How TikTok is Empowering Women in Rap Today

The days of rappers having to hassle radio DJs to play their singles and selling mixtapes on the street are over, as artists have found much more success online by going viral on platforms like TikTok. Female rappers, in particular, have expertly used the video-sharing launchpad to launch their careers in front of a wider audience. This has allowed them to organically reach millions of people with their own unique and exciting content, and has helped them create huge fan bases, with their viral hits making it onto the Billboard top 100 lists or increasing streams on services like Spotify or Apple Music. TikTok has also become a niche space for young women, especially young Black women, to be their authentic, unapologetic selves without obstacles like sexism standing in their way. In celebration of this, TikTok launched its two-week-long #WomeninHipHop initiative on Feb. 22. Brooklyn native Maiya the Don is one example of an artist who has seen success on the platform, as her infectious “Telfy” anthem quickly spread far and wide on social media. Other female rappers such as GloRilla, Ice Spice, Monaleo, and Ken the Man have also seen success on TikTok, with their music gaining traction and producing over 786,000 total creations on the platform. Despite this success, they remain steadfast in proving the capabilities of women in rap beyond what can be condensed in a TikTok video.