In honor of Worldwide Girls’s Day on March 8, 2025, let’s have a good time the plain affect feminine rappers have had on Hip Hop, significantly their groundbreaking accolades on Billboard’s coveted Sizzling 100 chart.
Worldwide Girls’s Day (IWD) is a time to acknowledge the battle for gender equality, reproductive rights, and an finish to violence and abuse towards ladies.
It additionally acknowledges the numerous contributions ladies have made throughout all fields, together with music—on this case, rap music.
Feminine rappers have persistently defied odds and in lots of circumstances, made historical past. That is true with not solely with their chart-topping hits but in addition with their unapologetic voices in a style traditionally dominated by their male counterparts.
Listed here are a number of the most iconic rap songs by feminine rap artists which have reached primary on the Billboard Sizzling 100 with a couple of honorable mentions that got here very shut!
“Bodak Yellow” – Cardi B (2017)
When Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow” hit primary on the Billboard Sizzling 100 in October 2017, it marked a real milestone in hip-hop historical past. Cardi B, straight out of the Bronx, turned the primary feminine rapper in practically twenty years to high the all-genre chart with out the help of any featured artists.
The hit music’s success was not solely a testomony to paving the way in which for extra feminine rappers but in addition redefined a whole style. Cardi’s win with “Bodak Yellow” symbolizes the validation of girls’s voices in mainstream music and past.
“Savage Remix” – Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé (2020)
In Could 2020, “Savage Remix” by Megan Thee Stallion that includes Beyoncé took the number-one spot on the Billboard Sizzling 100. The music marked a pivotal second in rap historical past: Megan Thee Stallion’s first chart-topping single, and Beyoncé’s seventh number-one hit.
The collab between these two powerhouse ladies was a celebration of energy, confidence, and independence, and it solidified Megan’s place as a rising star in Hip Hop.
“WAP” – Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion (2020)
“WAP” was a cultural phenomenon when it debuted at primary on the Billboard Sizzling 100 in August 2020. The music made historical past as the primary all-female rap collaboration to succeed in the highest spot, with Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion becoming a member of forces to create a daring anthem of sexual empowerment. That half.
“WAP” spent 4 non-consecutive weeks at primary and broke the web, pushed boundaries, and allowed for a candid dialogue about feminine sexuality in a male-dominated style.
![Cardi B Feat. Megan Thee Stallion – WAP – Vinyl (Clear, 12", 45 RPM + 2 more), 2020 [r16961280] | Discogs](https://i.discogs.com/g--PLsF5djkCwGamcvhCP_I9q2BXRR2v6On5DVS2Eeg/rs:fit/g:sm/q:40/h:300/w:300/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE2OTYx/MjgwLTE2MTA4Mjky/NzQtNjU2My5qcGVn.jpeg)
“Say So” – Doja Cat (2020)
Doja Cat’s “Say So” reached primary on the Billboard Sizzling 100 in Could 2020, making her the newest feminine rapper to high the charts. The music, which blends parts of pop, disco, and rap, showcased Doja Cat’s versatility and distinctive type which works with out saying nevertheless it’s nonetheless rap on the finish of the day if you happen to ask us.
What makes it a bit totally different, is its viral success on TikTok, which propelled it to the highest. “Say So” additional solidified Doja Cat’s place within the mainstream, marking a brand new period of feminine rappers crossing genres and setting developments from social media to the airwaves.

“Fancy” – Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX (2014)
Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” that includes Charli XCX reached primary on the Billboard Sizzling 100 in 2014, marking Azalea’s first chart-topping single. It was a breakthrough second for the Australian rapper, and the music’s catchy, empowering lyrics and daring visuals hit onerous with audiences worldwide.

“I Like It” – Cardi B ft. Unhealthy Bunny & J Balvin (2018)
“I Like It” by Cardi B, Unhealthy Bunny, and J Balvin debuted at quantity eight on the Billboard Sizzling 100 and shortly ascended to the highest spot, marking Cardi B’s second number-one smash hit.
The music, which blends hip-hop with Latin influences, made Cardi the primary feminine rapper to attain two chart-topping hits.

“Paint the City Pink” – Doja Cat (2023)
In September 2023, Doja Cat did it once more with “Paint the City Pink,” which reached primary on the Billboard Sizzling 100. The music, a smash, held nothing again with its daring manufacturing, marking one other massive second in Doja Cat’s profession.
![Doja Cat – Paint The Town Red – CDr (Single), 2023 [r28359451] | Discogs](https://i.discogs.com/adWx-TBIarf-eZ_xsoCnp8_GD35V7UWuP7EkBYzGB40/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:481/w:483/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTI4MzU5/NDUxLTE2OTU0MzMx/OTMtNDQyMS5qcGVn.jpeg)
Honorable Mentions
“Tremendous Bass” – Nicki Minaj (2011)
Nicki Minaj’s “Tremendous Bass” turned her most profitable single on the time, peaking at quantity three on the Billboard Sizzling 100. The music’s tremendous catchy beat and melodic lyrics made it a popular culture staple.
Whereas it didn’t attain primary, it was the highest-charting rap music by a solo feminine artist since Missy Elliott’s “Work It” in 2002, and it nonetheless despatched shockwaves via rap and pop music concurrently, solidifying Nicki Minaj’s place as one of the influential feminine rappers in historical past.

“Anaconda” – Nicki Minaj (2014)
Earlier than WAP there was “Anaconda,” which peaked at quantity two on the Billboard Sizzling 100, marked a key second in Nicki Minaj’s profession. With its provocative visuals they usually had been simply that and anthem pleasant hook, “Anaconda” turned an hit report pushing boundaries of empowerment and confidence. The music additionally topped the Billboard Streaming Songs chart, and whereas it didn’t clinch the highest spot on the Sizzling 100, it was tremendous impactful.
![Nicki Minaj – Anaconda – CDr (Single, Promo), 2014 [r6800443] | Discogs](https://i.discogs.com/l89LWl1BdjqnT0uQ4SihudWa3E1ntHHloeChtObsBwk/rs:fit/g:sm/q:40/h:300/w:300/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTY4MDA0/NDMtMTQyNjk3MDU2/Mi04NTkxLmpwZWc.jpeg)
“U.N.I.T.Y.” – Queen Latifah (1993)
Queen Latifah’s “U.N.I.T.Y.” is a basic that peaked at #23 on the Billboard Sizzling 100 and have become a logo of energy and unity within the face of adversity in a time the place social affect was not commonplace inside popular culture.
The monitor’s message of self-respect, empowerment, and ladies standing collectively deeply related inside the hip-hop neighborhood and past. U.N.I.T.Y. was a robust second within the early ’90s for girls in rap and continues to encourage the tradition to this present day.

As we replicate on these accolades by a few of our most celebrated rap icons throughout Worldwide Girls’s Day 2025, it’s clear that feminine emcees haven’t solely helped form the music business however have additionally change into highly effective voices for the tradition. Their respective successes are greater than a testomony to the progress made, but in addition present the work that’s nonetheless wanted to make sure that ladies’s voices are by no means drowned out however heard loud and clear whereas being celebrated in each nook of worldwide tradition.