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There’s no denying that female rappers are currently running mainstream rap music. Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Ice Spice, GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, City Girls, Sexyy Red—these are the names that have been filling the headlines in rap and Hip-Hop-related news as of late. And many rap fans, especially women, are celebrating the movement as something that has been a long time coming in rap/Hip-Hop culture.
Then there are those who notice that all the aforementioned femcees are arguably carbon copies of the same rapper archetype. It’s argued that they’re all products of ratchet culture, as opposed to empowered women who shirk respectability politics and the scrutiny that comes with it.
And that’s where rapper Fabolous comes in.
From Hip Hop DX:
However, Fab pushed back on some of this praise and said that while he’s happy to see so many women doing their thing in Hip Hop, he’d love it if some of these “strong” women chose to rap about their life experiences a little more.
“I love hearing female rappers talking some real shit,” Fab wrote on his Instagram Story on Sunday (July 16). “Women are so strong. Have so many stories and perspectives that we need to hear in pure form.”
He continued: “No disrespect to any female rappers out there but I think there’s only one style of female rap/Hip Hop being promoted, programmed and looked at as successful now.”
So, there are a few things that can be argued here.
It’s arguable that Fab is right and only a certain type of female rapper is promoted while emcees like Rapsody, Young MA, Tierra Whack, Chika and Noname fly under the mainstream radar.
It could also be argued that, for decades, there was mostly “one style” of male “rap/Hip-Hop being promoted” as the bulk of male rappers were confined to rapping about drugs and violence and, of course, disrespecting Black women.
Then again, it could also be argued that gangster rap music (or trap music, Drill, etc.) never existed without plenty of respectability criticism in and outside of the Black community. Although, it’s also true that many of the same folks who were/are fans of gangster rap are the same ones coming at Meg and them for the content in their music.
Of course, lastly, there’s the argument that Fabolous has spent too much time grappling with domestic violence allegations for him to be the one speaking about what women in rap should or shouldn’t be doing.
So, what do y’all think? Does Fab have a point, or nah?
