Cardi B and Princess Nokia are two female up and coming rappers who are fearless of their pasts and unapologetic in their newest hits. “1992 Deluxe” Princess Nokia’s newest album is yearning and ambitious, with perfect hints of sweet and bitterness surrounding her upbringing. Countless flows are experimented on this album, with sharp contrast between “Brick City” and “Goth Kid”. Earlier this year Cardi B released her mixtape, Gangsta Bitch Music Vol. 2, a fiery set of tracks with features including “Offset” and “Casanova.” More recently, her June single, Bodak Yellow, has gained popularity this season because of its IDGAF vibe and addictive beat.
Raunchy as ever, these artists will not be censored and have a lot to say about sex, drugs, abuse, and beef. In some ways Cardi B lacks originality by following common rhythms of trap beats, but is able to pull it off with her cutthroat grit. Princess Nokia is unique in her beats but her art lacks an appeal to boys and men. Her stories pursuing the life of a teenage girl has the potential of sounding unrelatable like a broken record to male listeners. Both artists are uncomparable in sound but come from darker roots and in that they have become their own influence.
Starting from the bottom straight from New York, Princess Nokia (Destiny Nicole Frasqueri) had been raised in an abusive foster family from the age of ten and then became a high school dropout who ran away to live with her grandmother by the time she was 16. She became a young, vibrant soundcloud artist and dismissed five record deals in her time. She’s crafted numerous singles with her own intricate handywork and some collaboration with another soundcloud artist, OWWWLS. With this she continues to collect a dedicated fanbase and has released three albums so far.
Cardi B (Belcalis Almanzar), also born in New York, was grew up poor and raised in the notorious Blood Gang from a young age. In order to set herself apart from the Bloods, she had to escape by stripping. Soon with her growing social media presence, she would gain followers and would show up on the sixth season of Love & Hip Hop: New York. Finally becoming independent and holding celebrity ties meant that she could pursue her dream music career. From then on she’s been able to release two mixtapes and a single that has been able to top Lauryn Hill’s record of having the longest running number one hit by a female solo rapper after 19 years.
Enjoy these tracks when you wanna feel fresh in the morning or when you really want to feel the burn, working out. These women have made their mark and stand their ground as today’s most influential female rappers in the industry.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS