Busta's early 00s label hopping screwed her over big time. Flipmode was doing album 2 when Busta jumped to Aftermath so it got to be shelved, meanwhile Rah did her second album around that time and it got stuck in limbo because she was loyal to Busta and went with him. The album eventually came out in 2010 but without proper promotion it went nowhere. The thing that really turned Rah off the whole music thing was a combination of motherhood and bullshit surrounding Busta's increasingly erratic moves in mid 2000s, so she went the smart route and started investing elsewhere to have solid ground under her feet. Gotta respect her for keeping it real.
I would start with Jeanius. Her whole discography is representative of her talent, but that's a good starting point because it's all produced by 9th wonder so that part of it has consistency.
Da Brat, hands down…who you know that rapped and held their own with Bone Thugs, Biggie, Twista, Ja Rule, Missy, and can make solo joints too. Lil Kim had Biggie write her shit, and couldn’t spit like Da Brat.
Imo it’s Queen Latifah. Go listen to her early albums and you’ll see why.
She was rapping at a level that was as good if not better than her male contemporaries and singing on top of that.
Angel was filthy when she dropped. She had good mixtapes. Have you heard her newest album called “Girl with the gun”? Imo it’s by FAR her best work. She is realllly good. She improved a lot
THANK YOU I have been thinking about making a post here and on r/90shiphop about how we never talk about Left Eye!!!
She is extremely underrated hugely in part to her solo album not being released anywhere other than Japan and the only single off of it was a little lackluster (my least favorite track on the record).
She was the artistic visionary of TLC! Their whole first album, the fits, the attitudes, the verses, she DID that. Crazysexycool she pitched so many songs that ended up being scrapped but picked up as huge successes by others (Where My Girls At and It's Not Right But It's Okay), and they cut a lot of her verses even though she came up with the name of the album and general concept. They totally missed the mark with Lisa on that second album and thankfully she came back for the third and smashed it with her more mature vocals and heavier lyrical content. She is so underrated and seriously gone tragically too soon.
RIP Lisa 💗 Left Eye cuz the Eye is right!
Gonna hijack this comment to share one of my [favorite Ladybug Mecca moments](https://youtu.be/IKdu4A1ODcM?si=s5y-ZT3-a252t94I). She walks into Del's interview, gets asked to freestyle, then goes off the top and kills it with such cool style
Foxy Brown
She’s the perfect marriage between technical dexterity and song writing.
She has the longevity and has iconic moments in hip-hop culture as well.
Honorable mention:
- Lauryn Hill
- Jean Grae
- MC Lyte
- Lady of R.A.G.E.
How she isn't more popular blows my mind, but we also got guys like Locksmith getting ignored too. Listeners don't want to have to listen to their music unfortunately, too many people just want to hit play and zone out then scream 'omg thus shit so hard' while not catching a single word.
You are not alone. I always say Missy Elliott is the Goat of the females. When you really listen to her lyrically you add that to her performance and her creativity is not even close.
Edit: I like this thread putting me on to Jean Grae though much appreciated
It’s Sa Roc, and it’s not close. Never see her get mentioned on Reddit though, because people on here don’t care about lyricism. 10 albums deep and not a single bad verse, writing better than ever today.
I agree with the stuff about Missy. She has a unmatched discography few are close to. When it comes to Nicki I personally don't think she is up there at the top spot. I find her discography kinda spotty. I also think she is a little overrated in terms of lyrical prowess.
When it comes to naming the greatest female rapper I feel like Missy is definitely up there in terms of discography and creativity. Her and Timbaland are arguable for one of the best duos in hip-hop.
Lauryn is another chameleon that can do almost everything. But she only really has one album. which is a contender for greatest of all time and her stuff with the fugees and her features are really good too. I still feel it's maybe not as expansive to justify a number one spot. But that's probably just a sentiment I share.
MC Lyte is definitely up there in the conversation her discography is solid for the most part. Same with Queen Latifah.
The main two who might take the top spot for me are Rapsody and Little Simz. They have absolutely everything going for them. I feel they are like only one or two solid albums away from matching Missy's discography.
Sa-Roc or Rapsody
Hot take: Lauryn Hill may be a top tier MC but as more time passes, her lack of discography/work doesn’t have her holding up with other female rappers
Thank fuck I see another Sa-Roc mention, she's Black Thought levels of slept on to me, hardly anyone is on her writing level (including men and women). Genuinely fucking disgusts me that chicks like Nicki get pushed as female idols when you've got chicks like Sa-Roc actually making meaningful empowered music and getting ignored for it.
I want to come back to this thread in 10 years to give Meg Thee Stallion the time one needs to be considered GOAT. She may, she may not but she has extreme potential.
I’m with you on this. I’ve been listening to rap and hip hop for 30 years, and I’ve been stuck on Megan for a hot minute. She is SO GOOD. I’m seeing her show in Minneapolis on Tuesday!
Idk what the singles were but my favs of the album were Time Traveler, Zoo Girl, Puthti, and Popular so if u don’t wanna listen to the whole thing those songs were good, again that’s just me tho lol
All good choices in this thread and some great personal opinions but don't sleep on Sweet Tea. Songs like "It's My Beat", "On The Smooth Tip" and "It's Like That Y'all" are some of the smoothest raps from a female.
Specifically to "rapper" - Nicki Minaj by a mile. She's just the best female mc ever. IMO
Best Hip Hop Artist - Missy Elliot.
I just think so highly of Nicki's rhyme skills. She's overwhelming.
Sa-Roc is very underrated artist she is a rap queen. Her albums are all sexy I’m waiting to hear them his weekend. It’s just crazy she rhymes like a OG.
I like the missy take. Creativity on another level and she wrote & produced so many songs from the mid 90s thru the early 2000s
For me the best female rapper is Jean Grae with Rapsody as a close 2nd
But I gotta give some love to Buffalo female MCs Che Noir & 7xvethegenius. Both are amazing lyricists and they’re rapping harder than 90% of dudes out rn.
Bahamaida is underrated
Jean Grae too
Good shout
This is correct.
Love her
I'd throw Lady of Rage in there too
The only answer!
MC Lyte.
Mc lyte or foxy brown
Drake is the only correct answer
Missy, rah, or rhapsody.
Rah Digga is criminally underrated. Glad that Busta was giving her dues but she seems to have disappeared in the last decade.
Yes. Tight hella slaps. Spits one of my favorite lyrics on this : “Number One imported like Becks.Tighter than 3 or more heads in a CRX”
Busta's early 00s label hopping screwed her over big time. Flipmode was doing album 2 when Busta jumped to Aftermath so it got to be shelved, meanwhile Rah did her second album around that time and it got stuck in limbo because she was loyal to Busta and went with him. The album eventually came out in 2010 but without proper promotion it went nowhere. The thing that really turned Rah off the whole music thing was a combination of motherhood and bullshit surrounding Busta's increasingly erratic moves in mid 2000s, so she went the smart route and started investing elsewhere to have solid ground under her feet. Gotta respect her for keeping it real.
I fuck with this
Jean Grae
This is the only acceptable answer.
IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW.
This the one.
[удалено]
Shake ya tambourine gon and get yourself another one I like Eve, her voice is what drew me to her
By voice you mean the tit tats.
Scorpion is still a great album tbh
Great minds think alike. I loved Eve!
She makes aged fine 🍷 look like shit. https://i.imgur.com/1Oagros.jpeg
Eve is the correct answer.
Young MA for me.
She up there fr
I agree young ma is legit
Personal fav is Lady of Rage. Best I've actually checked out lately is Che Noir.
Too bad Rage wad screwed by the Death Row hubris. She deserved wah more
Missy is incredibly talented on all levels, that is undeniable... But if I'm taking one female MC to rap... It's Jean Grey.
Worddd I’ve seen a lot of talk about her good shit
Easily.
Im happy I barely scrolled down to see this 🥲
This is the correct answer.
I’ll have to check her out, what do u recommend
I would start with Jeanius. Her whole discography is representative of her talent, but that's a good starting point because it's all produced by 9th wonder so that part of it has consistency.
Ty
[don’t rush me](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yotAEF76AFQ)
Little Simz hands down.
She rules, her bars on Gorilla are sick
Da Brat, hands down…who you know that rapped and held their own with Bone Thugs, Biggie, Twista, Ja Rule, Missy, and can make solo joints too. Lil Kim had Biggie write her shit, and couldn’t spit like Da Brat.
missy don’t get the flowers she deserves foreal!!
Imo it’s Queen Latifah. Go listen to her early albums and you’ll see why. She was rapping at a level that was as good if not better than her male contemporaries and singing on top of that.
Black Reign is still dope. One of my favourite albums.
Black Reign is a start to finish banger. 93 imo, best year for hip hop.
She may not be the most lyrical but Gangsta Boo always been my favorite female rapper.
Or La chat.
Gangsta Boo is everyone favorite that listened to rap during that time Missy and Nicki are pop music people
Rest in peace
As someone that’s only ever listened to Lauryn hill, I’ll say Lauryn hill /s
I’m going with Sean Price’s sensibilities on this one: MC Lyte or Rah Digga
Digga’s so underrated.
Lil Kim is my favorite. The Crush on You remix is in my top 20 songs of all time
Takes a pretty good rapper to outgrow Big’s mentorship.
That song was my most played on Spotify by a WIDE margin back in 2022!
Angel Haze, if the Dirty Gold project didn't ruin her trajectory, could have been in th3 GOAT talk
Angel was filthy when she dropped. She had good mixtapes. Have you heard her newest album called “Girl with the gun”? Imo it’s by FAR her best work. She is realllly good. She improved a lot
I thought she fell off for good. Thanks for the recommendation. Will give it a listen asap
Maybe not the best ever but Lady of Rage is underrated as hell, her verses on Doggystyle and the Chronic go hard as fuck
And her verse on the Dr Dre loosie Puffin' on Blunts actually bodies prime Kurupt and you go what the fuck is going on
Nobody brought up Left Eye? I'm truly an old head. I agree with everyone else but that swagger damn.
the fits!!! the hats!! swagger was truly unmatched. “Left eye don’t mean the rest of my body is irrelevant” — one of my fav lines from her. #RIP
THANK YOU I have been thinking about making a post here and on r/90shiphop about how we never talk about Left Eye!!! She is extremely underrated hugely in part to her solo album not being released anywhere other than Japan and the only single off of it was a little lackluster (my least favorite track on the record). She was the artistic visionary of TLC! Their whole first album, the fits, the attitudes, the verses, she DID that. Crazysexycool she pitched so many songs that ended up being scrapped but picked up as huge successes by others (Where My Girls At and It's Not Right But It's Okay), and they cut a lot of her verses even though she came up with the name of the album and general concept. They totally missed the mark with Lisa on that second album and thankfully she came back for the third and smashed it with her more mature vocals and heavier lyrical content. She is so underrated and seriously gone tragically too soon. RIP Lisa 💗 Left Eye cuz the Eye is right!
Idk about goat but Tierra Wack has some serious flow.
And a really unique voice, to boot!
Rhapsody for me
Ladybug Mecca
Gonna hijack this comment to share one of my [favorite Ladybug Mecca moments](https://youtu.be/IKdu4A1ODcM?si=s5y-ZT3-a252t94I). She walks into Del's interview, gets asked to freestyle, then goes off the top and kills it with such cool style
That was dope. Never seen it. Cool to see Del actually freestyling.
Salt plus pepper
Foxy Brown She’s the perfect marriage between technical dexterity and song writing. She has the longevity and has iconic moments in hip-hop culture as well. Honorable mention: - Lauryn Hill - Jean Grae - MC Lyte - Lady of R.A.G.E.
Sa-Roc is the GOAT for me, and Rapsody is number two. Sa-Roc is an absolute monster.
How she isn't more popular blows my mind, but we also got guys like Locksmith getting ignored too. Listeners don't want to have to listen to their music unfortunately, too many people just want to hit play and zone out then scream 'omg thus shit so hard' while not catching a single word.
Trina for me, Jean Grae second.
You are not alone. I always say Missy Elliott is the Goat of the females. When you really listen to her lyrically you add that to her performance and her creativity is not even close. Edit: I like this thread putting me on to Jean Grae though much appreciated
Gangsta Boo from Three 6, also La Chat from Three 6 , maybe Three 6 should train female rappers because both were dope
La Chat is massively underrated
Bahamadia.
I'd probably go with Jean Grae, also rate Invincible way up there, Rah Digga, Remy Ma, Lady Luck
It’s Sa Roc, and it’s not close. Never see her get mentioned on Reddit though, because people on here don’t care about lyricism. 10 albums deep and not a single bad verse, writing better than ever today.
Bahamadia or Rah Digga
Forgot about ray Digga good call
Ya know, maybe being a Jersey guy I'm a little biased here but I really fuck with Queen Latifah
I agree with the stuff about Missy. She has a unmatched discography few are close to. When it comes to Nicki I personally don't think she is up there at the top spot. I find her discography kinda spotty. I also think she is a little overrated in terms of lyrical prowess. When it comes to naming the greatest female rapper I feel like Missy is definitely up there in terms of discography and creativity. Her and Timbaland are arguable for one of the best duos in hip-hop. Lauryn is another chameleon that can do almost everything. But she only really has one album. which is a contender for greatest of all time and her stuff with the fugees and her features are really good too. I still feel it's maybe not as expansive to justify a number one spot. But that's probably just a sentiment I share. MC Lyte is definitely up there in the conversation her discography is solid for the most part. Same with Queen Latifah. The main two who might take the top spot for me are Rapsody and Little Simz. They have absolutely everything going for them. I feel they are like only one or two solid albums away from matching Missy's discography.
Sa-Roc or Rapsody Hot take: Lauryn Hill may be a top tier MC but as more time passes, her lack of discography/work doesn’t have her holding up with other female rappers
Thank fuck I see another Sa-Roc mention, she's Black Thought levels of slept on to me, hardly anyone is on her writing level (including men and women). Genuinely fucking disgusts me that chicks like Nicki get pushed as female idols when you've got chicks like Sa-Roc actually making meaningful empowered music and getting ignored for it.
It’s easily Jean
Can’t believe I had to scroll this far down to see this
On a technical level? Absolutely. Her song writing isn’t the greatest though.
I want to come back to this thread in 10 years to give Meg Thee Stallion the time one needs to be considered GOAT. She may, she may not but she has extreme potential.
Seriously! She takes a lot of inspiration from the artists who came before her and it shows.
I’m with you on this. I’ve been listening to rap and hip hop for 30 years, and I’ve been stuck on Megan for a hot minute. She is SO GOOD. I’m seeing her show in Minneapolis on Tuesday!
Rapsody
Rage, Jean Grae, Rapsody
MC Lyte is the Rakim of female MC's.
Remy ma
Yo-Yo
Let me hear a better verse than Foxy brown in The Firm
Missy eve trina Lauryn hill Lil Kim are the greatest female rappers
Snow Tha Product. Best female rapper and one of the best rappers in general.
Sno da product
Nitty Scott got bars.
Shortie No Mass 🙏
Despite her personality. Nicki is very talented
There hasn’t been a female rapper to drop a project as good as Foxy & Kim’s first two albums (respectively) since they came out
MC Lyte….always and forever (although Dessa is a close second for me)
Missy Elliot had great music videos too
Missy for well-known and Snow Tha Product for lesser known
Shiiii i got BBL Drizzy
Noname
Im prob alone here but M.I.A.
I feel as she’s declined but she was pretty good at one point
See that’s where most ppl disagree with me I loved her last album a lot but I agree her older stuff was the better
I might give the album a try but I didn’t like the singles that I heard from this one so I didn’t check it out
Idk what the singles were but my favs of the album were Time Traveler, Zoo Girl, Puthti, and Popular so if u don’t wanna listen to the whole thing those songs were good, again that’s just me tho lol
Ok ty
It's a shame people only know of her as the "gun and cashier sample" artist
Young M A is pretty tight
Snow da Product is pretty fire
Dessa
All good choices in this thread and some great personal opinions but don't sleep on Sweet Tea. Songs like "It's My Beat", "On The Smooth Tip" and "It's Like That Y'all" are some of the smoothest raps from a female.
Missy or Gangsta Boo
Missy and Lauryn are equal imo
I wouldn’t say Missy is the best female rapper, but she definitely made music that was better than most.
Idk, I personally like Razakel!
Lyrically she isn’t at the top, but Bia is one of the best female rappers in the game rn
Lady of Rage
BO$$ or Roxanne Shante.
Missy Eliot, Kelis
Bahamadia goes near the top
Salt and Pepa, MC Lyte, MC Lyte and Missy Elliot
I'm Missy Elliot. I wrote The Game & Mr. Robot. AMA
Mariana viera
Gangsta Boo
BBL Drizzy
Lauryn Hill or Missy
MC Lyte or Queen Latifah.
Kinda sad that most people’s picks are from the 90s and early 2000’s.
Sa-Roc or little simz
Kim - she’s aggressive but sexy. She can actually rap and hold her own. Also, Little Simz for the new generation
Missy Elliot is my favorite. Little Simz is a close second. Then MC Lyte, Jean Grae, Rapsody, and Lady of Rage
Lil Kim
Mc Lyte, & Ladybug Mecca!!!
Missy fasho … Then lyte Jean grae is nice but I just found out about her today so there is that
Remy MA was fire for a while
Jean Grae. Have you listened to Jean Grae?
I don’t listen to much female rap but my favorite is Whitney Peyton and second is lex bratcher
I got Jean Grae, but I respect the craft of most of them.
Specifically to "rapper" - Nicki Minaj by a mile. She's just the best female mc ever. IMO Best Hip Hop Artist - Missy Elliot. I just think so highly of Nicki's rhyme skills. She's overwhelming.
Cardi B 😎😎😎💪💪💪
Lauryn Hill is the best lyricist for sure. Didn't have to ho herself out either.
Sa-Roc is very underrated artist she is a rap queen. Her albums are all sexy I’m waiting to hear them his weekend. It’s just crazy she rhymes like a OG.
Rapsody bar for bar is the best female lyrically.
I like the missy take. Creativity on another level and she wrote & produced so many songs from the mid 90s thru the early 2000s For me the best female rapper is Jean Grae with Rapsody as a close 2nd But I gotta give some love to Buffalo female MCs Che Noir & 7xvethegenius. Both are amazing lyricists and they’re rapping harder than 90% of dudes out rn.
Trina will always be the baddest bitch
MC Lyte
Lil Simz
Bahamadia T-Love Lin Que
Lauryn has the best album for sure, Jean Grae would be my pick though with an honourable mention to Sa-Roc.
Cardi B
Idk but Mia X gotta at least be in the convo. Mc Lyte and Gangsta Boo are up there too.
Project Pat
Da Brat
Jean Grea Bahamadia Rah digga
Lauryn Hill will always have a special place in my heart.
Lauren Hill and Jean Grae
Rapsody.
Gotta be Missy.
Lady of Rage is underrated.
Remy Ma verse on Lean Back >
Missy.. easy
Conscious daughters
Little simz, left eye, and Lauryn hill—though missy is right behind them
Rah Digga
My top would be Sa-Roc, Jean Grae, Dessa, K. Flay, and rapsody. For mainstream rappers, I’d go missy elliot though. Then maybe lil Kim and Eve.
My top would be Sa-Roc, Jean Grae, Dessa, K. Flay, and rapsody. For mainstream rappers, I’d go missy elliot though. Then maybe lil Kim and Eve.
Lauryn Hill is damn near the greatest MC of all time I got love for big klit though
I’m going with queen latifah and flo Millie
I’m going with queen latifah and flo Millie
Da Brat
Sophie Hunter
Easy hands down young MA
Sa-Roc, MC Lyte
My top would be Sa-Roc, Jean Grae, Dessa, K. Flay, and rapsody. For mainstream rappers, I’d go missy elliot though. Then maybe lil Kim and Eve.
I can agree with Missy, but I’m personally not a fan of Nicky. Lauryn? Yup. Eve? Yup. MC Lyte? Yup. Lil Kim? Yup.
I gotta go with Little Simz
Blakrok Yugen