In the past decade, hip-hop has become increasingly dominated by female rappers. With their fierce rhymes and unapologetic attitude, these women have taken the music industry by storm and cemented their place in history.
In this blog post, we will be counting down the top 10 highest-selling female rappers of all time. From Missy Elliot to Nicki Minaj, these women have shown that they are not to be mess with when it comes to spitting bars and making hits.
Nicki Minaj
As of June 2019, Nicki Minaj has sold a total of 100 million records, making her one of the highest-selling female rappers of all time. She is also the only female rapper to have all four of her studio albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
Nicki Minaj was born in 1984 in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago. She moved to the United States at the age of five and grew up in Queens, New York. Minaj began her career as a singer in 2010 with the release of her debut album Pink Friday. The album was a commercial success, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 chart and selling over two million copies in the United States.
Minaj has released several successful singles throughout her career, including “Anaconda”, ” Super Bass”, and “Starships”. She has collaborated with some of the biggest names in music, such as Drake, Lil Wayne, and Eminem. In 2018, she became the first female rapper to be featured on Forbes’ annual list of Hip-Hop’s Wealthiest Artists.
Nicki Minaj is one of the most successful female rappers of all time. She has sold over 100 million records and has had four number one albums on the Billboard 200 chart. Minaj has also collaborated with some of the biggest names in music and is regularly included on Forbes’ list of Hip-Hop’s Wealthiest Artists.
Read | Top 10 Most Popular Female Rappers in the World
Lauryn Hill
In 1998, Lauryn Hill’s album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 422,000 copies in its first week. The album went on to win five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best R&B Album. To date, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” has sold over 8 million copies in the United States.
Lauryn Hill is one of only two female rappers to have ever been nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards (the other being Missy Elliott). She is also one of only four female rappers to have won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album (the others being Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and Iggy Azalea).
Iggy Azalea
Iggy Azalea is an Australian rapper, songwriter, and model. She has been signed to a major record label since 2011 and released her debut studio album in 2014. Iggy Azalea has achieved commercial success with singles such as “Fancy” and “Problem”, both of which peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. As of 2015, she is the second highest-selling female rapper of all time behind only Nicki Minaj.
Iggy Azalea’s music career began in 2011 when she was signed by T.I.’s record label Grand Hustle Records. Her debut studio album The New Classic was released in 2014 and peaked at number three on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album’s lead single “Fancy” became Azalea’s first single to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Follow-up singles “Problem” and “Black Widow” were also successful, reaching number two and number three on the Hot 100 respectively. In 2015, Azalea released a reissue of The New Classic titled The New Classic (Deluxe Edition), which included the singles “Beg for It” and “Trouble”.
Azalea has received several awards and nominations throughout her career, including four Grammy Award nominations. She has also been included on Forbes’ lists of Hip-Hop Cash Kings and Hip-Hop Power Players.
Lil Kim
Lil Kim has been one of the most successful female rappers of all time, with her debut album, Hard Core, selling over 4 million copies. She has had numerous hit singles, including “No Time”, “Not Tonight”, and “Ladies Night”. Lil Kim has also been involved in a number of high-profile feuds, most notably with fellow rapper Nicki Minaj.
Cardi B
As of June 2019, Cardi B is the highest-selling female rapper of all time, with her debut album Invasion of Privacy selling 3 million copies in the United States. She is also the only female rapper to have two number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It”.
Cardi B’s success can be attributed to her unique style and ability to connect with her fans. She is unafraid to be herself and speaks her mind freely, which has endeared her to many people. Her music is also very catchy and accessible, making it easy for people to get hooked on her songs.
There is no doubt that Cardi B is a hugely successful rapper and she looks set to continue dominating the charts for years to come.
Read | Top 10 Best Female Rappers in 2022
Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, dancer, and record producer. She has sold more than 30 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female rappers of all time.
Elliott’s work has earned her five Grammy Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, and three American Music Awards. She is also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and she has been honored by the Recording Academy with a Lifetime Achievement Award and a Vanguard Award.
Elliott began her career in the early 1990s as a member of the all-female rap group Sista Union. After signing with Elektra Records in 1996, she released her debut album Supa Dupa Fly to critical acclaim. The album’s success led to Elliott working with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Timbaland, Busta Rhymes, and Lil’ Kim.
Elliott’s second album Da Real World was released in 1999 and reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart. The album spawned the hit singles “Hot Boyz” and “She’s a Bitch”. In 2001, Elliott released her third album Miss E… So Addictive which topped the Billboard 200 chart and produced the hits “Get Ur Freak On”, “One Minute Man”, and “Work It”.
Elliott took a break from recording music after Miss E… So Addictive but returned in 2005 with her fourth album The Cook
Foxy Brown
Foxy Brown is one of the most successful female rappers of all time. She has released four studio albums, which have all been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. Her debut album, Ill Na Na, reached number seven on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum. She has also had success with her subsequent albums, Chyna Doll and Broken Silence, both of which reached the top ten on the Billboard 200. In addition to her solo success, Foxy Brown has also collaborated with a number of other artists, including Jay-Z, Nas, and Lil’ Kim. She is considered one of the most influential female rappers of all time and has been cited as a major influence by Nicki Minaj.
Remy Ma
Remy Ma is an American rapper who rose to prominence in the early 2000s. She is best known for her singles “All the Way Up” and “What’s My Name?”, which both peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Ma has released four studio albums, including her most recent, Reminisce (2018).
With over 15 million records sold worldwide, Remy Ma is one of the best-selling female rappers of all time. She has won numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards, six BET Awards, and four MTV Video Music Awards.
Eve
Eve is one of the most iconic female rappers of all time. She rose to prominence in the early 2000s with her hit single, “What Y’all Want,” and has since gone on to release four studio albums. Eve has sold over five million records worldwide and is one of the highest-selling female rappers of all time. In addition to her music career, Eve has also starred in several films and television shows, including the popular series “Girlfriends.”
Khia
Khia is an American rapper, songwriter and record producer. She is best known for her hits “My Neck, My Back (Lick It)” and “Beep”. Khia has sold over 4 million albums worldwide and is considered one of the most successful female rappers of all time.
