Since its inception, rap music has been dominated by male voices, but over the last few years, a feminine shift has swung the pendulum of hip-hop in the direction of the ladies. Some of the biggest names in the culture that gained prominence have been women who all have various styles, are from different locales, have large followings on social media, and each has a unique story to share with the world.
As female MCs continue to take their rightful place at the center of rap music, in honor of Women’s History Month, here are 5 Female Rappers You Need to Know In 2024.
Armani Caesar
Hailed as the “First Lady of Griselda,” Armani Caesar represents one of the hardest spitting crews in the game and she more than holds her own. In a few short years, Armani has catapulted herself into being regarded as one of the artists to watch in the rap game with her gritty street tales and bossed-up lyricism.
Her major label debut, “The Liz,” was released in September 2020. In October 2022, she released her latest project, “THE LIZ 2,” which features contributions from crew members Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, Stove God Cooks, Kodak Black, and others.
As a fashionista, social media influencer, and entrepreneur, Armani Caesar is poised to take 2024 by storm.
On the West Coast, Hook is an emerging voice on the rap landscape with her undeniable bravado. A native of Riverside, California, she began in music in an R&B group with her sister California called 2backwardz. She wrote many hooks for the group and took her rap name from her penchant for writing catchy choruses.
After settling in as a rapper, she released her debut EP “Bully,” with appearances from Big Baby Scumbag, Bootychaaain, Lil House Phone, and AzChike. The project was produced enterally by LA native Nedarb and she displays her unorthodox cadence. Just three months later, Hook dropped “I Love You, Hook.” In 2020, she released “Crashed My Car” and “I Love You 2, Hook” building upon the momentum she gained as a local sensation. Without a doubt, Hook is well on her way to being one of the rappers to watch in 2024.
Nicknamed the “Queen of Bronx Drill,” Kenzo B is making a major name for herself at just 19 years old with her rapid-fire flows and catchy songs. In just a short amount of time, she has gained national notoriety with singles “Bump It,” “Make It Lit,” and “The Facts.”
Also, her music videos on YouTube have amassed more than 8 million views on her official YouTube channel. Along with her singles, Kenzo has released two EPS, Top Dawg in 2022 and Top 2, Not 2 in 2023, under French Montana’s Coke Boys label via Warner Bros.
As a guest rapper, she appeared on French Montana’s “Gang Gang,” off of DJ Drama’s “Coke Boys 6: Money Heist Edition” mixtape. She represented NYC on the “Area Codes (718 Remix)” by Kaliii, and performed the song with Ice Spice at Hot 97’s Summer Jam Stage. With raw energy, Kenzo is set to go to the next level.
Born in Brooklyn, CLIP’s meteoric rise to fame was unique as she has been characterized as an “alt” or “emo” rapper. Refusing to have limits on her artistry, CLIP has the lyrical dexterity to navigate between several genres with an emotive songwriting approach, as heard on her hit track “Sad B!tch,” which has earned four million hits on Spotify.
In 2022, she released her debut EP “Perception,” which featured “Fall Back” and “Calvin K” which received rave reviews. She released “Appetizer” in 2023, another highly regarded EP to add to her growing discography.
With an endorsement from Marc Jacobs to model in the Heaven campaign, CLIP is ready to continue breaking barriers
Last year was a prolific one for Atlanta native Vayda, who dropped six projects, including “Breeze” and “Dawn.” A multi-talented rapper/singer/producer, she honed her craft with FruityLoops production software, used YouTube University, and is a self-taught pianist. As a well-rounded musician, her music consists of Trap to dance tracks with high BPMs, where her lyrical prowess is on full display.
Released in December, her latest offering, “Forrest Gump,” gave Vayda an even bigger buzz on the strength of her hit single “Hood Zendaya.” Vayda also opened on several performances with Detroit rapper Veeze and has been hailed as one of the new standard bearers of the new Atlanta sound.
If 2024 is anything like 2023, Vayda will continue to be a force to be reckoned with as she solidifies her name among the elite in the rap game.
