Madame Rap: The First Media To Amplify The Voices Of Female And LGBTQIA+ Rappers Worldwide
“There are no female rappers worth mentioning,” “how can you be a feminist and love rap? It’s the most sexist and homophobic music out there!“… Tired of hearing these recurring stereotypes about women, queer people, and hip hop, I decided to launch Madame Rap in August 2015. Initially, it was just a simple Tumblr listing female rappers from around the world. Featured by French media outlets Rue89 and Les Inrockuptibles, the project quickly attracted attention from artists wanting to be included on the site. I then decided to develop a full-fledged media platform to:
- Give visibility to female and LGBTQ+ rappers;
- Demonstrate that rap is not the most sexist and LGBTphobic music genre;
- Promote gender equality and the connections between hip hop and feminism;
- Fight against stereotypes, sexism, and LGBTphobia;
- And pay tribute to this inclusive and diverse culture by celebrating “non-conformist” hip hop that transcends categories.
The online media platform is available in French, English, and Spanish, featuring an interactive map, a database of artists organized alphabetically and by country, articles/videos, interviews, and the Madame Talk podcast.
Today, Madame Rap represents:
- 3,700+ female and queer rappers from around the world
- 250+ exclusive interviews
- 80+ playlists
- 30+ podcast episodes
In addition, the nonprofit organization Madame Rap carries out various grassroots initiatives to increase visibility for women and LGBTQ+ people in hip hop:
- Programming artists from around the world for concerts, festivals, and events;
- Organizing awareness, writing, and rap practice workshops for different audiences (youth, students, community members, emerging artists…);
- Training for professionals;
- And conferences and panel discussions on topics related to women and LGBTQ+ people in hip hop, masculinities, gender equality, and sexual violence.
For Madame Rap, cultural, educational, and social initiatives are of paramount importance because they create connections between hip hop, women, LGBTQ+ people, and other spaces or audiences not typically engaged with these issues. The media platform, meanwhile, is part of a comprehensive artistic and humanistic approach, beyond stereotypes and borders, combining grassroots education and the fight for equality.
Find Madame Rap on its website and social media.
