Billboard Crowns Nicki Minaj the Greatest Female Rapper Ever
Queen of Rap Crowned: Billboard Names Nicki Minaj GOAT
- Nicki Minaj has been officially declared the greatest female rapper of all time by Billboard.
- Minaj surpassed iconic figures in the genre
- Despite her widespread success and global fame, Nicki Minaj has yet to win a Grammy Award
Nicki Minaj has been officially declared the greatest female rapper of all time by Billboard.
The influential music publication released its definitive list, placing the Trinidadian-born, New York-raised 42-year-old at the top, celebrating her significant impact on hip-hop history.
Minaj surpassed iconic figures in the genre, with Missy Elliott ranking second, followed by Lauryn Hill, Lil’ Kim, and Queen Latifah in the top five. Other notable names in the top ten include MC Lyte, Salt-N-Pepa, Roxanne Shanté, Eve, and Foxy Brown.
Interestingly, Minaj’s contemporary chart rivals, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, were positioned outside the top ten, at number 11 and 15 respectively.
Despite her widespread success and global fame, Nicki Minaj has yet to win a Grammy Award, despite 12 nominations. In contrast, both Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion have received Grammy recognition in rap categories.
Born Onika Tanya Maraj, Nicki Minaj moved to the United States as a child and grew up in Queens, New York. She gained prominence in the late 2000s through a series of mixtapes, ultimately signing with Young Money Entertainment.
Her debut album, “Pink Friday” (2010), quickly reached the top of the Billboard 200 chart. She followed this with several successful albums, including “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded” (2012) and “The Pinkprint” (2014).
Minaj is renowned for her distinctive fashion sense, energetic rapping style, and ability to fuse rap with pop music. Over her career, she has significantly influenced a new generation of female rappers and earned the moniker “Queen of Rap” from her dedicated fanbase.
Billboard’s ranking methodology considered factors such as the artist’s body of work and achievements (chart performance, certifications), cultural impact and influence on the genre’s evolution, longevity, lyrical skill (storytelling), and flow (vocal ability).
Billboard’s Top 25 Greatest Female Rappers:
- Nicki Minaj
- Missy Elliott
- Lauryn Hill
- Lil’ Kim
- Queen Latifah
- MC Lyte
- Salt-N-Pepa
- Roxanne Shanté
- Eve
- Foxy Brown
- Cardi B
- Da Brat
- Trina
- Left Eye
- Megan Thee Stallion
- Doja Cat
- Rapsody
- Remy Ma
- Latto
- Monie Love
- GloRilla
- Jean Grae
- Yo-Yo
- Bahamadia
- Tierra Whack
