Billboard honors Trinidadian Nicki Minaj as Greatest Female Rapper of all time

Trinidadian Nicki Minaj has been ranked as the No. 1 Best Female Rapper of All Time by the Billboard Staff. From her game-changing verse on “Monster” to rewriting the playbook for female rappers, Minaj has emerged as a huge influencer and inspiration for several artists. 

Since stepping in to the field with her debut album, Pink Friday, Minaj has introduced a new style and voice to the female rap. She has created dozens of chart topping hits such as Super Bass, Anaconda, and Starships, becoming the first woman to have 100 entries on the Billboard Hot 100. She also headlined the Pink Friday 2 World Tour, which became the highest grossing tour ever by a female rapper.

With her versatility, Minaj has also built a strong international fanbase, which is known as the Barbz. Beyond her music, she has also become a fashion icon and vocal advocate for female empowerment in the entertainment industry. 

Her success in the field has not only reshaped female rap but has also opened the way for today’s artists to push creative boundaries in an industry dominated by males. The list was unveiled by the Billboard Staff on Monday, which comprised of 25 best female rappers of all time.

The complete list includes:

1. Nicki Minaj
2. Missy Elliott
3. Lauryn Hill
4. Lil Kim
5. Queen Latifah
6. MC Lyte
7. Salt-N-Pepa
8. Roxane Shante
9. Eve
10. Foxy Brown
11. Cardi B
12. Da Brat
13. Trina
14. Left Eye
15. Megan Thee Stallion
16. Doja Cat
17. Rapsody
18. Remy Ma
19. Latto
20. Monie Love
21. GloRilla
22. Lady of Rage
23. Gangsta Boo
24. Doechii
25. Tierra Whack 

After the list went viral, the fans and critics started praising her for breaking barriers for women in hip-hop and showcasing the versatility that has led to her commercial success. As an individual wrote, “Absolutely agree! Nicki Minaj deserves to be named the best female rapper of all time.”

“To be honest give Nikki her flowers!! I not even a Nikki fan but her early body of work was something fire,” said another user. “Nicki is the greatest female rapper of all time and top 10 rapper of all time both male and female. Nicki is decent, beautiful, intelligent, a business woman, talented, the best lyricist ever, has 3 number 1 albums, highest selling global female of all time and highest grossing tour by a female rapper,” said other user. 

How Billboard ranks?

Notably, Billboard 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by the Billboard magazine. These rankings were based on a thorough evaluation process, considering several factors. Some of the factors include, Body of work and achievements of the artist. It also judges the influence of an artist on other musicians and their legacy. 

Along with that, the rankings also judge the rapper’s ability to stay relevant over the years. They also determine the rapper’s vocal delivery and rhythm matter.