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Ice Spice
Like the generations before them, today’s female rappers are rewriting Hip Hop rules and paving the way for an explosive 2024. Familiar faces like Ice Spice, Sexyy Red and City Girls’ JT are all riding on a wave of success that’s impossible to ignore. From gritty street tales to empowering twerk anthems, they’re not just part of the conversation — they are the conversation.
The influence of female rappers in shaping Hip Hop culture is undeniable. Rising figures like Scar Lip, Lay Bankz and Maiya The Don are adding their own spin to the genre by merging lyrical prowess with innovative beats. Whether it be through samples or groundbreaking collaborations, artists like these have transcended the labels “up-and-coming” and “emerging.” They’re pushing boundaries and challenging expectations. This year, the artists listed below are not only poised to dominate the charts but are also prepared to redefine the essence of what it means to be a woman in Hip Hop.
1. Ice Spice
No list would be complete without Ice Spice, who hasn’t left the limelight ever since her 2022 smash hit “Munch (Feelin’ U)” dropped. From receiving co-signs from Nicki Minaj, Drake and Taylor Swift to dominating award shows like the VMAs, we have a feeling the Bronx native is just getting started.
In January 2023, she dropped her debut EP, Like..?, which contained cuts like “Bikini Bottom” and “In Ha Mood.” In between its release and its deluxe version, Ice Spice enjoyed success from her appearances on PinkPantheress’ “Boys a liar, Pt. 2” and “Barbie World” with Nicki Minaj, which is currently nominated for two 2024 Grammy Awards. If her track record of dropping bops has proven anything, it’s that Ice Spice is a star.
2. Sexyy Red
Sexyy Red is your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper. The St. Louis artist has no filter, and that’s exactly what the genre has been looking for. Hits like “Pound Town,” “SkeeYee” and “Looking For the H**s (Ain’t My Fault)” all boast that unapologetically raunchy and gritty style that Hip Hop legends like Trina and Lil’ Kim are loved for.
She dropped Hood Hottest Princess in June 2023 and followed it with bangers such as “Shake Yo Dreads” and “Hood Rats.” With another baby on the way and dubbing herself the “modern-day Boosie Badazz,” Sexyy Red has big shoes to fill. However, we think the rapper will do just fine, considering the success of her first headlining trek — opening for Drake and 21 Savage’s “It’s All a Blur Tour” — and interviews, which have all been massively enjoyed by the public.
3. Maiya The Don
Before Maiya The Don was a rapper, she was a beauty influencer with over 500,000 fans on TikTok. She used her platform to propel her breakout single “Telfy” into popularity, amassing over 2.5 million views on the accompanying visuals. The track, which pays homage to everyone’s favorite Black-owned tote bag, TELFAR, sampled Sisqó’s ’90s classic “Thong Song.” Since then, the artist has delivered strong contenders for track of the year, including “Dusties” and “Luv U Better.”
October 2023 saw the release of Maiya’s debut project, Hot Commodity, which boasts guest appearances from Ty Dolla Sign, Maeta and Shawny Binladen. Subsequently, the rapper hit the road with frequent collaborator Flo Milli, who she worked with on cuts like “Conceited (Remix)” and “Anything Flows.” If you thought the artist couldn’t get any bigger, she’s already scoring TV soundtracks — “He Can’t Reach” for Rap Sh!t S2: The Mixtape — with more in the works.
4. Scar Lip
If you’re a fan of Lola Brooke or DMX, then the Bronx-raised rapper Scar Lip should be on your radar. Breaking off from Hip Hop’s current crop of female MCs, the 22-year-old delivers hard-hitting anthems that pay homage to the places and faces she was raised on. On her track “This Is New York,” Scar Lip raps, “This is New York, f**k I look like tellin’ a n**ga, ‘Good morning’?/ F**k I look like being nice, sweet, charming and warming?”
Despite just getting started, the artist has already gained support from Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Cardi B and Swizz Beatz, the last of whom featured Scar on his Hip Hop 50: Vol. 2 EP alongside Jadakiss and Benny the Butcher. As seen in songs like “No Statements” and “Glizzy Gobbler,” Scar Lip has a point to prove, and there’s nothing that can get in the way of that.
5. TiaCorine
2023’s XXL Freshman Class featured three women making their mark in Hip Hop; TiaCorine was one of them. The North Carolina native is also signed to South Coast Music Group, the same powerhouse that brought us stars like DaBaby and Toosii. Most people are probably familiar with the artist for her song “FreakyT,” which featured Latto in the track’s remix and garnered 1.7 million views on YouTube, but she’s got a lot more in the vault.
In 2022, TiaCorine unveiled her third studio project, I Can’t Wait. It contained surefire records like “Boogie” and the Kenny Beats-assisted “Chaka Khan.” Since then, she’s been relatively quiet but has been hinting at a new album and EP for quite some time. Plus, her appearance on Key Glock’s “Glockoma Tour” in March 2023 gave us a preview of what she’s capable of.
6. Big Boss Vette
Before she took over social media with her hit track “Pretty Girls Walk” — which amassed over 30 million streams between the original and Coi Leray remix — Big Boss Vette injected her powerful voice into songs like 2019’s “Dog A** N**ga” and 2020’s “Outside.” The St. Louis native is no stranger to putting numbers on the chart, and her track record proves it. Her voice commands attention and her bars pack a strong punch whether it’s running laps around her competition or an infectious it-girl anthem.
In 2022, her single “Snatched” racked up over 2 billion views on TikTok with video creations from Kylie Jenner, Khloe Kardashian, Halle Bailey and City Girls’ JT. However, this wasn’t an overnight journey for Big Boss Vette, who first picked up in 2015. Throughout her career, the artist has taken a fearless and fiery approach to Hip Hop that’s still present on her latest EP, RESILIENCE.
“I would describe my sound as authentically different; that’s because I show up, and I shout out, and I’m authentically myself,” she told Galore last year. “I don’t want to sound like nobody, I don’t want to be like nobody, I just want to be [me].”
7. Lay Bankz
“Lady boner gone / He dry humping me and huffing like a dog,” Lay Bankz raps on her viral track “Ick.” Since its October 2023 debut, the song has already accumulated over 2 million views on YouTube and roughly 300,000 TikTok video creations. Despite only being 19 years old, the Philadelphia native has already danced her way into the hearts of Ciara and millions of other followers.
Bankz dropped her debut EP, Now You See Me, in August 2023. It contained a slew of standout cuts like “IDFWY” and “Na Na Na,” the latter of which was an impossibly energetic, fast-paced anthem that showcased the artist’s prowess. With a performance lined up for this year’s Rolling Loud California, 2024 is already looking promising for the young hitmaker.
“Musically, I’m out of the park, and I’m very talented, and I have so many different kinds of songs on me,” Bankz told BET. “It’s just going to be gas back to back with trying to make people understand that I am not one dimensional and there’s [so much more layers] to [Bankz] because I can’t wait for people to hear what I’m capable of.”
8. Gloss Up
Fans of GloRilla will instantly recognize this name. Hailing from Memphis, Gloss Up is one of the several artists who joined the “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” rapper on her come-up. She appeared on tracks like “Set The Tone 2,” “Bestfrenn” and most recently, “Wrong One.” In January 2023, the 26-year-old released her debut project, Before The Gloss Up, via Quality Control Music, which she signed to the year prior. It featured Hitkidd, Icewear Vezzo, as well as frequent collaborators K Carbon, Aleza and Slimeroni.
2023 has been none short of impressive for the rising star, who joined Lil Baby’s “It’s Only Us Tour” for select dates. In the meantime, Gloss Up also delivered another project titled Shades Of Gloss. The 13-track body of work notably featured Sexyy Red on “Check” and Saucy Santana on “Pop Dat.” With the number of hits she’s churning out, the rapper is well on her way to success.
9. Lady London
Lady London is a name that’s been brewing for quite some time — and it’s for a good reason. In 2018, she posted a freestyle she made in her car that would go on to garner over 8 million views. Although she was working toward her master’s degree in global medicine at the University of Southern California when she created the clip, she made the leap into rapping full-time, which proved to be well worth it. Fast forward to today when her bars have caught the attention of Diddy, Nas, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland.
Earlier this year, Lady London unveiled her eagerly awaited album, S.O.U.L. The 13-track LP housed a star-studded lineup of tracks like “D-R-U-N-K,” “Do Something” and “Way Too Much,” complemented by features from Dreezy, Omerettà the Great and Mila J, to name a few. One thing that you can’t deny about the New Jersey-raised artist is that she’s a true lyricist who can stand on her own.
During her conversation with REVOLT in March 2022, she explained, “Of course, we have the typical discourse: ‘You’re a female rapper.’ Oftentimes, they continue to push the narrative of, ‘You’re great for a female. You’re really good as a female.’ I think that’s really arbitrary. I don’t find a need for you to put that before it, but I understand why they do.”
10. Flyana Boss
If you haven’t seen this duo sprinting through various locations like Disney World, Hollywood or even Google’s offices on TikTok, then there’s a chance you’ve been living under a rock. Flyana Boss’ “You Wish“ amassed over 167,000 video creations on the platform and kickstarted their rise into popularity. The lines, “Hello, Christ, I’m ’bout to sin again / I said, ‘I love you’ to that man, but I’m not feelin’ him” are incredibly recognizable at this point. The pair’s breakthrough track also received a remix from Kalii and Missy Elliott, the latter of whom was an early co-signer.
In September 2023, Flyana Boss — composed of Bobbi and Folayan — liberated their debut project under Warner Music. Fittingly titled hello christ? i’m bout to sin again, the six-track EP launched several fan-favorites like “Nu Nu” and “Trashboi.” The pair signals a resurgence in rap duos making their mark in Hip Hop again.
“We give each other a lot of grace and space to be ourselves. If we’re not feeling something that day, we won’t pressure the other one to do it. We’re both very passionate about our careers. We both love music,” they shared regarding their chemistry during “Black Girl Stuff.”
11. Anycia
Hailing from Atlanta, Anycia has caught the attention of A-listers with a massive fanbase bubbling behind her. Despite putting her first single, “KIMORA LEE,” out in 2022, the 26-year-old already has co-signs from Drake, Pharrell, Kevin Durant and Sexyy Red. Her mildly somnolent, scratchy vocal style persistently follows a deliberate rhythm, as evident in bops like “BRB,” “So What” and “SPLASH BROTHERS” with KARRAHBOOO.
Earlier this month, Anycia unveiled her debut project, EXTRA. It featured tracks like the jetsonmade-produced “REFUND” and woozy “WHAT DID I DO?” Much of the project showcased the rap starlet’s ability to pick catchy beats that seamlessly complement her one-of-a-kind sound. She’s an exciting name to keep up with for many reasons, but her music speaks the loudest.
“Honestly, [Drake is] so cool of a person. We don’t even really talk about s**t like that. For the most part, he’s inspiring in the way that he really doesn’t give a f**k about anything,” Anycia explained to Rolling Out in October 2023. “He showed me you really don’t have to give a f**k about anything. He’s just living his life, being a genuinely good person, and walking in his truth.”
12. Lebra Jolie
Houston has birthed some of the most prominent women in Hip Hop, most notably KenTheMan and heavy hitter Megan Thee Stallion. However, there’s always room for more, especially when you have someone as talented as Lebra Jolie. The rising rap phenomenon has been making music for quite a while, with some of her earlier records dating as far back as 2011. Though she’s only been in the limelight in recent years, Jolie already sets herself apart from the crowd with confident and braggadocious bars that can be heard on tracks like “First Off” and “Spring, Summer.”
Jolie released her self-titled project in 2022, which contained the Rob49-assisted “Give U Some” and “Think It’s Funny” featuring Babyface Ray. She followed it up with September 2023’s The Pressure Pack, spawning surefire favorites like the piano-driven “It Girl (Freestyle)” and “Honeykomb Brazy.” Her stage presence is undeniable, too, performing at Rolling Loud New York and joining BIA’s “Really Her Tour” back in October 2023. From freestyles to her visuals, Jolie’s razor-sharp wordplay and unabashed confidence make her an artist worth keeping up with.
13. JT
City Girls have long led the female rap renaissance since their 2017 debut, “F**k Dat N**ga.” However, in recent years, fans have gotten the chance to see Yung Miami and JT blossom in their respective careers. The former’s award-winning talk show “Caresha Please” is leading the podcasting space, while the latter quickly established herself as fashion’s next it-girl by starring in campaigns for Mowalola, POSTER GIRL and more.
In July 2023, JT shared “No Bars,” which served as a follow-up to her 2019 solo cut, “JT First Day Out.” She also made guest appearances on Stunna Girl’s “Like Dat (Remix)” and GloRilla’s “F.N.F. (Let’s Go) (Remix),” which definitely proved she was capable of standing on her own as a solo artist.
Seemingly, that’s exactly where the Miami rapper is headed. During an interview with Kali Uchis for Interview magazine, she teased putting out a project without her other half. “I really want my first EP to have that raw, grungy sound,” JT revealed. “I wanted to do that for my birthday [Dec. 3, 2023], but I think it’s too soon because I’m so picky. So probably the top of next year.”
