Explicit content ahead: These artists pushed boundaries and changed the game.
Today’s raunchiest rap lyrics barely raise an eyebrow. While stars like Ice Spice, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, or Megan Thee Stallion might still ruffle conservative feathers, sexually explicit content has been woven into rap’s DNA for decades — thanks largely to a generation of fearless female pioneers.
The late 1980s marked a turning point. As gangsta rap exploded across the US, a new breed of “hardcore” female rappers emerged, refusing to let men monopolize discussions of sex and desire. Groups like Salt-N-Pepa broke ground with anthems like “Let’s Talk About Sex,” while TLC‘s “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg”, BWP (Bytches With Problems) and HWA (Hoez With Attitude) carved out space for women to openly celebrate their sexuality on their own terms.
By the mid-’90s, artists like Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown — whose nickname “Ill Na Na” left little to the imagination — had become hypersexualized icons. They rapped unapologetically about female anatomy and pleasure, transforming sexuality from a site of objectification into one of empowerment. These artists didn’t just adopt male rap conventions; they flipped the script entirely, asserting complete ownership over their bodies and narratives.
The late ’90s saw this movement gain momentum with Queen Pen, Gangsta Boo, Missy Elliott, Trina and Khia delivering lyrics every bit as explicit as their male counterparts. The 2000s brought Nicki Minaj, who would carry this torch to international superstardom.
Through their music and personas, these predominantly Black female artists fundamentally shifted hip-hop’s power dynamics. No longer passive objects of desire, they became the authors and protagonists of their own sexual stories, free from the white male gaze that had long dominated popular culture.
But this liberation came at a cost. Despite achieving massive commercial success, these artists faced relentless slut-shaming and questioning of their lyrical abilities — criticism rarely leveled at their male peers, who faced no backlash for similarly using their sexuality as artistic or marketing currency.
Regardless of personal opinions about their content, these artists have spent over three decades challenging societal norms and proving that rap’s commitment to free expression extends to all voices — not just male ones.
From 1990 to 2015, here’s a look back at 15 groundbreaking female rappers — primarily from the US, though not exclusively — who left an indelible mark on the genre and continue inspiring new generations of artists.
Content warning: Explicit material ahead (18+)
HWA – Eat this (1990) – Los Angeles, USA
“Now eat this pussy is what you can do
Suck it and suck it till your ass turn blue
The pussy is hot and good to G O
Hold on for a second while I lay on the floor
When I wrap this pussy around your goddam chin”
BWP – Cotex (1991) – New York/New Jersey, USA
“Bitch bleeding all fucking day
Up in her ass, dripping down her legs
Her panties are soaking, drenched in blood
She got cramps shooting up as far as her breasts”
BOSS – Recipe Of A Hoe (1993) – Detroit, USA
“They ready to stick it in
I ain’t no mingler
So I’m puttin’
Up my middle finger”
LIL’ KIM – Not Tonight (1996) – New York, USA
“The moral of the story is this
You ain’t lickin’ this, you ain’t stickin’ this”
FOXY BROWN – Tramp (1999) – New York, USA
“Whatever bitch you fuck, bet I’m twice them hoes
And I want my pussy licked, after all my shows”
ROLL-K – Roule avec Roll-K (2000) – Paris, France
“Lèche moi le clit bébé, rentre bien ta langue
Si tu assures, j’ramène des copines et on fait un gang bang”
“Lick my clit baby, put your tongue in it
If you’re good, I’ll bring my girlfriends and we’ll gangbang”
TRINA – B R Right ft. Ludacris (2002) – Miami, USA
“I want my ass smacked
Legs wide
Front back
Side to side
Pussy wet”
(…)
“Get high and fuck me crazy
Get a towel and wipe me off”
MS SANCHA – Freaky Tonight (2003) – Los Angeles, USA
“You can do me in the back of the club, in the back of the truck
I don’t care papi just want to fuck
A little licking on my clit, a little suckin on your dick
That’ll do the job if you wanna come and get this pussy wet
Just the thought of it makes me hot, whether you or me on top
Bust a nut on this freaky slut you can stick it in the butt”
JACKI-O – Pussy (Real Good) (2004) – Miami, USA
“Ya momma don’t like me, she say I’m no good
What she don’t know is, I got you pussy whooped
He need this pussy, he smell this pussy
He wanna taste this pussy, you gotta pay for pussy”
NICKI MINAJ – Freaky Gurl ft. Gucci Mane (2008) – New York, USA
“Lemme think, what could I do to kick it off?
How ‘bout I cum all on your dick and then I lick it off?”
LADY – Yankin (2010) – Talbotton, Georgia, USA
“I can’t even lie, I fuck better when I’m drinkin’
Ride dick like a pro, throw the pussy like I’m famous
Pussy feels so good, feels like the rubber off, ain’t it?
You ain’t gotta tell me, I know this pussy be yankin’”
COCO BROWN – Fuck My Face (2012) – Las Vegas, USA/Germany
“Flip me over grab my waist
Arch my back and fuck my face
Fuck my face grab my waist
Flip my ass over how good does it taste?
Now stick your finger in my butt and make this pussy nut”
KATIE GOT BANDZ – Kat!e (2012) – Chicago, USA
“Don’t fuck with lames
We gang bang, ho I’m in this shit
Katie making noise
Queen of drills bitch”
LIZA MONET – My Best Plan (2013) – Paris, France
“Quand il m’demande de le sucer
J’aime lécher son gland et le long de sa bite
Puis demande à me faire pénétrer lentement”
“When he asks me to suck him
I like to lick his glans and along his dick
Then ask him to slowly penetrate me”
LADY DO – Libomi 2.0 (2015) – Congo Brazzaville
“J’ne jure, j’ne jure que sur la chatte à moi-même
Tu veux me baiser ? Si t’en as une grosse, vas-y tu te ramènes”
“I swear, I swear by my own pussy
You want to fuck? If you got a big one, get over here”
