"Who Want It? Who, Who Want It?"

Sometimes for me, female rap artists - are like watered down Jack Daniels: goes down a treat, but doesn't quite hit the spot....

My opinions of female rappers in the music industry are that they are either rap artists striving to be pop (arise Dame Nicki Minaj), or pop artists playing at rapping (take a bow Miss Cher Lloyd).

Now don't get me wrong, I think Nicki Minaj is a fantastic performer and a great POP artist, who is clearly a talented rapper... but I don't think her records are groundbreaking or particularly innovative - albeit highly appropriate when you're on your 10th jagerbomb in the middle of a sweaty dancefloor with your t-shirt inexplicable hanging off you.

I couldn't help feeling that sometimes female rap artists are never quite taken seriously enough for their work....

 - until Azealia Banks came along.



The image of a young girl in plaits, adorned in a mickey mouse jumper prancing around, spitting how her 'cunt's getting eaten' is probably one of the most thought-provoking, controversial and entertaining debuts a female rap artist could ever possibly make.

And the reason why this debut works so well?  - Because Banks is clearly not trying to be something she isn't.

It could be argued that the mistakes of past female rappers has been trying to prove they are just as good as the men - by acting like them, or playing to them. This is arguably a flawed plan because - female rappers aren't men. And can never be taken seriously while they aim to be something they are not. Therefore surely they should not be trying to imitate male rap artists, but substantiate themselves as a whole other force to be reckoned with.

Like sport, female rap artists should take charge of their own league which is something that Azealia Banks has done effortlessly.

As she states in her interviews ""When you really listen to my music you hear a girl who's going through the motions. She's experiencing men, having money, not having money, people who are trying to tell her she's not cute, people telling her she can't rap, she can't dance… She's really dealing with life."
Not once does she make claims of being a notorious drug dealer, gang banging, pimpin', shanking or drive-bying.

Her raps could almost be taken as fast-paced gossip between girls. (Stated in the best way possible :)).

The increasing popularity of Banks in the UK could be put-down to the UK's willingness to adapt to new and innovative music, as generally the eclectic tastes we have over here make us more open to accepting new genres and artists - whereas, according to online hear say - her attempts in the US have been met with a little more resistance....

What sets Banks apart from acts such as the Britney Spearical-Minaj or even the highly innovative M.I.A. is that Banks aims to portray 'herself' first and foremost as an artist, one that just happens to be a fucking awesome rapper, irrespective of the confines of the american Hip-Hop genre.

For those who would like to learn more you should download her free mixtape "The Fantasea", in my opinion the best rap record released by a female artist this decade - Iggy Azalea, Kreayshawn take note....