Why Pit Two Bad B***hes Against Each Other: A Brief Analysis of "Feuds" in Female Rap
On June 25, rapper and rising superstar Megan thee Stallion was asked about her favorite 5 female MCs on Real 92.3 LA’s The Cruz Show. She happily replied with Lil Kim, Missy Elliot, Eve, Foxy Brown, and rightfully so, herself.
To most, this answer seemed appropriate in nature, especially with new age rappers failing to pay respect to the “old heads” that paved the way for their fame. However, it led people to ask why she didn’t include more current female rappers, like Nicki Minaj, on social media. Megan was quick to answer and dispel any beef that Twitter was brewing.
She’s absolutely right and it brings up a recurrent theme that begs a long standing question: Why do we pit female artists against each other?
I mean, beef between male rappers definitely exists. Tupac and Biggie, Nas and Jay Z, Ja Rule and 50 Cent, Drake and Meek Mill, and because the male ego is a vast and relentless entity, the list goes on and on. However, it seems like whenever they had their fights, whether it be on alleged ghostwriters or just to bother the other, it would be on their own accord. They had the agency to decide whether or not they did not like each other and were unable to express that in a way that captivates the world.
However, it seems like whenever there is any bad blood between two female rappers, much of it is fueled by the fans and the media before any real conflict exists. Many of it, specifically, tends to surround Nicki Minaj. Take her first major clash between another female MC, her vs. Lil Kim. Because both women hail from New York, are known for their curvaceous figures and beauty, and hold immense talent, comparisons between the two immediately festered. Prior to this, Nicki had even cited Kim as one of her inspirations. However, with the whole world looking to start a war, beef between the two inevitably followed. This led to a barrage of sneaky shots, diss tracks, and even Lil Kim claiming she “doesn’t know” despite an obviously contradictory history. And as usual, the whole world watched and chimed in on who’s side they were on.
Nicki and newcomer Cardi B’s relationship followed a similar trajectory, with people citing Cardi’s newfound success as the catalyst to Nicki’s demise. Months of tension culminated in the infamous fight at New York Fashion Week in 2018. The work of ruthless publications like TMZ worked to incite the conflict in their heads and we, as a society, were all part of the spectacle due to the videos and paparazzi photos that were released following the event.
“Women are pit against each other in essentially every industry, and when Black women are especially marginalized, the pattern is even more prevalent.”
It’s an unfortunate phenomenon, but nothing out of the ordinary. Women are pit against each other in essentially every industry, and when Black women are especially marginalized, the pattern is even more prevalent. Even I found myself contributing to this toxic mentality. Though I am a huge fan of both, I found myself starting to analyze how Megan and fellow rapper, Rico Nasty measure up. In the age of streaming and numbers, I felt immediately drawn to the idea of comparing their success on the charts. Lingering over the legacy of one’s mixtape over the other, one’s interactions with other A-list musicians, one’s fan base and whether or not it was visibly larger than the other. I love, admire, and respect them both, so it was confusing to me why I would compare them.
After much thought, I realized I was simply feeding into what misogynoir in our society has taught me to believe. Years of so-called “female rivalry” made be think that there can be tons of talented male MCs in the industry, but only one Black woman could be on top. Now I realize that there a plethora of Black women with immense talent and ability that all deserve a shot at fame that isn’t delineated by the perception of greed and bad attitudes. Moments in pop culture like the 2019 XXL Freshman Class having 3 female MCs instead of their usual one, though far from revolutionary, feels like we’re moving in the right direction, albeit slowly. People are starting to recognize that female rappers can hold their own in this industry and in this humble writer’s opinion, surpass their male counterparts. I look forward to further enjoying this golden age of female rap knowing that they are all worthy of being #1, even if the world doesn’t afford them that privilege.
