Delighted to see Lil’ Kim on your list as I was the GM and ran the promotion department of Big Beat at the time of Junior Mafia and Kim. I can forgive Salt N’Pepa not being in the Top 5 (they are certainly in the top 10) but to have an article without mention of them is an egregious omission. They were the first and it took so much work, love, and persistence to convince Radio and MTV that it was time for female rappers. In other words Salt N’ Pepa broke the glass ceiling making way for all the other ladies you mention. I ran the Promotion dep’t for Next Plateau at the time and being a part of breaking female rappers is my proudest achievement career wise.
Heidi, thanks so much for reading and commenting on this article. As a avid hip hop fan, I'm really happy that I get to read a little about your experience.. Having said that, you are a hundred percent right, Salt N' Pepa definitely belong on this list. I think when I had to sit down and narrow my top five, there were so many options to choose from I had a bit of a freeze. For example, Lauryn Hill is so much more than the small blurb I gave her.
Thanks for replying. You’re probably laughing that who’d imagine the old white lady who’s a political junkie career was in hiphop. Salt N’ Pepa were the groundbreakers maybe not in the top 5 but without their hard work who knows when all those talented ladies would have broken through. Here’s a fun little known fact- they were the first music group to do a TV PSA about Aids. “Let’s Talk About Aids”
Delighted to see Lil’ Kim on your list as I was the GM and ran the promotion department of Big Beat at the time of Junior Mafia and Kim. I can forgive Salt N’Pepa not being in the Top 5 (they are certainly in the top 10) but to have an article without mention of them is an egregious omission. They were the first and it took so much work, love, and persistence to convince Radio and MTV that it was time for female rappers. In other words Salt N’ Pepa broke the glass ceiling making way for all the other ladies you mention. I ran the Promotion dep’t for Next Plateau at the time and being a part of breaking female rappers is my proudest achievement career wise.
Heidi, thanks so much for reading and commenting on this article. As a avid hip hop fan, I'm really happy that I get to read a little about your experience.. Having said that, you are a hundred percent right, Salt N' Pepa definitely belong on this list. I think when I had to sit down and narrow my top five, there were so many options to choose from I had a bit of a freeze. For example, Lauryn Hill is so much more than the small blurb I gave her.
Thanks for replying. You’re probably laughing that who’d imagine the old white lady who’s a political junkie career was in hiphop. Salt N’ Pepa were the groundbreakers maybe not in the top 5 but without their hard work who knows when all those talented ladies would have broken through. Here’s a fun little known fact- they were the first music group to do a TV PSA about Aids. “Let’s Talk About Aids”
I’m a huge Missy Eliot fan.
Super happy to have you on my Substack. Also, I remember that PSA. wasn’t it on one of their albums as well?