5 Records From Underrated Female Rappers

Bree Runway, born Brenda Mensah, is a Ghanaian singer, songwriter, and rapper from Hackney, London. Mensah studied music technology and recorded her first EP, RNWY 01, using her £200 DIY home studio. Influenced by Lil’ Kim, Britney Spears, Missy Elliott, and Madonna, Mensah creates “very in-your-face, destructive pop” music that also incorporates trap, dance, and afrobeats styles. Her bold lyricism, versatility, and cheeky delivery have earned the rapper acclaim from critics, co-signs from popular artists including Rihanna and Diplo, as well as collaborations with Glass Animals and Rina Sawayama.

Before she was a sitcom star and daytime talk show host, Eve was one of female rap’s most formidable voices. She began her solo career under the name Eve of Destruction and was briefly signed to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment. She appeared on the Roots’ “You Got Me” and DMX’s “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem (Remix)” before the release of her solo debut, Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady, in 1999. The album, which was entirely penned by Eve, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. As the sole woman on Ruff Ryders’ roster, Eve’s star propelled female rap to new heights as she experimented with pop styles and collaborated with rock and pop artists — most notably Gwen Stefani — on chart-topping crossover hits.

Lana Moorer, better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is a female rap pioneer. She began rapping at age 12 and released her debut single, “I Cram to Understand U (Sam),” at age 16. Moorer rose to prominence in the ’80s following the release of her debut album Lyte as a Rock, the first solo LP by a female rapper. Moorer’s sharp wit, knack for storytelling, and commanding delivery helped pave the way for future generations of female rappers. Hit singles from her subsequent albums Eyes on This (“Cappucino”) and Act Like You Know (“Poor Georgie”) have been credited with shifting hip-hop away from its party music associations and elevating the genre to a socially conscious form of expression.

Rashia Fisher, known professionally as Rah Digga, got her start in music as a supporting act. Her work with Newark, New Jersey hip-hop collective the Outsidaz earned her a feature on the Fugees’ 1996 album The Score. Then, a chance meeting with Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest at the Lyricist Lounge led to a Busta Rhymes introduction and invitation to join his Flipmode Squad. Fisher was featured on Flipmode’s only studio album, The Imperial, as well as several Busta Rhymes solo records. She launched a solo career in 2000 with the release of her debut album Dirty Harriet, which showcased her raw talent through its fierce lyrics, burning punchlines, and unapologetic delivery. Though Fisher’s record label shelved her second studio album, she has continued to release music independently.

Philadelphia native Tierra Whack’s avant-garde approach to hip-hop has generated curiosity from music fans and earned her critical acclaim. She became interested in music as a teen and honed her rhymes as a local battle rapper. Whack burst onto the scene in 2018 with her debut mixtape Whack World, a collection of 15 one-minute songs accompanied by a suite of surrealist, eye-catching music videos. She draws inspiration from any and everything, including children’s television shows and books, relationships, and inanimate objects to craft pointed metaphors about femininity, fame, and race. Whack has experimented with longer tracks on recent releases, but her sharp writing style and keen observations keep listeners coming back for more.