Before brands attempt to commodify the Hot Girl Summer rage for product sales and retweets, Megan Thee Stallion ushered an organic movement for hot girls everywhere. With vivacious twerk moves and braggadocious lyrics, the Houston Hottie encouraged fans to simply live life while banging her southern bass-filled rap tracks.
But its not just Megan Thee Stallion. The impending doom of a hot girl summer looming over the heads of men all over was met with an influx of women rapping and singing about whatever their hearts desire. After a few years where only one or two talents were given space to shine, mainstream Hip Hop sees multiple women charting and does not look to be slowing down any time soon.
According to Billboard Charts, eight female Hip Hop acts, (nine total artists) hit the Hot 100 chart in 2019 thus far. City Girls (#FreeJT), Saweetie, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion, Iggy Azalea and, Lizzo have all reached this significant commercial accomplishment. For Saweetie, Megan Thee Stallion and Lizzo, their entries mark their debut on the Hot 100. For Hip Hop culture, this is an accomplishment in itself.
Female rappers to chart on the #Hot100 in 2019, so far: @iamcardib @lizzo @NICKIMINAJ Yung Miami & @ThegirlJT (@CityGirls_QC) @IGGYAZALEA @theestallion @Saweetie
Instead of one woman reigning supreme in a field typically dominated by men, the women are finally given the room to exist together and create music they want to hear. Despite the overflow of talent, women have always given their all to the rap game whether on a major label’s starting five or as first pick in underground streetball.
With rap music, women often take the backseat in rap music despite being equally talented as their male counterparts. While women continue to thrive, the men people cannot contain their underlying anger. Most recently, Hip Hop producer and artist Jermaine Dupri expressed his desire thoughts on women in rap in an interview with People saying “I don’t think they’re showing us who’s the best rapper. I think they’re trying to show-for me, it’s like strippers rapping.”
He continued “It’s like ‘OK, who’s going to be the rapper?”
Although currently only one of the women (Cardi B) proving to be a force in Hip Hop raps about stripping, Jermaine Dupri ignored the variance in sounds, equating their explicit lyrics to not rapping. Cardi B herself responded to Jermaine Dupri not only speaking on why she raps the way she does but encouraging him to check out the likes of Rapsody, Kamaiyah and, other women who provide the content he may be looking for.
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This point of view remains proves that Hip Hop needed a hot girl summer. Too often in and outside of music, women are placed in boxes and if any limb stretches outside, society ushers them back. The Hot Girl summer is here to remind women to do whatever they want without the constraints of societal standards.
For many fans of Hip Hop, the breath of fresh air was welcomed. Hip Hop needed the hot girl summer not only for the bars but for the spirit of defiance, sisterhood, and camaraderie.
Sanguinely, this is only the beginning. Queen Key, Rico Nasty, Asian Da Brat, Kashdoll, Tierra Whack, Yung Baby Tate and other women pushing the pen are growing fan bases worldwide. If Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road ever leaves the No. 1 spot, I hope a woman rapper takes the place.
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