The Women Of Netflix's "Rhythm + Flow" Weren’t It
What is a new Netflix phenomenon if one doesn’t spend a whole day binge-watching the entire series.
The latest culprit, that you’ve either been aggressively avoiding as your Netflix cue summons you to click on the competition show that is a “98% match” or have tuned in weekly as new episodes were released, is none other than Rhythm + Flow.
Not to be mistaken with that horrid 2005 Hustle & Flow film, Netflix did a number with this one. From quality production to the credible artists and producers that came out from every city to support their state and corresponding “judge”. T.I, Chance The Rapper and Cardi B were all necessary representations of hip-hop culture and each brought an essential element of hip-hop into perspective during panel deliberations.
Rhythm + Flow didn’t feel forced or, as the term of the series would coin it “gimmicky” at all. Which is what I was afraid of for a rap competition show – it’s basically why American Idol was a “no-for-me-dog” after Fantasia. In any case, at least Fantasia won the competition; the women of Rhythm + Flow, however, were a disappointment to watch.
I hate to separate the talent on Rhythm + Flow according to identifiable gender categories or call the women of the competition the “female emcees” because although hip-hop culture does like to single-out women, it is one of the only areas in society where skill-set is always acknowledged.
The subject matter of a woman’s rap might place them in a different category but if “shorty could spit” the talent is undeniable. Though the women that seemed to have unique styles and cadences in their flow or at least were able to captivate my eye, sadly could not hold their own in ANY round of the competition.
There Was…
Felisha George, from Cardi’s New York squad, was undeniably the biggest disappointment for me. She used the “queen” trope and did not rise to the occasion of Black women queendom once. Granted, we are all queens in our own right and thus do not need any particular qualifiers to indict/incite ourselves into our power - yadda, yadda, but how are you going to call on the ancestors and not deliver?
Saying she was a queen is about the only thing she spit throughout 3 rounds and it worked! George choked in the cypher round and battle round and at that point, I questioned whether her confidence and representation as the “Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu, neo-soul sister, womyn rapper” was competing for her. The only thing George managed to [w]rap was her African wax-print hair tie. Folks of the Reddit Rhythm + Flow board would agree…
The next disappointing dynamic duo that, isn’t a duo at all but are oddly enough placed in the same category of “lyrical-loc-emcees” as LA’s Rae Khalil or Big Mouf’Bo of Chance’s Chicago contestants. I thought one of the two would have at the very least made it to the final round but neither made it that far. The battle rap competition alone was disheartening. Khalil held her ground by continuing to go at Big Mouf’ because her big mouth and antics kept getting in the way.
In my opinion, Khalil should have advanced to the next round because Big Mouf could not make a song to save her life in the next round and ended up getting eliminated for her attitude and beef with the crew and other contestants anyhow – waste of a darn spot. Shout out to you Khalil, you for sure didn’t let your family down, just me, a dedicated binge watcher and perhaps the judges should be the ones to blame?
I think Beanz from NY and Amavi of T.I’s ATL team did hold their own. Beanz is probably the only woman emcee that went toe-to-toe, bar-to-bar with NY’s Flawless Real Talk in the battle rap round. I believe she was only eliminated because her competitor was also a skilled artist. Nonetheless, she went home so I’d have no choice but to include her in this article of disappointments.
Amavi was incredibly talented and had something to say and her brother’s conviction as a driving force behind her, but just seemed to fall short in competition mode and let her nerves get the best of her. Londynn B, on the other hand, won competitions!
I saved the best (of the worst) for last and have to give it up to Londynn B of T.I’s ATL pickings because she consistently came hard every episode. You could see the hunger in B’s eye, in her competitiveness and ability to be the visionary behind great visuals and catchy hooks. Of course, she did not take the Rhythm + Flow title but she is the only woman that was able to compete amongst these men in every round and perform as a force to be reckoned with.
My hurt lies in the simple fact that she and Teyana Taylor were a match made in heaven for the ‘collab with an R&N artist round’ and Londynn did not deliver a flawless performance, although it wasn’t the worst of the night.
Women rappers usually don’t receive the credit they deserve and are judged and ridiculed on what seems to be everything but the music most of the time, but with such an incredibly put together competition like Rhythm + Flow, it would have been a dream to see a rap goddess take the crown.
D Smoke is THAT one though.
