March is Women’s History Month, when we honor the contributions of women throughout history and celebrate the work that is being done today by women. Last month, we witnessed a historic Grammy win for Cardi B when she became the first solo woman to win for Best Rap Album. Yet even in that glorious and historic moment, she received backlash and we saw a glimpse of Hip-Hop’s toxic male culture. (Save that thought for later.**) Almost immediately, Cardi was pitted against other female artists, told that she wasn’t more deserving than and received the typical insult of not writing her own rhymes. Regardless, it was exciting to see Cardi B’s historic win, and we cannot deny the impact and influence that women have in Hip-Hop. Women have been a driving force in Hip-Hop Culture since it’s inception, but have often not reaped the rewards that they deserve.

This month, I wanted to celebrate the women in Hip-Hop and remind you of all the amazing talent we have witnessed through the years. Check out both my YouTube video playlist and my Spotify music playlist “Women in Hip-Hop.” You will hear music from Hip-Hop pioneers like Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Roxanne Shante. The playlist also includes music from a mix of ladies who have turned the world upside down like Missy Elliot, Lil Kim, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj and Da Brat.

Click the link above to check out the Women in Hip-Hop playlist on Spotify. Download it, play it, and share it. Check us out every month for a new Spotify playlist and don’t forget to follow me, Trey Payadue, on Spotify to get access to new playlists first.

***Editor’s note: this post and mix were created before the latest controversy surrounding Cardi B became public knowledge. It is not intended to be a commentary on her Instagram revelations about her past actions.