Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop is all set to be released on Netflix on Wednesday, August 9, at 3:00 am ET/ 12:00 midnight PT
A four-part docuseries that chronicles the evolution of women in hip-hop and their contributions to the art form, Ladies First will go back and forth across generations of female rappers, ranging from Sha-Rock and Roxanne Shante to Coi Leray and Latto.
Directed by Hannah Beachler, Raeshem Nijhon, and Dream Hampton, Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop is executive-produced by Troy Carter, Carri Twigg, Nicole Galovski, Jennifer Ryan, Justin Simien, MC Lyte, Nijhon, and Hampton.
The Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop trailer gives glimpses of female rappers celebrating each other’s accomplishments
The trailer for Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop was released on Netflix’s official YouTube channel on July 25, 2023. It begins with snippets from music videos of artists like Cardi B, Ice Spice, and other contemporaries as a voiceover remarks that “black women are crushing it in hip-hop” and notes that their music is topping the charts and that the artists are also “the ultimate influencers of the culture.”
While contemporary artists touch on the prominence of black women in the genre their victories in different aspects of it and their being in control of their narrative, the Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop trailer switches to industry veteran Queen Latifah looking back at the steep climb that female artists had to make.
She proclaims that they have come a long way and “have stood back up” and “will always keep standing back up.” What follows are shots of artists who are a part of the Netflix docuseries as the trailer ends with Latifah calling for unity among black women in hip-hop, emphasizing that they’re stronger together than apart.
The plot of the docuseries was revealed in an article by Netflix:
“Premiering Aug. 9, the new four-part docuseries gets its title and theme from the 1989 Queen Latifah anthem (featuring Monie Love). The series honors women’s crucial role in shaping hip-hop, layering fresh perspectives on the issues they rap about and reinserting them into the canon where they belong: at the center, from Day 1 to the present day.”
It continues:
“Through in-depth interviews with Sha-Rock, Roxanne Shante, Rah Digga, Latto, and a host of other featured musicians, the series presents a definitive look at the genre, from the foremothers and trailblazers of hip-hop to the breakout stars of 2023.”
Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop cast explored
The upcoming docuseries features appearances and interviews of some of the most influential female hip-hop artists of all time. While the complete cast list isn’t out yet, here’s the confirmed list of artists:
- Sha-Rock
- Roxanne Shante
- MC Lyte
- Queen Latifah
- Monie Love
- Yo-Yo
- Da Brat
- Rah Digga
- Bahamadia
- Remy Ma
- Rapsody
- Tierra Whack
- Kash Doll
- Saweetie
- Latto
- Coi Leray
- Chika
Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop will also feature interviews with female archivists, producers, record label executives, stylists, and academic critics.
All four episodes of Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop will be available for streaming from August 9, 2023.
