When I think of influential females in hip-hop, my mind goes to Foxy Brown, hands down.
There was a time when we had a nice little run: Eve, Lil' Kim, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, Remy Ma, Da Brat - it goes on. But what I noticed is that a lot of talented females in hip-hop came out of a male camp.
There's not too many artist that can handle what we would call an Christian R&B sound. It's kind of a limited field as far as singers go. Just hoping that more artist like that can resonate and grow.In terms of female rappers, man hey come on! We're here...come talk to us!
One of the things that makes me most happy about music is that I can look at a picture and see Da Brat, Missy, Lil Kim, Left Eye, and I know Aaliyah is a singer, but to see them all in one photo together hugging and laughing and really having genuine love for each other... I want to feel that with my hip hop sisters.
People stereotype female rappers a whole lot.
I really like Nicki Minaj. I think she's great.
When I started out rapping, I became very frightened by the idea that people were trying to pigeonhole me. That's usually what happens to most female rappers. They fit in a box and there's a prototype or person they're compared to.
I would say Tupac influenced me the most to start rapping, but as far as a female icon that I've looked up to since I was six or seven is definitely Gwen Stefani.
I put everyone in my school on to Nicki Minaj before she blew up. I was obsessed with her and I was like, 'If she's the best female rapper then I've got to be better than her.'
I believe there are talented female rappers out there that aren't one-dimensional. It's OK to be one-dimensional, by the way.
Cardi is way better than Nicki. I don't care what no one says.
The women like us because we're the first real women rappers, and the men like us because we're strong. We're not some soft little rappers with soft little voices. The men who see us end up going, 'Hey! They're kickin' it!'
If women dabble in rap but they're not rappers, to get from dabbling to doing it is really difficult, confidence-wise.
Lisa 'Left-Eye' Lopes in TLC, she stood out a lot with her rap. It was so different, the way she would flow.
Cardi actually says stuff. Nicki just has attitude. So what. Big deal.
It's not nice to say it - I know female musicians, but not so many rappers. I can't think of one I idolize, which is sad, but I'm hoping that will change.
We feel we're setting a trend. Other girl groups watch our style and see how we rap. And there are some male rappers I feel we've overthrown.
All rappers are princesses like me.
People didn't really take white rappers seriously until Eminem, because he was better than everybody. Like female emcees, you need to be like Lauryn Hill or Nicki Minaj or killing everything before somebody takes you seriously.
Guys pit female rappers against each other because female rappers - if you haven't noticed of late - are a lot more interesting than guys.
Female rappers get it the hardest. You have to be a girl, yet you have to be just as hard as the guys. I think some female rappers get scared out of the business before they can make it.
When I met T-Boz and Left Eye, they were buying jeans that were a size 38. Three little cute girls dressed like boys was cool back then. Our style was cartoonish but fly at the same time.
It's not even the female rappers that are catty - it's the fans. They just want that beef.
No one said, 'This is the best female rapper.' It's more like, 'Lizzo can really rap.' I think its because I'm not that sexy girl. I'm that beast girl.
My love for the female hip hop movement has always been genuine.
