#ImWithHer

“And now we will announce the Grammy nominees for best rap album of the year. The nominees are, Nicki Minaj for Pink Fusion, Rapsody for Laila’s Journey, Cardi B for Bardi B, and Dreezy for ChiTown Princess. Congratulations to all the nominees and good luck.”

Does that paragraph even sound possible? History tells us no. History tells us to take this idea and shove it. The Best Rap Album Grammy has been around since 1995 and only five solo female rappers have been nominated. Twenty plus years of music being made and only FIVE women have been nominated. Not won, nominated. There has never been a year where two women have been nominated in the same year. According to the Grammy committee, there has never been a year where more than one female rapper has put out a good enough product to be nominated. Why is that?

There was a time where the mainstream would only allow one black comedian thrive at a time. But as stars like Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor started to grow into superstars, they were able to open doors for other black comedians to thrive alongside with them. Once that door was kicked down, black comedians have eating good for a long time. It is time for hip hop to progress in that area. The door for women rappers has been opened but it’s time to kick that door down. Release the flood gates. “A rising tide lifts all boats”.

It is critical for us in the hip hop community to up lift the women of rap going into 2018. We arguably may be living in the golden age of women rappers. They may all not be on the level of a Lauryn Hill or Missy Elliot but there are enough of them to legitimately fill a grammy category. We have staples in the game like Lil Kim, Trina and Remy Ma. Up and comers like Cardi B and Noname. Rapsody and Dej Loaf. Shout out to Its_Tribblez for putting me on to Dreezy.

“She’s a dope rapper...for a girl”. Time to leave that backhanded compliment in the 50’s. Cardi B owned 2017. Her debut single went #1. She had 4 songs in the top 10 on the billboard charts. Any rapper would kill to have that type of success in a singular year. Rapsody did not drop a dope album for a female rapper. She dropped a dope ass grammy nominated album. She ripped it on Laila’s Wisdom. She pushed the culture forward with her own original style and had the bars to back up her grammy nod. She is not the female Kendrick Lamar. She held her own on a track with Kendrick Lamar and not many rappers, male or female, can say that. She is rapping her way into everyone’s top 10. Nicki Minaj has been successful for nearly a decade. We are talking chart topping, multiple platinum albums/singles, guest features with all your favorite rappers and one of the most well known rappers in the world. She is rap royalty. I could go on.

In the age of music streaming apps, there is more than enough room for more than one female rapper to flourish. There is more than enough money and spins out there to support the raunchy to lyrical female rapper. Instead of manufacturing fakes beefs between them and projecting our own insecurities, let’s uplift the woman’s voice in the hip hop community. Let’s root for the day where there is more than one of them nominated for best rap album. They got something to say and they are not going anywhere.

Disclaimer: if i forgot your favorite woman rapper in this post, it was not out of disrespect. @ me with your favorites and i will check them out.

Follow me on twitter @marcus_sniffles

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