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500 Female Emcees Everyone Should Know- ( Davey D’s Ultimate List )

March 25, 2014 By
maria Isa

Maria Isa

Below is a list of 500 Female Emcees and the first thing that everyone reading this should know is that the list is not complete. To be honest there’s more than 500 names, much more, but still the list is not complete nor will it ever be. There are too many places and spaces that I have never been nor have the incredible artists like Aisha Fukashima the Raptivist, Mad-lines, Aima the Dreamer, Raw G, Ximbo, Invincible and D’Labrie who over the past year contributed greatly to this list.

The list is not complete even as we have other wonderful lists like; the Illest Female Rappers, Women of Hip Hop, Female Rappers Tumblir, The Female Rappers Network or more recently Patrick McNease‘s Ultimate Female Emcee List. If we really think about it, we don’t want this or any list to be complete. There will always be more emcees to add as long as this culture call Hip Hop is alive, well and is global. If the list stops growing Hip Hop stops growing..

With that being said, the reason why the list came about in the first place was out of frustration and a realization that many within this industry , in particular my male brethren needed to be enlightened.

It was a frustration that many of my women friends within Hip Hop were having when they would hear some pompous music critic or ‘industry expert’ say some ignorant crap like; ‘all women sound the same‘ or ‘these women need to put out hit songs‘, women need to grind harder and promote themselves better or ‘there aren’t a lot of quality women emcees out there‘. All those statements are gross generalizations and reflect a laziness on the part of those making the claim or extreme bias.

The frustration many were feeling was one that would come after hearing announcement after announcement for some huge mega-Cochella-Sumer-Jam-Rock-the-Bells-Spring-Bling type concert that would feature 20 plus acts and only one woman would be on the bill. It was frustration that was felt after pointing out such egregious oversights only to be ignored and ridiculed.

female-emcees-psoterlightIt was the frustration of hearing promoters doing smaller shows claiming that women won’t attract an audience and hence would not be a sound business move even to have one open up a show.

It was frustration of going to a club featuring a popular deejay lauded for being a Hip Hop icon with a reputation for ‘digging in the crates’ and turning audiences onto new music from far off lands and forgotten times only to discover that they rarely dig in crates and ‘discover’ a dope female emcee…

And don’t get it twisted, this refusal to share space has been going on a for a while and many women have expressed frustration the ones I know have not been sitting around waiting for miracles to occur. Many have started doing their own shows and put on vibrant events..From Invincible out of Detroit who I saw do several all women showcases at SXSW and have them packed with lines out the door to Aisha the Raptivist who has traveled the world and and done her own tours to Raw G who promotes here in the Bay Area locally and always brings out incredible women emcees like Alika from Argentina Dunay Surez from Cuba or Ximbo from Mexico, folks are steady grinding and making moves

Where I think folks are getting short changed are in male dominated spaces where female voices, POV and approaches toward Hip Hop are not readily present. Its a cipher that’s incomplete and that has got to change.
The list below was ideally to serve as a guide of sorts to anyone who had this female emcee blind spot.

Its a guide for deejays caught yapping about how ‘there ain’t no good female emcees‘. Its a weak excuse often given for them not rocking any women during a deejay set or mixshow.. Out of all the emcees featured on this list there are  some hard hitters out there they can not and will not be denied. This list gives them no excuse. There are sistas on here who do Trap, Backpack, boom bap, raggamuffin, pop, underground, commercial, hardcore etc..The variety is endless.

The list below is guide for promoters who say there’s ‘no market out there for women emcees‘.  A quick look at some of the folks on this list crushes that assertion down to its very last compound. From the days of Her Story Hip Hop Tours and See It Live showcases to 5th Element gatherings to upcoming Queendom Concerts to all women showcases put on by Invincible to showcases like Black Women Rock w/ Jessica Care Moore to Rock Like A Girl on the Mic w/ Toni Blackman to Hip Sister Radio to name a few, the scene is healthy. No matter what city. No matter what country, there are emcees listed for you to check out.. From Brooklyn to Oakland to Russia to new Zealand to Pakistan and beyond..

Sa-Roc

Sa-Roc

The list is a guide for academic types who can speak at length about male artists over various eras in Hip Hop but when it comes time to referencing women, they only know MC Lyte, Queen Latifah and Nicki Minaj and maybe a Lil Kim. This list is for them to check out and help expand their hip hop vocabulary so they can reference dynamic women like; Sa-Roc, Stahhr, Rocky Rivera, Shadia Mansour, Keny Arkana, Cihuatl Ce, Kellee Maize or Farrah Burns. Rock their songs, play their videos, examine their lyrics

The way the list works is each name is linked to a video and in a few cases to a sound cloud page.. Some of the names are linked to 3 Dope Song series page or a 500 Female Emcee page. In putting this list together it was noted that one song or video often didn’t do artists justice. They are much more complex. As you will note, included on the list are several singers and  spoke nword artists whose presence and influence in Hip Hop can not be denied.

It’s hoped that folks will peep the music, read about the artists click on the links associated with them and start digitally digging in the crates. Not everyone is gonna be great. Not everyone is gonna have a masterpiece of a song or album, but many do and as lovers and protectors of this culture we all should be pushing ourselves to do a better job bringing forth ‘new finds‘ vs having it be dictated to us by corporate interests and their mouth pieces.

 

-Davey D-

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Posse Cuts

Da Ladies in the House

10 white Female Rappers

Compton Female Cypher

Team Backpack Female Cypher

Team Backpack female Cypher #2

Rocky Rivera, Plane Jane, Oh Blimey, Raven Sorina ‘Girlz Rmx‘

Reebok Female Cypher

Illest Female Rappers

Phuturehype 2006

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Mujeres Trabajando

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, 500 Females page Tagged With: , , ,

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Comments

  1. Kushite Prince says
    March 25, 2014 at 7:03 pm

    Wow! What a great list! My favs are Sa Roc,Boog Brown,StaHHr,Rapsody and Lauryn Hill.

    • Sean Price says
      May 2, 2014 at 4:28 pm

      Silhouette from San Diego didn’t make the list ? One of the first female emcees from San Diego to get regular spins on radio, she’s like a San Diego legend. I’m glad my sis masia one made it on here tho

  2. Lani L (@LaniLanyLanee) says
    March 26, 2014 at 5:53 am

    An addition: Adaeze Lyrics (Barbados/Florida)

  3. LGS says
    March 26, 2014 at 8:55 am

    Mykki Blanco??? That’s a guy, not a woman.

    • mj says
      March 27, 2014 at 2:17 pm

      Technically they’re genderqueer but still. I’m honestly more upset about lil debbie making the list than mykki though

  4. Comment says
    March 26, 2014 at 9:32 am

    Addition: Lee mazin from Phila.

  5. Ang Thirteen-Zone says
    March 26, 2014 at 11:00 am

    Right on Thanks!!!

  6. charles says
    March 26, 2014 at 2:21 pm

    What about Phaze Dollars from Brooklyn. Shes a problem. http://reverbnation.com/phazedollar

    • larry in reno says
      August 17, 2014 at 1:09 pm

      Is it really a race issue? Or are there a lot of Americans (mostly white) who look down on others because were different? Im going with the latter. See im white and moved to Reno Nevada as a teen with my mother. The students at the school i attendent here were 99.9% white. Upon asking me where we moved from,which was Cleveland Ohio the students took a dislike to me instantly. I was labled a nigger. I was punched out many times at school in the hallways and laughed at and called the”N”word. Nobody cared nobody listened…the staff treated me like a space alien. The only thing that.seemed to matter was that their white egos were satisfied by mistreating me so badly. That was in 1979′. I had no choice but to stay out of school. I got a ged at 30. Im 51 now and whites here in Reno still act very mean. When will it end. Satisfaction doesnt come by being evil. It is broght on by love. When will people learn to love?when im dead? I dont want to wait until then. I have aids now and face new discriminations. If only i could have just been allowed to go to school…..

  7. Lamar says
    March 26, 2014 at 7:32 pm

    Yo! Where is Debbie D Sha Rock Lisa Lee – Are you kidding ME!!!!!!!
    rapentertainment.com

  8. sosanista says
    March 26, 2014 at 9:00 pm

    Miss.She.iLL Los Angeles, Grand Official Crew. Holding it down in NYC.
    http://misssheill.bandcamp.com/track/fat-kid-loves-cake-pound-cake-freestyle

  9. ATM 9K says
    March 26, 2014 at 9:59 pm

    Goyo (of ChocQuibTown)

  10. ATM 9K says
    March 26, 2014 at 10:11 pm

    In observing their Wikipedia page, I’m going to guess that they identify most closely with being a transgender woman.
    I was thinking cross dresser, until I looked into it.
    Considering gender identity, she does qualify to be included in this list.

  11. Nuray says
    March 27, 2014 at 2:51 am

    Thankyou whoever you are for your efforts and such an awesome job done for the enjoyment of all! But how on earth can you forget Macromantics? One of the best female rappers EVA!

    • mrDaveyd says
      March 27, 2014 at 10:46 pm

      one of the best ever?? we’ll I guess we’ll have to re-up our game and look them up.. 🙂

    • Nuray says
      March 29, 2014 at 1:18 am

      Considering Macro is pretty well established now. You need some more coaching dwg. Check out Gennie from Mongolia. I’ll add more if you want me to. what daya say?

    • mrDaveyd says
      March 29, 2014 at 8:15 am

      I just added the Macromantics today.. thanks for the heads up

      • Nuray says
        April 8, 2014 at 12:44 am

        Yeehaw! Check out Gennie and Izzy Brown from Combat Wombat! I’ll add a few more in good time. Being from the other side of the world there’s some stuff I really gotta introduce peeps to. That’s only if you want to stop considering that the US is the most important and influential part of the world. Maybe influential but please consider the amazing ladies that deserve recognition that aren’t US citizens por favor.

  12. marco buttinelli says
    March 27, 2014 at 10:59 am

    Quema Brown from Holy Smoke, Rome, Italy
    check it!

    • Nuray says
      April 8, 2014 at 12:49 am

      Grazie Mille! I’m Australian but I lived in Italy for a while and I love Italian music especially hip-hop. I think Quema Brown is the best thing about Holy Smoke. She has a great sexy voice, not that I want to sexualise everything a womyn does but I’m queer and I find womyn rapping ferocious and sexy as fuck. Especially Mirza. I’ll try and find something of hers for you. Thanks again for sharing! I loved discovering this!!! 🙂

  13. BringThaNoize says
    March 27, 2014 at 5:40 pm

    What about MC Trouble? RIP

  14. lizairo says
    March 28, 2014 at 4:14 am

    You forgot Incksalonius!! from Brooklyn..

  15. patri says
    March 30, 2014 at 5:04 am

    kali uchis!!!

  16. patri says
    March 30, 2014 at 5:06 am

    and it’s iggy azalea!!!

    good work daveyd! :- D

  17. christian says
    March 30, 2014 at 8:00 am

    Great list! Glad to see this article and the truth it speaks. I’ve played a few of the artists mentioned on my radio show already but this gives me a great resource for playing more.

    Of, course I’ve got to come with a artist to add to your expanding list, lol! Not sure if you have a specific criteria for adding someone but if you can’t add her now, you’ll have to in the near future. Her name is Ms Proper (http://www.hiphopmademecool.com/) and she has been making waves since she came on the scene in 2007. Check her out!

  18. Ed says
    March 30, 2014 at 8:23 am

    Good list. And good to see it done, but alerting you as well to Tavi Fields (originally from Jersey, based in Brooklyn). Rocks with ILLEGALIZE (hip hop band w male/female emcee duo) and also with mamarazzi (afrobeat-hop fusion). She’s nice.

  19. mp says
    March 31, 2014 at 3:22 am

    Hey, Mama Mafia is actually Mami Mafia and is from Russia, not Poland; she also raps in Russian.

    • mp says
      March 31, 2014 at 3:23 am

      And Sookee is from Germany, not France. 🙂

      • mrDaveyd says
        March 31, 2014 at 8:21 am

        Thanks for the heads up..

        • Burken Tabansson says
          July 21, 2015 at 1:14 pm

          Ayeben is not correct. It is “Ayben”. And you can add the female rapper “Pi” (of RapAngels), “Kolera” and “Derya” from Turkey.

          • Burken Tabansson says
            July 23, 2015 at 10:41 pm

            Hello again. one more mistake: Class A is from Australia, not the UK. Thanks for the list anyway, it helped me very much mate!

  20. John Robinson says
    April 2, 2014 at 4:43 pm

    Wow this is AMAZING! Thanks for sharing this Sir Davey D!

  21. Kevin Sekweyama says
    April 3, 2014 at 11:45 am

    Davey D, as you mentioned Lady Leshurr….check her verse in this cypher

    http://www.bet.com/video/hiphopawards/2011/international/hha-digitalcypher-s11.html

  22. Seti says
    April 4, 2014 at 8:01 pm

    No love for the battle rappers?? I see Ms Fit, but what no 40 B.A.R.R.S, Don Ladii, Jaz the Rapper, and the rest of the Queen of the Ring?? Just a thought, still a great list tho…

  23. Nuray says
    April 8, 2014 at 12:28 am

    Now that’s what I’m talking about. We need Izzy Brown from Combat Wombat up there too pls, Mirza Meltem from Turkey and I’ll give you some more in good time so I don’t bombard y’all! THANKYOU FOR ADDING MACRO! There’s no way is ok to not have her up there! Muah xx

  24. yagirldy says
    April 10, 2014 at 2:51 pm

    this is dope! props to all my sistas on the list!

    if you make it through and you still want more:

    stay shinin’
    http://youtu.be/JoPaIZeu0v4

    magnificent
    http://youtu.be/f7nXmixqLaE

  25. Queen yonasda says
    April 11, 2014 at 5:43 am

    Peace thank you Davey D for always supporting my music and my activism works. And I really appreciate you recognizing not only me but all of these females that have made a stamp in hip hop. In the words of the Hon.Elijah Muhammad “no nation can rise no higher than it’s woman” so hip hop can’t rise without the woman!

  26. crisp says
    April 11, 2014 at 6:37 am

    No michie mee from Toronto…and she ain’t new.

  27. André says
    April 11, 2014 at 8:06 am

    Fiva (Germany)

  28. André says
    April 11, 2014 at 8:10 am

    KET (Germany)

  29. Kazz says
    April 11, 2014 at 4:17 pm

    Great list indeed…It would be embarrassing not to have Caron Geary aka Feral is Kinky on that list tho 🙂

  30. xzodia says
    April 15, 2014 at 10:46 am

    Well. Seeing that you put DIE ANTWOORD to represent South Africa, iM not going to give the rest of your article that much credit…

    Look up: MS. #NTHABI… #ENDS THE OTHERNESS… #QBA… #KANYI MAVI.

    Those are representative of what South Africa sounds like, GODDESSA (AJ, Burni and Shameema) haven’t been active in too long

    • mrDaveyd says
      April 16, 2014 at 6:29 am

      Not sure I follow ur logic here.. We put a list out to help get people started on on knowing the countless number of women emcees are out there and here u come instead of simply offering additional names to add to the list so we can all get educated, u wanna make snide remarks about about whats creditable or not?? The fact of matter is there are commercial artists who have lots of visibility.. They were included on this list.. should they not be?? In this case home girl from Die Antwood’s name pops up.. ..Her name is associated with a youtube video and her city or country indicated.. Whats the problem?? If there are other names feel free to suggest or do a list of your own if this one ‘lacks credibility’..

  31. Jessica says
    April 16, 2014 at 8:37 pm

    You forgot Tina Marie!!! original emcee!!!

  32. IG: femalerapstars (@FemaleRapStars) says
    April 16, 2014 at 10:18 pm

    Love the list! We appreciate you introducing us to so many talented chicks! Thanks for supporting the MOVEMENT! For those of you who criticize, please reach out to your favorite artists and ask them to make it easier on those of us who are trying to help them. Ask them to update their social media pages and websites. If you’re a serious artist, your fans and supporters shouldn’t have to go through your tweets to find out where you’re from, how to book you, etc. Take advantage of that bio space. If you can’t afford a website, set up a free blog and include your bio, videos and links to your social media pages. Last but not least, to the criticizers, when you get your list together, please send us a link. Just be sure to include EVERY single female rapper on the face of the earth or we WILL criticize you heavily….lol Peace & Love! 🙂

  33. Angel says
    April 17, 2014 at 10:57 am

    Forgetting none other then Canadian Talent Michie Mee ..are you serious!!! refresh this list!

  34. Quietstorm says
    April 24, 2014 at 3:41 am

    You didn’t mention Makkah da Mic Rakkah (Mecka Da Mic Recka)

  35. feliciafe says
    April 29, 2014 at 2:09 pm

    Amazing work and list! Thanks for the work! I gotta send out love to the Chicana SiStars flowing about indigenous issues from L.A. to the Bay including:

    Fe Evaone: (LA) http://feliciamontes.wordpress.com/floetry-hiphop/

    Maya Jupiter (Australia & LA) http://www.mayajupiter.com

    Sista Eyerie and Centza Milla of Guerrilla Queenz (LA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/GUERRILLA-QUEENZ/47347897363

    Cihuatl Ce <– already on the list (LA) http://cihuatlce.com

    Alas (Santa Barbara) https://soundcloud.com/alasmusika

    and other sisters on that spiritual artivist tip:
    Tiwaeis https://www.facebook.com/TIWAEISMUSIC
    Poetic Stimulator (Bay and LA) http://www.reverbnation.com/poetics
    EarthStonez (LA and Las Vegas) https://www.facebook.com/earthStonez
    Skim (Korean America, LA) http://skimmusic.com/
    Rainflowa (Houston, Texas) https://www.facebook.com/rainflowa
    Miwa Lyric (Japanese Nisei, LA) http://www.facebook.com/miwaLyric

  36. basu says
    April 30, 2014 at 3:08 am

  37. Dani Cornejo says
    May 9, 2014 at 9:34 am

    Peep Alas if you haven’t heart of her already https://soundcloud.com/alasmusika

  38. jason jay says
    May 16, 2014 at 10:23 am

    This is a great look Davey D. You have included majority of all my favorites on that lists from:

    1.Rita J 2.Boog Brown 3.Tiye Phoenix 4.Invincible 5.Stahhr 6.Eternia 7.Jean Grae

    and many more which I can’t think of off hand now.

    Right now you have 500 I’m adding 503 from the
    216 614 and 330 Area Codes

    1. Dominique Larue

    2.Rainthequietstorm

    3.Jimmipynk (1.Razz-Matazzy is nice) https://myspace.com/jimmipynk

    Maja7th | Dominique Larue – Freedom featuring Micah Robinson
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iORba_oNbpo&list=PLtolXT2GDQ70opa2wTfPgSt6pxR6RU1LL&index=14

    Rain the Quiet Storm performs at the Fourth Annual Rebel Army Radio Awards
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmNKC7MDqac

    Jimmi Pynk- “Bring’n Hell”

  39. sarah tbird says
    May 17, 2014 at 8:44 pm

    love this list, davey! so many fantastic artists past and present, and indeed, it highlights how ridiculous, lazy and sexist it is when we hear someone claim that ‘all women in Hip Hop sound the same,’ or only witness the elevation of a token few artists… when i was young my brother made me an all-female emcees mix that kicked off with Apani B’s Estragen- i wore that tape out and was so inspired by apani and all the other women on there.. thanks for compiling the list; props and gratitude to all those on it! ..here’s two more suggestions: Tanya Stephens (Jamaica/ dancehall) and Makeba Mooncycle (US).

  40. EvilGenius (@SwingDeeDiablo) says
    May 22, 2014 at 5:36 am

    The Buttress http://snakeeyesdagreat.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-buttress-behind-every-great-man.html

  41. Mik Brown (@missmikbrown) says
    May 22, 2014 at 11:13 am

    Thanks for the recognition and support! Proving my dedication to the craft I recently released MISS MIK for free download at http://www.datpiff.com/mixtapes-detail.php?id=613368.

  42. franythesupernova says
    May 27, 2014 at 11:00 am

    Great List ! Thanks for the job. I put a link to this article on my blog. As a french woman, this article makes me happy because it show that rap isn’t only the possession of the Amercian artists. It shows how many women in the world make the rap own too. But It’s sad too see that not even the quarter of this girls are mainstream.

  43. ATM 9K says
    June 1, 2014 at 12:19 am

    Shirlette Ammons

  44. Trinity says
    June 4, 2014 at 9:32 am

    Do you have a problem with the appropriation of hip hop and rap by non-black women? If this were a post just about men in hip hop would multiculturism be seen as progress, or do we only have to diversify from black women?

  45. Jasmine Bird says
    June 11, 2014 at 9:50 pm

    Chelsea Jane from Australia but your list looks amazing!

  46. kris says
    July 20, 2014 at 11:33 pm

    Great list!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbvmc159QkU

    Tice – Mein Traum (Rapper from Düsseldorf, Germany)

  47. 0sevenEleven says
    July 21, 2014 at 2:38 am

    Zanillya is from the netherlands, not from Germany

  48. Nagarjuna MC from Chile says
    October 18, 2014 at 1:54 pm

    Man the last female MC you list, ZPa Con (México), that’s not an MC from México, the link is to a song by ZPu (male MC from Barcelona Spain) feat. Shuga Wuga (female MC from Barcelona, Spain, she is in your list as Suga Wuga in S), they were both in same crew Magnatiz from Barcelona.
    Congrats for your blog.
    Nagarjuna MC (male MC from Chile)

  49. Michael Jaguar says
    November 14, 2014 at 5:49 pm

    Hi Davey D, hey are there any Brasilian artists on this list? I scrolled through and read all the countries listed and didnt see any (or perhaps some the names that dont list country of origin might be Brasilian). Any suggestions of dope female MC’s from Brasil?

  50. RSM says
    October 30, 2015 at 12:18 am

    Davey D, Check out:

    Lucy Camp, Bonnie Blue, Nat The Lioness and Ruby Ibarra

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRxH7cDPJGM

    Alia Zin

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St6TF2t_A3U

    Spektra

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjYWEo3Ob-I

    Hispana

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-Yje5Wq0fI

    Rebeca Lane

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etWykETNqjk

    Intelligenz

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXzEwyL3N7s

    Matisse Marie

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVTFmsdMm14

    Klassy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6OeWPxmxJ0

    Bleezie

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