BunnaB, Samara Cyn, & More

Female rap is far from a monolith, and beyond the superstars everyone knows, there are countless women in Hip Hop who are long overdue for recognition.

With women dominating the charts and bringing a much-needed ladies’ perspective to the genre, there’s no better time to give them that shine. Our list includes hitmakers like BunnaB and “WHIM WHAMIEE” creator PLUTO, alongside lyricists who take the craft incredibly seriously, such as Samara Cyn and Wynne. There are also names you might already recognize, including Monaleo and Anycia, both of whom have worked with heavy hitters like Flo Milli, Latto, and GloRilla.

Below, Rap-Up rounded up 13 female rappers to know beyond the major stars.

1. BunnaB

BunnaB’s charisma cannot be overlooked. Her sure-footed debut, Ice Cream Summer, spawned summer standouts like “It’s Me” and “Bunna Scoop,” while the deluxe edition amplified everything that makes her so addictive as an artist. And, frankly, tracks like “Innit,” her Cash Cobain collaboration “H**s Be Mad,” and her feature on PlaqueBoyMax and Rakai’s “Turn Up” strongly hint that she’ll be around for a long time.

2. Samara Cyn

Women in rap aren’t lacking in lyricism at all, especially with artists like Samara Cyn on the rise. Having landed XXL’s Freshman Class in 2025, the Denzel Washington-approved rapper scored major traction with her Smino collaboration, “brand new teeth.” Before that, she’d already built momentum through songs like “Sinners” and “Pop n Olive.”

3. PLUTO

PLUTO had a good chunk of the world — including Lizzo and Sexyy Red — screaming “WHIM WHAMIEE” at the top of their lungs in summer 2025. After capitalizing on that momentum with BOTH WAYS and PLUTO WORLD, the latter of which is home to “Motion,” the Atlanta rapper has only kept her foot on the gas.

4. Trim

Rap songs keep getting shorter, and luckily, Trim doesn’t need much time to turn you into a stan. Many people first discovered the burgeoning artist through her viral single “BOAT,” which later got a remix from BunnaB and YKNIECE, but her catalog has plenty more to offer beyond that moment. There’s “Taxi,” where she channels early-2010s Nicki Minaj over Gucci Mane’s “Wasted” beat. Meanwhile, tracks like “Nobody” and “Bugatti” add to her run of tightly packed, 1½-minute bops.

5. Monaleo

Despite the name, Monaleo is not, in fact, a Leo. And even though many of us know the Houston rapper and her songs inside and out — whether it’s “Beating Down Yo Block” or later hits like “Sexy Soulaan” — there’s still a surprising number of people who haven’t experienced her music the way it deserves. Not to mention, her Who Did The Body ranked No. 9 on Rap-Up’s Best Rap Albums of 2025 list.

6. Molly Santana

On Lil Uzi Vert’s “Regular,” they spat, “No, I’m not regular / Geekin’ on Molly Santana.” If that’s not a major stamp of approval, especially for a woman carving out space in the male-dominated underground rap scene, then we don’t know what is. Her self-titled debut ushered in singles like “So Right” and “Chain Swangin,” while later projects, specifically Masonic Musik and her sophomore effort Molly And Her Week Of Wonders, make it clear that Santana operates in a lane entirely her own.

7. STAR BANDZ

Chicago’s music scene looks much different than it did in the 2010s, thanks in part to rising stars like STAR BANDZ. She wasn’t even old enough to graduate high school when songs like “Yea Yea” and “Bigger Better Badder” dropped, but she’s already moving like a bonafide star. STAR BANDZ has also received plenty of well-deserved love from her peers in Chi-Town, whether it’s Chance the Rapper on “Touch The Ground” or BabyChiefDoit (who’s also around her age) teaming up with her on “Mirror Mirror.”

8. YKNIECE

YKNIECE seems to be in the right place at the right time pretty often. In 2025, she was featured on two — or technically three, if you include Belly Gang Kushington’s “Friend Do (Remix)” — of the year’s biggest rap records. Along with PLUTO, she had a breakthrough moment with “WHIM WHAMMIEE,” then appeared on Metro Boomin’s “Take Me Thru Dere.” She’s also shown up on tracks with Cash Cobain, Kevin Gates, and Bhad Bhabie, so YKNIECE is building a résumé fit for a feature queen.

9. Anycia

Anycia checks nearly every box you’d expect from a rap star of today’s age: she’s as real as they come, carries herself like she’s been in the game for much longer than she has, and has an ever-growing roster of collaborators she just can’t seem to make a bad song with. Tracks like “BRB” and “SPLASH BROTHERS” with KARRAHBOOO helped put her on the map, while she stretched that momentum with the Latto-assisted “BACK OUTSIDE.” Since then, she’s released her critically acclaimed debut, PRINCESS POP THAT, and became the first woman in rap from Atlanta to do a Gangsta Grillz tape with DJ Drama.

10. K Carbon

Hailing from Memphis, most people’s first introduction to K Carbon came through the Hitkidd-produced “Shabooya,” alongside Gloss Up, Slimeroni, and Aleza. If not that, then likely through her tight bond with GloRilla, which led to the posse cut “Wrong One” and the GLORIOUS bonus track “NEVER FIND.” With projects like H.B.I.C, where she’s cutting up with Sukihana and SleazyGoWorld one moment and popping her ‘ish solo the next, the future looks bright for Carbon.

11. Wynne

While some people might be repulsed by the idea of another white woman in rap, don’t judge a book by its cover. Portland-born Wynne let the world know she’s built for this with tracks like “Jaw Morant” and “Rug Burn,” plus plenty more she’s written herself. She’s also not shy about going bar-for-bar with the boys, whether it’s Dame D.O.L.L.A. on “Peekaboo” or Chris Patrick (one of Rap-Up’s Artists to Watch in 2026) on “Wife.”

12. Mello Buckzz

On the night of Mellow Buckzz’s Hollyhood release party, a drive-by shooting killed four people and injured 14 others. Rather than letting that very traumatic moment silence her for good, she’s poured that pain into her work. “Move” and “Boom Pt. 2” are great places to start if you’re new to the Chicago rapper.

13. Shelailai

There aren’t many artists who comfortably blur the line between alt and rap, but they’re out there. Shelalai’s catalog is packed with immutable anthems like “Don’t Need Him” and “No Touchy.” For fans of Doja Cat and Doechii, she brings a similar energy while adding her own twist to the alt-rap genre.