Rap Women ARE CREATIVE

4 Rap Women Who Are Creative Juggernauts

There is often an emphasis on women rappers for their bars (or lack of bars——Ice Spice they been dragging you girlie), their bodies, or their relationships. The last few years have seen a meteoric rise in women who rap and command an audience. They outpace male rappers in cultivating a following, choreography, and building kick-ass branding. This post highlights some of my favorite (newish) women who rap particularly for their creative branding.

Some women in the list below tell their stories through clothing, others through their music videos, and some are better at stage performances than others. However, each has brought a unique twist to their brand that extends past just rhyming over a catchy beat and looking cute. I hope to revisit each and give a deeper dive into their full creative expression, but; for now, here’s a short list and summary.


1. Meg Thee Stallion

The queen of the Hotties is currently rolling out her new album. Meg is an undeniable anime nerd as is often demonstrated by her consistent anime references. She recently showed her nerdy ways in her latest single “Boa”. Although I was not super impressed with the song, the visuals were video game-themed, referencing several pop cultural staples including Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, and One Piece. I’ll be the first to admit that Megan’s last few albums have not resonated with me like Tina Snow but the current roll-out for this project has been wonderful to watch. 

While I’ve had reservations about Megan’s recent rap albums (her freestyles are still fire) I’m excited by how visually and thematically cohesive the releases have been lately. The snake theme being reimagined and reworked is actually pretty cool and I hope the album sonically reflects that level of dynamic cohesion and versatility.

2. Tierra Whack

She can be described as whacky (haha), witty, and limitless. Her work is a mixture of Dr. Seuss meets Missy Elliot. Her latest album World Wide Whack is a prime example of her talent. She walks the reader through the entirety of the human emotional spectrum with a heavy emphasis on the darker side of things. The joys are galactic and the lows… they’re darker than the devil’s crack.

I still prefer her first project “Whack World” (below) which is a 15-minute album where each song is one minute long with a matching video. Where Megan might tap heavily into anime and video game culture Tierra is another beast entirely. Stepping into her work is like stepping into a wonky cartoon with dark undertones.

3. Doja Cat

She is so so chaotic and problematic but, Doja is a creative monster. Her latest album Scarlet is a vulgar and witty wonderland. It can be inferred that this album leans more heavily on rap than pop in response to the critique that Doja is more of a pop artist than a rapper. Doja’s aesthetic typically bounces from demonic to 70s Chic.

Her versatility is light years ahead of any of the new rap women out now (I said what I said). While her creativity shines through her fashion (it’s chaotic but she has a clear vision) and her music (she writes and produces), I’ve found that her stage performances really outshine her peers. She truly commands the stage and gives fun and twisted performances. Her projects, each have such elaborate world-building. She weaves her concepts from song to video to stage better than most, if not all the female rappers out right now. Her latest leans heavily on demons, the devil, death and the like.

Demons Performance Coachella 2024:

 

4. Doechii

Doechii, aka Swamp Princess, is not yet as large as the other female rappers above, but she is slowly and surely chiseling out a unique creative signature. Her grimy, sexy, aggressive Florida vibes are distinct and attractive. She has a gift for crafting an image that is just as creepily cool as her lyricism. Her latest, “Alter Ego” (feat. JT) is a celebration of her love for Florida and demonstrates her maturing look. I’m excited to see her creative direction for her next project unfold. I am also eager to see how she manages this Swamp Princess persona in the upcoming months and years.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. It’s just some of my favorites at the moment. Some other notable women rappers who are exploding with creativity include Rico Nasty, Baby Tate, and JT.

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I needed a break from fiction so here we are. Megan’s latest release (“Boa”) had so many references that I had to applaud. She sure knows her stuff and clearly has a team around her that is good at what they do. I really just had to highlight some of the women in the rap game who are taking things up a notch!

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TELL ME:
Is there a female rapper that should’ve been on the list? What are some of your favorite musicians who are talented at building up a world around their music? Is there a particular reference or statement above that you appreciate? Do you miss my fiction? (We’ll be back next week… probably).

Read some of my other pieces here:

1. How To Pray With Your Lover's Body
2. Saltwater Kissed
3. Smiling With No Teeth
4. Humbleness Is A Luxury I Can't Afford
5. Cooking with Seawater


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