Hip-hop would not exist without the myriad contributions of women rappers. Historically, hip-hop has been a male-dominated landscape, rarely allowing more than one woman to shine at a time. Today, women rappers are sharing space on the charts simultaneously. The women that came before them not only paved the way for today’s women, they shaped hip-hop culture as we know it. Widely celebrated greats like Lauryn Hill and Missy Elliot, regularly receive their flowers. However, less-discussed greats like Gangsta Boo, Salt N Pepa, MC Lyte, and MC Sha-Rock deserve their own spotlight as well.

Gangsta Boo was important to my personal music listening journey aside from being influential in the hip-hop community. Hearing her rap, “Dope game, my game, hoes lame, it's a shame,” on “In Da Game” made me an instant fan. She was hardcore, she was goth, she was punk and she was a rapper. She has recently been in the hearts of many since her passing on January 1st, 2023, remembered as an icon in hip-hop. 

She hailed from Memphis and joined Three 6 Mafia, who pioneered the horror-core style of hip-hop, at the age of 14. Gangsta Boo’s verses are what drew me and many others to Three 6 Mafia’s sound. On Three 6 Mafia’s debut album, Mystic Stylez, she rapped over the album’s eerie beats with swagger and ease, helping to create the signature Memphis style we know today. At only 15, Gangsta Boo was already at her most menacing, rapping, “I thought you knew you can stay the fuck away from me” over the dark, evil beat of the song “I Though U Knew”. During Three 6’s breakout moment in the hip-hop mainstream, on their album Kings Of Memphis: Underground, Vol. 3, Gangsta Boo sets the dark and commanding tone with her opening verse on their closing song on the album, “Mindstate.” Continuing to solidify their horror-core sound, Gangsta Boo used lyrics like, “Feel the vengeance of Da Devil's Daughter/Horror all because they vomit up on sight so quick in sorrow.” She not only helped pioneer the horror-core Memphis sound, she helped to give the traditionally male gangsta rap image a female bent.

Gangsta Boo also had a solo career outside of Three 6 Mafia, spreading her influence. Boo released her first solo album, Enquiring Minds, which featured one of her signature songs, “Where Dem Dollas At!?” The title is self-explanatory. Boo raps about taking money from men, with lyrics like, “Thinkin' up a fuckin' plan, how to get you man/Damn I hope you understand money came with the scam”. This theme has influenced women rappers today, most noticeably, City Girls, with their song “Where The Bag At” with similar lyrics like, “Bad bitch, cute face, yeah, you like that/Don't be surprised if I ask where the bag at”. Gangsta Boo’s style was both nonchalant and aggressive, relaxed and hard-hitting. She went on to collaborate with artists such as Outkast and Blood Orange, with the songs “I’ll Call B4 I Cum”  and “Gold Teeth”.  The legacy of her style continues to show through in the women leading the hip-hop scene today. 

The themes Gangsta Boo explored in her lyrics are in line with what Salt N Pepa brought to the scene. In 1985, Salt N Pepa was formed, a hip-hop duo that flipped the script on what it meant to be a woman in hip-hop. They were among the first to embrace sex appeal, gaining popularity for their honesty and sex-positive message. 

“Let’s Talk About Sex,” a seminal sex-positive anthem, is a playful, bouncy song about safe sex. With lyrics like, “Let's tell it like it is, and how it could be/ How it was, and of course, how it should be”, ‘how it was’ meaning unsafe sex and ‘how it should be’ describing safe sex. They continued later in the song with, “Don't be coy, avoid, or make void the topic/Cuz that ain't gonna stop it”, proudly bringing their sex-positive message to radios at the time. It caught the attention of women all over, creating a positive dialogue on talking about sex from a woman’s perspective in music. 

Sex positivity is one of the main themes women rappers explore today. Rappers like Megan Thee Stallion, Flo Milli, and Doja Cat are continuing to show the influence of Salt N Pepa. Salt N Pepa led asex-positive revolution in the 90s with songs like, “Push It”, “Do You Really Want Me”, and “Shoop”. On their hit song, “None Of Your Business” they talk about autonomy and sexual freedom with lyrics like, “If I want to take a guy home with me tonight/ It's none of your business/ And she want to be a freak and sell it on the weekend/ It's none of your business”. They were frank, outspoken, and commanded respect through their music. They preached feminist values without being preachy. Their fun and playful sound gave them leeway to tackle more serious topics without alienating listeners. To say they were influential would be an understatement. 

Part of Salt N Pepa’s success was thanks to their amazing DJ, DJ Spinderella, who helped to create their sound. To talk about DJs, we must first discuss MC Sha-Rock, nicknamed the “First Lady Of Hip-Hop”. She was part of the hip-hop group Funky 4+1, which was the first hip-hop group to perform on television. Their SNL performance is credited by rappers like Jay-Z as a turning point in the culture. 

MC Sha-Rock is known for her ability to rhyme and is also credited with popularizing the echo chamber effect, a style of rapping where an MC repeats certain phrases and words for emphasis. This can be seen today in the form of ad-libs, which appear in many modern hip-hop songs. Sha-Rock has been awarded many times by the City of New York for her contributions to the culture, pioneering hip-hop through her time as an MC. 

MCs became a foundational component of hip-hop, MC Lyte built on the legacy of MC Sha-Rock and became the first solo woman rapper to release her own, full-length album. In 1988, MC Lyte’s “Lyte As A Rock” dropped. Her lyrical precision and refusal to self-censor gained her attention in the industry. MC Lyte became the first female rapper nominated for a grammy with her song, “Ruffneck” in 1993. 

Women have made hip-hop a place to showcase their strength, style, and swag. They’ve made it a space to express their opinions, beliefs, and their values. They’ve brought new techniques and themes to hip-hop. Thanks to the contributions of Gangsta Boo, Salt N Pepa, MC Sha-Rock and MC Lyte, and many more, hip-hop has become what it is today. Hip-hop history is women’s history.