Supa Dupa Fly: The History Of Women In Hip-Hop

Women in hip-hop are having a moment. Here’s how KC Orcutt described it at Revolt:

To start by bringing it to the charts, 2019 has already yielded the highest total of women rappers making their mark on the Billboard Hot 100 this decade. Saweetie, Iggy Azalea, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Lizzo and City Girls have all had songs enter the chart so far this year. On top of that enchanting slice of contemporary history, Lizzo also impressively became the sixth woman rapper to ever hit the No. 1 slot, and the first to do so in two years. As of last month, her single “Truth Hurts” officially became the longest-reigning No. 1 single performed by a female rapper without any features in the chart's history. Lauryn Hill became the first to top the Billboard 100 chart with “Doo Wop (That Thing)” in 1998, helping pave the way for the next generation to make an impact much like the previous generation did for her.

But how did women emcees, producers, writers and DJs make it to this moment? Has women’s hip-hop history received the level of respect and preservation it deserves?

We talk to author Kathy Iandoli about her new book on the topic and listen to some great music.

Produced by Stacia Brown.

GUESTS

Kathy Iandoli, Music journalist and author of ‘God Save the Queens: The Essential History of Women in Hip-Hop’; @kath3000

For more, visit https://the1a.org.

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