Women in UK Rap – 5 Stars Leading the Way

Words by Sarah Opokiti

The UK rap scene is increasingly being populated by women, and we are loving it.

Just like in every other country in the world, the rap game is very male dominated in the UK, and it has sadly always been that way. However, in the past 7-ish years there has been an incredible shift in the way the stage has been shared amongst men and women. Slowly but surely, female rappers are beginning to be justly recognised as just as talented and sick at what they do as their male counterparts – and we’re massively here for that shift.

Women are stepping into the game louder and prouder and killing it next to their male counterparts. It is sad that there has been such a lack of appreciation for female rappers in the UK compared to how they are celebrated in the in the US. From Missy Elliot to Lil Kim, of course Nicki Minaj and Cardi B – these ladies have undeniably had a major impact in Hip Hop and have been recognised as such.

The UK has only in recent years seen the start of this evolution on our turf, with artists such as creating massive waves at home and internationally. S&C is proud to be the first festival in the UK to curate a line-up which is 60% women this year – and we are determined to keep championing female talent every year. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the UK rap scene’s rising stars and most influential female rappers…

STEFFLON DON

Birmingham-born dancehall/rap and singer Stephanie Allen (better known as Steflon Don) is one of the biggest rappers from the UK today – irrespective of gender. The rapper had her massive, big break with her top ten single “Hurtin’ Me” (featuring French Montana) which took over the whole world! The song the summer anthem of 2017 was awarded a MOBO and NME Awards.

Since then, the Jamaican artist has enjoyed continuous successes with her mixtape Secure charting in the Top Forty with amazing features by the likes of Future, Sean Paul and Popcaan to name a few. We were thrilled to welcome her to headline S&C Festival 2019 too, which was a suitably memorable performance.

Over the past year, The Don has explored and mastered different sounds such as Afrobeats with her 2021 smash “Can’t Let You Go” on which she got Afrobeats stars Tiwa Savage and Rema on the remix as well as Toxic Love (feat Midas the Jagaban) She’s dropped trap hits, such as “Phone Down” with rapper Lil Baby and R&B tunes. Stef has shown the world that UK female rappers can do more than just rap, but also dive into all sorts of sounds and conquer. Her main message to her audience is to always try for the things you want in life no matter what people think.

MS BANKS

Our very own S&C 2022 performer Thyra Oji – aka Ms Banks – is a notable figure for women in rap. Her confident, savage, sexy, boss-babe rap style has set her at the front of the UK rap stage. Women are often excluded from conversations about rappers and are often seen as subsidiary to men. The South-London rapper has always been vocal about her stance on the disparities between the way male and female artists are treated in the music scene, from not taking female rappers seriously to being offered less money than men by brands and music platforms – Ms Banks encourages women to not accept such treatment.

Over the years she has built up her status as one of the biggest names in UK rap. Her range, her styles and her versatility set her apart amongst her peers. From drill, to afroswing – Ms Banks does it all. You can catch her bringing her unique style and heat to the S&C stage on Saturday 18th June this year. Book tickets now.

Ms Banks takes to the S&C main stage, Saturday 18th June

LITTLE SIMZ

North-London rapper Simbiatu Ajikawo – better known as Little Simz – is one of the most celebrated rising, shining stars in UK music today known for her empowering and conscious rap lyrics. Up until last year she was an underground superstar, but that changed in the blink of an eye when she released her 6th album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert – which propelled her into international stardom. She headlined S&C last year on the Sunday, and what an incredible show that was.

Taking up the No.4 spot on the UK Official Albums Chart, taking home the Artist of the Year Award at the BRITS, Mastercard Album of the Year, Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act and best New Artist – as well as becoming the very first female to sell out three headline shows at the legendary Brixton Academy – Simz has smashed it over the last year or so. Her viral hit “Venom” championed her reign in the global market evidenced by her US and EU tour this summer.

Little Simz performing at S&C 2021

ENNY

Enitan Adepitan – known professionally by ENNY – took the music scene by storm, late 2020. Famous for her viral smash “Peng Black Girls” (featuring Amia Brave) that had black women all over the world celebrated themselves and their heritage amidst biased beauty standards in society. The conscious lyricist teamed up with singer Jorja Smith for the remix, and went on to perform the song on the famous Colours Show, where the song blew onto greater heights. Fans all over the world felt as though the song was much needed at the time and still is – as the message was essential for black girls in this age of social media, where they are told how to look and act, as opposed to embracing their natural features and cultures they have grown up in.

Moving on to present day, ENNY has continued to build a name for herself with her 2021 project Under Twenty Five and the numerous singles she’s been dropping this year too. It is safe to say that ENNY has a very promising career ahead of her. Don’t miss her set at S&C Festival this year.

LADY LESHURR

Birmingham native Malesha Katrina O’Garro – famously known by the name of Lady Leshur – remains undeniably one of the most ground-breaking trialblazers for women in rap in the UK. The rapper, singer and producer rose to become a global sensation for her Queen’s Speech series of freestyles in 2015 with her fourth Queen's Speech. Her witty, buoyant rhymes – drawing from grime and garage UK garage – influence most of her sound, bringing a peculiar uniqueness to her work and setting her apart from the rest for her peers.

The multi-talented artist made her debut in the early 2000s in her teenage years when she dropped her debut mixtape. Fast-forward to today, Lady Leshurr has added incredible achievements to her name including multiple esteemed awards such as two MOBO Awards – in 2016 for celebrating excellence in black music, for Best Female Act in 2016 and in 2019, she won the award for "Best Rap / Grime Act". In 2020 she won "Best Solo Female" at the Birmingham Music Awards. To top it all of the rapper was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to music and charity. She also has her own radio show on BBC 1Xtra since late 2021, and appeared as a contestant on the thirteenth series of Dancing on Ice (on which she came fourth). She’s also won the Celebrity Circle for Stand Up To Cancer.

BR3NYA

West-London based rapper Nana-Brenya – aka Br3nya – has paved a lane of her own in the UK rap world. Heavily influenced by her Ghanaian heritage, her sound has its own type of bounce to it that just always makes you want to vibe and have a good time. From an early age the rapper recognised that female rappers are sparse in the UK – and she made it her mission to be an advocate for female empowerment and for women feeling confident about themselves.

Her musical influences are the UK’s own J Hus – who she believed paved the way for her to translate her African background into her music in a fun, cool way – and Nicki Minaj, who is probably the major influence to a lot of female rappers coming into the game over the past decade or so. In 2018 she started gaining recognition with her infectious banger ‘Good Food’ which brought her onto the forefront of afro-swing and rap in the UK.

IVORIAN DOLL (IVD)

Vanessa Mahi, who we know as Ivorian Doll, grew to fame with her smash hit “Rumours” in 2020. The infectious drill cut became a viral sensation overnight and propelled her to mega-stardom. It’s not often you hear a girl ride a drill beat and fans loved that about the hit. The song took a positive spin to the “rumours” that were going round about the rapper in previous years and let the people know that those things do not bother her.

Before delving into music, IVD was a YouTuber and social media influencer and but fell in love with rap at a young age listening to her idol Nicki Minaj. The rap star made her musical debut with rapper Abigail Asante as a drill duo, but decided to go solo in 2019 and was not shy about it – as evidenced by the release of “Queen of Drill QOD”. Ever since she’s continued to make waves for herself in the drill space and in the space of UK rap at large., with more great things surely to come.

Enny plays S&C Festival 2022

BREE RUNWAY

East-London born Brenda Mensah, but famously known as Bree Runway, is a Rapper, singer and songwriter from East-London of Ghanaian descent. This mega-talent (who literally is a show-stopping act) stepped into the game professionally in 2017 and signed to EMI merely a year later, subsequently releasing her debut commercial EP Be Runway. Right after that, she released her debut mixtape, 2000and4Eva, which bore the single "ATM" featuring Hip Hop legend Missy Elliott.

From then, the world knew who Bree Runway was and the sky has been the limit. Heavily influenced by the likes of Lady Gaga and Lil Kim, the artists main message to her audience is to do whatever you like without feeling like you owe anybody, especially as a woman. Bree Runway IS the moment right now, from being an unfathomable fashion icon, to her unreserved creativity – who is really doing it like her?