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.
It 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..
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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- 3DNaTee (New Orleans)
- 330
- Abie Flinstone (Filipines/Belgium)
- Abys
- Abyss
- Actitud Maria Marta (Argentina)
- Ai (Japan-singer)
- Aid (Spain)
- Aima the Dreamer (Bay Area-Cali)
- Aina More (UK)
- Aisha the Raptivist (Bay Area-Cali)
- Aja Black (The ReMINDers) (Colorado)
- Akua Naru (New Haven Ct)
- Ak’Sent (Los Angeles)
- Alexa ‘Lex’ Faye (Detroit)
- Alia Sharrief (Bay Area-Cali)
- Alif (Senegal)
- Alika (Argentina)
- Alix Toxik (Mexico)
- Allie Baby (New Orleans)
- Alyssa Marie (Boston/Lebenon)
- Amanda Diva (Orlando, Fl)
- Amara Reign (Southern Cali)
- Amber FX (Korea)
- Amber London (Houston, Tx)
- Amirah J (London, UK)
- Amil (NYC)
- Amplify Dot
- Amy True
- Ana Baby
- Ana Tijoux (Chile)
- Ang13
- Angel Eye aka Medina
- Angel Haze
- Angie Martinez
- Anquette
- Antique (Antique Naked Soul (singer-beatbox) (Bay Area)
- Anthabee aka Molly
- Antoinette
- Anty the Kunoichi (Japan)
- Anya
- Apani B Fly (Queens, NY)
- Apolonia (Venezuela)
- Arienna Puello (Spain)
- Ashley All Day (Bay Area)
- Audra the Rapper (Virginia Beach)
- Audry Funk (Mexico)
- Aurélie Djee – (France)
- Awkwafina (New York City)
- Ayana Soyini
- Ayeben (Turkey)
- Azealia Banks (Harlem, NY)
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- B.Steady
- Babi Mac
- Babs Bunny
- Baby Blue
- Baby J (Korea)
- Baby K (Italy)
- Bahamadia (Philadelphia)
- BdotCroc
- Beach
- Belona MC (Chile)
- Bennie K w/ Cico (Japan)
- Blazze Johnson
- Bonita Von Guard
- Boog Brown (Detroit/ Atlanta)
- Boss
- Brianna Perry
- Bridget Gray
- Brier (Japan)
- Britney Mac
- Brooke Candy (Oxnard, Ca)
- Burni Aman (South Africa)
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- Casey (France)
- Canary Sing
- Capicua
- Cassidine (west coast pioneer)
- C.Carter
- Charisma Olivia
- Charity Clay
- Charli Baltimore
- Charlotte Darat (Chile)
- Chela Simone
- Chella H
- CherriV (UK) (singer)
- Cherry (UK)
- Cherry Bang
- Chinaka Hodge (Bay Area)
- Chippy Nonstop (Dubai/ India )
- Chyna Whyte (Stephanie C)
- Ciaras Fly (Italian)
- Cihuatl Ce (Tonali)
- CL (South Korea)
- Clara Guerrero
- Class A (UK)
- Cleo & the Academics
- Climbing Poetree
- CloeyDntLove
- CoCoa Bella (Harlem, NY)
- CoCo Brown
- Coco Peila (Bay Area)
- Coma Chi (Japan)
- Combless Negro Child
- Conscious Daughters
- Cookie Crew (Suzie Q & Remedee) (UK)
- Corazon (Mexico)
- Courtney Bennett (UK)
- Crew Girl Order
- Cru Canija de Toluca
- Cymphonique
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- Da Brat
- Da 5 Footaz
- Da Killa KC
- Dallas
- DamnTeefa
- Danay Surez (Cuba)
- Dataz (Tanzania)
- Dat Youngin Shortt
- Dayra Fyah (Mexico)
- Dee MC (India)
- Deffa Heffa (Shay Shay)
- Desdamona (Minneapolis)
- Desplante (Mexico)
- Dessa (Minneapolis)
- Devine
- Devynity the MC
- DeKay (UK)
- Diamond
- Diamond the Solid One
- Diana Avella (Colombia)
- Diktadora (Mexico)
- Dima (Mexico)
- Dimepiece
- Dirty Diana
- Diva aka Keldamuzik (Bay Area)
- DJ BGirl (Seattle, Wa)
- Dominique Young Unique
- Drama Queen
- Dream MaryJane
- Dream Nefra
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- Ebony Eyez (St Louis)
- El Von Lyrik (South Africa)
- Ensilence
- Envy (UK)
- Erykah Badu (singer) (Dallas)
- Estelle (UK)
- Eternia (Canada)
- E.via (Korea)
- Eva (Nigeria)
- Eve (Philly)
- Exceela (Russia)
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- Farrah Burns
- Fawksie 1
- Female Noise (Lebanon)
- Female Takeover (UK)
- Fergie
- Finesse & Synquis
- Fiona Simone
- Floacist
- Fly Girls (Italy)
- FM Supreme
- Foxy Brown
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- Gabry E (Mexico)
- Gabylonia (Venezuala)
- Gangalee
- Gangsta Boo
- Gavlyn
- General Q
- Ghetto Twiinz
- Gia Medley
- Glam.I.Rock
- Gloss Da Boss
- Gnucci Bananas
- Goddess Alchemy Project
- God-des & She
- Godessa
- Golde London
- Goldielocks (UK)
- Goyo (ChocQuibTown) (Columbia)
- Gripsta
- Grow Diggah
- Guyana
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- HalCali (Japan)
- Hanifa Walidah
- Hard Kaur (India)
- Heather B
- Heather Hunter
- Heartsdale (Japan)
- Hedonis Da Amazon
- Hime (Japan)
- Hispana (Mexico)
- Hollis Wong Wear (Seattle/ Bay Area)
- Holly Saucy (singer)
- Honey Cocaine
- Honey The Hippie
- Hopie formerly HopieSpitshard (Bay Area)
- Hurricane G
- Hyanu (Korea)
- HyClass
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- Iggy Azelia
- Ill Camille
- Imerald Bay
- Indie LttleSky
- Inma (Mexico)
- Incksalonius (Brooklyn)
- Invincible (Detroit)
- Isis aka (Linque)
- Iveth (Mozambique)
- Ivy Queen (Puerto Rico)
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- Jackie O
- Jae Dymond
- Jahcoozi (Sahsa lead rapper) (India)
- Jay Mills
- Jazz Hudson (spoken word) (Bay Area)
- Jaz Kahina (UK)
- Jean Grae (New York)
- Jennifer Johns (singer)
- JenRo (Bay Area)
- Jessica Care Moore (spoken word) (Detroit)
- Jewelz Jlii (Atl)
- Jezzy P (Mexico)
- JJ Fad
- JNaturaL (LA)
- Josie Stingray (Bay Area)
- JRoz
- J Skye
- JusMoni
- J Ross Parelli (Bay Area)
- Julie C (Seattle)
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- Kadyelle –
- Kalae All Day
- Kanary Diamonds
- Kash Wit a K
- Kat Dahlia
- Keko (Uganda)
- Kelis
- Kellee Maize (Pittsburgh)
- Keny Arkana (France)
- Keyanna Bean (Bay Area)
- Keys
- KFlay
- Khaos Da Rapper
- Khia
- Khrissy Milan
- Kiawitl Xochitl aka Rain Flowa (Houston)
- Kid Sister (chicago)
- Kim MC (Mexico)
- Kitty Kat (Germany)
- Kitty Pryde (Florida)
- Klassy
- Kofy Brown
- Kreashshawn (Bay Area)
- Krissy Blvnko
- Krush
- K-Swift
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- Laayie (UK)
- LaBrieeze (Bay Area)
- La Bruja (spoken word) (Bronx)
- La Chat
- Ladies in the Hood (Mexico)
- Lady B
- Lady Bug Mecca
- Lady D (Italian)
- Lady Essence
- Lady Leeshur
- Lady Luck
- Lady Lykex (UK)
- Lady Paradox
- Lady of Rage
- Lady Repo
- Lady Sovereign
- Lady Tragik
- Lady Unique
- Lady Yaco (Mexico)
- Lah Tere (Chicago)
- La Jeka (Peru)
- Lana Shae
- La Prinz (Peru)
- La Rage (France)
- LA Star
- Las Damas (Peru)
- Las Krudas (Cuba)
- La Torita (Peru)
- Laura ‘Piece’ Kelly
- Lauryn Hill
- Laysia Pariee
- Leazzy (Mexico)
- Lecca (Japan)
- Le Gal (Italy)
- Leki
- Lene Bak
- Les Nubians (France) (singers)
- Lil Ai (Japan)
- Lil’ B w/ Aila (Japan)
- Lil Debbie
- Liliana “Li” Saumet (Bomba Estereo) (Columbia)
- Lil Kim
- Lilla Namo (Sweden)
- Lil London (UK)
- Lil Mama
- Lioness (UK)
- Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes
- Lola Monroe
- Loop Loona (Italy)
- Lore’L
- L’Trimm
- Lucia Vargas (Columbia)
- Luminous Flux
- Luz Reality
- Lyrispect (spoken word)(Philly)
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- M1ss MC (Ukrain)
- Mac Bre Z
- Macromantics (Australia)
- Mada Rocka
- Madame Rapper
- Madame Wu
- Mad-Lines (Seattle/ Bay Area)
- Mahasin (Bay Area)
- Mahogany Jones
- Maimouna Youssef (Washington DC)
- Magia MC (Cuba)
- Makiza (Chile)
- Malaisa (Italian)
- Mala Rodriguez (Spain)
- Malikah (Lebanon)
- Mama Sol
- Mamaz
- Mami Mafia (Russia)
- Mare (Mexico)
- Maria Isa (Minneapolis-St Paul)
- Marz Lovejoy
- Marvaless
- Masia One
- Maya La Insana (Mexico)
- Mayam Mahoud (Egypt)
- MC Adi (Mexico)
- MC Chickaboo (UK)
- MC Flaca (Mexico)
- MC Grace (Mexico)
- MC Jana (Columbia)
- MC Liz (Mexico)
- MC Lucious
- MC Lyte
- MC Manmeet Kaur (India)
- MC Nina (Mexico)
- MC Romika (Mexico)
- MC Taty (Mexico)
- MC Zad aka Diana Rock (Mexico)
- Mecca Starr
- Medusa the Gangsta Goddess
- Mel
- Melina Jones (San Francisco)
- Melissa Czarnik
- Mellie Mel the Punchline Queen
- Mercedes Ladies (pioneers)
- Mestiza MC ( Venezuela)
- M.I.A. (sri Lanka)
- Mia X
- Mia Lone
- Mik Brown
- Miki Vale
- Miranda Writes
- Miryam (Senegal)
- Miryo (Korea)
- Miski (UK)
- Miss2Much
- Miss A (Korean)
- Miss Haze
- Miss Koko Loko
- Miss Monday (Japan)
- Miss Nana
- Miss Precious
- Miss Red
- Miss Simpatia (Italy)
- Missy Elliot
- Miz Korona
- Mo’ Wiley
- Ms Be
- Ms Dynamite
- Ms Fit
- Ms Haze
- Ms. Jade
- Ms Melodie
- Ms Scandalous (UK)
- Ms Temps (UK)
- Molly Gruesome
- Monie Love
- Moon’A (France)
- Moona (Senegal)
- Moyenei (chile)
- Muma Doesa (Australia)
- Muneka (Mexico)
- Mykki Blanco
- Mystic (Bay Area)
- Mystic Blu (spoken word)
- Mz Bratt (UK)
- Mz Peaches
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- Narubi Selah (Brooklyn)
- Naya
- Neblinna (Dominican Republic)
- Nefertiti
- Nefftys (Mexico)
- Nejeri Earth
- Neneh Cherry
- Nicki Manaj
- Nikki D
- Nikki NTU
- Nina Dioz (Mexico)
- Nisha Rockstar
- Nitty ScottMC
- Nola Darling
- No Lay (UK)
- Nonchalant
- Nora (Italian)
- Norisiam X (Japan)
- NuNu Blass
- Nya
- Nyemiah Supreme
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- Oaktown 3-5-7
- Oh Blimey
- Oum (Morocco) (singer)
- Overweight Pooch
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- Paigey Cakey (UK)
- Paradigm Shift (P.S)
- Pascal (UK)
- Patty Dukes
- Paula Perry
- Pebbly Poo (pioneer)
- Perseph One
- Persia (Iran/San Jose)
- Persia
- Phayme
- Phia La’mour
- Plane Jane
- Phoenix Flame
- Poetic Pilgrimage (UK)
- Poetess
- Por Razones (Mexico)
- Priceless (UK)
- Princess
- Princess Leah
- Psalm One
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- Queen Deelah
- Queen Godis
- Queen Kandi Cole
- Queen Latifah
- Queen Lisa Lee (pioneer)
- Queen Mother Rage
- Queen Nasim
- Queen of Ex
- Queen Pen
- Queens D Light (ThemHellas) (Bay Area)
- Queen S (France)
- QSlimz (Nigeria)
- Queen T (UK)
- Queen Universe
- Queen Yonasda
- Quintescence
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- Rabbit
- Rabia Rivera (Mexico)
- Rah Digga
- Rapsody (North Carolina)
- Rappin’ Granny
- Rasheeda
- RAtheMC
- Rawality Thy Soldieress (UK)
- Raw G (Mexico / US)
- RD (Uk)
- Real Jay Mills
- Real One
- Real Roxanne
- Reema Major
- Remy Ma
- Rena (Poland)
- Reverie
- Rha Goddess
- Rinko (Japan)
- Rita J
- Robin Micz
- Rocky Rivera (Bay Area)
- Rosa Ana (Dutch)
- Rose Eleven
- Roxanne Shante
- RoxXxan (UK)
- Ruby Ibara (Bay Area)
- Ruff Diamondz aka RD (UK)
- Rye Rye
- Ryan Nicole
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- Sasha Go Hard
- Saliha (France)
- Salome MC (Iran)
- Salt-N-Pepa
- Samsaya (Indian) (singer)
- Sa-Roc
- Sarah Jones (spoken word) (New York)
- Sassy V (Veronica)
- SB Vibes
- Schizo
- Secret (Korea)
- Selma Rosa (France)
- Sequence
- Shadia Mansour (Palenstine/UK)
- Shady Jones
- Sha’Key
- Sha Mecca
- Shameema ‘Shame’ Williams (South Africa)
- Shantall (Mexico)
- Sha-Rock (pioneer)
- Shawnna
- Shay D (UK)
- Shellz
- Shortie No Mas
- Shula (Mexico)
- Shystie (UK)
- Shy Lady Heroin
- SigNif
- Silk E
- Silvia Amal (Mexico)
- Simone Nia Rae
- Sistah Hailstorm
- Sistah Nais – (Jamaica)
- Sisters of the Underground (New Zealand)
- Sirah
- Siren’s Echo
- Sister Fa (Senegal/GE)
- Sista Souljah
- Siya
- Skaya (Russia)
- Skrilla UGQ (UK)
- Sky Sapiens (Peru)
- Smooth
- Snow Tha Product (San Jose, Cali, Fort Worth, Tx)
- Sole
- Somaya Reese
- Sonja Blade
- Sony and Mony (Spain)
- Sonya C
- Sookee (Germany)
- Sookie
- Soom T (Glascow)
- Soultana (Morocco)
- Souna Rap (Morocco)
- Speech Debelle (UK)
- StayceyAnn Chin (spoken word) (Brooklyn)
- Stacy Epps (singer)
- StaHHr (Atlanta)
- Stasi Quinn
- Suga T (Bay Area)
- Suga Wuga (Spain)
- Suheir Hammad (spoken word) (Brooklyn/Palestinian)
- Suni MF Solomon
- Sweet Tee
- Shawnna (Chicago)
- Syla (Spain)
- Sylk E Fyne
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- Tairre B
- Tan Matthews (UK)
- Tange Lomax (Charlotte, NC)
- Tasha P
- Temper
- Tenochititlan
- Teyanna Taylor
- Tequila
- The Bobby Effect (Bay Area)
- TheeSatisfaction
- Tigress Flow (Morocco)
- Tiffany Fox
- Tiff The Gift
- Tiye Phoenix
- T-Love
- T’nah Apex
- Toni Blackman
- Toni Monroe
- Toodie(VulleyGurlMusic)
- Top Dime
- Trina
- Tru aka II Tru
- Tru Bloo (Bay Area)
- True Jones
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- UK Female Allstars
- U-Neek
- Ursula Rucker (spoken word)(Philly)
- Uzoy
- Vaitea (Italy)
- Vaelua Jay
- Valley Gurl
- Vannya (Mexico)
- Vanessa German (spoken word) (Pittsburgh)
- Vel the Wonder
- Vicky Green
- Vicky MC (Mexico)
- Vida Killz
- Vision Complex (Nina Barreta) (Cali)
- Vita
- V-Nasty
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- Wanda Dee (pioneer)
- Wee Papa Girls (UK)
- Weird MC (Nigeria)
- Whitney Peyton
- Wonder Girls (Korea)
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- Ximbo (Mexico)
- Yarah Bravo
- Yodo Shis
- Yolandi Visser (Die Antwoord) (South Africa)
- Yoli & T-Fly
- Yo Majesty
- Yoon Mirae (Korea)
- YoYo (LA)
- Yugen Blakrock (East Africa)
- Zanillya (Germany)
- Zeidah (Mexic0)
- Zha Zha Couture
- Ziuta (Poland)
- Zpa Con (Mexico)
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Posse Cuts
Team Backpack female Cypher #2
Rocky Rivera, Plane Jane, Oh Blimey, Raven Sorina ‘Girlz Rmx‘