5 Female Asian Rappers Who Should be in Your Rotation

Throughout the world, hip hop is a male dominated music style. That hasn't stopped women from carving their own corners and finding worldwide recognition. If you're looking to expand your playlists, these Asian female rappers are a good place to start 

1. Nicki Minaj 

Surprised to see her on the list? Nicki gets her Asian heritage through her Caribbean roots. She was born in Trinidad to an Afro-Trinidadian mother and an Indo-Trinidadian father. She's expressed influence in working with Bollywood stars and says that her dad makes the world's best chicken curry. 

2. Suboi 

While this rapper may be obscure to American audiences, she is well-known in her native Vietnam and throughout Asia. Strongly influenced by the confessional lyrics of artists like Eminem, Suboi raps about family tragedies, overcoming insecurity and fighting for success. She first performed in the US on a tour coheadlining with Awkwafina. She's since expanded into acting, starring in horror and heist movies. 

3. Awkwafina 

Indie rapper Awkwafina first found success on YouTube, with viral videos that garnered hundreds of thousands of hits. These days, she's been focusing more on her acting career, with recent roles in sci-fi drama "Swan Song" and an upcoming turn in Marvel's "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." Recently honored with the "Made in NY" award, she plans to donate part of the proceeds to Welcome to Chinatown, which aids struggling Chinatown businesses.  

4. CL 

This South Korean singer, songwriter and rapper came to prominence as a member of 2NE1, but soon broke loose for a solo career. Since signing a deal with talent manager Scooter Brawn, she has collaborated with artists who include Diplo and G-Dragon.  

5. Han Han 

As a Filipina immigrant in Canada, Han Han first began exploring issues important to her through poetry. Soon, she'd adapted her poems into hip hop music. She mostly works in the Filipino languages Tagalog and Cebuano, with music showing influences that include EDM and reggaeton. 

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