With Women's History Month kicking off tomorrow, it's set to be a month filled with facts about the accomplishments of women through history, from business to politics and, of course, music. Brooklyn Congressman Hakeem Jeffries is infusing music into the celebration with a social media project that will put the spotlight on female hip-hop artists.
For the first 10 days of the month, Rep. Jeffries will share his top female rap collaborations, focusing on one artist per day, posting the newest additions to the list each day on Twitter and Facebook. It's not clear what the list looks like just yet, but it's sure to be full of names we know and love.
It's no secret that women have a harder time finding their way in such a male-dominated genre, and mainstream success stories like those of Missy Elliot, Nicki Minaj, and Cardi B are usually longer and harder-fought than their male counterparts, rife with sexism at basically every turn. For the few female rap stars people can name off the top of their heads, there are even more whose immense talent is still relegated to niche markets, constant beef rumors, and bad label deals with teams who don't know what direction to take them in.
"In every field of human endeavor, women excel when given a fair shot. It’s true in politics, business, science, academia and Hip Hop," Jeffries explained. "With 45 in the White House, Hip Hop is a great escape."
Jeffries, who is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, is no stranger to bringing hip-hop and politics together, making headlines last year after paying tribute to the Notorious B.I.G. on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Hopefully, there's a good mix of artists from different eras of rap, since there have been so many talented female lyricists in each one.
