Journalist Clover Hope highlights women who have shaped the music, power, and reach of rap in her new book, The Motherlode. Women have always been pioneers in rap music, from commercial, chart-topping artists like Lil’ Kim and Missy Elliott to cult icons like Roxanne Shanté and MC Lyte. In 2018, Cardi B became only the second woman rapper ever to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart with her single “Bodak Yellow”, bringing attention to the industry’s delayed recognition of women’s contribution to the medium. In The Motherlode, Hope covers more than 100 female rappers, profiling each of these women, their musical and career breakthroughs, and the ways in which they each helped change the culture of rap. The Motherlode also features interviews with some of the most influential women in the business, such as JJ Fad, Charli Baltimore, and Mia X, as well as illuminating commentary from cultural icons such as music video director Dave Meyers and filmmaker Ava DuVernay. Multi-disciplinary artist and the book’s illustrator Rachelle Baker and music journalist and critic Briana Younger join Hope at this special virtual book launch!
