REAL WOMEN WANT REAL RAP

REAL WOMEN WANT REAL RAP

WARNING: This music was not made for conservative ears.

So we're guessing we're not the only ones out there partial to dirty rap. 

Whether we're getting our pump on at the gym, getting ready for a big night or getting psyched over a new design, nothing picks us up like dropping a beat.

But it's getting pretty old tuning into the mostly male-dominated and sometimes misogynistic rap/hip-hop/rnb industry.  So we're here to show you the awesom-er side of rap music where talented guys and gals are breaking gender and musical moulds to create some sweeeet sounds and social commentary.

 So if you like your music making you feel like a bad ass bitch and not just like a piece of ass, check out these tasty tunes:  

Azealia Banks: 212

We love our girl Azelia's no care attitude. And we love her style. And we would LOVEEEEE to dress her one day!

JunglePussy: Nah

What a name. Bright pinks and yellows, a green turban, daisies, feathers, a kimono. So much to get excited over. More like Yeh.

Ab-Soul: Double Standards

Buddies with Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Sould brings a laid-back sound and meaningful lyrics to the rap game. We're tired of living with these double standards too!

Tiffany Foxx: Twisted

The self-proclaimed "Black Goldielocks" delivers no lack of glitter glam in her break through track. As Lil' Kim's protege, we're expecting big things:

Izzy Azalea: Fancy

There are so many reasons to love Izzy. Firstly, she's an Aussie who loves summer down-under as much as we do. Secondly, her real name is Amethyst which is pretty wicked, and thirdly she is not afraid to admit her love for the cult-classic "Clueless" and embrace 90's fashion. Matching tartan mini-skirt suit? HELLO! Us and 300 million views can't be wrong. Check it out:

CL: The Baddest Female

Better known for her lead role in K-Pop Group 2NE1, CL is bringing her K-Pop influences into her rap to create something different.  We're not sure what it is, but we like it. 

Doo-Wop: Lauryn Hill

Now Lauryn only made one record but she is still regarded as one of the top 5 female rap artists of all time. She puts women in the music industry in the spot light by suggesting that maybe all the twerking (nee booty shaking) is more self-objectification than self-expression and this might contribute to rap's bad wrap. Lauryn come back!!!!

Bad Girls : M.I.A

Now Mathangi Arulpragasam, better known as  M.I.A, is a bad girl in all the right ways. Not only is she sexy and stylish, but she's an amazing graphic, visual and music artist, filmmaker,  a fierce political activist for the rights of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka and all whilst being an amazing young mum. 

She is one of the century's most influential people according to Esquire and Time Magazine, and we reckon she's pretty alright too.

Tupac: Keep Ya Head Up

Now Tupac doesn't have a perfect record when it comes to his treatment of women, and there was that incident of the (unrequested) ass-slap we can't say we approve of, but he certainly lays down some respectful rap in 'Keep ya head up', check em out.

“Since we all came from a women, got our name from a women, and our game from a women. I wonder why we take from women, why we rape our women, do we hate our women? I think its time we killed for our women, be real to our women, try to heal our women, cus if we dont we'll have a race of babies that will hate the ladies, who make the babies.  And since a man can't make one he has no right to tell a women when and where to create one”

You said it brother.

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And finally, Ms Tiller, the 2012 US college poetry slam finalist gives us some food for thought  on how she sees mainstream rap music influencing gender and racial stereotypes. Powerful stuff, can't wait to see what she does next!

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What other rap classics or new releases are you digging at the moment? We'd love to hear your thoughts and get some recommendations to listen to whilst we're pattern making!

xoxo Everland