Over the past few years, we’ve seen some amazing talent emerge from TikTok, whether through participating in a viral dance trend, or having a clip of their song being used over a viral dance trend, the short form video platform has proved useful for young creators looking to make it big. One creator who has found success on the platform is Ice Spice. While the Bronx-based rapper has been hard at work making iconic beats outside of the social media platform, her viral “Buss It” challenge and cute, catchy, (and clippable) hooks have helped her reach an even wider audience. Other artists, such as rising star and rapper GloRilla have found a huge audience on TikTok, and even more established artists such as Nicki Minaj and Coi Leray have turned into “TikTok’s darlings.”
@icespicee like..?
@glorilla03
TikTok seems to be picking up on the power they have to shed light on amazing artists, as they recently created a new campaign titled #WomenInHipHop, in which the platform hopes to “highlight established and emerging female rappers who are shifting the culture with their tunes.” The campaign started on February 22nd, and is set to run through March 8th. The dates of the campaign are very intentional, as TikTok stated they purposefully wanted these women to be highlighted in honor of both Black history month and women’s history month. Though, as I’m sure many would agree, honoring women in hip-hop should definitely be an all-year celebration. The platform plans on spotlighting these iconic women in a variety of ways including playlists and exclusive artist interviews featuring Rico Nasty, ExMiranda, Big Boss Vette and Haviah Mighty in partnership with MuchMusic.
TikTok has also created a curated list of #VisionaryVoices, where they honor Black creators who have been creating and defining culture through their art. Ice Spice and Maiya The Don, both future legends in hip-hop, are featured on their list of 15 honorees.
The list is not only meant to highlight established Black artists, but also creators in the Black community that have contributed amazing art to the world through TikTok. According to the platform “From originating viral trends to elevating Black Joy through music, fashion, wellness and more, the #BlackTikTok community is at the forefront of culture and industry-shifting innovation.”
And the celebration doesn’t end there! On February 22nd, TikTok took over the Bremner Billboard above Scotiabank Arena to feature all the rising rap girlies, Big Boss Vette, Latto, Monaleo, Coi Leray and Exmiranda. Each of these artists have gained a huge following on TikTok.
@latto777 Lottery ft. @igobylu out now ?? #latto #fyp #lottery ♬ Lottery (feat. LU KALA) – Latto
So many women in rap and hip-hop have been able to build and sustain a large fan following by using TikTok. Many of these women have *also* gone on to find success through grammy nominations (GloRilla) and chart-topping hits (Ice Spice). We’re pumped that the platform is giving these artists the flowers they deserve. Looking to honor an iconic woman in rap or are a rapper yourself hoping to find a bigger audience? Use the hashtag #WomenInHipHop now through March 8th to try to get a new set of eyes on your work, or rep a rapper you adore.
Top Photo by TikTok
