a solo album.

Lyte’s first three albums spawned hits like "Cha Cha Cha," "Paper Thin," "10% Dis" and "Poor Georgie." In 1993, the acclaimed anthem "Ruffneck" became Lyte’s third No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart and was certified gold, making her the first female rapper to achieve the feat. "Ruffneck" was also nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 36th GRAMMY Awards in 1994, designating Lyte as the first-ever GRAMMY-nominated woman rapper.

MC Lyte’s conscientious records and classic hits drew critical acclaim and commercial success, making her an influence on female rap for generations to come. A true pioneer, she was honored with the I Am Hip Hop Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards.

Sylvia Robinson: Sugar Hill Records founder and "Mother of Hip-Hop"  

Rightfully nicknamed the "Mother of Hip Hop," Sylvia Robinson helped push rap into the public music arena. Robinson started out as a chart-topping R&B singer, releasing "Love Is Strange" in 1956 with her duo, Mickey & Sylvia. After a solo singing and songwriting career, Robinson founded Sugar Hill Records in the 1970s. With the label, she assembled Harlem rap trio the Sugarhill Gang and produced their 1979 hit, "Rapper’s Delight," which went on to be the first rap single to break the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40.

Besides having a hand in one of hip-hop’s first hits, Robinson was also instrumental in one of the genre’s most impactful records. In 1982, she co-produced "The Message" for Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The track broke ground lyrically — detailing the gritty realities of growing up in poverty — and creatively, as it was the first rap song where the DJ was not involved in its creation, setting the stage for MCs to become the stars of hip-hop. In an interview, Grandmaster Flash conceded that without Robinson’s insistence and direction, "The Message" would never have been created.

Lil’ Kim: The "Queen of Rap" who reinvented hip-hop fashion

Salt-N-Pepa introduced feminist sex appeal to hip-hop, but Lil’ Kim took it a step further. The Brooklyn native burst onto the rap scene in 1996 with her solo debut album Hard Core, quickly gaining attention with her raunchy lyrics and feminine style. Prior to Kim, rappers like Queen Latifah and MC Lyte had gained entry to the male-dominated hip-hop space with masculine swagger and fashion. Choosing instead to steal the spotlight with jaw-dropping and sexy styles, Kim created a new avenue for women rappers — owning their sexuality — which is still mimicked today.

"[Lil' Kim]  was the first time for me that I saw that much sexiness in female hip-hop," Trina, whose own explicit lyrics catapulted her to success in the late '90s and early 2000s, recounted in "The Real Queens of Hip-Hop," TV special. "She created and started that." 

Kim also pushed the boundaries for female rap music success. Her debut album Hard Core debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200, the highest-ranking debut for a woman MC at the time. Kim was also the first female rapper to have three consecutive No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart; her GRAMMY-winning collaboration with Christina Aguilera, P!nk and Mýa, "Lady Marmalade," was the best-selling single of 2001.

Cardi B: Pushing female rap to new commercial heights

Cardi B’s commercial success ushered in a new era of mainstream domination and profitability for female rappers. Creating her own celebrity through social media and reality TV, the Bronx native made history with her 2018 debut album, Invasion of Privacy. The record was the best-selling female rap album of the 2010s and won Best Rap Album at the 61st GRAMMY Awards in 2019, making Cardi the first solo female rapper to win the award. Her breakout hit, 2017’s "Bodak Yellow," also became the first diamond-certified single by a woman rapper. She’s since tacked on two other diamond records: Maroon 5’s "Girls Like You" and "I Like It" featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin.

Cardi’s commercial success, brand partnerships and social media appeal helped break hip-hop’s one woman superstar at a time mold by proving female rap’s lucrative potential to the masses. As Cardi tweeted in 2019, "I didn’t say I pave[d] the way for female rappers, but I deff gave the hood and women hope. Nikkas wasn’t collabing with female rappers. Labels where [sic] signing female rappers and putting them in a shelf and not focusing on them, not giving them proper attention… How many female rappers before me where [sic] getting chances or getting pushed? They wasn’t believing and now they are!"

Tierra Whack: Rising rap artist leading the next generation 

Tierra Whack continues to push the envelope with both her eclectic style and lyrics. At a time when sex-positive femcees rule the charts, Whack instead leads with creativity and quirkiness. Innovative and wildly eccentric music videos ( à la Missy Elliott) are an artistic staple for the 26-year-old, who earned her first GRAMMY nomination for Best Music Video with her 2017 "Mumbo Jumbo" visual.

Whack first gained fame for her freestyling and battle rap skills in her native Philadelphia , but her 15-minute debut album, Whack World, skyrocketed her to viral acclaim. By blurring genre lines — most recently through her Rap?, Pop? and R&B? EPs —Whack is poised to remain at the forefront of hip-hop’s future and brings a fresh wave of variety and uniqueness to the female rap landscape.

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As Jagged Edge and Nelly asked in 2001, where the party at? On May 6, it's at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds thanks to Lovers & Friends.

The star-studded festival largely celebrates the R&B and hip-hop stars of the '90s and 2000s, with a lineup that boasts Missy Elliott, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, Usher, Christina Aguilera, Nelly, and 50 Cent, among countless other hitmakers. With a jam-packed roster, it's hard to believe the fest is only one day. But one thing is guaranteed: it's going to be a day full of bangers.

There's also a good chance that there will be some viral moments from the second annual Lovers & Friends fest. Several of the stars on the bill have delivered some smash hits together, and they may just take the stage together to perform them — whether it's Chris Brown and Busta Rhymes for "Look At Me Now," Frankie J and Baby Bash for "Suga Suga," or, yes, even Jagged Edge and Nelly for "Where The Party At."

Even if you didn't get a ticket to this year's sold-out fest, that certainly doesn't mean you can't get in on the nostalgia. GRAMMY.com has curated a 50-song playlist to highlight all 50 performers on the Lovers & Friends 2023 lineup (which also includes current stars like Summer Walker, Bryson Tiller and Partynextdoor), and it will undoubtedly get you pumped up.

Below, jam out to GRAMMY.com's Lovers & Friends 2023 playlist, or listen to it on Apple Music, Amazon Music or Pandora.

It's that time again! The 2023 Met Gala — one of the fashion bonanzas of the year — is in full force. And given that fashion has always been the yin to music's yang, GRAMMY winners and nominees were among the stars studding this glamorous, fashion-forward event.

Presented by gala co-chair Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue and global editorial director of Condé Nast, the Met Gala this year is co-chaired by Penélope Cruz, Michaela Coel, Roger Federer and three-time GRAMMY winner Dua Lipa.

GRAMMY winners and nominees as well as today’s leading artists in music are already setting the Met Gala red carpet on fire, with everyone from Dua Lipa, Phoebe Bridgers, Rita Ora, David Byrne, rising rap sensation Ice Spice, and more showing off their fierce fashion looks. Plus, Rihanna and her partner ASAP Rocky made a last-minute surprise arrival on the 2023 Met Gala red carpet, setting the fashion and music worlds ablaze.

This year's Met Gala celebrates the indelible legacy of the late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld; the dress code is "In honor of Karl…")

Below, check out some of the most eye-catching red carpet fashion looks from music’s biggest stars at the 2023 Met Gala.

Rihanna attends the 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Dua Lipa arrives for the 2023 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2023, in New York | Photo: ANGELA WEISS / AFP

(L-R) Finneas O'Connell and Billie Eilish attend The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/MG23/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Bad Bunny attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Jennifer Lopez attends the 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Cardi B attends the 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/MG23/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Doja Cat attends the 2023 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Lil Nas X attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/MG23/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Usher attends the 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Sean "Diddy" Combs attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Phoebe Bridgers attends the 2023 Met Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Anitta attends the 2023 Met Gala the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Halle Bailey attends the 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo: Kevin Mazur/MG23/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Janelle Monáe attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City | Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

2023 GRAMMYs Red Carpet Fashion Highlights: Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Harry Styles, Lizzo, Doja Cat & More

By the time Cardi B released her debut album on April 6, 2018, there was no denying that she was rap's biggest and boldest new star.

The rapper's fearlessness placed her at the head of her rap class — and on top of the charts — with 2017's history-making hit, "Bodak Yellow." But after she released her first album, Invasion of Privacy, Cardi B didn't just solidify herself as a superstar — she issued one of the most unforgettable rap albums of her generation. 

Not only was Invasion of Privacy an audacious middle finger to those who denied Cardi's talent, but its versatility reflected a new era in millennial rap. Cardi's magnetic personality — a combination of tongue-wagging sexuality, unfiltered opinions and sheer silliness — shined across all 13 tracks. With that, Invasion of Privacy declared Cardi as the ringleader of rap's next class — one who wasn't afraid to make her own rules.

Cardi's rap aspirations were first introduced in 2015, when she joined the cast of VH1's Love & Hip Hop: New York; her audacious hometown pride and an undeniably hilarious personality captured the attention of millions. Though she branded herself as a "regular-degular-shmegular girl from the Bronx," it was clear she had her sights set on superstardom.

Initially, many people held her stripper background against her, with diehard rap fans (and even her Love & Hip Hop: New York castmates) insinuating that she was solely meant for the pole and not the studio. Yet, Cardi used her humble beginnings to her advantage, colorfully sharing booty-shaking tales on Instagram and foreshadowing the confidence she conveys on Invasion of Privacy. Her retable humor turned her into a viral social media maven and the growing attention — whether you loved or hated her — was the fuel she needed to ignite her music career.

Cardi B spun her stripping roots into gold (well, Platinum, in Invasion of Privacy's case — but more on that later). She dropped her first mixtape, Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1 in 2016, which featured the colloquialism and commanding delivery that has become her signature. Upon dropping Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 2 a year later, Cardi made it known that she was aware of her haters' disdain — and the fact that she was on her way to mainstream success. "They ain't like me before, now they bookin' me/ The glow got b—es so shook at me," she spits on "Lick," a Vol. 2 track with future husband Offset.

It didn't take long for the industry to notice the mixtapes' viral dominance: Atlantic Records signed Cardi B just one month following the release of Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 2. Her major-label debut single, "Bodak Yellow," arrived that June, almost instantly catapulting Cardi from beloved reality show personality to rap's breakthrough star. And she confidently walked those "bloody shoes" into history: Cardi B became the second female rapper to ever top the Billboard Hot 100 with a solo song.

As the anticipation for her debut album surged following the success of "Bodak Yellow" (as well as other hits alongside the likes of Migos and Bruno Mars), Cardi's rise earned her the title of "hood Cinderella" — and Invasion of Privacy perfectly captures her rags-to-riches story. The album encapsulates the same humility that initially made her a viral star, detailing the hard work she put in to finally secure a record deal. As she put it on a track called "Best Life," "This some real-life fairy tale Binderella s—."

While songs like "Bodak Yellow" and album opener "Get Up 10" show that Cardi hadn't lost sight of the explosive assertiveness she brought with her independent releases, Invasion of Privacy as a whole was a shift from her more hardcore mixtapes. But that only paid off: Some of the album's most impactful tracks are also her most vulnerable moments, whether it's her raw crooning in "Be Careful," revealing self-doubt in the Kehlani- assisted "Ring," or detailing her trust issues in "Thru Your Phone."

For every heartfelt moment on the album, there are still plenty to remind you of the rapper's Bronx-born swagger. She and SZA take turns slicing through enemies on "I Do" and Cardi flips Project Pat's misogynistic 2001 "Chickenhead" single on the feminist anthem "Bickenhead." Her ferocity came through in her performances, too: During her Coachella debut in 2018, she performed her entire set pregnant, even twerking during album cut "She Bad."

Just three days before Cardi gave birth in 2018, she scored her second No. 1 from Invasion of Privacy with "I Like It," a modern-day version of boogaloo with club-banging trap beats — an undeniably danceable homage to her hometown and her Dominican-Trinidadian heritage. Featuring reggaeton stars J Balvin and Bad Bunny, "I Like It" added another layer to Invasion of Privacy's impact, as it helped amplify Latin music's global breakthrough while also solidifying Cardi as a versatile mainstream star.

That's exactly the magic of Invasion of Privacy: Cardi B broke barriers by simply saying "what you see is what you get." Her tenacity resonated with fans and critics alike, leading Cardi to another history-making feat in 2019, this time on the GRAMMY stage: Invasion of Privacy won Best Rap Album, marking the first win by a solo female rapper. (Even four years after its release, Invasion of Privacy was still making history, becoming the first album by a female artist to have all of its tracks certified Platinum — or higher — by the RIAA in March 2022.)

Invasion of Privacy's legacy isn't just felt in the accolades, either. Cardi's unabashed authenticity helped open the doors for a new generation of women rappers, from Latto and Ice Spice to Saweetie and Megan Thee Stallion — the latter of whom Cardi recruited for 2020's "WAP," now one of the biggest hits of her career.

Five years after Invasion of Privacy's release, Cardi B still has fans eagerly awaiting its follow-up. And although she has released a number of one-off singles and collabs with several artists (including Lizzo and Rosalía), the anticipation for another album shows just how impactful Invasion of Privacy was for both Cardi and mainstream rap. 

Whether she was letting her Bronx-born tone and Caribbean heritage shine, or unapologetically championing explicit women in rap, Cardi knew the secret formula to stardom was to remain her authentic self — even if some couldn't see it.

"My little 15 minutes lasted long as hell, huh?" she boasts on album closer "I Do." Thanks to Invasion of Privacy, Cardi B's hood Cinderella story is only just beginning. 

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Born Stefani Germanotta, Lady Gaga is one of the best-selling female artists in history. Rightfully so, Gaga's years of training — from taking piano lessons at 4 years old to briefly studying at New York University's prestigious Collaborative Arts Project 21 musical theater program — prepared her to become one of the most technical pop singers of all time. With the addition of her innovative creativity to her musical skill set, Gaga forged the perfect formula to become one of the biggest stars of her generation.

Lady Gaga created music under the pen name — a reference to Queen's hit "Radio Ga Ga" — years before she finally caught the eyes of Interscope executive Vincent Herbert, who she now credits for discovering her. Eventually, Lady Gaga was introduced to award-winning songwriter and producer RedOne to make her breakthrough album, 2008's The Fame, under Interscope imprint label Cherrytree Records.

Speaking to The Independent in 2009, she recalled her struggles to get radio airplay after releasing The Fame. "They would say, 'This is too racy, too dance-oriented, too underground. It's not marketable,'" she said. "And I would say, 'My name is Lady Gaga. I've been on the music scene for years, and I'm telling you, this is what's next.'" 

And right she was: the year following The Fame's premiere, Lady Gaga received her first GRAMMY nomination for "Just Dance" at the 2009 GRAMMY Awards. Over a decade later, she's won 13 GRAMMYs and counts 36 GRAMMY nominations in total.

By 2016, Lady Gaga had four No. 1 albums under her belt, from Born This Way to Joanne. In 2018, she signed on to be the lead actress in Bradley Cooper's remake of A Star Is Born, also doubling as the songwriter and producer for the soundtrack. The release was an immediate success, debuting at the top of the Billboard 200 Albums chart and making Lady Gaga the first woman with five No. 1 albums in the 2010s. In 2019, Lady Gaga became the first person in history to win a GRAMMY, Oscar, BAFTA, and Golden Globe in a single year.

As a part of GRAMMY.com's ongoing commemoration of Women's History Month, we're looking back at Lady Gaga's influential career as one of the music industry's pop legends in this episode of Run The World. Extending Lady Gaga's impressively successful career as an entertainer is her philanthropy and advocacy work as a proud, outspoken feminist.

During her 2018 ELLE Women in Hollywood event, Lady Gaga gave an inspiring speech to bring awareness to sexual assault. "For me, this is what it means to be a woman in Hollywood. It means I have a platform. I have a chance to make a change. I pray we listen, believe, and pay closer attention to those around us in need. Be a helping hand. Be a force for change," Lady Gaga concluded after courageously sharing her story as a survivor.

"I would like to dedicate this song to every woman in America. To every woman who now has to worry about her body if she gets pregnant. I pray that this country will speak up and we will not stop until its right!" - Lady Gaga talking about abortion rights at The #ChromaticaBallDC pic.twitter.com/YjwlC0rg7C

— Ryan | Lady Gaga 🏳️‍🌈 (@ryanleejohnson) August 9, 2022

She has also used her platform on stage to advocate for women. During her Chromatica Ball tour in 2022, she dedicated "The Edge of Glory" to women after the government overturned Roe v. Wade two months prior: "To every woman who now has to worry about her body if she gets pregnant, I pray this country will speak up, and we will not stop until it's right!"

Lady Gaga isn't just a musician or actress. She is a pioneer in change, a spokesperson for those whose voices might not get heard. She wants to see women, especially in entertainment, win while being able to claim their authentic femininity, as she told Glamour in 2017. 

"I hope to see women thriving and happy, loving what they're doing, and being in control and powerful of what they create," she explained. "As much as we all love the fashion and the makeup and glamour, this isn't a beauty pageant. It's about the heart and the drive and the work."

Press play on the video above to revisit some of Lady Gaga's historic achievements throughout her groundbreaking career, and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Run The World.

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