American Female Rappers

Amongst the most influential female rap artists of all time and one of the bestselling artists, Nicki Minaj came to limelight after her collaborations with Dirty Money Record and Young Money Entertainment. With subsequent release of her four albums, Minaj firmly established herself as a chart-topping artist. The Queen of Rap has also dabbled in acting and ventured into business.

Rap legend Cardi B rose from being an exotic dancer and internet celebrity to being featured on Forbes and Time 100. Her triple-platinum-certified debut album, Invasion of Privacy, topped the Billboard 200. She was the only female solo artist to win the Grammy for the Best Rap Album.

Queen Latifah is an American musician and actress whose song U.N.I.T.Y. played a major role in raising awareness about women's rights worldwide. Dubbed Queen of Jazz-Rap, Latifah has influenced several soul, R&B, and hip-hop artists like Remy Ma, Lil' Kim, Ivy Queen, Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, and Eve among other artists. As an actress, Latifah has won several prestigious awards.

Saweetie is an American rapper gained recognition when she posted her debut single Icy Grl on SoundCloud. Subsequently, the video of the song broke the internet as it went on to gather 100 million views on YouTube. She was then signed by Warner Records, which increased her popularity. She is also signed to Artistry Worldwide, her manager Max Gousse's record label.

Lisa Lopes, popularly known as “Left Eye,” was a member of the Grammy-winning hip-hop/R&B girl band TLC. Apart from rapping and singing, she also co-wrote songs and managed the band’s outfits, album titles, and artworks. Lopes died in a car accident in Honduras, leaving behind her incomplete second solo album.

R&B and hip-hop singer Teyana Taylor gained fame with MTV's My Super Sweet 16. She signed with Kanye West’s label and also appeared on the reality show Teyana and Iman, with her husband, NBA player Iman Shumpert. In December 2020, she announced her retirement from music through Instagram.

Famous rapper and singer, Lauryn Hill, is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time and a pioneer in the Neo soul genre. The artist whose album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill won five Grammy Awards, is an inspiration for numerous singers and rappers. Earlier, she gained recognition as member of Fugees, an award-winning hip hop group.

An American rapper, singer, and songwriter, Megan Thee Stallion began rapping while she was still in her teens and used digital media platforms to promote her work. Her talent was appreciated by both fans and record labels and she eventually became the first female rapper to be signed by the American record label 300 Entertainment.

Young M.A is an American rapper who achieved popularity after the release of her single Ooouuu, which was certified quadruple-platinum. Also a well-known philanthropist, Young M.A launched the KWEENZ Foundation in 2018; the foundation aims at helping those trying to cope with the loss of loved ones. The same year, she was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

Miss Mulatto is an American rapper who launched her career after competing in a reality TV series titled The Rap Game. Apart from releasing mixtapes, extended plays, and singles, Miss Mulatto also owns a store called Pittstop Clothing in Georgia.

Azealia Banks is an American rapper, actress, singer, and songwriter. After releasing music through the social networking service Myspace, Banks signed to XL Recordings. After a brief association with Polydor Records and Interscope, Banks founded her own label, Chaos & Glory Recordings. Over the years, her outspoken views on sensitive subjects like race have attracted criticism, controversy, and media scrutiny.

Rico Nasty is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Renowned for her punk aesthetic and unique delivery, Nasty achieved popularity in 2018 when she released singles, such as Poppin and Smack a Bitch. Over the years, Rico Nasty has been serving as an inspiration for contemporary artists like ppcocaine and Flo Milli.

Justina Valentine is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and model. Renowned for her eclectic music style that often incorporates elements of various genres including hip hop, Justina Valentine has had major radio airplay and charting singles. She is also known for competing in the popular reality competition show, The Challenge.

Misharron Jermeisha Allen, popularly known as Asian Doll, is an American rapper. After having endured a poverty-stricken early life, Doll managed to put her rapping skills to good use to earn money and fame. Her journey from being a naive rapper to becoming the first female artist to be signed to the popular 1017 Eskimo Records has been quite inspirational.

Best known for her role in HBO production, The Wire, Felicia Pearson started dealing in drugs as a teenager before being incarcerated for second degree murder, earning her GED while in prison. On her release, she was picked up for a role in The Wire, kickstarting her career as actor and rapper. She published her memoir, Grace After Midnight, in 2007.