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Nicki Minaj crowned ‘Best Female Rapper of All Time’ by Billboard

Nicki Minaj has been crowned the best female rapper of all time by Billboard.

Out of 25 influential female rappers, Minaj secured the top spot, solidifying her legacy in hip-hop history. The list, unveiled on Monday, April 7, 2025, was based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including chart performance, cultural impact, lyrical skill, longevity, and flow.

Billboard praised Minaj’s extensive body of work and groundbreaking achievements, which made her a clear standout.

“She became the first female rapper to surpass 100 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2018—an extraordinary feat few artists across any genre can claim. Recently, her Pink Friday 2 World Tour broke records, becoming the highest-grossing tour ever by a female rapper.

“Fifteen years after she left Earth with her godly verse on Kanye West’s ‘Monster’ and delivered her seminal Pink Friday debut album, the First Lady of Young Money is still running laps around the competition,” Billboard wrote. “Minaj quickly usurped the throne and stylistically rewrote the playbook for female rappers, while becoming an architect of pop music in the process. Whether she’s tapping into her storied rap personas—Harajuku Barbie, Roman Zolanski, or Chun-Li—or just spitting as Onika, the story of rap can’t be told without Minaj. And she’s got plenty of ‘sons’ in the industry running through the doors she busted down,” it read.

The publication continued: “The Queens icon became the first female rapper to eclipse triple-digit Billboard Hot 100 hits in 2018 (with 149 entries to her name as of publishing), and her connection to the Barbz remains stronger than ever, as the Pink Friday 2 World Tour became the highest-grossing tour for a female rapper in history. One thing’s for sure, the road to the crown on a list like this still runs through Gag City.”

Nicki Minaj being crowned the best female rapper of all time has sparked online debate, with mixed reactions.

Other iconic names on the list include Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, Lil’ Kim, and Queen Latifah.

Check out the full list of Billboard’s 25 Best Female Rappers of All Time below.

Nicki Minaj

Missy Elliott

Lauryn Hill

Lil Kim

Queen Latifah

MC Lyte

Salt-N-Pepa

Roxanne Shante

Eve

Foxy Brown

Cardi B

Da Brat

Trina

Left Eye

Megan Thee Stallion

Doja Cat

Rapsody

Remy Ma

Latto

Monie Love

GloRilla

The Lady Of Rage

Gangsta Boo

Doechii

Tierra Whack

 

Source: face2faceafrica.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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