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This playlist features a mix of different female UK rap artists. It also features the hip hop side more than the UK drill. Listen to this 4 hour mix at your leisure!

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The 40 year history of UK Hip-Hop & Rap

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From the sound system scene in the '80s to the rise of UK Drill in the '10s UK rap and have had a long journey. Here is a brief, but in-depth guide.

It's a complicated affair attempting to record the history of UK rap and hip-hop. Artists from outside of London have historically struggled to gain a foothold in music media. It reflects the wider attitude held towards regions of the UK beyond the Southeast. With the majority of Britain's Black working-class residing in the North and Midlands, many have been left out of important conversations regarding rap in the UK. Also, rap's history within the UK has never quite made it to the mainstream until very recently, save for a handful of artists over the years such as Roots Manuva, Rodney P, Skepta, and Giggs.

Throughout its history, UK rap has always cross-pollinated with other sounds such as garage, funky house, grime, and - more recently - afrobeats, trap, and drill. It's reflective of the nature of Black British-led sounds that dates back to when dancehall became heavily influenced by electronic sounds in the 1980s. It was never safe to label garage or grime as rap due to the heavy influence the traditions of toasting have had on both genres. Reggae is the tree from which hip-hop and grime both emerged as Sweetie Irie once said. Through the art of toasting, it's more accurate to say that both genres exist as genealogical cousins.

UK rap and British hip-hop are two different strands of the same artform. While the labeling doesn't suggest much difference between the two at first glance, each had their own unique cultures and practices, which made the distinction much more visible. As UK rap began to rise through the mid to late aughts, British hip-hop has been pushed further underground. However, its relationship with rap couldn't be more intrinsically linked despite those clear distinctions.
The 1980s: Sound systems and the birth of UK hip-hop
In the 1980s, a wave of descendants of the Windrush Generation found themselves leading the UK sound system scene. The l ikes of Peter King, Tippa Irie, Ragga Twins, and Smiley Culture spit using the traditional format of toasting but they did so utilizing electronic methods and sounds ushering a new era for dancehall, while signaling the birth of a rap style that would lead to garage, drum and bass, jungle and grime less than a decade later.

On the traditional hip-hop side, it's difficult to talk about the 1980s without recognizing the trailblazers: The Wild Bunch (who later became Massive Attack), London Posse, and Rodney P. Before the 1990s, most UK rappers were adopting American accents, with the hope that would help build their profiles. The late Derek B would be one of the first UK rappers to achieve chart success through hits such as "Goodgroves" and "Bad Young Brother," both released in 1988. There were a number of record labels also emerging that gave UK rappers a home, such as Positive Beat Records from Ladbroke Grove; Low Life Records based in Leeds; Music of Life which Derek B was signed to along with acts such as Demon Boyz, MC Duke, and, much later, Asher D.
The 1990s: The Bronze Age of UK Rap and Hip-Hop
There were a handful of prominent MCs such as Rodney P and Blak Twang - who released his debut single " What's Goin' On" in 1995 - but most of the scene would be comprised of local, regional acts such as Overlord X, Dominant Force, Demon Boyz, and Krispy 3. One of the reasons why these groups weren't able to break out of the underground was because hip-hop, in this style, was considered too American, with the industry and media considering it inauthentic. However, what the industry hadn't taken into consideration was just how easy it was for MCs to localize their style of hip-hop.

Tricky is another MC whose influence can be heard in today's rap scene and that was because of his avant-garde charisma and individualism in a scene full of crews. He is from Bristol and that meant he was often going to be left out of the conversations regarding the lasting impact of '90s UK rappers. Tricky was more trip-hop than rap and Bristol was the birthplace of that scene in the UK. And the scene originating from the west country isn't a coincidence either. The Southwest is culturally far from London but it meant that regional distinctions were beginning to develop across the country.

Roots Manuva would also emerge in the late '90s with his debut album Brand New Second Hand, released in 1999. However, it was " Witness," released in 2001, that brought the Stockwell rapper to national prominence with its wobbly production and south London twang that was attributed to the Caribbeans who resided in the area for decades.

Across garage, jungle, and drum and bass, rap wasn't so readily defined as that in those circles, it was just MCing or spitting. It began to create a clear divide between more traditional hip-hop sounds although artists in the differing scenes often embraced each other and performed on the same tours. Sticky, Glamma Kid, Heartless Crew, Pay As U Go Cartel, Ms Dynamite, General Levy, Riko Dan, and Stush were all but a few of the names leading those respective scenes in the '90s right through to the 2000s.
The early 2000s: Grime enters the fray
By the turn of the millennium, UK rap was intrinsically linked to garage. If you were to find straight rap, at this time, it would've been found in the form of UK hip-hop. When So Solid Crew emerged in the early 2000s, the DNA of rap would change as they began to flirt with slow-tempo sounds - particularly on 2003's 2nd Verse, the group's second album. Pay As U Go's " Know We," arguably one of the first grime tracks ushered in a new style of garage that was more ominous and bass-heavy than before. Over the following years, the likes of Dizzee Rascal, Kano, Roll Deep, Nasty Crew, Ruff Sqwad, and Boy Better Know would emerge at the tail-end of garage's height of prominence.

It was through grime that platforms such as Risky Roadz, Lord of the Mics, Grime Forum, Hyperfrank, Prancehall, and Butterz arose. Grime, compared to garage, had become a multimedia genre, capitalizing on the internet connectivity and DVDs which allowed the scene to thrive nationally. Although many of these platforms emerged in the mid-2000s, they were all apart of the underground media establishment that honestly and authentically captured the essence of grime at the time.

On the other side of the line, Ty, Jehst, Foreign Beggars, Skinnyman, and The Streets began to emerge, embracing the traditions of UK hip-hop. These rappers localized the themes of UK's sociopolitical climate at the time while maintaining a soulful sound of hip-hop. There was also a level of grittiness that suited the bleak, grey landscape of working-class Britain. The scene was underground but these were artists often supporting US rap acts such as Mos Def, Wu-Tang Clan, and Pharoahe Monch.
The mid-aughts: The Explosion of Road Rap
Grime was lively as ever and a firm scene was established by 2005. Beyond the pirate radio sets at Rinse FM and Deja Vu FM, MCs were beginning to release full-length projects. Dizzee's Boy In Da Corner, Ruff Sqwad's Guns N Roses, Wiley's Treddin' On Thin Ice, and Kano's Home Sweet Home each laid the blueprint for the quintessential grime album, dispelling myths that the scene was never made for full-length feature projects. And young MCs such as Chipmunk, Tinchy Stryder, N-Dubz, and Griminal were all waiting in the wings biding their time.

In areas such as South London, road rap became the predominant sound. Sonically and thematically, it was the closest precursor to the drill and trap we hear today. Arguably the biggest and most successful acts to come out of the road rap scene were Krept & Konan and Giggs, who embraced slower yet more ominous tones. Although many had come before those acts, their signature sounds sparked a shift where future drill artists such as Croydon's SL cites Giggs as an early influence.

The road rap scene was made up largely of local legends such as North London's Young Spray and North Star; Gipset, which featured Krept & Konan; and S.A.S - the UK arm of Dipset. At times it was often difficult to distinguish the difference between rap and grime since a lot of MCs were beginning to cross over from roughly 2005.

MCs such as Sway and Klashnekoff left their distinctive imprints on hip-hop over the years. Sway embraced his Ghanaian heritage and Klashnekoff did so with his Jamaican roots. Both were gifted lyricists in his own right, capable of spinning every man they were on a track with. However, many of the hip-hop MCs would routine collaborate with artists from other scenes such as garage, jungle, rap, and drum & bass as a way of crossing over but also highlighting that due to these scenes being made up of predominantly descendants of Black immigrants, there was no one scene that ever stood completely on its own. It's this fluidity that has made the British scene so unique and innovative despite not necessarily having a buying market as sizeable as the US.
2010s and Beyond: The Golden Age, the birth of UK drill and the new rap frontier
It was this decade when UK rap went mainstream. However, it wasn't just one song that broke the floodgates such as Stormzy's " Shut Up Freestyle" or Dave and Fredo's " Funky Friday" which went to number one on the UK charts. It was a culmination of hits for the past nine years making the Top 40 that saw UK rap in a space it had never previously been. The grime veterans still have their roots firmly in the scene but Wretch 32, Skepta, Kano, D Double E, P Money, Ghetts, and many others have each released albums that not only sound much different to the underground releases of the Noughties but it also shows that these artists were able to adapt to younger audiences who were enamored with rap much more than grime.

In recent years, the UK rap tree has grown and expanded due to the social phenomenons that took place earlier in the decade. Access to platforms such as YouTube and streaming sites have given younger artists a broader and more diverse soundscape to take inspiration from. While d rill was born in Chicago - via the likes of Chief Keef, Lil Reese, and King Louie - it migrated to the UK and ultimately replaced grime as the sound of Black youth. Road, or street rap, was very much underground but it wouldn't be until the rise of south London crews such as 67 and Section Boyz when drill and trap came to major prominence in the UK. More recently, acts such as Skengdo & AM, SL, Unknown T, and K-Trap have been leading the current wave of drill artists rising to popularity.

UK rap is firmly in the mainstream now with the likes of Dave, J Hus, Stormzy, Mo Stack, Kojo Funds, and more repeatedly finding themselves in the charts. The triumvirate of Dave, J Hus and Stormzy have each released record-breaking albums that have signaled the beginning of a golden age.

It's become harder to define and separate these scenes because of the internet and the exposure to past sounds that younger artists now have, coupled with the nostalgia of youth and the DNA of Black British youth-led music. While there have been strict rules in defining what each of these scenes is - whether they are rap, hip-hop, jungle, grime or trap - those rules are beginning to disintegrate. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. It means that artists themselves don't have to pigeonhole themselves to one particular branch of that tree, allowing them to cross over much easier than their predecessors. If the past is anything to go by, the next 40 years show incredible amounts of promise for the Black British music scene.

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A Brief But In-Depth Dive Into the 40 Year History of UK Hip-Hop & Rap

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From the sound system scene in the '80s to the rise of UK Drill in the '10s UK rap and have had a long journey. Here is a brief, but in-depth guide. It's a complicated affair attempting to record the history of UK rap and hip-hop.

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Ivorian Doll talks about her hometown Hackney and how she grew into the rapper she is now. She gives a quick summary of her life story, being in a gang, and rap in the UK.

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This podcast features and interview with Mimi Monroe, an upcoming UK female rappers. She talks about her life, rapping, and being The Realest Bi*ch In The Game!

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Welcome to Player FM!

Player FM is scanning the web for high-quality podcasts for you to enjoy right now. It's the best podcast app and works on Android, iPhone, and the web. Signup to sync subscriptions across devices.

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Mimi Mxnroe Talks Being The Realist Bi*ch In The Game, Wants To Be Heard First - 3Smoke Podcast 3Smoke's podcast

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Listen to Mimi Mxnroe Talks Being The Realist Bi*ch In The Game, Wants To Be Heard First - 3Smoke Podcast and thirty-one more episodes by 3Smoke's Podcast, free! No signup or install needed. J Gang Talks Zaza Potion Mixtape - 3Smoke Podcast. Troublesome - 3Smoke Podcast Episode 30.

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This artist is known as Miss La familia. She's an amazing UK drill rapper!

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The innovative artist Ms Banks and her new wave of sound for female MCs in the UK.

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The most exciting UK rappers right now are women from South London, innovative, bold artists making everything from hip-hop and grime to Afrobeats, trap and UK drill. Ms Banks is at the forefront of this new female wave, with an ability on the mic and a knack for genre-hopping that's propelled her from London to the rest of the world, performing with Cardi B and Nicki Minaj and collaborating with the likes of Tinie Tempah , Stormzy , and JME , while managing to carve out her own unique identity as an artist.

Lyrically, she's boasty and braggadocious, vulnerable and deep - as funny as she is fierce. Her flow is just as dexterous as her wordplay with a knack for adapting and flexing to whatever beat she's working with. This is an MC as happy spitting bars over a cold drill beat as she is skipping between melodic song and rapping verse on an Afrobeats track, riding classic UK garage (see last year's remix of So Solid Crew's 21 Seconds alongside UK greats like D Double E , Lisa Maffia and Romeo ) or even jungle (like this year's feature on CLIPZ 's Again with Ms Dynamite and Jaykae ).

This year, Banks also features on Mike Skinner 's first-ever Streets mixtape and Big Tobz 's Issa Vibe, stepping up with Banku pioneer Mr Eazi for Afrobeats cut Sugar Daddy. Meanwhile her recent Thot Box freestyle sees her spitting flirty bars with a sense of humour as skippy as her flow, proving she's still a rapper to the core.

Last year's tape The Coldest Winter Ever, Pt 2 was a masterclass in Ms Banks' refusal to fit into any musical boxes, a diverse range of producers (from Mokuba Lives and GuiltyBeatz to South East London's SPLURGEBOYS ) providing a range of backdrops for her to riff over. Banks' bars smoothly ride the Conducta-produced mellow UK garage of Could It Be, for example, while she brings it back to the braggadocious for colder, trappy cuts like Hood Bitch and Wifey Tingz. Snack featuring Kida Kudz sees her traversing Afrobeats and rap, skipping effortlessly between soft, melodious delivery and nonchalant bars - serving up different vocal styles in almost the same breath - while Bad B Bop is a head-nodding girl power anthem.

Banks shouts out her South London home reminding us she's "Coming from the East side, not Hackney" while delivering verses with a laidback swagger reminiscent of Lil Kim : "Don't need your backhanded compliments / I'm confident / I move with an ambience / Mad 'cause my ego bigger than the continent."

She's been honing these skills since childhood. At just 11, when most kids are getting to grips with secondary school, Banks began penning lyrics and rapping. Drawing inspiration from strong female MCs on both sides of the Atlantic and of all styles, this hinted at the sort of genre-less artist she'd go onto become: the East Coast gangsta rap leanings of Lil Kim and Foxy Brown , flipping gendered expectations about sex and power on their heads; the homegrown UK garage of Lisa Maffia and Ms Dynamite , coming up through the male-dominated, competitive world of London pirate radio, honing their skills on the mic at stations like Supreme, Delight and Raw FM; the UK hip-hop of early Estelle , who started out spitting with the likes of Roots Manuva , Rodney P , Klashnekoff , Blak Twang and the late TY .

She was also surrounded by a rich diversity of music and culture that has fed into her own work: her Ugandan mother was a fan of artists like Monica and Usher , while her Nigerian father (a sometime music producer) was into hip-hop greats like KRS1 and her uncle was in grime crew Essentials - one of the first to spring up out of South London in the mid 2000s, taking their sound to seminal raves like Sidewinder and proving you didn't have to be East to be grime.

Banks has called out the media for pitting black women like Nicki Minaj and Cardi B against each other and this spirit of sisterhood has arguably led to some impressive collaborations with other female artists. Her 16 bars on 2017's Stylo G' s Yu Zimme with Lisa Mercedez , full of cheeky metaphors and patois, caught Minaj's attention, who tweeted out her favourite Banks lyrics. She even brought Banks and Mercedez out on stage during her Nicki Wrld Tour: three powerful female MCs performing together, mirroring exactly the kind of supportive sisterhood Ms Banks has been talking about for years.

The diversity and creativity of her neighbourhood go hand-in-hand, from the deep sound system roots of long-standing Caribbean communities (South East London was home to iconic sound systems like Jah Shaka and Saxon Sound in the '70s-'80s) to the recent explosion of innovative jazz, with artists like Moses Boyd , Theon Cross and Steam Down Collective drawing on African and UK sounds to make something unique.

This diversity is reflected in the other female rappers coming out of the area, spearheaded by Ms Banks. Take UK drill MC Shaybo , recently signed to Black Butter Records who peppers her bars with Yoruba, bringing together contrasting influences in unexpected ways. Tracks Anger and You Dun Know are full of witty punchlines and impressive wordplay, as well as distinctly UK references rubbing up with nods to West African and Caribbean culture. Her Tiffany Calver freestyle is the perfect demonstration of this innovative combination: Switching up flows over the instrumental to the late Pop Smoke' s Invincible, darting between different cadence, accents, and slang - "Wagwan bruv" flung into the same melting pot as Yoruba - she's bossy, confident ("Shaybo don't like to lose") humorous and angry, all at once.

Flohio is another South London MC carving out her own innovative niche. Coming up through the Bermondsey MC collective TruLuvCru , she weaves her way around grime, trap, drill and UK rap - sometimes even spitting over ambient techno - with punchy, poetic bars and cold, industrial beats. Whatever the production, it's always interesting: take 2019's WAY2, an icy, take-no-prisoners cut - on which she shouts out her neighbourhood: "All in Vogue and I still rep south" - this year's Heavy (Freestyle), with unexpected electronics layered underneath skippy percussion or 2018's Wild Yout EP, made with shape-shifting producer Clams Casino .

Flohio's firey, fast-paced delivery and knack for innovative beat selections has not gone amiss. This year, she's joining Ms Banks on The Streets new mixtape (as well as on Cadenza 's Dead Set, the two MCs lending their contrasting flows to the track), has earned accolades like a spot on the BBC's Sound Of 2019 long list, and was named by Naomi Campbell as one of the 10 women changing our future for Vogue.

Elsewhere in South London, Lavida Loca blends drill with compelling storytelling. She dropped her 2 Sides EP earlier this year and served up an impressive freestyle for Kenny Allstar at 1Xtra in December last year, digging into her youth and experiences in prison. Ling Hussle blurs the lines between rap and RnB, and Elheist serves up warm, old-school vibes in stark contrast to the ice-cold trap and drill swirling London today.

At just 19, Scuti is another of this rich female rap wave, who like Flohio came up with a collective, a member of rising London crew 237 and has already packed in a Boiler Room set as well as gearing up for her first mixtape, This Is Skoo. There's something magnetic and elusive about her meter - a nonchalant, almost childlike, naive cadence, contrasting with smokey drill-skapes.

South London has formed a large part of Scuti's development so far, cutting her teeth onstage in Peckham, where she says she did her first performances as well as her first bars on radio - an important rite of passage for any UK MC - via Balamii, a station that's at the centre of South London's music scene. There's something especially homegrown and DIY about Scuti, who recorded a lot of her first tracks in fellow South London rapper Virgil Hawkins ' bedroom - "Who I now consider to be a brother to me," she says, talking about the creative community around her as her 'Support circle' - and whose uncle built her first studio in his Peckham youth club.

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Profile: Ms Banks is leading a new wave of female South London MCs

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The most exciting UK rappers right now are women from South London, innovative, bold artists making everything from hip-hop and grime to Afrobeats, trap and UK drill.

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A list of artists that range from rap, hip hop, and trap/drill. Some are well-known and some are upcoming. 2021 has proven to be these artists' year of growth.

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At the top of last year, we predicted that 2020 would bring a raft of experimentation from the UK drill scene, and what followed was one of the most exciting years in British music that saw all of our expectations surpassed.

It wasn't just drill that dominated either; a glut of British rappers and MCs came bubbling to the surface, exploring countless different strains and subsets of hip-hop, and what we now have is a music scene with variety like no other. With live music still a far-off prospect, this new batch of artists have unfortunately been robbed of one of their most powerful tools, and their immediate access to fans. However, in 2021, this has given British rappers all the more time in the studio to work on their music and deliver ground-breaking singles, EPs and albums. 2020 gave us a hint of that, but 2021 is about to overwhelm us with chart-busting, experimental, era-defining rap music from our shores.

Here are 21 UK rappers to watch in 2021.

At the top of last year, we predicted that 2020 would bring a raft of experimentation from the UK drill scene, and what followed was one of the most exciting years in British music that saw all of our expectations surpassed.

It wasn't just drill that dominated either; a glut of British rappers and MCs came bubbling to the surface, exploring countless different strains and subsets of hip-hop, and what we now have is a music scene with variety like no other. With live music still a far-off prospect, this new batch of artists have unfortunately been robbed of one of their most powerful tools, and their immediate access to fans. However, in 2021, this has given British rappers all the more time in the studio to work on their music and deliver ground-breaking singles, EPs and albums. 2020 gave us a hint of that, but 2021 is about to overwhelm us with chart-busting, experimental, era-defining rap music from our shores.

Here are 21 UK rappers to watch in 2021.

One of the defining characteristics of UK rap in 2021 is that it won't be dominated by one particular style or sound. Instead, it'll be the year of the individual-individuals like rapper Tia Carys from West London. Although born completely deaf, Tia recovered her hearing via surgery and hasn't taken any of it for granted. Inspired by Wretch 32's 2015 Fire In The Booth, her very first foray came via Instagram when she took on the same instrumental by The xx to explore her sexuality and her identity. Tia admits she wasn't as consistent as she could have been in the years that followed, but that all changed in 2019 when she released her debut single, proper: "English x Ghana". Since then, she's been running a mile-a-minute, filling 2020 with a fresh batch of singles, the EnRoot EP, and an appearance on Fraser T. Smith's Future Utopia: 12 Questions LP, finding herself in the company of Kano, Dave and Stormzy. Make no mistake: Tia Carys is only getting warmed up. - James Keith

After proving his talents on BBC Three's The Rap Game UK last year, Leeds-repping Graft caught the attention of hosts DJ Target, Krept, Konan, and the entire nation as he came out victorious in the competition. If you're from up North, you may have seen Graft impressing local crowds with some energetic grime freestyles, along with his vibrant, pre- Rap Game release "Ignited Flows"-a track that reps West Yorkshire life to the fullest. Now coming into the new year, with a Play Dirty single deal under his belt, the country will be keeping an eye on Graft to see what The Rap Game winner does with the momentum. - Jack Lynch

Newham rapper TiZ East first made waves when he released "Nokia Or Zanco" in 2019, but it was his 2020 project, T-House, that opened people's eyes to his rap-star potential. Stretching over five tracks, UK rap foundations welcome subtle dancehall tropes that allow us to vibe out while taking in East London street tales from the world of TiZ. Announcing that he will be putting out visuals for each track on the T-House EP, the world could well be TiZ East's oyster if he plays his cards right this year. - Jack Lynch

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Explore UK drill, trap, and boom-bap rap as British rhymers set to rise in 2021.

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An academic journal about the stereotypes of women of color in hip hop. It discusses women being over sexualized in the music industry and not being taken seriously as they should.

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The lyrical content of hip hop music is a widely contested, yet understudied popular culture phenomenon. This article presents a content analysis of the lyrics of the 49 most popular mainstream rap songs over a two year period. The analysis revealed three over-arching themes regarding women of color: 1) consistent with trends in mainstream pornography, women are commonly characterized as sex workers, particularly strippers and prostitutes, 2) women's voices are used strategically in songs to "sell" particular images of women and gender ideologies, and 3) women are often valorized for their loyalty to male partners despite danger to themselves. We find that popular rap music draws heavily from mainstream pornography contributing to a "pornification" of youth culture.

Journal Information

Race, Gender & Class publishes articles of 15-25 pages, notes of 5-10 pages, review essays on books or films, autobiographies, essays, data sets, theories, stories, field work studies, and letters to the journal promoting interdisciplinary and multicultural studies focusing on race, gender and class intersection issues

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Women of Color in Hip Hop: The Pornographic Gaze on JSTOR

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The lyrical content of hip hop music is a widely contested, yet understudied popular culture phenomenon. This article presents a content analysis of the lyrics of the 49 most popular mainstream rap songs over a two year period.

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The top 10 UK female rap artists from genres like drill, hip hop, and trap!

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Music video for the upcoming artist SYM WORLDD!

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Take a look into the Black London area of the United Kingdom!

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Nelson Mandela, Mary Seacole and Thierry Henry are some of the highlights of the tour of Black London from a new book by Avril Nanton and Jody Burton which celebrates Black history, culture and art in the capital. Andy Hall photographed a selection of the statues, murals and plaques

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Nelson Mandela, Mary Seacole and Thierry Henry are some of the highlights of the tour of Black London from a new book by Avril Nanton and Jody Burton which celebrates Black history, culture and art in the capital. Andy Hall photographed a selection of the statues, murals and plaques

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Best Graffiti Artists in the UK!

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It's always fraught with difficulty putting together a list of something like the best British street artists. It is of course it is highly subjective. But you know what, we've been covering the scene for a while now so we reckon we can give this a shot.

So here's the thing. We've picked some of who we think are the best artists working in Britain today. They don't have to be British but they do have to be resident. Visitors from elsewhere who rock up, do an amazing mural and leave, are not included.

So this post is really about highlighting the work of the amazing artists who make the scene what it is today. A few have been around a long time and a few have only just burst onto the scene. However all are highly skilled and key players in terms of what makes this exciting art form tick . So here we go, here is our list of the best street artists who we think are working in Britain today.

The Best Street Artists in Britain

ANNATOMIX (BIRMINGHAM)

Gaining herself ever more of a reputation, the Birmingham based artist has forged a trail in geometric street art. Primarily portraying animals and birds Annatomix also paints people. Her work can be seen not only around the country but around the world. She is influenced by science, history, religion and philosophy and it's these roots which, she says, ultimately shape her work.

ARTISTA (LONDON)

One of London's most recognisable artists. Artista has been honing her colourful and crowd pleasing style on the walls of London and pretty much everywhere else over the past five years. Her cartoon creations have been getting ever larger and ever more elaborate. Her 'flying toast' in particular has pretty much become a trademark. It can be seen all over the place along with her signature 'A' character which of course stands for Artista.

ATM (LONDON)

Known for his murals of the natural world, ATM is a British street artist who paints birds and animals. Often endangered or at risk he will link his murals with the area in which he is painting. His work is often found near environmental and community settings as a result. We've featured his work a number of times on the blog. You can read about ten of his favourite pieces here.

BANKSY (BRISTOL)

It just doesn't make sense to make a list of best British street artists without including Banksy. He is inextricably linked to the graffiti and street art scene in the UK and his influence is felt all over the world. Part of a hard core crew of writers from Bristol in the late eighties and early nineties. Banksy developed a style all of his own and started to lead the way in stencil art. This was something he would use to good effect in order to get his message out there quickly and without being detected. Now he combines a load of different techniques in his work. His murals garner attention wherever they are placed and people are still fascinated by the question just who is Banksy?

BEN EINE (LONDON)

Now known for his large scale letters and unique fonts. He paints high on walls all around the place. Ben Eine has been on a journey from notorious scourge of the authorities to acclaimed artist. His work now hangs in the white house and his calligraphic style has become hugely sought after. Most recently large scale pieces have appeared in the Olympic Park and on the Village Underground in a memorial to the Grenfell Tower disaster.

CHEBA (BRISTOL)

Painting from the early 2000's Cheba is another artist whose roots go back to the influential Bristol graffiti scene. This was a time when his posters and stickers would appear everywhere. His current work is striking. Taking inspiration from space and more specifically from photos taken from the Hubble Space telescope. As such his most current series of works resemble a cosmos. You can take a look at some more of his work here.

CHEO (BRISTOL)

DALE GRIMSHAW (BLACKBURN)

Dale's recent series of portraits featuring native peoples from West Papua have been popping up on walls around the country. The striking images are part of his campaigning brand of street art. This is meant to get people asking questions about what he describes as the brutality and torture going on in that country following its occupation by Indonesia. They are meant to raise awareness of a native people living halfway around the world and they do. To read more about the campaign to 'Free West Papua' check out this interview he did with the Islington Gazette.

DAN KITCHENER (SOUTHEND)

Known for his giant night scenes British street artist Kitchener likes to play around with light and reflection. As such his murals have a particular feel to them as he captures the bustle of a city. He is also influenced by Japan and Japanese culture. As a result he has an impressive line in painting geishas, sometimes mixing the two styles in his work. We interviewed Dan in 2016 when he had a show in Brick Lane. You can read that and see some more of his work here.

EELUS (BRIGHTON)

From the north of England but now settled in Brighton. Eelus is a self taught artist partly inspired by Banksy. Becoming enchanted with the street art scene when first moving down to London from Wigan. He is known for his giant murals most recently combining stencil with giant lines of colour. We recently interviewed him for our Art Related Noise podcast and you can read about that here.

FANAKAPAN (LONDON)

INKIE (BRISTOL)

A British street artist whose roots go back to the birth of graffiti culture in the UK in Bristol. There is no-one closer to the heart of the scene than Inkie. A contemporary and many time artistic partner of Banksy himself. Inkie was once arrested as part of the largest nationwide crackdown on graffiti. That was in 1989 the homes of 72 suspected graffiti artists were invaded across the south west. It became what was the UK's largest ever operation against graffiti. Inkie had been on the radar for a while as a potential ringleader for the whole scene. You can see Inkie speak about his career on youtube here.

IRONY (LONDON)

Based in London Irony has been pumping out the work over recent years. Often collaborating with fellow artist Boe, the two have become known for their large impressive and detailed murals of animals and birds. Individually Irony's work covers other topics too. His is a body of work that is increasingly getting bigger and more impressive. Possibly one of his most popular pieces is a much loved collaboration with Boe featuring a Chihuahua in Poplar, you can check that out here.

Mural from Irony painted as part of the Cheltenham Street Art Festival

JIM VISION (LONDON)

JODY THOMAS (BRISTOL)

Initially active in Bristol between 1986 and 1990 Jody took an 18 year break before bursting back onto the scene. His murals as part of the Upfest festival in Bristol have become particularly iconic. A photorealistic style which can produce some showstopping images. Some of his more recent work has featured the image of American artist and model Cassie Medor. The two have collaborated to together on a number of pieces. We spoke to him briefly at Upfest in 2017 and you can catch that interview here.

JXC (LONDON)

Taking inspiration from graffiti, street art and urban photography, JXC has a graphic photo realistic style which mixes elements from each. His images are always arresting and impactful. Another artist inspired by the seminal book 'Subway Art'. Speaking to Street Art 360 JXC said of the ever changing nature of the medium "The fact that it may no longer be there in a matter of days, only adds to the allure of painting on the street". You can see more work by JXC on his website here.

LOUIS MASAI (LONDON)

MY DOG SIGHS (SOUTHSEA)

My Dog Sighs has become well known for his iconic eye and hug images. Painted high on walls or small as part of original paste ups. The artist has a fan friendly style which is always popular. He is also an artist best known for being one of the leading lights behind the concept of free art Fridays. An initiative where original art is quite literally just left out for people to find. Now he tends to do this more by the creation of original art which he pastes up onto the street for people to enjoy.

NOMAD CLAN (MANCHESTER)

These guys are just smashing everything at the moment. They are constantly producing amazing murals and quite frankly they are getting better and better. Made up of the duo of Aylo and Cbloxx. The Nomad Clan create large scale culturally relevant pieces on the walls they paint. Recently we featured their biggest mural to date in Leeds which today is the UK's largest street art piece. They also featured in our top 20 list of amazing artworks from the recent Upfest festival.

PHILTH (NUNEATON)

Part of the Never Ready crew but now more often than not painting solo. Philth is known for his delicate patterned art. He takes inspiration from the natural world as well as from the environment around him. Known also for his calligraphy, Philth is a versatile artist and a regular on the UK street art circuit. We saw his work during the Rochdale Uprising festival where his work paid homage to the history of the town.

Work in progress piece from Philth at the Rochdale Uprising festival

PHLEGM (SHEFFIELD)

With a highly recognisable style Phlegm paints intricate characters and worlds large and small on walls everywhere. Primarily an illustrator he paints black and white images of incredible detail. These would be instantly recognisable to any follower of the street art scene. A regular visitor to London we covered his last show in the capital, the Bestiary, which itself was an immersive look into his world and his art. The unique thing about that particular show was that it was just one complete installation. The work was always intended to be destroyed at the end and nothing was sold. You can keep up to date with the work of Phlegm by following his blog here.

ROGUE ONE (GLASGOW)

With a name taken from Rogue Trooper from the 2000AD comics. Rogue One is another artist with a highly developed photo realistic style. Initially inspired by the graffiti and hip hop culture of the 80's. His work can be seen dotted around Glasgow in particular. Speaking about his work to Street Art 360, Rogue said "I'm not exactly big on politics or religion so I don't always try to give out messages in my artwork. Sometimes I do, sometimes their subtle, but mostly I try to just do paintings that make people smile or laugh."

Glasgow taxi by Rogue One via Street Art 360

SMUG (GLASGOW)

Smug piece from Glasgow. Photo via Urban Kultur Blog

SNIK (STAMFORD)

The duo have established themselves a reputation as two of the best stencil artists around. Creating detailed, ambitious and intricate works they have just kept getting bigger in terms of their street works. So big that they had to modify their style. Now the major pieces are built up with one substantive stencil that can take weeks to create prior to hand finishing. What's more, their works are meant to last. Each stencil is thrown away afterwards meaning that each is special for the spot it is designed for.

A giant mural from Snik painted as part of the Nuart Street Art Festival in Aberdeen

SNUB (BRIGHTON)

A cornerstone of the Brighton scene. You will not go anywhere in that city without coming across work by SNUB. In particular his iconic portraits of Mongrol the giant robot from the 2000AD comic. SNUB has been active on the scene since the early nineties. Travelling between Brighton and London to paint. He would also take part in the thriving free party scene. This he credits as being a key enabler in terms of helping shape the street art scene we have today. You can read our interview with SNUB from 2015 here.

SR.X (LONDON)

Spanish street artist Sr.X has made his home in Britain and has been a regular on the streets of London for the past couple of years. His work is often be based around societal themes turning those on their head. Respectable from the outside his characters will often have something else going on internally or may be interacting with something else entirely. You can read more about the work of Sr.X here.

STIK (LONDON)

Known for his instinctively appealing Stik characters the artist whose name literally represents what he paints has become hugely popular. Stik also helped to found the hugely successful Dulwich Outdoor Gallery with Ingrid Beazley. An initiative to connect urban art with that of the baroque in the Dulwich Picture Gallery. Stik's work can be found dotted around London in particular. It's even begun to take on an almost protected status. Some seeking to actively preserve his work even all around it may be being redeveloped or destroyed.

TANKPETROL (MANCHESTER)

VOYDER (BRISTOL)

A graffiti artist who keeps himself to himself given that there's not really that much information about him online. Despite this he is someone whose work can be found widely. Versatile, his tag 'Voyder' is rarely written the same way twice. The artist is also adapt at portraiture and photo realism making him a highly versatile artist.

ZABOU (LONDON)

We've been following the career of Zabou for a while. Originally from France she has based herself in London now for many years. Her images have become a recognisable part of the London street art scene. It's not just London though, Zabou paints all over the and her giant stylised murals have been popping up everywhere. A few years ago she even gave a TED talk on street art, her influence since has only been growing.
To read similar articles on Inspiring City have a look at: The Best Places to see Street Art in London Where to see Street art and Graffiti on Brick Lane

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Who are the best British Street Artists * Inspiring City

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It's always fraught with difficulty putting together a list of something like the best British street artists. It is of course it is highly subjective. But you know what, we've been covering the scene for a while now so we reckon we can give this a shot. So here's the thing.

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A BET Cyper of UK artists featuring Ms Banks

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BET | UK CYPHER 2017 - Big Tobz, Cadet, Ms Banks, Avelino

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This film is about the battle raps that happen all over the United Kingdom.

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watch war of words: battle rap in the uk (2016) free

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War of Words: Battle Rap in the UK (2016)

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The rap battle scene is shown in-depth across the pond in the United Kingdom, through the views of the youth subculture and world-famous rap artists.

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An academic journal that talks about the origins of hip hop feminism and how it's advanced into what it is today.

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AbstractThis new directions essay traces the most recent trajectory in the field of hip-hop feminism. To that end, we map the current terrain of hip-hop feminist studies, first by identifying challenges and tensions, then by reviewing current literature and its engagement with these issues, and finally by identifying new and emergent areas for further development of the field. We argue that hip-hop feminism has effectively made space for itself in the broader fields of black and women-of-color feminisms and remains deeply invested in the intersectional approaches developed by earlier black feminists. We also insist that women and girls of color remain central to our analyses, particularly in light of the proliferation of critical masculinity studies within the broader field of hip-hop studies. Furthermore, our discussion of hip-hop feminism contends that within hip-hop feminist studies, hip-hop and feminism act as discrete but constitutive categories that share a dialogic relationship. Rather than treating feminism as though it lends a certain intellectual gravity to hip-hop, we consider how creative, intellectual hip-hop feminist work invites new questions about representation, provides additional insight about embodied experience, and offers alternative models for critical engagement.

Journal Information

Current issues are now on the Chicago Journals website. Read the latest issue.Recognized as the leading international journal in women's studies, Signs is at the forefront of new directions in feminist scholarship. The journal publishes pathbreaking articles, review essays, comparative perspectives, and retrospectives of interdisciplinary interest addressing gender, race, culture, class, nation, and sexuality. Special issue and section topics cover a broad range of geopolitical processes, conditions, and effects; cultural and social configurations; and scholarly and theoretical developments.

Publisher Information

Since its origins in 1890 as one of the three main divisions of the University of Chicago, The University of Chicago Press has embraced as its mission the obligation to disseminate scholarship of the highest standard and to publish serious works that promote education, foster public understanding, and enrich cultural life. Today, the Journals Division publishes more than 70 journals and hardcover serials, in a wide range of academic disciplines, including the social sciences, the humanities, education, the biological and medical sciences, and the physical sciences.

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The Stage Hip-Hop Feminism Built: A New Directions Essay on JSTOR

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AbstractThis new directions essay traces the most recent trajectory in the field of hip-hop feminism. To that end, we map the current terrain of hip-hop feminist studies, first by identifying challenges and tensions, then by reviewing current literature and its engagement with these issues, and finally by identifying new and emergent areas for further development of the field.

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The UK's first female hip hop group. Their message is to listen to their words instead of looking at their appearances. This message is still true to this day with female UK hip hop artists.

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These 2 ladies are the originators of female hip hop artists in the UK. They talk about still maintaining the message in hip hop and not just the look for women.

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hen considering the history of women in hip-hop, some pioneering names will always stand out. There's Debbie D, a member of DJ Marley Marl's Juice Crew; Pebblee Poo, who joined DJ Kool Herc's Herculoids; and Lisa Lee, who was in Afrika Bambaataa's Universal Zulu Nation. Then there's Sha-Rock, considered the first prominent female MC; Mercedes Ladies, the first all-female group in hip-hop; Roxanne Shanté, the formidable battle rapper. But as in many parts of the music industry, these women were told they're good for a girl: a patronising framework that is one of the core reasons women are left out of the history of the genres they helped revolutionise.

In the UK in 1983, two more young women were also about to be underestimated. MC Remedee (Debbie Pryce) and Susie Q (Susan Banfield) were just getting started as Cookie Crew, inspired by what was happening in the New York music scene. Cookie Crew pre-dated other prominent women in UK hip-hop such as She Rockers and Wee Papa Girl Rappers, not to mention Monie Love, who would go on to settle in New York in 1988 to massive success. As one of the first female hip-hop groups in the UK, they were also among the first to battle the hurdles women faced in the genre; constantly compared to adjacent male rappers, forced to prove themselves despite their evident success, and constantly pushed in different, and often contradictory, directions.

"We started listening to hip-hop because Debbie would go to New York with her family in the early 80s, record the radio on a cassette tape and bring it back for us to listen to," Banfield explains. "We would listen to it at home, and it was amazing to us."

The pair would spend time in the park near where they grew up with their crew of friends, roller skating and playing double Dutch - once they started writing, this was the ideal place to test the waters with their rhymes. "Malcolm McLaren did this documentary in a place in Covent Garden where breakers [breakdancers] used to hang out," she recalls. "We started to connect the dots with everything that was happening in the hip-hop scene. There were graffiti artists down there, there were breakers, and there were rappers - everyone started to try a little something."

Debbie 'MC Remedee' Pryce (left) and Susan 'Susie Q' Banfield (right). Photograph: Plimsoll Productions/BBC

This included Banfield and Pryce, who were writing raps, not realising that there weren't really other girls doing the same thing locally. "We had no clue because we saw American girls doing it. We were listening to female rappers like Sha-Rock, Lisa Lee and Debbie D and we were influenced by them. There were a lot of rappers out there [in the UK] at the time, all male, but we did see Michelle Devitt also known as Mystery MC of Family Quest. We saw her rapping on stage; she was freestyling and she blew us away - the first female rapper that we had seen from England."

It was at this point in 1985 that they heard about a rap competition being run by a young Tim Westwood, with prize money and a recording contract up for grabs. "The boys that we used to hang with were saying, 'You could win this!' And so our friends forced us to go down there, and we put our name down for the first week. We saw all the rappers that were taking part and then thought, OK, we'll go back next weekend and take our name off the list, because this is looking really hard and we're not sure. But the night came and we thought: We're just gonna go out there and do it because it doesn't matter. I remember the stage being so big that they had to lift Debbie up on to it! We rapped over Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force's Planet Rock, and it was fast. It was so fast!"

"Basically, we killed it," Pryce adds with a grin. "We could see all the guys from Battersea who came with us, who were our support network. The crowd was just going crazy. When they made the announcement on the night that we won, it was like our feet didn't touch the ground. It was a complete blur, but it was sheer excitement. We went away feeling like champions and after that, the world was our lobster."

They took the prize money but not the contract. "It's a good job we didn't take it, because it probably would have been a mess," Pryce notes. "We went for a meeting and I just remember coming out unsure. We knew nothing about the business. We just wanted to hang out and build our reputation on the scene. Thank God we didn't sign - but we did get a trophy!"

Cookie Crew were asked to do a show with Afrika Bambaataa, who was touring with DJ Red Alert and Lisa Lee, someone that Pryce and Banfield looked up to from the start. "We got to be on that show with other people from Covent Garden. That to me, out of everything we've done - and we've performed at Wembley, we've supported Bobby Brown, we've lived in New York, we've worked with many different rappers - doing that show, and Lisa Lee being in the audience, was the most nerve-racking thing I think I've ever, ever done," recalls Banfield. "We did a rehearsal where she was sitting in the auditorium watching us and she told us off for one, looking nervous; two, standing still; and three, not giving it enough. So, we went away really annoyed with ourselves, went home, practised, came back, and came back correct."

In 1988, Cookie Crew had an unexpected UK No 5 hit with Rok Da House, created by production team Beatmasters, who they were partnered with at the recommendation of Westwood. While it led to the duo signing with London Records and going international, it's part of their history that they have complicated feelings about.

"Rok Da House was kind of like an accident," Debbie explains. "Beatmasters put together this backing track, we went away and wrote a rap to it. The track had more of a hip-hop base but after they mixed it and they played with it, it somehow turned into this house-sounding track."

"I think they started playing it in the clubs," Susie ponders. "We were very adamant for them to not associate us with the track. They had ownership of it and we said, Whatever you want to do with it, it's yours. It's not ours."

After having some success on the dancefloors of London, the track made its way to Mark Moore from S'Express. He took it to Rhythm King Records, they loved it, and from there their career took off in new and unexpected ways.

"It just escalated and escalated," Pryce says. "Radio 1 used to do the chart rundown every week and they'd phone up the artists live and have a conversation and talk about the record. We went live on air and basically said, We don't like the record, it's not us. We were honest. But the record still did its thing and it became this track that we just couldn't get rid of. It's not a record that we are proud of but I am grateful for it. Looking back, we could have probably dealt with it a bit more strategically, but we were just a couple of girls from south London - we loved hip-hop."

After signing with London Records, Cookie Crew took on the US, and soon they were working with the likes of Stetsasonic and Gang Starr. But through all of this, they stuck to their truth, and to their British identity, and did all they could to represent the burgeoning scene at home. Songs from their debut album Born This Way make direct reference to their home town and to their journey ("We've got a message to all who said we couldn't do it / take a look at us now, take your words and chew it"); Black is the Word captures their pride in their Black British identity and From the South is a homage to their home.

"We've always stayed true to our roots because we were very patriotic about London, and about south London particularly," Pryce says. "All the narratives on the tracks are based around our experiences, even though the delivery might have had that American tone, because that was our reference point. Our subject matters were very, very British. When we were in New York, we were very proud of being British. We also felt that we were educating them about what was going on outside the US. A lot of the people we met didn't realise that there were actually Black people in England because not many people had passports back then and they weren't travelling. We were educating them on who we were, being British, but British Caribbean too."

"Our references came from our parents, and our parents were the Windrush era," Banfield explains. "Hip-hop in a way introduced us to what was happening in America but it didn't introduce us to wider issues we faced as Black people. For example, we spent a lot of our time doing anti-apartheid gigs. We spent a lot of time making sure that we were involved with any gig to do with freeing Nelson Mandela as much as we could. We boycotted certain things, we were involved in everything possible that could be against Margaret Thatcher. We've always had that side of us."

The music industry in the US wasn't exactly supportive of such serious messaging, especially by women, so they had to have more of a light touch in speaking out publicly. In their next album Fade to Black, tracks like The Powers of Positive Thinking and A Word to the Conscious laid bare their thoughts and feelings on vital issues of the day, including the incarceration of Mandela, the causes of racism and oppression, and gun control. "Those kind of tracks wouldn't have been chosen as singles - we did them to satisfy us," Pryce says.

At home, focus had always been on lyrical dexterity and flow but in the US, image was overtaking in terms of importance. "Whenever they tried to talk to us about songs," notes Banfield, "I think they respected what we were trying to do but deep down, they wanted us to be something else. We didn't come from that; we came from a very tomboyish image and so for us to try and be like Salt-N-Pepa, it wasn't going to work and I think that it was our demise in the end. Female rappers were getting more and more sexual, and we were going more and more the other way - we could never compete."

"And we weren't willing to compromise," Pryce adds. "We loved Lil' Kim and we loved Salt-N-Pepa, but that wasn't our way."

Cover of Flip the Script by Arusa Qureshi. Photograph: 404 Ink

"Female rappers are all about the lyrics and delivering and showing that they are better than the guys," says Banfield about the UK scene. "We felt like that when we first started in 1985, our whole point was to be better than the boys. Because they were the ones that were popular. Why were they more popular than us? We weren't about to go and pimp ourselves out and show a bit of cleavage on stage; we wanted to show lyrically that we could stand next to you and hold our own. I think that female rappers in the UK still have that same mentality and it's definitely a British thing of: Forget about what you're seeing here, listen to what's coming out of my mouth first."

I ask Pryce and Banfield what it would be like if Cookie Crew were operating today. They both laugh, remarking that it would be easy to get something out there but the hard part would be them actually getting round to doing it. Hip-hop is in a healthy place, both agree, and the women in the scene in particular are doing them and other pioneers proud. "It's just free, it looks good and it's authentic," Banfield says, on today's landscape. "That's what I like about it - I see it just getting better and better."

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UK hip-hop pioneers Cookie Crew: 'Female rappers were getting sexual - we were going the other way'

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hen considering the history of women in hip-hop, some pioneering names will always stand out. There's Debbie D, a member of DJ Marley Marl's Juice Crew; Pebblee Poo, who joined DJ Kool Herc's Herculoids; and Lisa Lee, who was in Afrika Bambaataa's Universal Zulu Nation.

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An academic journal that discusses hip hop culture with the experiences of black women. It analyzes music videos and gives insight on womanhood and the ways women use the pop culture of music and apply it to their womanhood or everyday lives.

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The literature on Black youth culture, especially hip-hop culture, has focused primarily on the experiences of young men, with the experiences of Black girls being all but ignored. However, the recent appearance of Black women performers, songwriters, and producers in Black popular culture has called attention to the ways in which young Black women use popular culture to negotiate social existence and attempt to express independence, self-reliance, and agency. This article is an exploration of the representations of Black womanhood as expressed in the music videos of Black women performers. The author first identifies themes that reflect controlling images of Black womanhood, then those that exemplify an expression of agency, and finally those appearing ambivalent and contradictory. Overall, the music videos express how young Black women must negotiate sexuality and womanhood in their everyday lives.

Journal Information

Gender and Society promotes feminist scholarship and the social scientific study of gender. Gender and Society publishes theoretically engaged and methodologically rigorous articles that make original contributions to gender theory. The journal takes a multidisciplinary, intersectional, and global approach to gender analyses.

Publisher Information

Sara Miller McCune founded SAGE Publishing in 1965 to support the dissemination of usable knowledge and educate a global community. SAGE is a leading international provider of innovative, high-quality content publishing more than 900 journals and over 800 new books each year, spanning a wide range of subject areas. A growing selection of library products includes archives, data, case studies and video. SAGE remains majority owned by our founder and after her lifetime will become owned by a charitable trust that secures the company's continued independence. Principal offices are located in Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC and Melbourne. www.sagepublishing.com

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"Where My Girls At?": Negotiating Black Womanhood in Music Videos on JSTOR

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The literature on Black youth culture, especially hip-hop culture, has focused primarily on the experiences of young men, with the experiences of Black girls being all but ignored. However, the recent appearance of Black women performers, songwriters, and producers in Black popular culture has called attention to the ways in which young Black women use popular culture to negotiate social existence and attempt to express independence, self-reliance, and agency.

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This interview features the duo Cookie Crew. They talk about how they heard women in hip hop in the US, and what made them want to start female hip hop in the United Kingdom.

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SHOW 67 HBS MUSIC ARCHAEOLOGY FEAT. THE COOKIE CREW

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Artist Shasimone bringing the heat in "Free The Real" freestyle.

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The top 10 UK female MCs of 2015 spitting their rhymes.

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In this documentary, female rappers all over the UK tell their personal experiences on being an artist in the hip hop music industry.

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ARTEMIS [Documentary] (Female Rappers in UK Hip Hop)

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Complex does an interview with Trillary Banks and talks about bring the change fro the new era of UK female rap.

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Fast-rising British rapper Trillary Banks is not one to be messed with. Armed with charismatic confidence and stupendous lyrical ability, the Leicester-born artist has curated an impressive range that merges the realms of road rap, dancehall, and UK drill.

Before she was known as Trillary Banks, dropping underground smashes like " Come Over Mi Yard", " Pepper & Spice" and " White Hennessy", she went under the moniker Pinky Go Getta and was a freestyle legend with ten years under her belt. Trillary continues to be driven within her craft, determined to make an impact as a female rapper in the UK and beyond. Beginning a new chapter in her career, she has just released The Dark Horse EP, which explores the idea of being respected by her peers whilst remaining underrated within the wider scene. Regardless if they take her in or not, Trillary Banks has reached a point of self-assurance that simply can't be touched; she is very clear on what she brings to the table.

We connected with the rapper via Zoom to discuss her journey so far, holding her own in a male-dominated industry, the challenges of forging a career as an artist from the Midlands, as well as her dislike for people boxing her into one sound. Get to know.

"Whether I'm half-naked or fully clothed in a church frock, I should be able to be respected for who I am and the substance I bring to the table as a woman."

COMPLEX: It must be a strange time to be releasing music during the COVID-19 pandemic, but a lot of us are grateful that artists- like yourself- are continuing to do so. How have you been coping mentally during lockdown, and how has it impacted your creativity?

Trillary Banks: Lockdown hasn't really stopped anything for me. I feel like I'm growing so much and, musically, I'm the best that I've ever been. If anything, lockdown has given me a lot of time to sit and think and re-evaluate my life and where I want to go and how I can help people through my music. As mad as this year has been, it's been very beneficial for me, in a sense that I feel like I've been able to evolve more, musically, and I feel like I've made some of my best music to date.
Women in rap are blowing up right now, on both sides of the pond. Do you think we're reaching a new age in hip-hop?
Back in the '90s, you had Missy Elliott doing her thing and it was different to what Lil' Kim was doing, it was different to what Queen Latifah was doing, it was different from what Trina was doing. We had options-everyone was doing their own thing-but now it's like everyone's saying the same thing but on different beats. We will get there, though.
What would you say is the most challenging thing about being a female rapper?
The fact that I have boobs and a vagina and a lot of the times I'm expected to show it and talk about it. As much as people want you to talk about that stuff, people can also use that against you, like it's a super-bad thing. I feel like there are so many people who are just looking at you because of your beauty and your looks. That's what I think the biggest downfall is about being a female artist: you're always expected to be half-naked to sell. A lot of men can be inappropriate, almost not knowing that I'm still a woman who is about her business. Whether I'm half-naked or fully clothed in a church frock, I should be able to be respected for who I am and the substance I bring to the table as a woman.
You previously mentioned that you have "no more Mr. Nice Guy energy." Are you ready to take the crown now?
I am ready. I feel like the universe is aligning me for perfect opportunities now, and I feel like it's all about timing. I'm at the point now, where it's like: you listen to the rest, or you listen to the best. Does that make sense? I'm ready for it. I'm ready to take the crown and it's not a competition and I want everyone to know it's not a competition. I'm not competing with any of these other females. I wish them all well, but I feel like you know the right female has yet to be championed. I'm the one who will change the UK female rap scene.
I hear so many discussions about the music industry being London-centric. Being from Leicester, do you agree with this, and do you think there are any limitations for artists who aren'If you were from London, do you reckon things would be different? t from London? Tell me about your latest project, The Dark Horse. What was the process like in comparison to your previous ones?
I feel like there was, and I feel like anyone coming from outside of London is gonna have a little bit more of a hard time. But then you can have something that goes mad online, a viral moment, so it doesn't really matter where you're from. I came to London, found my feet in London, and I've been able to create a network and make a name for myself. The movements happening in Manchester and Birmingham, I feel like the gates are opening up a bit more. I didn't see it as, "Oh, it's hard for me. No one listens to me because I'm from Leicester." No. I just set myself a task to get shit poppin' and earn respect for being a female in music. And I feel like, to an extent, I have done that.
Any personal favourite tracks?
One hundred percent! I feel like I would be bigger. Every female artist from London, they all have a background; if you're from South London, you're probably from the ends where there are rappers that people know, whether it be Peckham or Brixton; if you're from East, you may be from Hackney; if you're from North, you may be from Tottenham. We all know big artists from those places. Back in the day, if you weren't from Leicester, you're not really going to know the artists who are big from there because we never had the opportunities that others have had coming from London. We don't have a music hub-no A&Rs, really, to my knowledge-and we don't have any well-known journalists or bloggers that focus on the Leicester scene. But yeah, I'm from Leicester and I'm proud of where I'm from. I love where I'm from, where I grew up, and I love my friends. Being a young Black female in Leicester, it was dope. It was crazy, but it was great. I wouldn't change it for the world because if I was supposed to be from London, I would have been.
In three words, how would you describe your musical style?

"I'm going to be happy in ten years' time, happy with what I've been able to do and contribute towards the scene."

Dancehall culture has been front and centre lately, with numerous battles via No Signal Radio plus the viral Verzuz between Beenie Man and Bounty Killer. How has dancehall influenced you and what does the culture mean to you?
For me, the process is always to let people know where I am in my life, at that specific moment in time. We had so many different names and vibes, but as "Drillary" and "Drillary 2" came about, me and my producer started focusing more on the rap side of things because I feel like, sometimes, people don't appreciate me as an actual rapper. I really am a dark horse; a dark horse is someone who unexpectedly wins when all odds are stacked against them. I feel like I'm still very underrated, but I do appreciate the scene and the people who have supported me thus far.
I've noticed that you have a strong New York following, which makes sense as there's a large West Indian community over there who appreciate dancehall culture in comparison to other states. That being said, would you ever collaborate with a New York rapper and, if so, who?
Girl, I love every track on the EP for different reasons, so I don't really have a favourite as such. I would say "Drillary 2", "Sarah Jane", "Keisha" and "Drip 4 Sale" are up there. "Drillary 2" just set the levels, lyrically. "Sarah Jane" was produced by Maschineman Tim and it's honestly the dirtiest beat I've heard in our scene all year! Me and Stardom wrote that track during lockdown, and we totally bounced off each other. "Keisha" is, like, storytelling dancehall, which I don't do much of. And I'm happy because I was able to bring a dancehall track to what I thought was gonna just be a rap-style project. "Drip 4 Sale" features Park Hill. He's such a talented guy, artist, producer and engineer. He's worked with some big names in the States, like Lil Durk and Future, and he's really just dope. I'm a fan of his work.
Would you consider collaborating more? If so, which UK artists could you see yourself jumping in the booth with to lay down some heat?
Authentic. Unapologetic. Unfuckwithable! So many people are stuck in a box, Mimi. They're truly stuck in a box. In the UK, if you have a drill song that pops, you are now a drill artist and you have to do drill. If you've got a yard song that pops, it's: "Ah, so she's UK dancehall!" Why is it like that? Why can Drake do a dancehall song with Rihanna, a slow song by himself and a trap song with Future and still not be put in a box? You always rate him for the fact that he's so diverse. Why can Nicki Minaj do a song with Calvin Harris, a song with Megan Thee Stallion and a song with, you know, Adele potentially, but no one will ever take away from Nicki? When Trillary does dancehall, drill and trap, then it's: "She doesn't know her lane. She's confused." UK people are so biased. We're so negative towards ourselves, and we're not going to prosper until we start to respect and uplift each other musically. I've got some solid international features coming and I am so excited for it.
Estelle doesn't get enough love from the UK scene.
Dancehall influences me in so many ways: from my hair to my nails to the way that I dance, the way I flow on songs, the vibe, the tempo. Growing up on dancehall and reggae, I just think there's no music like it in the world. There's something so pure about it. I view myself as a pure person and a raw person as well, so I've always been able to relate to dancehall. It always influences my music-even in my drill music, I still spit a bit of patois here and there. It's just a big part of my life. It's in my blood and in everything I do, even subconsciously.
Where is Trillary Banks in five to ten years' time?
Jay-Z, Fivio Foreign, Nicki Minaj, Young M.A., Casanova, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie. Yeah, I've got some fans in Brooklyn and the Bronx and, when I'm over there, they're just like: "Oh my god! I can't believe you're here!" It's always so much love and I know the New York girls are gonna vibe with me. I can't wait to be out there and have even more of them know about me and my sound. What I've noticed is they've never really got onto a UK girl properly. I don't feel like they've seen the right female yet to say, "Yo, she's dope! Let me get in with her." But the whole drill set-up in New York is dope. It's just all timing, man.

I want to work with J Hus, MoStack, Meekz, Headie One, Tion Wayne, Dave and Stormzy, to name a few. A Potter Payper collab would definitely bang, too. There are some singers as well: Ed Sheehan, Adele, Mahalia, and maybe like Ms. Dynamite or Estelle.

I need to do something like the "1980" track she did. I need to do something like that. When we were growing up, in the chicken shop, on the bus, badding people up, carnival and hot gyal hairstyles, that song epitomised that time for me. There are so many other dope UK females like Alesha Dixon and Jamelia, and she was from Birmingham! There's a lot of people that I want to work with. Sade as well. Growing up, I didn't even know she was from England [laughs].

I'm going to have a few babies and I'm just gonna be sitting, looking back on my career and all these people I've met throughout my career. I'm going to be happy in ten years' time, happy with what I've been able to do and contribute towards the scene, appreciating the grind fully and reminiscing on the awards that I've won and the opportunities that I have been given by God.

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"I'm The One Who Will Change The UK Female Rap Scene": An Interview With Trillary Banks

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Fast-rising British rapper Trillary Banks is not one to be messed with. Armed with charismatic confidence and stupendous lyrical ability, the Leicester-born artist has curated an impressive range that merges the realms of road rap, dancehall, and UK drill.

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Since the age of nine, Simbi Ajikawo had been recording raps in her school classrooms and performing at her youth centre. She idolised Lauryn Hill and Missy Elliott, the hip-hop icons of her youth. As she got older she tried everything to get noticed, appearing on E4 show Youngers and releasing a string of impressive freestyles. Her idols started to take notice. Lauryn Hill took her on tour with her. Kendrick Lamar had called her "the illest doing it right now". Throughout, Ajikawo, who'd come to be known as Little Simz, always hated being a "female rapper". She wrote the song Persons - with the line "Women can be kings" - about how her gender would never affect her desire to dominate her field.

Since the age of nine, Simbi Ajikawo had been recording raps in her school classrooms and performing at her youth centre. She idolised Lauryn Hill and Missy Elliott, the hip-hop icons of her youth. As she got older she tried everything to get noticed, appearing on E4 show Youngers and releasing a string of impressive freestyles. Her idols started to take notice. Lauryn Hill took her on tour with her. Kendrick Lamar had called her "the illest doing it right now". Throughout, Ajikawo, who'd come to be known as Little Simz, always hated being a "female rapper". She wrote the song Persons - with the line "Women can be kings" - about how her gender would never affect her desire to dominate her field.

A few years ago we had a long, messy conversation in a burger bar and she bristled at the mere mention of the word "female". "Why does it always have to be about my gender?" she asked. "Why can't I just do what I want to do freely without feeling like people are trying to put me in a box all the time? Do you know how annoying that is? When you feel like you're doing something greater than life, but you're always just a female rapper?" Last year she released Stillness in Wonderland, a record of intricacies and world-building that wrestled with issues of race, toxic relationships, anxiety and introversion; it was as ambitious as you could ever hope a rap album could be. It seemed certain that Simz would be the next UK success story.

But she was not. The album didn't even chart within the top 100. There were no Mercury or Brit nominations. Apart from her hardcore fanbase, the record was greeted with little more than a shrug.

No one is guaranteed a free pass to success, of course, and there are plenty of reasons why an album might not land with the public. But what rankled about mainstream indifference towards Simz was that it came at a time when rap music in the UK had never been more popular. Grime and UK rap has been on a near unstoppable rise. From Stormzy's No 1 album to Giggs, an artist who previously had all his shows cancelled by the police, bringing Drake out on to the main stage at Reading, barely a month goes past without another groundbreaking moment.
Lady Leshurr review - ingenious freestyler combines mischief, wit and expert comic timing
The success of homegrown rap has happened in tandem with a renewed fervour for international artists: Kendrick Lamar, Dr Dre and Drake have all had No 1 albums and the likes of Chance the Rapper and J Cole have headlined major UK festivals. Those artists are all men, but it has also been an incredible period for female MCs. Much of the most intricate and fully realised music in this new wave is by artists such as Princess Nokia, an Afrofuturist art rapper from the Bronx who assumes multiple identities and has a radio show where she deals with race and womanhood in between Placebo records. Or Lady Leshurr, whose sick pop culture-infused humour and ongoing discourse with the listener is reminiscent of early Eminem. There are so many more to speak of: Nadia Rose, Paigey Cakey, Junglepussy. All women who, like Simz, would probably hate to be grouped together, in this way, based purely on their gender (Little Simz declined to be interviewed for this piece).

Yet it's worth talking about women MCs, because the commercial gap between male and female artists is a chasm. In the same way that rising gender equality in the workplace overall doesn't negate the fact that fewer than 5% of Britain's top companies have a female CEO, or that so few of the BBC's top earners are women, so it's true that while there a huge number of female MCs out there, almost none are breaking through to the top tier of the music industry. Apart from Nicki Minaj, who is undoubtedly a global superstar and the exception to the rule (although even her last album only charted at 22 in the UK) it's been a long time since a female MC broke the Top 10 or played near the head of the bill at a UK festival.

For Little Simz, the muted reaction to Stillness left her faced with a question she had always tried to avoid: would things have been different if she were a man? "She did everything perfectly," says Caroline SM, the founder of the UK rap collective New Gen and an A&R at XL Recordings. "I think she was just ahead of her time. Four years ago, grime, rap, whatever it is, was not getting a look-in at all - men or women. It's taken so long even to get to this point. Our scene is so slow."

It's true that many of the British men who are currently on top, artists such as Giggs and Skepta, have been releasing music for well over a decade. But even among relatively new artists like Stormzy, J Hus, Nines and Section Boyz, it seems as if the path to success has been fairly straightforward.

Lady Leshurr has asked similar questions about her own career and says that one of the reasons male artists do better is that they look out for each other. "In grime, there's a circle of people that all support each other and, guess what, they're all male: Stormzy, Skepta, Wretch 32. They're people that will always support another person's music. When you look at the females, there's not really that collective of people who will show love. If more female rappers in the UK were more supportive of each other it would be completely different."

She says the picture is further complicated by race. "In my opinion [the issues are about] gender but it's also the colour of your skin. It can be harder if you're a dark-skinned girl trying to make it in this industry because it's always been hard."

Leshurr has found that while in some ways the situation for women has improved, the double-standard about physical appearance, and skin colour in particular, has gotten worse. "For men it doesn't really matter what you look like. Ed Sheeran, for example; I'm not saying he's ugly, but you'd never think he'd be the biggest pop star in the world. Whereas for women, it's still based on image, and men will always think about what the female looks like before they hear what she's gonna say. It's always going to be 'She's ugly' or 'Look at her hair'. Whereas guys can just put a hoodie and a snapback on and record something and everyone will be like 'Yeah they're sick'."

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Connecting people ... Princess Nokia. Photograph: Alberto Vargas

Both Leshurr and Caroline SM believe that these problems are particular to the scene in the UK at the moment, and that the recent success of male artists will eventually open the door for female MCs too. But discrepancy in fortunes between men and women stretches back a lot further than that. Ms Dynamite, probably Britain's most famous female MC, managed to combine critical acclaim with chart success on her debut record A Little Deeper, which went on to win the Mercury prize in 2002. She was unable to turn that initial success into a sustained career as an album artist - her second record didn't chart in the top 40 and eventually she went back to her first calling: singing verses on club tracks. Seven years later another female MC, Speech Debelle, won the Mercury prize, but she was even less able to build a career from the exposure. She's now working behind the scenes, as a music relations manager for Arts Council England.

"Somebody needs to change the formula. The way people approach music," says Angel Haze, an artist from Detroit. A few years ago, Haze was the belle of the music press: an incredible MCing talent with a horrendous story, overcoming sexual abuse and life in a religious cult. She was interviewed by everyone, reliving her awful childhood experiences over and over again. Then she released her debut album, Dirty Gold, which charted at 196 in the UK.

"You don't get the recognition based on what your music sounds like, it's all about the hype around you, who said what about you. But it's this reality TV generation, everyone has a 30-second attention span and on to the new shit, and only the craziest of people survive." What's strange is that it's a cycle that no one can seem to get out of, artists and press playing their dutiful roles, unable to stop history repeating itself. Just last year, Young MA had a Billboard Top 20 hit with her track OOOUUU. The record, a brilliantly blue ode to cunnilingus, was one of the most open celebrations of same-sex relationships in mainstream hip-hop. Talking to the Fader in August last year, she said that the song's success motivated her to do more. "Let's keep it moving now. Let's keep giving 'em this fire and let's not stop this," she said. But one year on, she has released an EP to little fanfare. It charted at No 166 in the US and another hit has not emerged.

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One of a kind ... Stefflon Don performs at Wireless festival in July 2017. Photograph: Burak Cingi/Redferns

It would perhaps look foolish now to suggest that this could all be about to change, considering how often that prediction has been made in the past and been proven to be wrong. Yet everyone I speak to seems to believe the first superstar female MC of the 2010s is just around the corner. There's Ray BLK, who won the BBC's Sound of 2017 poll and combines R&B singing with MCing. Cardi B, who found fame on the American reality show Love & Hip-Hop, but whose brazen personality and track Bodak Yellow have meant that, unlike every other person on that show, she is now being taken seriously as a star.

"I feel like there was a glass ceiling before, but this new generation of people coming out are changing things," says BLK. "We can more easily connect with our fanbase - things are spreading a lot further because of that." Among this new wave, though, there is one name that everyone is saying is going to be the person to finally shatter the ceiling: Stefflon Don. "We haven't seen someone like her before. Not in my lifetime. Not in the UK," says Caroline SM. "We really haven't seen someone like that. She's a gangster. Boys are scared of her and she's sexy. She came through on the Section Boyz remix, she rolls with rappers. She's one of a kind."

Stefflon Don: 'I'm not going to compromise, or not say what I want'

Don's X-rated, Jamaican-influenced flow owes more to dancehall stars such as Spice and Cham, but she combines that with hard-hitting Atlanta-style production and British slang that gives her a global appeal. It is telling that when I talk to Don, she sees industry sexism as something of a relic. "I remember watching interviews with female artists on MTV and they would always say, 'It's harder for us,' or, 'We don't get as much opportunity as men.' I believe that. I don't think female artists would come out and keep saying it if wasn't true. But I haven't really experienced it, not yet anyway." Judging by her initial success, it's not surprising Don hasn't experienced the same pressures as other MCs. She's been working with Drake, and has just signed a huge record deal with Polydor for a reported £1.2m. Whether this new generation will be the stars of 2018, or just follow an established rise and fall, can't really be predicted.

For Haze, though, the ability to use social media to reach fans should just be seen as a way to get to the top faster. She says there needs to be a rethink of who the winners and the losers are in this story. Yes, she concedes, women have a harder time in music than men, but that doesn't necessarily mean they suffer worse outcomes. "I live in a house in the middle of the woods and I make music 24/7. It's like hibernating for a good cause and when I do resurface it's going to be at a different level. I'm so much happier than if I was releasing something new every six months."
Topics

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Rap and the gender gap: why are female MCs still not being heard?

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Since the age of nine, Simbi Ajikawo had been recording raps in her school classrooms and performing at her youth centre. She idolised Lauryn Hill and Missy Elliott, the hip-hop icons of her youth. As she got older she tried everything to get noticed, appearing on E4 show Youngers and releasing a string of impressive freestyles.

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This article discusses why their shouldn't be a category for "female rappers" and that women should be treated equally as men in the hip hop industry instead of having to be seperated.

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Stop Calling Women In Hip-Hop 'Female Rappers'

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Words by Christopher K As we have stepped onto the new year after just leaving a distressful year. The music is what helped us get through 2020 the most. Having our favorite artist drop new music. Finding newer artists helped us feel connected and helped us cope while trying to follow quarantine rules.

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This academic journal discusses what exactly black feminism is as someone who is British.

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This discusses hip hop feminism globally through different artists.

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What happens when we love problematic music? Journalist Joan Morgan has spent her life examining hip hop from a black feminist perspective. Join this session as she explores the contradictions of pop culture at All About Women.

A self-confessed hip-hop junkie, whose passionate documentation of the genre, combined with adept cultural criticism, has placed her at the forefront of music journalism.

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What happens when we love problematic music? Journalist Joan Morgan has spent her life examining hip hop from a black feminist perspective. Join this session as she explores the contradictions of pop culture at All About Women. A self-confessed hip-hop junkie, whose passionate documentation of the genre, combined with adept cultural criticism, has placed her at the forefront of music journalism.

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British women showing their skills in a rap cypher at the B-Side Hip-Hop Festival.

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British Female Rap Cypher 2020 | B-Side Hip-Hop Festival

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The top 8 women in UK drill.

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An article talking about hip hop fashion in the United Kingdom.

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Hip hop dance crews from the UK.

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8 breaking crews and hip-hop collectives pushing the UK scene forward

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Get to know the breaking pioneers and up-and-coming collectives making waves in 2019.

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UK female rapper Bryn freestyling.

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Bryn - 21 Freestyle (Music Video) | @MixtapeMadness

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Shaybo heating up the booth with her freestyle.

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Youtuber talks about UK hip hop/drill fashion (or drip).

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UK female rappers show their unique hairstyles.

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Free UK shipping on orders over £30

Hair has always been a focal point for women in hip-hop; whether it's icons like Lil Kim creating a legacy with her coloured wigs, (looks that have been copied for decades, now - notably by Beyoncé for Halloween in 2017), or Nicki Minaj rapping about how she "Got Malaysian, got that yaki, that wavy Brazilian" (Flawless, 2014) and going viral for her 40-inch tresses. Whether it's for creative expression, or simply a status symbol, rappers have used wigs, braids and natural hair to convey meaning and create colourful characters for themselves.

At plsLONDON, we believe artists and other celebrities have allowed hair extensions to become mainstream, and so we've put together some of the top UK female rappers dominating the hair game! From Stefflon Don to newcomers like Ivorian Doll, read on to see our top picks of their iconic looks to date.

Ten years ago, a 13-year-old Shayon Brown saw her first freestyle videos going viral on YouTube. Although, technically, she's been a part of the UK scene for over a decade, until recently Shaybo wasn't that active musically, something she's explains as time 'mastering her craft'; "it's not about the fast-tracking of things and doing things quickly, because I feel like if I was to make the music I made when I was 13 now, I wouldn't be where I am".

Having made her comeback with her 'HB Freestyle' and tracks like 'Bonjour Cava' featuring fellow artists Miss La Familia, the Nigerian-born artists has successfully reinvented herself, with old and new fans alike praising her glam makeup and brightly coloured wigs as well as her lyrical ability. Notably, the 'Streets' artist's feature in Wonderland Magazine stood out to fans solely because of the contrast to Shaybo's usual looks; mixing urban brands with high fashion and a sharp auburn bob wig. For a similar look, try our ' Anna ' bob lace frontal.

Darkoo

Darkoo's taken the world by storm with her tune, 'Gangsta', which went viral on TikTok and currently has over 50,000 streams on Spotify. Nigerian-born and south London-raised, the 19-year-old has made headlines with her Afro-swing sound and genderfluid dress sense. Confident in her looks, she's known for switching up her looks; from her 'masculine' look, a short blonde fade and sportswear, to 'feminine', with full-glam makeup and wigs. We love a girl who can do both! Breaking the mould of a what a 'typical' female rapper should look like, it's only right that we showcase an artist who can adapt so well and rock two very different looks.

Ms Banks

Ms Banks has collaborated with the likes of Stormzy, Tinie Tempah, and Tinashe. She's also toured with Cardi B and graced the O2 alongside Nicki Minaj. There's definitely no stopping her. South-London born and proud, the 'Snack' artist admits her hometown has impacted on her edgy style; " we have this whole other swag. It's definitely shaped my taste and style. II mean a lot of people from South London are casual. They care, but not really ".

Sleek black inches are a firm favourite for the 'Snack' rapper, having worn it for numerous fashion shoots and on both covers of her albums 'The Coldest Winter Ever', part one and two. Clearly, less is more for the 27-year-old! Why not get Ms Banks look with our ' Nomié' lace wig?

Ivorian Doll

When Ivorian Doll went TikTok viral with her track 'Rumours', no one was really surprised. Since entering the UK music scene alongside fellow rapper Abigail, she's made a name for herself for both outlandish lyrics and style. More recently, she's gone solo and has been able to express herself with her fashion as well as lyrical ability. Speaking out about the eye-catching outfits she posts on Instagram, the 'Body Bag' artist admits, "I've always been about my hair and nails.

I like looking after myself. When I don't look good, I feel really depressed." From rainbow-colored wigs to crimped blonde hair, the 23-year-old stays switching up her looks and catching attention with her styles. Her long-time hairstylist Keisha Moore has been responsible for some of Ivorian's biggest looks, including her recent feature in Noisey magazine, wherein the artists rocked Nicki-inspired pink and blonde hair and a high ponytail. Why not try our Electra Ponytail to recreate the same look?

Stefflon Don

Birmingham-born and Netherlands-raised, British-Jamaican rapper Stefflon Don infuses her multi-cultural background both in her music and her creative looks. The 'Can't Let You Go' rapper has sported everything from faux locs to purple pixi wigs. Even though she's admitted not being able to install her own wigs, that hasn't put the 'Hurtin' Me' rapper off experimenting with her looks.

With her recent visuals for 'Move', the 28-year-old wore multicoloured braids with a satin headscarf to complete the look. In her look for the 'Boasty' video, featuring Wiley and Idris Elba, the rapper wore an aqua blue wig with highlights, the trendy look allowing her to stand out in the star-studded track. It's a look you can copy for less with our ' Ky-Li' lace frontal at a steal of £59!

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Top UK Female Rappers Up Their Hair Game

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Hair has always been a focal point for women in hip-hop; whether it's icons like Lil Kim creating a legacy with her coloured wigs, (looks that have been copied for decades, now - notably by Beyoncé for Halloween in 2017), or Nicki Minaj rapping about how she "Got Malaysian, got that yaki, that wavy Brazilian" (Flawless, 2014) and going viral for her 40-inch tresses.

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These new MCs are taking over the rap game!

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In BBC Three’s The Rap Game UK, seven unsigned MCs battle for a record deal

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20 MCs on the rise in the UK hip hop industry.

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After grime's mid-2010s resurgence put British MCs on the global stage, switching international rap fans onto the power of British voices with unashamedly British accents, UK rap, drill and the rest picked up the torch and ran with it.

Now safe in the knowledge that foreign praise is a bonus and not the be-all and end-all, UK acts are emboldened with a newfound confidence in their own identity. So much so, that "sounding American" is now a hindrance rather than an asset. With that, we've seen the full gamut of what our homegrown emcees are capable of. Nothing's off the table. Where 2019 saw rappers flirt with Afrobeats, bashment, jazz, and even punk, this year we'll see them dive headlong into more and more unexpected avenues. From now on, hearing a saxophone in a J Hus tune or a tough-talking punk on a Snowy tune is going to be the rule, not the exception.

That goes double for the UK drill scene. While rap has been more open to cross-pollenation, drill remains in its infancy as the scene thrashes out the blueprints and lays the foundations-but that could all change this year. Already a few of the drill scene's more established players like Skengdo x AM have been trying out new things, but you can bet the rest will follow suit and push that trend into overdrive.

Here are 20 UK lyricists to watch in 2020.

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After grime's mid-2010s resurgence put British MCs on the global stage, switching international rap fans onto the power of British voices with unashamedly British accents, UK rap, drill and the rest picked up the torch and ran with it.

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This article features a timeline of the women in hip hop in the United Kingdom.

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Women have been part of hip-hop's fabric since its inception. The first hip-hop group to ever appear on national television in 1981 included rap's first Lady, Sha Roc. A 14-year-old Roxanne Shanté also started the world's first rap beef in 1984 with Roxanne's Revenge, when she fired back at UTFO's sexist rhymes on Roxanne Roxanne. The Cookie Crew appeared on mainstream TV in 1987 and the Battersea-raised Monie Love joined Queen Latifa in 1989 to highlight misogyny and sexism on Ladies First. During this period, an international hip-hop community was developing and according to Professors Janell Hobson and Dianne Bartlow, marginalised Black girls were using rap as a device to talk about their experiences.

But historically, the creative input of women in music has been minimised, further impacted by society's narrow view of women's roles. A report by Women in CTRL highlighted that merely 34 percent of board members in the UK music industry are women, and only three percent of those are Black.

Colourism in the industry is also problematic for Black women. The issue becomes even more evident when looking at shorter career spans of women, who often have to endure homogenisation from the media in which they are only acknowledged as part of a group and are overlooked as individuals. As a result, many choose to distance themselves from the 'female link up' categorisation; appearing in an all-women editorial features, or one off 'all female' collaborations, as the depiction often fails to reflect their creative reality.

The corporate involvement in hip-hop has shaped the genre's values and uses women for profit and commodification, hence the reason I welcome spaces where women are the focus. It allows us to address the issues that dominate our usual surroundings.

The patriarchal system on which the music industry is built both restricts women's creative work and generates toxic environments, generally promoting competition amongst women and enhancing the erasure of marginalised groups. Highlighting the input of women in order to combat erasure is important. As I explore the various stages of women in UK hip-hop, I spoke to rappers across generations to discuss their experiences and thoughts on these ever-present power dynamics.

2000 - 2008 - Channel U Days

UK hip-hop saw many transformations throughout the '80s and '90s and by the millennium, Estelle, Wildflower and Tempa featured on the DJ Skitz anthem Domestic Science.Baby Blue could also be seen performing regularly with Estelle before launching her solo career.

Big Dada and Low Life Records were the desired independent labels and most of the prominent rappers were performing in venues like Deal Real, Kung Fu, The Jump off and iluvlive in London. Award-winning poet and rapper Kae Tempest could be found in Deal Real spitting Wu Tang Clan inspired rhymes. Ms Dynamite, Stush and Nolay emerged via garage and grime and would 'genre hop' as part of a tradition of gliding effortlessly between MC lead sub-genres. Ms Dynamite's Mercury-winning album provides an accurate depiction of the varied listening habits of this generation, often incorporating reggae, dancehall, hip-hop and soul into newer styles.

It's Not Just a London Thing

The Floacist fused rap vocals with neo soul and regional rappers like Envy, C-Mone and Lady Paradox demonstrated that it wasn't just a London thing.

Pariz 1, who is one of the most skilful rappers in the UK, sits effortlessly in the pockets of every beat she graces. When speaking about her experiences in Nottingham's scene she affirms, 'it was small, but that helped us to stand out'. London wasn't as welcoming. 'I would go to some cyphers and open mic nights and people would not only leave me out because I was from Nottingham, but also because I was a girl. They used to say they hated the way I rapped because of my accent.' These attitudes were only silenced once Pariz 1 left no room for debate. 'It never became cool, it just became accepted. They were like 'no matter what her accent sounds like, the girl's got skills.''

Hip Hop Connection, Touch Magazine and Blues & Soul were some of the outlets to be seen in, while Channel U and MTV Base were the top video platforms. If a rapper wanted a track to be heard on the radio, they sent it to BBC 1Xtra, Choice FM and Itch FM. Pariz 1 adds, 'everybody who had a voice was able to come through and say something. We were about the music, rather than the fame of it.'

Modern technology has provided avenues for women to market themselves and this has been a useful tool in carving out individual identities. The new era of hip-hop has a louder voice in its protests against being policed by the patriarchy. There is greater representation and a recognition that women are able make choices about their freedom of expression, with more agency on how they use their body.

Discussing the misogyny that are still exists, Pariz 1 shares: 'It was a lot worse back then to be honest, but it's only changed now because dudes want to see women in their underwear in music videos. More women are up for it and the ones that aren't, are the ones that stay relatively unknown. It's still very male dominated and the women that do come through are only able to because of co-signs from men, not because of the co-signs from other women. The men still decide what happens.'

2009 - 2014 - YouTube Platforms Assemble

Black music in Britain was in a rocky place at this point and artists were trying new things in order to navigate an industry that didn't want to hear their voices. SBTV, GRM Daily and LinkUpTV were established as the new leading media platform for Black youth in Britain, with grime being the dominant sound.

Women continued to make headway during this time. Little Simz was making a name for herself via Soundcloud while Damae aka Bubblerap was dropping Fugee-style verses in her trio Hawk House. The tradition of 'genre hopping' continued to grow and it became an everyday occurrence for grime MCs like Lioness, Roxanne, Amplify Dot, Lady Leshurr and Shystie to jump on tracks at a slower hip-hop tempo.

Speech Debelle's Mercury Prize Win

Speech Debelle had signed to Big Dada in 2007 and in 2009, became the first woman in seven years to win the Mercury Prize, following Ms Dynamite's win in 2002.

Debelle's outstanding debut album used storytelling through rap in the same way as disenfranchised Black girls of the '80s. Her success created work opportunities for friends and women around her. 'My tour manager was my best friend, she'd never done it before, but it was an opportunity for her to see the world.'

When reflecting specifically about the music industry Debelle recounts, 'there were not many women in any positions of power, there certainly weren't Black people in positions of power in the majority of the places. You had Darcus, but Darcus was a one off, it wasn't standard. Over the years it has got better for Black men. You've got your Benny Boom's and the Twins (Alec and Alex Boateng), so there's a lot of people who are there to open the door for Black people. As things stand in this industry and across the world, the open doors have let Black men in, which is good, it's just that Black women, or Femme identifying women have got to still wait.'

2015 - 2021 - Live Streams Within Scenes

The growth of streaming gave an even bigger platform to underground sub-genres such as trap and drill. Little Simz became the first woman from the UK to perform in a BET cypher and versatile lyricists like Nadia Rose, Lady Lykez, C-Cane, Stefflon Don, Paigey Cakey and Ms Banks stepped onto the scene.

In recent times, taking into account the frequent crossovers between genres, Dis, Teezandoos, Ivorian Doll, Miss Lafamilia, Brixx, Keedz, Baby Elz, Cristale, Reemunni and Trillary Banks are some of those coming through on drill and UK rap. There is a wave of African-inspired instrumentals held down by the likes of Shaybo, Br3nya, Lavida Loca and iceè tgm. Experimental and trap soul sounds are explored by rappers such as IAMDDB, Flohio, Juice Menace, Dreya Mac, and Nayana IZ. An interesting emergence in the present day is the renaissance of traditional sounding UK hip-hop explored by artists such as Tremendous, Lady Sanity, Kay Young, R.A.E, Jaz Kahina and Bobbi Johnson, to name a few.

The north London poet and rapper Shay D created the first ever all women hip-hop tour within the UK, showing that a bright future lies ahead. The exceptional talents of south London rappers Lex Amor and Enny have brought a breath of fresh air to the art form, with Enny also shining a much-needed spotlight internationally on hip-hop from Black women in the UK.

Rising Talents

Another rising talent embracing soulful hip-hop blends with poetry-infused rhymes is Deyah. Her faith inspired themes and vulnerability are a testament to the varied voices coming from the UK.

Thinking about the challenges women in hip-hop have faced, Deyah is optimistic about how things are developing, 'I think there has definitely been development in terms of people coming together now forming different movements to bring awareness. GirlsiRate for example is a movement that is solely focused on the development of women, the protection of women, the creativity of women.'

The multi-talented Roc Nation signing Kay Young, who is a rapper, producer and singer, is a testament to the multifaceted talents that women possess adds, 'I personally feel like there has been a slight shift. We are speaking up, coming together and speaking our truth which cannot be ignored. There's still a lot of work to be done, but it's important to me that I help create a space for the next generation of female creatives to fight intimation with courage.'

For more of M Magazine's International Women's Day content, head to Issuu.

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Women have been part of hip-hop's fabric since its inception. The first hip-hop group to ever appear on national television in 1981 included rap's first Lady, Sha Roc. A 14-year-old Roxanne Shanté also started the world's first rap beef in 1984 with Roxanne's Revenge, when she fired back at UTFO's sexist rhymes on Roxanne Roxanne.

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More women from the UK are making an impact on UK rap.

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In 1998, Vibe magazine ran their revolutionary "Rap Reigns Supreme" cover, fronted by female heavyweights Foxy Brown, Lil' Kim, Missy Elliott, and Lauryn Hill. Over 20 years later, Paper magazine ran "Women in Hip-Hop: The Voices of Our Generation," which had 14 of rap's rising stars and an instantly iconic photo shoot featuring Saweetie, City Girls, Rico Nasty, and CupcakKe, among others. The feature felt like a watershed moment: The last shoot Paper magazine had done featuring more than one female rapper that garnered this amount of interest was the 2017 #BreakTheInternet "Minaj à Trois," depicting three different versions of Nicki Minaj. At that time, she was arguably occupying the bronze, silver, and gold spots herself.

If a British publisher were to create a similar, seminal cover in 2019, we'd have more contenders than ever: Ms Banks, Nadia Rose, Br3nya, Flohio, IAMDDB, Stefflon Don, Trillary Banks, Alicai Harley. On the whole, UK rap is in a very healthy place - among the boys, Dave's debut album charted at number one, and rap and grime artists crop up in the top 10 weekly. And though female rappers here have historically been few and far between, the general consensus is that this is a big year for them, too.

"This is a great time for UK music," says West London rapper Br3nya, who felt this year it was now or never for her career. "So much is going on. If I don't come out this summer, what am I doing? I'm just playing games."

Over the years, there have only been a handful of well-known female grime artists - Lioness, Cleo (formerly known as Mz Bratt), and Lady Leshurr, to name a few - and arguably even fewer rappers. There are industry legends Ms. Dynamite and Speech Debelle (who both went on to be Mercury Prize winners), the controversial but relatively successful Lady Sovereign, Natalie Stewart (formerly of Floetry), and Paigey Cakey.

The cliché of catfights and habit of pitting female artists against each other won't die that easily.

But mainstream interest in female rappers in Britain is at an all-time high. Last month saw the launch of the Queens of Art tour, the first in the UK to feature an all-female lineup. It has been a brilliant year for Ms Banks, who performed her most high-profile gig yet at the BRIT Awards alongside Little Mix, and released a single with BBC Sport ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup. There is Keedz, an MC who straddles both grime and rap and who released her first EP, Let Me Introduce Myself, last year, and 17-year-old Lewisham lyricist Dis, who just signed to GB records.

The past few years have seen an uptick in collaboration. This week, super-producer will.i.am enlisted powerhouses Ms Banks, Lady Leshurr, and grime artist Lioness for his new track "Pretty Little Thing," in partnership with the retailer. Even Nicki Minaj (who is often characterised as the genre's Cersei Lannister, hellbent on maintaining her throne) brought out British female rap talent Lisa Mercedez, Lady Leshurr, and Ms Banks during the Manchester Arena stint of her world tour last year.But the cliché of catfights and habit of pitting female artists against each other won't die that easily.

Due to a history of animosity amongst artists in the Paper magazine shoot (Rico Nasty, Bali Baby, Cuban Doll, and Asian Da Brat have had very public feuds with each other), Photoshop was required to create the final image. Though this may be the case if the same number of prominent male rappers were photographed together, the stereotype that women don't support each other was immediately drawn on in reports. Abigail, one half of British rap duo Abigail and Vanessa, feels there is a grain of truth to it:

"Females in the UK don't like to support each other. That's a very big factor. We've noticed most of our supporters are men - 70 percent of the support comes from men. I think there's a bit of envy there."

For Br3nya, it's been a very different story. She says that as soon as she entered the scene, she was inundated with support from the likes of Nadia Rose, Alicai Harley, and Ms Banks as well as male artists Dave, Stormzy, and Not3s. What she does feel, however, is that we see more coordinated, campaign-type support amongst male musicians, such as when artists encouraged fans to get Stormzy's "Vossi Bop" to number one, as well as Dave's album Psychodrama. She said:

"With the UK, I feel like there's this sort of brotherhood. When one person releases something, all of them are like 'guys let's get this to the chart' and vice versa. With women, we obviously do support each other but not enough of us are in a higher place to make a difference."

As well as the success of British men in the genre, the increase of UK female rappers' visibility can be equally attributed to the success of female counterparts in the United States. Cardi B's meteoric rise from 2017 onwards seemed to spell the end of an era where Minaj was the solitary face of female rap. There have been other notable acts over the years - Azealia Banks, Angel Haze, Junglepussy, Dej Loaf, Young M.A, Rapsody - but the one in, one out policy so often applied to black women prevailed. It says a great deal about the state of things when you consider the only woman who came close to being considered a real commercial contender was Iggy Azalea.

Rap is already a heavily male genre, but the ultra-violence of drill means there is an even smaller minority of women represented in it.

Post-Cardi, however, rap more closely resembles a golden age. At one time, Da Brat, Eve, Trina, and Rah Digga were all in the top 100 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - the most female rappers to appear on that chart ever. Whilst still not quite there, we're closer than we have been in a long time, with Audra the Rapper, Kash Doll, Tink, HoodCelebrityy, Tommy Genesis, Ling Hussle, Megan Thee Stallion, Ace Tee, Wynne, Tokyo Jetz, Queen Key, Dreezy, and their contemporaries.

As rapper Vanessa tells me:

The UK [female] scene, we don't like to allow others to come up. In the male scene, they're for it, but when it's females it's not the norm. It's seen as "what are you doing? You're a girl. You should focus on Instagram.

The UK is very difficult, I can't lie. The support here is very minimum compared to America. People message us and say "you lot need to go America, you would get big over there." But it's sad because if everyone was positive I'm sure there would be more rappers in the UK.

The idea that black women need to move stateside to see success is common, whether it be singers (Estelle, Sade Adu), actors (Naomie Harris, Letitia Wright), or comedians (Gina Yashere). Support for black women in the United States is still minimal, but much better comparatively. British female rappers struggle to receive BRIT and even MOBO nods but are acclaimed overseas: Stefflon Don made history last year, being the first British musician featured on theXXL Freshman Class cover and one of the few women. Little Simz was the only Brit and woman in BET's 2017 cypher. Lady Leshurr, who is considered criminally underrated in the UK, is widely celebrated in America, largely because of building an online following through her "Queen's Speech" freestyles.

The internet has been crucial in the rise of female rappers everywhere - acts such as Princess Nokia, Lizzo, and Chika Oranika have found fans through platforms like YouTube, Twitter, SoundCloud, and Instagram. Cardi B is a Vine star, turned Instagram star, turned rapper, and more alternative rappers like Noname, Tierra Whack, Leikeli47, Doja Cat have found fans outside of the mainstream first. For female rappers in the UK, it has been game-changing, opening them to an international, more receptive market and allowing them to circumvent industry gatekeepers who are notorious for having issues marketing black women.

Br3nya's first outing was a viral accident over 10 years ago, after a drunken sing-along with friends called " All Types of Bread" was uploaded to Facebook and went down in British hood history. She started taking music seriously at 14 by freestyling at parties.

"Without [the internet] I don't know how people would know me," she said. "That's how I started, because I posted a freestyle. Nicki Minaj did a Chun Li challenge and because of the response I got, I turned it into [my single] 'Good Food.'"

Social media is largely responsible for the music careers of Abigail and Vanessa also, neither of whom had musical ambitions prior. Vanessa was an influencer (known online as Ivorian Doll), aspiring model, and YouTuber. That all changed when she and her friend Abigail became notorious on social media, after an altercation with another online personality that ended up going viral. Off the back of it, the pair recorded a song for fun a few days later called "The Situation."

"This is just all so funny," Abigail says with a laugh. "We were like, what we're going to do is release this song, we're going to call it 'The Situation,' and it's going to be so funny because the way we released it, people thought it was a diss track. When it came out it was like 'oh, they're actually good at music,' and everyone forgot about the situation."

The response to the song was primarily shock - not at the misleading title, but that the song was actually good. They soon released follow-up tracks "Snapchat" and "Spare Me," girly-bops over gritty drill beats that they hope will "pave the way for all the female drillers." Rap is an already heavily male genre, but the ultra-violence of drill means there is an even smaller minority of women represented in it. Abigail and Vanessa don't take themselves remotely as seriously as their male peers, however, talking about dating and money-making in songs reminiscent of the 2018 drill-inspired ear worm "Fleek Bop" from the Mela Twins.

"There's female rappers here, but why is it in a particular genre, we're scared to go there?" Vanessa says. "We don't have to rap about shooting people and stuff, you can rap about what you want to rap about but on a drill beat. We were like, let's do that and confuse the nation."

They hope to "confuse" listeners globally, too, with plans to make waves in America specifically and eventually, internationally. Whilst it is clear at least in the states that the future of rap is for now female, women in the UK are doing all they can to ensure theirs is as bright. The issue isn't a lack of women making this music - it's about a lack of support that stops them from being heard.

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Meet The British Women Shaking Up The UK Rap Scene For Good

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In 1998, Vibe magazine ran their revolutionary "Rap Reigns Supreme" cover, fronted by female heavyweights Foxy Brown, Lil' Kim, Missy Elliott, and Lauryn Hill. Over 20 years later, Paper magazine ran "Women in Hip-Hop: The Voices of Our Generation," which had 14 of rap's rising stars and an instantly iconic photo shoot featuring Saweetie, City Girls, Rico Nasty, and CupcakKe, among others.

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Ivorian Doll spitting fire bars🔥