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Steve Jennings / Contributor by way of Getty Photographs, Paras Griffin / Contributor by way of Getty Photographs, and Paras Griffin / Contributor by way of Getty Photographs
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Megan Thee Stallion, Doechii and GloRilla
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Anybody who thought Hip Hop’s main girls have been going to decelerate after breaking into the trade clearly wasn’t paying consideration.
2024 was a 12 months of nonstop flexes for the women: Nicki Minaj reminded everybody why she’s nonetheless untouchable, GloRilla proved her rise was no fluke and Doechii positioned herself as rap’s subsequent massive star with Alligator Bites By no means Heal. On the similar time, Megan Thee Stallion gave the style a blueprint for dominating the scene with out a main label backing. There have been lots extra artists who made their mark, together with Latto, Sexyy Pink and Anycia.
In 2025, the vitality is totally different, the stakes are increased and — if the earlier years are any indication — feminine rap is primed for an even bigger and higher period. Rap-Up rounded up 14 girls shaping Hip Hop proper now.
1. Nicki Minaj
It goes with out saying that a lot of the girls on this record wouldn’t be right here with out Minaj. She carried feminine rap on her again for over a decade at a time when the trade wasn’t precisely rolling out the purple carpet for Black girls in Hip Hop — and even girls basically. Her record-breaking debut, Pink Friday, gave us hits like “Roman’s Revenge,” “Tremendous Bass” and “Second 4 Life,” whereas subsequent albums like The Pinkprint and Queen solely cemented her reign. Although she’s had her moments — “Massive Foot” and her many, many run-ins with petty trolls — it’s onerous to think about there being a lot of a marketplace for feminine rap if not for Minaj.
2. GloRilla
“Get ’em, Glo! Get ’em, Glo!” Memphis, Tennessee has by no means fallen quick on rap legends, and for the previous a number of years, GloRilla has been proving she’s subsequent in line. Since her polarizing breakout with Hitkidd, “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” the roaring Leo has proven time and time once more why she’s not one to underestimate — whether or not by means of going bar-for-bar together with her contemporaries or holding her personal on any stage. Her debut album, GLORIOUS, spawned fan favorites like “TGIF,” “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” and “I LUV HER,” however extra importantly, it confirmed how far she’s come since In any case, Life’s Nice… and Ehhthang Ehhthang.
3. Doechii
Let’s give a spherical of applause for the third lady in rap historical past to win Finest Rap Album. In a style the place lyricism has, for higher or worse, taken a backseat, Doechii is revitalizing its presence in rap. The Grammy Award-winning Alligator Bites By no means Heal noticed the self-coined Swamp Princess affirming her self-worth on “BLOOM,” paying homage to old-school Hip Hop on “BOILED PEANUTS” and exhibiting her duality on “DENIAL IS A RIVER.”
On her 2024 single “MPH,” she places it plainly: “I may give them the acutely aware s**t, however I am too busy giving them c**t.” With a High Dawg Leisure backing and excessive vogue already taking discover, Doechii’s music may very properly set the precedent for the following technology of Hip Hop stars.
4. Megan Thee Stallion
Megan has a namesake that speaks for itself. At 5’10”, she’s taller than “your favourite rapper” and may most likely outrap most of them, too. Her Tina Snow EP launched “Freak Nasty” and “Massive Ole Freak,” each of which may nonetheless maintain their very own towards at this time’s hits, even half a decade later. Since then, the Texas rapper’s star energy has solely gone up, with Good Information and MEGAN amplifying her plain attain and presence.
5. Cardi B
As the primary lady in rap historical past to go diamond a number of occasions, Cardi B’s profession got here on the excellent time. Her Invasion of Privateness is debatably top-of-the-line albums to return out of the 2010s. It housed the “Bodak Yellow” — which as soon as held the title of longest-running No. 1 by a feminine rapper on the Billboard Sizzling 100 — the Latin-infused “I Like It,” and one of many New York phenomenon’s most susceptible choices, “Be Cautious,” amongst many extra.
The Bronx native’s ever-growing function run suggests her sophomore album will ship on all the pieces she’s promised, plus some. At any time when she decides to bless us is TBD, however we’re relying on 2025.
6. Latto
Past her visitor appearances and collaborations with a number of rising and established artists, Latto additionally recruited an all-star solid for her third and arguably finest studio album, Sugar Honey Iced Tea. “Put It On Da Ground Once more” noticed her and Cardi B tag-teaming punctuating snares and bass, Megan and Flo Milli hopped on her viral “Sunday Service,” and the Atlanta native holds her personal on choices like “Brokey” and “Massive Mama.” Even earlier than then, she maintained a agency maintain on the style with “B**ch From Da Souf,” “Muwop” and the Mariah Carey-approved “Massive Vitality.”
7. Doja Cat
Although she usually finds herself at house within the pop style, Doja Cat’s roots are unmistakably Hip Hop. She has properly over a dozen cult favorites to again it up, too: “Guidelines,” “Get Into It (Yuh),” “Consideration” and lots of extra. Along with her Scarlet period within the rearview and Vie ready within the wings, Doja Cat stays probably the most inescapable forces in music.
8. JT
JT didn’t waste any time proving she may stand on her personal after Metropolis Ladies’ break up. Followers bought an early style with “JT First Day Out” and RAW’s “No Bars,” however 2024’s “Sideways” and “OKAY” made it clear the Florida native has no restrict. As a solo artist, the Miami native is extra confident, slightly wiser and totally accountable for her sound. She put all of that on show together with her debut mixtape, Metropolis Cinderella, which landed at No. 27 on the Billboard 200 chart.
9. Sexyy Pink
Some name her Trina reincarnated, she calls herself the “Feminine Gucci Mane,” however one factor’s for positive: Sexyy Pink is answerable for a number of the raunchiest music Hip Hop has seen post-pandemic. Her well-known “My coochie pink, my bootyhole brown” line on “Pound City” made that crystal clear, and the Hood Hottest Princess creator solely doubled down on her wild antics and unfiltered bravado. Adore it or hate it, the St. Louis rapper talks her speak — regardless of who’s pressed about it.
10. Ice Spice
Like most of the artists talked about earlier, Ice Spice may simply declare possession of a motion, or, at minimal, she rode one so effortlessly it grew to become synonymous together with her. She got here out swinging with “Munch (Feelin’ U),” adopted by “In Ha Temper,” “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” with PinkPantheress and “Princess Diana” that includes Minaj. The entire aforementioned tracks helped deliver rise to New York’s attractive drill, a subgenre she roughly delivered to Y2K! whereas sprinkling in her personal innovation.
11. Flo Milli
After gaining consideration for “Beef FloMix” and “In The Social gathering,” Alabama powerhouse Flo Milli has steadily constructed her profession with extra hits, together with Child Tate collaboration “I Am” and the mega-viral success “By no means Lose Me.” Feminine rap — and stan tradition’s unending seek for the following artist to obsess over — strikes quick, and each period appears to demand a brand new frontrunner. Flo Milli has positioned herself in each strategy to take that spot.
12. Coi Leray
When discussing girls in Hip Hop, folks are inclined to overlook Coi Leray’s grip on TikTok through the pandemic — “No Extra Events,” “BIG PURR (Prrdd)” and “TWINNEM” have been in every single place. Nevertheless, the soon-to-be mom of 1 deserves her flowers, too. Certain, she will not be pulling the identical numbers as she did at her peak, however her current music feels extra grown-up, true to herself and, as she places it, “attractive.” That each one comes by means of in Lemon Vehicles, executive-produced by Mike WiLL Made-It, and What Occurred To Ceaselessly?, on which she cycles by means of the numerous phases of heartbreak.
13. Tierra Whack
Certainly one of Philadelphia’s most interesting, Tierra Whack has consistently reinvented herself by means of LPs like Whack World and WORLD WIDE WHACK, the latter being her debut album of six years within the making. The “Solely Little one” artist’s means to meld humor, vulnerability and quirky brilliance into one thing completely her personal is strictly what retains her in a league of her personal.
14. Anycia
A wholesome share of Hip Hop’s favourite artists come from Atlanta, and Anycia is properly on her strategy to becoming a member of that legacy. Her raspy supply on “BRB” set the stage for a Kevin Durant co-sign, and hits like “SPLASH BROTHERS” with KARRAHBOOO and “ATM” make her one other artist to look at. Protected to say, Anycia isn’t going wherever, particularly after the Latto-assisted “BACK OUTSIDE,” which landed on her commanding debut, PRINCESS POP THAT.