Though she’s often asked to name her favorite female emcees, Nicki Minaj sat down to discuss the subject again on the Funkmaster Flex show recently. The YMCMB star shared that she has some favorites but also added that she often forgets to name influences when she’s asked about other female rappers. Taking time to name more than she usually does, Minaj listed several influences she’s had over the years.
“You know I loved [Ms.] Lauryn [Hill],” she said. “I’ve never met her. It’s the craziest thing. I’d love to meet her. I’m pretty sure she’s heard me talk about her a billion times. I wanted to get her on ‘Champions.’ That would’ve been crazy, right? She was my fav.”
She then went on to say that other female emcees from New York inspired her.
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“I liked all the New York female emcees, I have to say,” she shared. “To me, they always was fresh. Shout out to Remy [Ma]. Remy, at one time, had brought back this energy that was almost palpable. When the ‘Ante Up’ verse came out, if you didn’t know her, you knew her then. Of course, Foxy [Brown] was one of my favs.”
She then noted that other names come to mind. Though she said she “always” forgets to mention these artists, she said they also deserve recognition.
“All of them,” she added. “I always forget to name so many people. I always forget to name [MC] Lyte, [Queen] Latifah, Left Eye, [Da] Brat and Missy.”
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Recently, MC Lyte also shared her take on Minaj’s work in a HipHopDX exclusive with Paul W. Arnold.
RELATED: Nicki Minaj Talks The Lack Of Unity Among Female Emcees
