Rapsody has proven her rhyming prowess time and time again on albums such as 2012’s The Idea Of Beautiful and the Grammy Award-nominated Laila’s Wisdom, which arrived in 2017. But it was 2019’s EVE that firmly solidified her place among Hip Hop’s elite and established her fierce omni-presence in a historically male-dominated industry.
Charlamagne Tha God appears to appreciate the Snow Hill, North Carolina MC as much as her fans. During a recent episode of The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne, Angela Yee and DJ Envy were talking to author Sister Souljah about her latest book Life After Death: A Novel (The Coldest Winter Ever Book 2) when Yee asked what female rappers she likes.
As Sister Souljah explained how her young nieces turn her on to plenty of contemporary rappers like Young M.A, Charlamagne chimed in with, “I think you would really like Rapsody Sister Souljah. She’s from North Carolina. I think you would really, really, really dig it. She’s a huge, huge fan of the Coldest Winter Ever. True lyricist. I think she’s the best rapper out — period.”
Rapsody released EVE to rave reviews in August 2019 with HipHopDX granting it a rare, perfect 5.0 rating. The 16-track project beautifully paid tribute to 15 powerful Black women who played some kind of role in Rapsody’s life, including Tupac Shakur’s mother Afeni, Nina Simone, Aaliyah and Oprah Winfrey.
The project was so potent, it was turned into an English course at both Ohio State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In April 2019, Rap shared an Instagram photo from UNC grad student Tyler Bunzey who revealed he was helming a course called “Black Womanist Criticism and Rapsody’s EVE.”
Interview: Rapsody On Embracing Aaliyah’s “Tomboy Femininity” For New “EVE” Album
During an August 2019 interview with HipHopDX, Rap explained why Aaliyah was one of the women she chose, saying, “For me, especially in a time when we see music before we hear it, a lot of people judge us on our image and our appearance. [I want] to redefine what sexy is. People think because I’m a tomboy and I’m fully clothed, that that’s not sexy. But there’s a tomboy sexiness in that.
“I grew up in a time where Aaliyah was the biggest thing out and one of the sexiest things out. She wore baggy jeans. She wore big, oversized jackets. She was that tomboy femininity. So, I wanted to just talk about, you know, ‘Don’t forget this image that you see, don’t think that’s the only image.’”
Although EVE wasn’t nominated for a Grammy that year, Rap still walked away with the title of Lyricist of the Year at the 2020 BET Awards last October, a testament to her innate rapping skills.
LOL I know this mf is smoking crack now!
Definitely him and SouljaBoy are sharing the same crackpipe
che noir
Talented yes, The Best ever…No. She currently the best female rapper out right now…but due to today’s quality of female MC’s that’s not saying much tho.
Rapsody is amazing but little simz is pretty damn good too. So is tierra whack
Tierra Whack gets busy. So does Lyric Jones.
Lol, Charlamagne trying to smash. Ol’ wack mack having ass lil’ boy…
Damn right she’s the best today, male or female. But let’s be clear bout this. There’s rappers and there’s MCs/lyricists. Are you really gonna compare someone like these “lil” rappers, or if you wanna make it a gender thing, Cardi, Megan (who isn’t bad) to a strong LYRICIST like Rapsody!? This Queen done broke the gender barrier which is why she’s up there with the likes of Nas, Jay, Kendrick. Rapsody’s Eve album, there’s been nothing like it in years!
What you said!!
She good but let’s not forget rah digga and sa roc. Also carolina dirty is fucking the shit
Best female …. maybe … in the current top 10 … for sure … but the best? Na not really
She’s definitely the best right now,lyrically I also like Sa-roc who was on her tour as well. Best right now,no debate and has been fir the last several year’s…
Sa-Roc is definitely the best female out. Been saying this for years!!
Sheesh. She’s actually boring and a bit above average/mediocre in my opinion. Now what she raps about is definitely in the tops in terms of subject matter. But all that “the best” stuff is out the window.
Zagg that used to be on Black Market Records as Zigg Zagg is another bomb ass female lyricist that’s truly underrated. Listen to Gangsta, Eyes Of She, and The Argument.
Is zig zag as of late tho? I’ll check her out coz I refuse to lose, fuck them 22z I got an ap10 and a throwaway tech9 so u know u can’t fuck with mines
So this is how you say you wanna fuck in code when you’re married these days.
Rhapsody is better than all these mumble rappers who think or feel they the best and yes all her material has substance.. when most rappers don’t even have a valid message. I agree with Charlemagne Tha God…
Best female rapper out is still Drake. Been saying that for years
She dope…..but best rapper out??? Maybe for todays standards.
We just going skip over the coles, kendricks, and conways of the world. Hip hop standards of today??
Viel shouldn’t be in consideration. He’s never at any point in his career been the best out. There was always someone better. I think the point of the article is more so that she has a case as the greatest right now.
Yachty puts her to shame .