best women in hip hop

WOMEN IN HIP HOP: TRIBES’ Top 5 Female Emcees Shaping the Future of Hip Hop

DOWNLOAD THE FREE MIXTAPE NOW!

Where are all the really dope female emcees? was the sparking question that ignited this Spring 2012 edition of TRIBES Magazine. While it became apparent immediately that some purveyors of pop music and commercial hip hop may want us to believe that there aren’t many worthwhile women out there rapping today, make no mistake! Women have not fled the Hip Hop game.

They are out there rapping for their lives and, if the eager response to TRIBES Magazine’s search for the most talented female rappers on the indie scene is any indication, they are steady on the grind and very much a part of Hip Hop’s future. Nearly two-dozen artist submissions and fifty tracks later, TRIBES has compiled a Top 5 from the nominations. From shoe fetishes to paper stacking, loving their children to sexing their men, being independent and maintaining their faith in a higher power, these women rap about life, their dreams and the communities that gave rhythm to their flows and taught them about love.  Not marginalized figures or victims raging against the power machine, these ladies are perfectly confident in their right to rap and cleat about their place in a seat at the Hip Hop table.

Step outside of the mainstream box and meet several female emcees beating the heart of Hip Hop from the underground. Read the reviews now in the TRIBES Magazine Spring 2012 issue!

LADIES FIRST: SHA-ROCK, THE FIRST FEMALE EMCEE

SHA-ROCK: THE FIRST FEMALE EMCEE

Words by Dialo Askia

Sha-Rock was  the first female MC.  She rocked with the Funky Four Plus One More in an era where the competition was ‘furious’. These were the days of live battles. There were no second takes if you made a mistake. The Funky Four Plus One More had routines that flowed like synchronized swimmers; but it was the crowd that was holding their breath in anticipation. These weren’t the three-minute, round battles to crown a victor, of today. Back then, they battled with shows.

The group, initially known as the Funky Four, formed in 1976. These were the beginnings of Hip Hop when advertisement was word-of-mouth and B-boys and B-girls descended upon the park to display foot and ground work to a Kool Herc break. After a lineup change, the Funky Four Plus One More was born: two deejays and five mc’s- DJ Breakout, DJ Baron, K.K. Rockwell, Keith Keith, Lil Rodney C, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and MC Sha-Rock. Their music displayed cohesiveness in the way their voices intertwined with the beat, from one mc to the next, building music like an assembly line…READ THE FULL ARTICLE NOW.

VISIT MCSHAROCKONLINE.COM

LADIES FIRST: SHA-ROCK, THE FIRST FEMALE EMCEE

SHA-ROCK: THE FIRST FEMALE EMCEE

Words by Dialo Askia

Sha-Rock was  the first female MC.  She rocked with the Funky Four Plus One More in an era where the competition was ‘furious’. These were the days of live battles. There were no second takes if you made a mistake. The Funky Four Plus One More had routines that flowed like synchronized swimmers; but it was the crowd that was holding their breath in anticipation. These weren’t the three-minute, round battles to crown a victor, of today. Back then, they battled with shows.

The group, initially known as the Funky Four, formed in 1976. These were the beginnings of Hip Hop when advertisement was word-of-mouth and B-boys and B-girls descended upon the park to display foot and ground work to a Kool Herc break. After a lineup change, the Funky Four Plus One More was born: two deejays and five mc’s- DJ Breakout, DJ Baron, K.K. Rockwell, Keith Keith, Lil Rodney C, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and MC Sha-Rock. Their music displayed cohesiveness in the way their voices intertwined with the beat, from one mc to the next, building music like an assembly line…READ THE FULL ARTICLE NOW.

VISIT MCSHAROCKONLINE.COM

DOWNLOAD TRIBES’ 2012 ALL FEMALE HIP HOP MIXTAPE!

 GET ONE OF THE HOTTEST MIXTAPES OF 2012! 

DOWNLOAD FREE! 

WARNING: Parental Advisory! Some tracks contain explicit lyrics! 

Where are all the really dope female emcees? was the sparking question that ignited this Spring 2012 edition of TRIBES Magazine. While it became apparent immediately that some purveyors of pop music and commercial hip hop may want us to believe that there aren’t many worthwhile women out there rapping today, make no mistake! Women have not fled the Hip Hop game. They are out there rapping for their lives and, if the eager response to TRIBES Magazine’s search for the most talented female rappers on the indie scene is any indication, they are steady on the grind and very much a part of Hip Hop’s future. Nearly two-dozen artist submissions and fifty tracks later, TRIBES has compiled a Top 5 from the nominations. From shoe fetishes to paper stacking, loving their children to sexing their men, being independent and maintaining their faith in a higher power, these women rap about life, their dreams and the communities that gave rhythm to their flows and taught them about love.  Not marginalized figures or victims raging against the power machine, these ladies are perfectly confident in their right to rap and cleat about their place in a seat at the Hip Hop table. Step outside of the mainstream box and meet 5 Female Emcees beating the heart of Hip Hop from the underground. Featuring the hot new single, “On My Diva” by NC’s Queen of Hip Hop, SHELLY B.,; KRISTEN B. and KARINA LOPEZ bring the New York flavor; southern raps’ LADY CAM from Texas, ACE REIGN representing Chocolate City, and Greensboro’s own TREZURE are also featured! DOWNLOAD FREE!

View the latest issue of TRIBES Magazine now!

THE RESULTS ARE IN: Who is your favorite FEMALE Rapper/Emcee?

The votes are in! Lauryn Hill is your all-time favorite female rapper, with Missy Elliott coming in 2nd and Nicki Minaj rolling in at no 3.

The poll results were mixed with old and new school favorites, along with popular independent artists, like Kin4Life, being shown some love in the TRIBES poll.

Get the full survey breakdown in the SPRING 2012 WOMEN IN HIP HOP ISSUE coming soon! Check out the results!