The music world is currently abuzz about Nicki Minaj. She dropped a pair of comeback singles with “Chun Li” and “Barbie Tingz” today, but she also have a lengthy, revealing interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. She told him that she felt that Cardi B has never shown her “genuine love” in an interview until very recently, a circumstance probably stirred by them being needlessly pitted against each other as female MCs by a patriarchal culture. It doesn’t have to be that way, however. Nicki showed us the way by shouting out a slew of upcoming women rappers. In case you’re not familiar with them, here’s a quick crash course:
Kash Doll
Y’all been knew i fuck with Nicki though
— 3:14 (@kashdoll) April 12, 2018
Kash Doll is perhaps the most well-known person Nicki has shouted out based on her standout appearance on “So Good” from Big Sean’s Double Or Nothing collaboration with MetroBoomin. The 26-year-old Detroit MC has been steadily building her name for a couple years, and looks poised to have a breakout in 2018. She recently released her Brat Mail mixtape, which you can stream here.
Asian Doll
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhesF30B-uK/
In a world of artists with dyed hair, face tattoos and other visual oddities, Asian Doll still stands out with her creative, undoubtedly Nicki-inspired, fashion sense. But that’s not it. The “Queen Of Teens” is also a talented rapper in her own right, with projects like Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Outtaspace speaking well for her. You can stream Outtaspace, which was released last Summer, here.
Ms Banks
https://twitter.com/MsBanks94/status/984479024511627265
London MC Ms Banks has the distinction of being the first person on this short list to acknowledge Nicki’s shoutout. She also has a bit in common with Nicki in terms of being a pioneer of sorts. Nicki was one of the biggest active artists in New York for nearly a decade but never got her just due. Similarly, Ms Banks is one of the first young rappers of her generation with a real chance of breaking over into American relevance. Hopefully, she’s appreciated for songs like “RIP,” which you can check out below.
Maliibu Miitch
https://twitter.com/MaliibuMiitch/status/984492181862928384
Maliibu Mitch is not from where you’d guess. She’s from the South Bronx, NY, the birthplace of hip-hop. Her bassy delivery and fearless mic presence harken back not just to Nicki, but Lil Kim and Foxy Brown. The self-proclaimed “Petty Poppin Hood Booger Frm Thaa South BronxX” is still building her relevance, but the Nicki shout-out will go a long way. You can stream her “The Count” video below.
