The gender gap in rap is vast. For no reason known to even the highest hip-hop analytic, the current state of female rap remains a mystery. Why is it so hard for female MCs to be successful?

Once upon a time you couldn’t look at the rap game and name a current female rapper who was relevant. It was customary to raise a glass to the founding mothers that made rap accessible for ladies to rise. Lady lyricists like MC Lyte and Queen Latifah had moved on to explore other ventures and that paved the way for Foxy Brown and Lil Kim to take over. Taking hold of their sexuality and rubbing it in our faces, the Queen Bee and the Ill Na Na made talking about your sexual wildly cool.

But as history shows us, Kim and Brown held it down until they too somewhat fizzled into the background over time. Female MCs like Missy Elliott and Remy Ma claimed the mic proving that women certainly can rhyme (and have fun!), but they too faded and left that reigning spot vacant. With such great artists paving the way for generations to come, femcees still struggle to hold on to lasting mainstream success.

Enter Nicki Minaj.