Females in hip hop

Throughout history, women have been the influential force behind some of the worlds greatest ideas and accomplishments and have added. Which is also the case in Hip Hop, women have been a great accent to the genre. During the late 80s and 90s, there were many female artists such as queen latifa, salt-n-peppa, mc lyte, etc. They didn't have to over sexualize themselves to get recognition, it was all about their skills on the mic. As hip hop became a more materialistic and sexist, women had to buy into the idea that sex sells. During the late 90s, artists like lil kim, foxy brown, and trina were more about showing their bodies than their rap skills. I remember watching a documentary about females in hip hop on b.e.t and rapper yo-yo reminisced about how she couldn't even write rhymes because she was trying too be sexy and keep up with other female artists. In hip hop, women are often belittled and depicted as objects, that is why it became so hard for women to prove their true talent without having to be "sexy". Artists such as Lauren hill and missy elliot showed that you didn't have to be objectified or sexual to be considered a good female rap artists. Fast forward to the late 2000s, there has been a throughout of females in hip hop. Labels consider them to be too expensive and troublesome and not making sales. But there is one that reigns Queen of hip hop at the moment and that is NICKI MINAJ. Criticize her all you want but her talent is undeniable and her crazy unique style is trendsetting and intriguing. Many may argue this but she is not going anywhere for a while.