Nicki Minaj recently set the record for female rapper with the most singles on the Billboard Charts at once; her single “Your Love” hit number one this summer, making her the first female rapper with a number one single since Lil Kim's “Jump Off” in 2003.

The Queen Bee was not amused, accusing Minaj of acting like a “wannabe” in lyrics to her newly released track, “Black Friday“; Minaj in turn advised Lil Kim to “get a life “, pointing out in a Hot 97 interview that Lady Gaga's clear indebtedness to Madonna does not beget Madge's wrath.

Nicki Minaj may very well have been influenced by the Black Barbie dressed in Bulgari, but there were many women like Lil Kim who charted and/or went platinum. Our favorites inside.

English emcee Monie Love was one of two female members of Native Tongues, and one of the first British rappers to get a major record deal. “Monie in the Middle” combines a catchy keyboard sample with a classic 80s beat, and a relatable narrative about relationships.

At the tender age of 24, Brooklyn rapper Paula Perry caught the attention of Spin magazine with “Paula's Jam”, a 1996 release featuring Masta Ace.

Before she was a talk show host and an actress, Queen Latifah was a pioneering rapper / hip hop artists whose lyrics focused on positivity, pride, and women's empowerment. Debuting in 1989 with her record All Hail the Queen, her single “Ladies First” (with protégé Monie Love) remains one of her signature songs.

Rapper Foxy Brown (who did not stay out of the Lil Kim/Minaj beef and pronounced Minaj a liar) has sold one million copies of her debut album “Ill Na Na”, also engaged in a long-running feud with the Queen Bee herself, earned a cameo spot on LL Cool J's “I Shot You” at age 15, and been called a “female Ol' Dirty Bastard” by Vibe. Here she is with Jay Z on the number one single from her debut album.

Trina, hip hop's Baddest Bitch, matured considerably with Diamond Princess, which featured cameos from Tweet, Eve, Ludacris, and Jagged Edge; critical praise, however, was reserved for Missy Elliot's contribution to “Rewind That Back.” Here are Missy Elliot and Trina on “I Got a Bottle”.

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