Entertainment

We Need Another Salt-n-Pepa

by Caroline Pate

Lil' Kim vs. Foxy Brown. Lil' Kim vs. Nicki Minaj. Azealia Banks vs... well, pretty much everyone. If you're a female rapper, you have a beef (or a rumored beef) with at least one other female rapper. It's just another version of the same old vicious cycle in most male-dominated industries: the myth that there can be only one woman in the room, so the few women who've made it are forced to fight it out amongst themselves.

But Angel Haze and Iggy Azalea thought that was bullshit, so they took the throne from Kanye West and Jay-Z and covered "Otis":

The rappers first performed the song at the Scala in London, where NME reports that Haze said, "No more pitting your favorite female rappers against each other. We are the future of rap," while Azalea added, "Angel's always going to have a friend in me. I support her. She's a fucking star. She's the future."

Haze and Azalea are right. It's high time for a little less confrontation, and a little more collaboration. The rap industry could use a little more Salt-n-Pepa. Not that someone needs to cover "Push It" (because really, who could do it justice?)... but we need another female rap group.

High-profile rap groups are few and far-between in general these days. Das Racist broke up, and the members of Odd Future are more focused on their solo projects. But female rappers are gaining in numbers, and a group of supportive female rappers would help combat the stereotype that women have to compete with other women in the rap industry.

And think of all the wonderful "what-if?" collaborations that could happen between female hip-hop artists. Syd tha Kyd and Kitty Pryde could produce some heavenly cloud rap.

But until the universe answers these prayers, putting "Shoop" and Yo! Majesty on repeat will have to suffice.

Image: Getty Images