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More critiques about the substance in female rap lyrics are pouring in after Ice Spice performed at Power 105’s Powerhouse concert this weekend.
The Bronx rapper was dressed in a Halloween costume styled as Betty Boop in a short red dress that kept rising over her ample bottom.
The 23-year-old star pulled uncomfortably at the dress as she performed her hit songs to a lackluster crowd. The performance made the rounds on social media as fans either cheered on the “Munch” rapper or detractors took another opportunity to blast the current state of female rap.
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Nikki D—who was the first woman rapper signed to Def Jam Records in 1989—took to Instagram to rip into the performance.
“Oh come TF on!!! You mean to tell me, this is true talent.. the Female genre of hip hop today is the ‘prostitution era’, fight me!! [two boxing glove emojis],” Nikki wrote in a caption while sharing a clip of Ice Spice’s performance. “Notice the ONLY 2x’s the crowd reacts.. during the familiar ‘munch line’ and when she turns around to show her ass!!”
“She’s one of the top female rappers out at the ‘moment’.. where’s her show production, rehearsal, and for god sake PLEASE STOP singing over those studio vocals it’s not a live show at that point,” Nikki D added.
The “Lettin’ Off Steam” rapper then implored Spice’s management to reach out to her, claiming, “this girl got 5 minutes left, and y’all gone blow it!!!”
The post garnered a ton of engagement—including from other legendary female rapper Sweet LD of Oaktown’s 357 who wrote, “Oh wow! (with a shocked face emoji).”
Pete Rock commented on the post warning that many would write off Nikki D’s comments as “hating,” but, he added, “No we are not. We telling yall learn how to rap and make music period. Simple as that.
“I come from an era of absolute real talent. Yall love money not music or lyrics yall love money and drugs smfh. im tired of these corny ass artist.”
The debate about the quality of lyrics by female rap artists is ongoing. While it is undeniable that women are having an unprecedented season of success, many wonder if the lyrical content is too sexual in nature.
A Reddit thread on “honest opinions on modern female rap ?” has nearly 750 comments that vary from praising the genre to lamenting the female artists who are underrated and still overlooked. One fan wrote, that female rap has “As much variety and creativity as male rap. Great artists in the mainstream and in the underground, clowns in both too. But with men, the labels love selling the image of a criminal and for women they love selling the overtly sexual stuff. And ofc the consumers eat up both.”
Earlier this summer, Fabolous chimed in on the debate seeking more perspectives from “strong” women, writing in an Instastory, “I love hearing female rappers talking some real shit,” Fab wrote on his Instagram Story, according to HipHopDX. “Women are so strong. Have so many stories and perspectives that we need to hear in pure form.
“No disrespect to any female rappers out there but I think there’s only one style of female rap/Hip Hop being promoted, programmed and looked at as successful now.”
The conversation continues.
