It’s no secret that rap music in Nigeria, and across the world, is predominantly centred around men (with women often being reduced to accessories in music videos). Over the last decade, however, the Nigerian music industry has seen a rise in the number of fearless female rappers challenging societal-norms and leading the scene with unique storytelling about everything from female strength to relationships and careers.
These women are equipped with standout vocals and are redefining the status quo of what it means to be a female artist in the business. Their bars and beats tell vibrant stories that deserve to be heard, which is why you should start adding them to your playlists immediately.
After all, there has always been room for women in music and it’s past time for female rappers in Nigeria to receive their due. Turning a deaf ear is your own loss.
With that being said, below are 10 female Nigerian rap artists to keep your eye on in 2022
1. Shaybo
Rapstress Shaybo hails from Nigeria, but moved to Lewisham in South London when she was only six years-old. Shaybo’s artistry is packed with confidence and powerhouse bars, that are a reflection of the woman herself.
Her song “Dobale”, is a must-listen that embodies her outgoing musical persona. The artist’s drill-style of rapping incorporates elements of British humour, like on lines: “no chitter, or chatterin’/ or your face getting batterin” and lines delivered in Yoruba, an acknowledgement to her cultural heritage.
2. Candy Bleakz
Shifting from Queen Of The South to “Queen of the Streets;” indigenous rapper from Lagos, Candy Bleakz, released her first official single “Owo Osu” in 2019 with record label Chocolate City Music, and it’s worth your attention.
The song features (the sometimes controversial) Nigerian heavyweights Zlatan and Naira Marley - cementing Candy Bleakz as a full-blown street rapper who packs some serious punchlines.
Her raw bars, eccentric sense of style and embodiment of everything “Generation Z Lagos”, has helped the artist build a large and loyal community on Instagram with about 1,000,000 followers, who enjoy her comedic freestyles and dramatic rap content.
3. SGaWD
24-year-old artist “femme fatale” SGaWD also known as Seddy, moved back to her home country of Nigeria to pursue song-writing. The singer uses silky articulation to deliver punchlines over rap production , while also bringing refreshing energy to EDM tracks.
4. Ictooicy
Turning the angst of her teenage years into music, Ictooicy, just like their name implies, is “icy,” with lo-fi ballads of relationship woes often being integrated into their original sound. The teenage artist identifies, on SoundCloud, as “Not A Rapper, Just A Poet With A Flow.” Ictooicy’s project, “Sorry I Don’t Like Phone Calls” earned the #3 spot on Apple Music’s Alternative Albums Chart, proving the artist shares a powerful connection with listeners.
Ictooicy has been consistently releasing music since 2017 and has talked about taboo issues such as mental health on the track “Guava Juice,” while keepingtheir music genderless by not mentioning the pronouns “he” or “she” in an attempt to represent a new wave of for progressive thinking amongst Nigerian artists.
5. Tinuke
Ghana-based, Nigerian rapper, Tinuke, is known for her songs “Collusion”, “Waakye” and her acclaimed debut mixtape “H.E.R” (Having Extreme Rage) released in 2016.
Tinuke is a conventional rapper, but is set apart by her weighty and fiery punchlines which can be heard in her single “RARA”. The artist is known to infuse various languages into her lyrics, giving her a distinct edge within the Nigerian rap scene.
6. Phlow
Marmalade is Phlow’s EP, a six-track project that showcases her Nigerian roots, whilst manifesting her self-assured persona. The rapper is a relatable wordsmith with a special flow, who was introduced to Nigerian hip-hop circles through her affiliation with production company Str8buttah.
With a degree in Computer Science, Phlow decided to take a leap of faith into music in 2016 and is now a veteran amongst this list, with five bodies of work. That same year, she debuted her EP Mind, Body & Phlow.The artist has garnered attention for being a female rapper trying to defy sexist tropes in the rap industry.
7. Deto Black
Twenty-six-year-old, Lagos based artist Deto Black, has already rapped sex-positive verses on alté tracks, acquired writing and acting credits on films Three Pills and Vengeance of Love, and produced her own photography series. She first gained recognition on Odunsi’s Afro-fusion song “Body Count”.
In Lagos, Black’s knee-high boots, colourful wigs and mini-skirts have awarded her stylish influencer status, but her audience has become increasingly international with around 50,000 followers on Instagram.
For Nigerian Independence Day, the artist teamed up with Skepta, Lancey Foux and Unknown T, rapping over Travis Scott’s track “FRANCHISE”, sparking instant online fanfare.
Coming from a conservative Nigerian household, Black wants to break the stereotype of what a Nigerian woman is expected to be.
8. Yazzavelli
In Nigerian society, “finding a man” is popularised as the most important thing in a woman’s existence, but in rapper Yazzavelli’s world, men are simply seen for what they are — mere beings.
Her debut EP Velli is daring and bold, and pushes women to look beyond satisfying men to find true contentment in themselves.
She may be a rap-newcomer, but she’s changing the game with her forthright lyrics and calls to break social codes surrounding “feminine” behaviour. She is an unexpected presence, which makes her precisely what African rap-culture needs.
9. Mz J4zzie
Law graduate turned rapper, Mz J4zzie, who is of Nigerian descent, but now lives in London, has already gained over 100,000 views on YouTube. The Afrobeats artist has supported well-known acts like Ms Banks, Naira Marley and Not3s on various tracks, and isn’t slowing down.
She dropped her Afropop single “Nana Ayy” at the end of 2020 and is mostly recognised for her 2018 song “Baby Oh.” Aside from making her own music, the rapper is also co-founder of record label R-I Records, which is seeking to give birth to ‘Afro-Rap’ (Afrobeats and rap fusion) in order for the sound to gain prominence in the UK and Nigerian music markets.
10. Adé Lasodé
Generation Z rapper, Adé Lasodé, brings futuristic music production into her tracks with singles like “Pempe The Butter” and “Am I Mental?”
There is poetry in her lyrics, which signals to wider issues that younger listeners can relate to. Lasodé’s most recent single “Fire Burn” is an ode to unrequited love as the artist questions a past lover about her unreciprocated feelings. They’re the type of relatable lyrics we can expect to hear more of as Lasode joins the new generation of Nigerian female rappers.