The impact that women in Rap have on the industry is unprecedented, and Deb Antney has been tracking its progression. As more ladies are staking their claims in Hip Hop, we’re seeing a rediscovered unity—although, there are still moments when internet rifts get the best of them. Antney was instrumental in Minaj’s rise to stardom, and on My Expert Opinion, she spoke about her former client.
“I wanted to put the whole thing together with women,” said Antney. “But everybody always got something to say about the next woman.”
She also spoke about maturing artists who try to compete with the younger, rising generation.
“Bring these babies up and let them come out!” she added. “Let it keep passing on! What you look like on stage? That’s just as bad as some of these 50-year-old rappers… You’re dated! And you still wanna be up here doing this stuff. There’s other things that you could be into. Bring up somebody else and let them come through.”
Math Hoffa contested that there are rappers who do just that. When Deb asked for an example, Cardi B’s name entered the conversation. The “Up” hitmaker is well-known for partnering with rising artists, especially young women, on collaborations or by giving them shout-outs.
(Photo by Kevin Mazur/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
“Cardi is very good when it comes to stuff like that,” said Antney. “She’s very, very good… That’s Cardi!” The conversation drifted to New York rappers having a 10 year stretch when artists weren’t “putting nobody on.”
Antney praised Minaj’s grind, adding that people still don’t know her sacrifices to get where she is. She also touched on Cardi and Minaj’s beef, saying she doesn’t get involved in those discussions.
“I don’t get into that beef sh*t. That’s people. See, the one thing that an artist gotta understand: it costs money to go to war. You don’t wanna spend that money,” said Antney.
“I hated—I really thought Nicki and Cardi was really gonna lock into each other. They’re two different people. I wanted that so bad. I wanted that bad to see them two get into each other.”
There have been wars of words between Cardi and Nicki, but these days, it seems they actively avoid one another. However, their fanbases have been known to stir the pot, often creating unnecessary viral moments that place both women in an unfortunate spotlight.
Despite going from rags to riches in a relatively short span of time, Cardi B has remained pretty in touch with her roots. She’s been known to comment on inflation, reflect the population’s fears and fancies, and respond to fans’ questions and criticisms with the same unabashed honesty that earned her thousands of fans, even before “Bodak Yellow” took off in 2018. Cardi was again prompted to respond earlier this week when she warned her followers that the depressed economy was looking a lot like a recession.
“We going through a recession…..Merry Christmas,” she wrote ominously on Twitter. When a commenter snarked “says the rapper worth 40 million,” Cardi retweeted the reply to set the record straight. “I’m worth more then that and guess what?” she clapped back. “If I don’t save ,work and budget I could lose it too! What makes you think that no matter how much money you got you can’t lose it all if you don’t manage your money correctly.I too have bills,responsibilities and people I have to help.”
I’m worth more then that and guess what ? If I don’t save ,work and budget I could lose it too! What makes you think that no matter how much money you got you can’t lose it all if you don’t manage your money correctly.I too have bills,responsibilities and people I have to help. https://t.co/QWIaj5Lpma
Fans chimed in to back her up, remembering performers who previously lost their riches and pointing out that “net worth” doesn’t exactly equate to money in the bank. Still, there were also those who picked up the thread of criticism, pointing out how the recession would affect her long after it did the majority of people. Check out some of those responses below.
Facts. History have shown how .any rappers get broke cause they spend more than saving/invest. https://t.co/DRLNVaiwEy
I absolutely LOVE me some Cardi but i can’t let her pretended she has the same problems as us regular folk … after i party my bills i have next to nothing left… what i would give to be with more than 40 million right now…. Again i Iove you Cardi https://t.co/ZfywVgwFLz
While some of hip-hop’s biggest names made big comebacks in 2022 – and many wound up on Uproxx’s Best Albums of 2022 list – there were a few notable names promising new albums that didn’t quite manage to put anything out before the new year, leaving us with a host of anticipated hip-hop albums for 2023.
After long hiatuses, TDE artists like Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, and SZA all dropped their new albums this year, receiving a warm response from fans and critics alike (Kendrick is on our Best Albums list; Soul and SZA just missed the cutoff). Drake dropped two albums – one very dance oriented and one with 21 Savage – while Megan Thee Stallion addressed her rocky 2021 with a solid second effort.
However, there were a few A-listers whose names were not included in the rolls for the year-end roundups, including Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, and Travis Scott. While we’ll get into the various reasons for their absences below, it’s worth noting that the release schedule was already jam-packed, and having 2023 pretty much wide open can only help them lock down the time and attention their profiles deserve. There are a few rising stars on that list too, including Baby Keem, Doja Cat, and Saweetie. Here are the most anticipated hip-hop albums of 2023.
ASAP Rocky – Don’t Be Dumb
It’s been a minute since we last heard from ASAP Rocky with 2018’s Testing. Since then, he’s become a father, he’s been a hilarious meme, he’s expanding his acting credits, and he’s even starred in a video game. After dropping the new single “Sh*ttin Me” and teasing more Metro Boomin contributions, he finally announced that the album was done with just a few weeks left to go in the year. With a lot to talk about (cough, cough, Sweden) and what sounds like a lot more focused musical direction with Metro’s involvement, Don’t Be Dumb could very well return the Harlem rapper to the top of the charts and reveal new facets of his personality.
The most mysterious of the bunch, Keem’s the only one who hasn’t outright announced an album. That hasn’t stopped Keem fans from sniffing out any and every available clue that he could be working on one. And given his and cousin Kendrick’s tendency to surface suddenly and without warning, that could be all the reason to be on the lookout for a follow-up to The Melodic Bluesometime in the next 12 months.
Cardi B
Cardi was one of the artists that fans most looked forward to hearing from in 2022, but aside from some inflammatory singles, it wasn’t to be. She did give us “Hot Sh*t” with Kanye West and Lil Durk, which was well-received, but given Kanye’s issues and an inability to promote the song the way she wanted, Cardi moved on from the single fairly quickly. She had better luck with GloRilla’s “Tomorrow 2,” which offered an instant classic Cardi verse, but she later admitted that she’s been feeling a lot of anxiety and pressure from the potential reception of her long-awaited follow-up to Invasion Of Privacy. She did say she wants to get that album out in the new year, though.
Doechii
After an impressive breakout in 2022, TDE’s latest signee still remains a refreshing question mark for the new year. Her EP, She/Her/Black Bitch, showed some promising signs that she’s got a clear direction and isn’t afraid of taking creative risks. And the response to singles like “Persuasive” and “Crazy” indicates that fans may wind up being a bit more receptive to her left-field mashups of hip-hop and house than they were ten years ago when “212” was dominating playlists and sync licensing placements. If nothing else, she’s got the TDE machine on her side, which means that when she does drop, she’ll have the full support of her label, something not every artist gets to enjoy.
Doja Cat
im not doing a german rave culture album you guys i was pranking the outlet that interviewed me about it
After an absolutely explosive 2021 thanks to Planet Her and its seemingly endless string of fan-favorite hit records, anticipation was high for Doja to follow up her debut. Doja herself was more than happy to feed into that feeling from fans, teasing permutations of the project that included a 9th Wonder-produced rap LP, an R&B album, and even a euro-house edition. However, she was unable to do much recording after having throat surgery, which forced her to pull out of The Weeknd’s After Hours stadium tour and confined her to home for recovery. The content she did share – namely, a lot of selfies of her new bald look – has ironically generated even greater fervor for new music, since she’s clearly feeling newly freed and more creative than ever.
Rap’s undisputed rookie of the year exploded in popularity thanks to her summer smash “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” but unlike plenty of other viral favorites, she was able to maintain her momentum with follow-ups like “Tomorrow 2” and the … Anyways, Life’s Great EP. Now, more than anything, fans want to see whether her natural charisma can carry a full-length project. She’s got more than enough viral moments over the past year to keep her name red-hot (and comfortingly uncontroversial) and with one of her hometown’s biggest stars giving his backing, it’ll be interesting to see where she ends up next.
Ice Spice
If GloRilla took the crown for the year’s biggest breakout, it’s only because Ice Spice didn’t manage to get her project out under the wire. Like Glo, she saw much of her impact come from the TikTok popularity of a single song: “Munch,” which launched seemingly a million memes and almost got the Cardi B treatment as well. It also drove attention to prior Ice Spice videos like “Name Of Love” and “No Clarity.” The resulting hunger for more of the Spice life led to a follow-up, “Bikini Bottom,” and the New York rapper being put on the fast track to stardom, with Rolling Loud appearances and homage tracks from other artists galore.
J. Cole – The Fall-Off
While Cole has seemingly returned to his self-imposed hibernation from the rap game following a few stints of professional basketball, I don’t think for a second he’s forgotten about his commitment to deliver the magnum opus promised a few years ago at the end of KOD. He’s even said The Off-Seasonwas more of a warm-up (if only he hadn’t already used that name) or practice session, sharpening his tools before attempting to sum up his incredible, decade-long career.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj maintained a chokehold on the hip-hop discourse this year by sheer force of will (and the efforts of her ever-dedicated fanbase), and with a few strategically-placed singles and guest appearances. In the first half of 2022, she joined forces with rising star Coi Leray on “Blick Blick” (seemingly an extension of her 2021 strategy of teaming up with Doja Cat and finally ending her self-imposed moratorium on collabs with up-and-coming female rappers). Then, she dropped “Super Freaky Girl,” harkening back to her “Anaconda” era to garner her first-ever solo No. 1. She even dropped a remix with a whole peck of rap girlies, extending her influence and driving curiosity to see what other new avenues remain to this venerated veteran.
As a track runner in high school, Saweetie probably knows all about having to recover from false starts. Although anticipation for the project may have waned after so many delays, it doesn’t look like Saweetie has given up on herself yet – and that’s the true test, in many ways. In any event, I’m sure there are still plenty of folks who want to hear just what exactly she has had in store after nearly three years of teases. If the new single “Icy Girl, Icy World” is any indication, she could be back on her Sample Saweetie kick, which could mean a return to prominence is just one starter pistol away.
Just about the only rapper whose album we know anything about this year is Travis Scott, who has been quietly biding his time in the wake of the Astroworld Festival disaster last summer. He actually began the rollout for Utopia during Coachella, putting up massive billboards on the way to and from Indio extolling the upcoming project. However, he kicked his promotional efforts into high gear more recently, joining Pharrell on “Down In Atlanta” and making multiple appearances on Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains album and SZA’s SOS. While he hasn’t overtly dropped anything from Utopia yet, it looks like he’s building himself back up and testing the waters to make sure it gets just as warm a reception as its predecessor.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
With whispers that a recession could be on the way for Americans, rapper Cardi B took to her Twitter to discuss our current economic situation but was met with criticism over her wealthy status.
Known to clap back on social media, the “Up” rapper lived up to her reputation by blasting a user that tried to call her out.
“We going through a recession…..Merry Christmas,” Cardi B tweeted Tuesday, adding a Christmas tree emoji.
Not long after, a Twitter user responded with a snarky comment, writing, “Says the rapper worth 40 million.”
Tweeting back, the Bronx native penned on the social media platform, “I’m worth more then that and guess what? If I don’t save, work and budget I could lose it too!”
I’m worth more then that and guess what ? If I don’t save ,work and budget I could lose it too! What makes you think that no matter how much money you got you can’t lose it all if you don’t manage your money correctly.I too have bills,responsibilities and people I have to help. https://t.co/QWIaj5Lpma
“What makes you think that no matter how much money you got you can’t lose it all if you don’t manage your money correctly,” she continued. “I too have bills, responsibilities and people I have to help.”
The issue has apparently been on Cardi B’s mind for some time now. Back in June, she also tweeted about a possible recession, asking at the time “When y’all think they going to announce that we going into a recession?”
When y’all think they going to announce that we going into a recession?
Earlier this year, the “WAP” rapper also discussed inflation on social media, questioning how people are managing to survive amid rising prices. In an Instagram video, she acknowledged the criticism she’s received in the past for supporting our current POTUS Joe Biden.
“You know one thing that people was coming at me every single time that we saying that something bad in the economy is happening? And people be like, ‘Well you was the one that told people to vote for Joe Biden,’” she shared.
“But this the thing, right? After the pandemic, I knew that this sh*t was gonna happen. I knew we was gonna have a financial crisis. And the thing about it is, that this is not only in America.”
Do you agree that we are currently on the brink of a recession? Share your thoughts in the comments down below.
Remember “Thot Box?” You know, Hitmaka’s 2019 posse cut featuring 2 Chainz, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Meek Mill, Tyga, and YBN Nahmir? No? Well, you almost certainly remember that the remix — which did ridiculously better than the original — featured a who’s-who of up-and-coming female rappers including Chinese Kitty, DreamDoll, Dreezy, Latto (pre-name change), and Young MA. There it is up top.
Well, the guy responsible for it, Hitmaka (formerly known as Young Berg, the walking lick), had some thoughts about female rappers and their X-rated subject matter, and unfortunately for him, he decided to share those thoughts on Twitter. Apparently, he missed how it went for the last handful of guys to offer their two cents on this topic, including Jermaine Dupri.
“Can’t wait to work with a pretty female rapper that’s strictly about bars to even the playing field,” he wrote. “Pussy rap was cool when it had shock value & was rare. Now it’s like every girl taking it there. It’s sum who aren’t but they need a hit producer 4 impact.”
Can’t wait to work with a pretty female rapper that’s strictly about bars to even the playing field.
Pussy rap was cool when it had shock value & was rare.
Now it’s like every girl taking it there.
It’s sum who aren’t but they need a hit producer 4 impact
YUNG BERG you have had your ass WHIPPED and robbed on 3 separate occasions and you worried about what’s getting old? Why did you not get as fed up with being robbed after the first time? https://t.co/od3GLEwNa2
If it’s “strictly about bars” then why is being pretty a requirement? There’s women MC’s out there that don’t sell sex, what’s stopping you from working with em?
Nobody is calling for the end of bang bang shoot ‘em up or drug raps, so pussy rap is fine. https://t.co/gHeRk1yoxa
There’s plenty of “strictly bars” women rappers. But somehow it’s a requirement she be attractive. Dumbass take and we already know why and what that means too. https://t.co/gmgG0l8pGw
I feel like why do niggas always worried bout what female rappers rap about? Niggas been rapping bout the same thing since rap was invented.. ladies rap for the ladies not for you niggas & we running shit rn so let us be US even tho I don’t only rap about my pussy still Stfu
Cardi B didn’t come through with her long-awaited sophomore album in 2022. However, she did show out on a series of collaborations with other artists, reminding the Bardi Gang that she’s still that bitch.
After finding success on titles like Kay Flock’s “Shake It” and GloRilla’s “Tomorrow 2,” the New York native is connecting with Latin artist Rosalía. The two have come together for the “DESPECHÁ RMX” on Friday (December 16).
The updated version follows the original’s appearance on the Grammy-nominated singer’s Motomami project. It marks her third studio LP and landed her a nod for Best Latin Rock or Alternative album at the upcoming ceremony.
Throughout “DESPECHÁ RMX,” Rosalía sings in Spanish before Cardi flexes her bilingual rhyming skills. “Don’t need your drama, don’t need your stress / I could forget you like uno, dos, tres,” she declares in her first verse.
“Got my own money, whole lotta M’s / Como este mambo, my money dance,” her clever lyrics continue.
As AllHipHop notes, this isn’t the first time the Invasion of Privacy hitmaker has used both English and Spanish on the same song. Previously, “I Like It” featuring J. Balvin and Bad Bunny went 11x-Platinum.
Additionally DJ Snake’s “Take Take” with Bardi, Selena Gomez, and Ozuna has been viewed over 2.3 billion times on YouTube.
Other noteworthy multilingual tracks from the mother of two include “La Modelo” with Ozuna as well as “Mi Mami” with El Alfa. Later, in 2020, she went on to work with Anitta on “Me Gusta.”
Finally, stream Rosalía’s “DESPECHÁ RMX” featuring Cardi B on Spotify or Apple Music below. Afterward, revisit the former’s Motomami album here.
Quotable Lyrics:
Don’t need your drama, don’t need your stress I could forget you like uno, dos, tres Got my own money, whole lotta M’s Como este mambo, my money dance
( not J ) 
#BLM 
(@xThe_JaeMoney) 
(@GloTheofficial) 
(@Saweetie) 
even tho I don’t only rap about my pussy still Stfu