Since the inception of African hip-hop, women have played a significant role, shaping its foundation and development. This group of ten female African rappers hails from Nigeria, Ghana, and various parts of the continent, each bringing a unique perspective to the genre.
Eno Barony, recognized by The Recording Academy/GRAMMYs, stands out as one of the African female rappers who have solidified the roots of hip-hop in Africa. Her inclusion in the recent "Women in African Hip-Hop" compilation by the Recording Academy/GRAMMYs underscores the importance of acknowledging her contributions to the rap scene in Africa.
In 2020, she clinched the AFRIMMA Best Female Rapper award, followed by the VGMA Best Rapper accolade in 2021, and also secured the 3Music Best Rapper award in the same year.
They wrote the following about Eno Barony on their official website:
Ghanaian rapper Eno Barony's name reflects her aura and essence: "Eno" is Twi for mother, and quite fittingly she is referred to as "The Mother of Rap" in Ghana. Raised by missionary parents, she uses her music to spread the message that women should not be silenced.
She has been releasing music for over a decade, with singles "Tonga," "Megye Wo Boy", "The Best," "Touch the Body," and "Do Something" gaining mainstream attention on the continent. Eno Barony released her first album in 2020 and, the following year became the first female rapper to win Best Rapper at the Ghana Music Awards.
Her most recent album, Ladies First, captures the nuances and complexity of being a woman in Ghana and serves as a form of resistance to patriarchy. Opening track "God Is a Woman," featuring Ghanaian singer/songwriter Efya, establishes the tone: Eno is "entering every lane" even though "it’s a man’s world and she entered without a passport".
Eno Barony continually pours vulnerability into her music. On these lead singles; "Heavy Load" and "Don’t Judge Me" she raps about accepting her body image and addresses the culture of unconstructive criticism in the music industry, respectively. Last month, she released a new single "Good Enough," a romantic and reflective tune.
Other prolific female rappers worth knowing according to Grammys include include
SGaWD (Nigeria), Lifesize Teddy (Nigeria), Nadai Nakai (Zimbabwe/S. Africa), Deela (Nigeria), Deto Black (Nigeria), Rosa Ree (Tanzania), Candy Bleakz (Nigeria), Femi One (Kenya) and Sho Madjozi (S. Africa).
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