FIRST THINGS FIRST

An engaging study of “just how important women are to hip-hop.”

Considering how Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and Megan Thee Stallion reign over pop culture as much as Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and other male rappers, the idea behind this entertaining history of women in hip-hop may seem superfluous. However, as Simmons makes apparent, such seeming equality was not always the case. The author, founder and CEO of online hip-hop hub The Gumbo, provides a charitable explanation for the slight: there simply wasn’t enough space to promote the origin stories of both men and women in hip-hop. Her reaction (“stinks if you ask me”) captures her can-do approach to her worthy enterprise. Simmons is clearly not interested in wasting time with the negatives of life because there are so many amazing women and accomplishments to celebrate. The result is a fascinating document of how essential women were to the foundation of hip-hop and how they helped carry it to become the world’s most popular genre today. Though most of the women Simmons writes about aren’t new to hip-hop heads, the way she centers them rather than making them footnotes is noteworthy, as is the lack of sexist judgment directed at artists like Lil’ Kim, “whose innovative fashions played an important part in her overall image.” Furthermore, the author thankfully reminds us that the famous Bronx party signifying the birth of hip-hop 50 years ago was planned by then-teenager Cindy Campbell, not her brother, DJ Kool Herc (“Yup, you read that right”). Simmons’ lighthearted approach doesn’t always work—especially when she follows strong arguments about the importance of MC Lyte or Queen Latifah with joke-filled sidebars—but does keep the party going throughout the entire half-century ride.

Simmons happily rips up decades of hip-hop mythology to show the indispensable work of women in the game.