While rap is predominantly a male genre, there are also some wildly successful female rappers out there. Their songs are constantly played on the radio, and their music videos are all over MTV and other channels. With such a huge audience, it’s no wonder that those girls are some of the richest people in the whole music industry. They live in mansions, drive fast cars, buy expensive clothes and treat themselves well—and they sure do enjoy it.
The Top 10 Richest Female Rappers of 2024
Without further ado, let’s take a look at who they are.
10. Eve – $10 Million
Eve rose to prominence in the late 90s with the release of her debut album, Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady. A commercial success, it reached the top of the Billboard 200, making her the third rap artist to achieve such a feat.
Since then, she has released three additional albums- Scorpion, Eve-Olution, and Lip Lock. Some highlights include “Let Me Blow Ya Mind (ft. Gwen Stefani)”, “Gangsta Lovin (ft. Alicia Keys)”, “Tambourine”, and “Who’s That Girl”, all of which charted in the US. For her work, she has received numerous accolades including a Teen Choice Award, Grammy Award, MTV Video Music Award, and BET Award.
Aside from music, she’s also an accomplished actress. In 2002, she starred in the comedy film Barbershop alongside Ice Cube, Sean Patrick Thomas, Troy Garity, and Anthony Anderson. She later reprised her role as Terri Jones in the sequels Barbershop 2: Back in Business and Barbershop: The Next Cut.
That’s not all, she also starred in the UPN sitcom, Eve, which ran from 2003 to 2006. Some of her other television credits include Glee, Single Ladies, Daytime Divas, and Empire. She also co-hosted The Talk, which earned her a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 2020. And more recently, she starred in the ABC musical drama, Queens, though it was canceled after one season.
9. Iggy Azalea – $10 Million
Iggy Azalea is an Australian rapper. She moved to the United States at the age of sixteen to pursue a music career. In 2011, she released the songs “Two Times” and “Pussy”, both of which became smash hits. Not long afterward, she released her debut mixtape, Ignorant Art.
Three years later, she released her first full-length album, The New Classic through T.I.’s Grand Hustle label. While it received mix reviews from critics, it peaked among the top five on several music charts worldwide. It also spawned five singles- “Black Widow”, “Fancy”, “Bounce”, “Change Your Life”, and “Work.”
Since then, she has released two additional studio albums- In My Defense and The End of an Era, the latter of which came out in 2021. Praised by critics, it reached number 36 on the US R&B Albums chart. She has also opened for a number of artists including Tyga, Rita Ora, Pitbull, Beyonce, and Nas.
Not only is she the first female rapper to be featured on XXL’s “Top 10 Freshman List”, but she has also received three Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards, a People’s Choice Awards, four Teen Choice Awards, and an MTV Music Video Award. On Youtube, her music videos have also accumulated more than 3.4 billion times.
8. M.I.A. – $14 Million
M.I.A. is a British rapper that’s known for combining elements of hip hop, alternative, dance, and electronic with eclectic instruments. Originally a visual artist and designer, she began her music career at the age of 27. In 2004, she released two singles “Galang” and “Sunshowers”, both of which were met with praise.
She later released her debut album, Arular, in 2005. Recorded in West London, it consisted of 13 tracks including “Bucky Done Gun”, “Sunshowers”, “One For the Head Skit”, “Freedom Skit”, and “Fire Fire”. Not only did it receive widespread acclaim, but it also reached number three on the US Top Electronic Albums chart.
Since then, she has released four additional albums including Maya, Matani, Kala, and AIM. She has also embarked on a number of tours (mainly to support her albums).
More recently in 2021, she announced that a sixth album called MATA is in the works. She later released the lead single “The One”, on May 26, 2022.
For her services to music, she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2019. She’s also the first rapper of South Asian descent to receive a Grammy Award and Academy Award nomination in the same year.
7. Salt – $14 Million
Cheryl James, better known as Salt, is best known as a member of the rap trio Salt-N-Pepa. Their debut album, Hot, Cool, & Vicious, came out in 1986 and was an immediate hit in numerous countries. Not only did it chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but it also received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Performance.
Since then, they’ve released four other albums- A Salt with a Deadly Pepa, Blacks’ Magic, Very Necessary, and Brand New. Some of their most popular tracks include “Let’s Talk About Sex”, “Do You Want Me”, “Expression”, and “Shake Your Thang.”
As of 2024, they’ve sold more than 15 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling hip-hop groups of all time.
In 2008, they also starred in a reality TV series titled, The Salt-N-Pepa Show, which premiered on the VH1 network. And more recently, they reunited for an eponymous biopic, which was released on Lifetime on January 23, 2021. Not only did the trio star in the film, but they also served as executive producers of the series.
6. Sandra Denton – $15 Million
Sandra Denton, also known as Pepa, is another member of Salt-N-Pepa. As a teen, she became inspired by rock music while attending high school in Logan, Utah. She eventually formed the rap trio and together, they rose to prominence with the release of their debut album, Hot, Cool, and Vicious.
Outside of her work with Salt-N-Pepa, she’s also an actress. Over the years, she has appeared in numerous films including Who’s the Man?, First Time Felon, Linc’s, 3 A.M., Book of Love, Let’s Talk About Pep, and The Perfect Holiday. She also lent her voice to the anthology series, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales For Every Child, in 1997.
From 2016 to 2020, she was also an executive producer on Growing Up Hip Hop, a reality series that followed the lives of children of famous hip hop artists, in which she also starred. And earlier this year, she competed in an episode of Celebrity Family Feud and was featured in the podcast, The Lohdown with Lindday Lohan.
5. Lil’ Kim – $18 Million
Lil’ Kim, also known as the “Queen of Rap”, began her career with Junior M.A.F.I.A., after being discovered by fellow rapper The Notorious B.I.G. She later released a solo album titled, Hard Core, in 1996, which spawned three smash hits- “Crush On You”, “Not Tonight (Ladies Night), and “No Time.” Not long afterward, she released a remake of LaBell’s “Lady Marmalade”, which peaked at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
As of 2024, she has released a total of five albums, the most recent of which came out in 2019. Not only that, but she has also headlined three tours- The Notorious K.I.M. Tour, the 2010 Tour, and the Return of the Queen Tour. And in 2016, she participated in the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour, which featured several other artists including Puff Daddy, Faith Evans, French Montana, 112, and The Lox.
She also has a number of television credits to her name. For one thing, she has appeared in numerous reality shows including The Game, The Apprentice, Dancing with the Stars, Dancing with the Stars, American Gangster: Trap Queens, and Celebrities Undercover. Not only that, but she has also appeared in the films Zoolander, Those Who Walk In Darkness, Nora’s Hair Salon, and Superhero Movie, among others.
And last year, she starred in the movie, Miracle Across 125th Street, alongside Nick Cannon and Teyana Taylor.
4. Bahamadia – $32 Million
Bahamadia rose to fame in the mid-90s with the release of her debut album, Kollage. A mix of jazz rap and alternative hip hop, it featured 15 tracks including “I Confess”, “WordPlay”, “Rugged Rugs”, “True Honey Buns (Dat Freak Shit)”, and “Biggest Part of Me.” Not only did it chart on the Billboard 200, but it also peaked at number three on the Heatseekers Albums chart and at number thirteen on the Top R&B Albums chart.
Four years later, she released the EP, BB Queen, through Good Vibe Recordings. Met with positive reviews, it peaked at number 25 on the Independent Albums Chart. Some highlights from the album include “Special Forces (ft. Rasco, Planet Asia, DJ Revolution, and Chops)”, “Pep Talk”, “Commonwealth (Cheap Chicks)”, and “Beautiful Things (ft. Dwele).”
Since then, she has released a third album titled, Good Rap Music. She’s also collaborated with numerous artists including Towa Tea, The Roots, Erykah Badu, Jedi Mind Tricks, among others.
In 2016, she also made a guest appearance in the fifteenth season of Project Runway– a reality series in which contestants compete to create the best clothes with a limited amount of time and materials (her son was a contestant on the show).
3. Missy Elliott – $50 Million
Missy Elliott rose to prominence in the mid-90s as a member of the R&B girl group Sista. She later joined the Swing Mob collective, with whom she recorded several tracks. After many appearances and collaborations, she launched her solo music career with her debut album, Supa Dupa Fly. Upon its release, it entered the Billboard 200 at number three, which was the highest-charting debut for a female rap artist at the time.
A number of studio albums soon followed including Da Real World, Miss E…So Addictive, Under Construction, This Is Not a Test!, and The Cookbook. She’s also received a number of accolades including four Grammy Awards and a star on the Hollywood Hall of Fame. Not only that, but she’s also the first female rapper to have been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. That same year, she was inducted into the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame.
And like many artists, she has also appeared in many television programs over the years including My Super Sweet 16, America’s Best Dance Crew, The Voice, Star, and Eve. In 2016, she also made a cameo in the animated sitcom American Dad!. In terms of more recent TV appearances, she was featured in the mini-series documentary, Janet Jackson earlier this year.
2. Queen Latifah – $60 Million
Queen Latifah is one of the most prominent female rappers in the world. In 1989, she released her debut album All Hail the Queen, which spawned five hit singles- “Wrath of My Madness”, “Ladies First”, “Dance For Me”, “Mama Gave birth to the Soul Children”, and “Come Into My House.”
It was later followed by Nature of a Sista’, which featured elements of R&B, jazz, reggae, house music, and new jack swing. Some highlights from the album include “Nuff of the Ruff’ Stuff”, “Bad as a Mutha”, “That’s the Way We Flow (ft. Safari Sister Swatch)”, and “How Do I Love Thee.”
Since then, she has come out with five other albums including Black Reign, Order in the Court, Trav’lin’ Light, The Dana Owens Album, and Persona.
Not only that but she’s also starred in numerous films throughout her career. Some of her credits include Bringing Down the House, Beauty Shop, What Happens in Vegas, Stranger than Fiction, Steel Magnolias, Miracles from Heaven, and The Tiger Rising.
That’s not all, she also starred in the musical drama, Star, which ran from 2016 to 2019. And since 2021, she’s been playing Robyn McCall in the crime drama, The Equalizer. Aside from that, she’s also appeared in Entourage, Let’s Stay Together, Single Ladies, When the Streetlights Go On, and Spin City.
1. Nicki Minaj – $75 Million
Nicki Minaj, aka the “Queen of Rap”, is one of the best-selling artists of all time with over 100 million records sold worldwide. She originally gained recognition in the late 2000’s after releasing a number of mixtapes. It wasn’t until 2010, however, that she rose to fame with the release of her debut album, Pink Friday. Not only did it top the the Billboard 200, but it also earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album in 2012.
Two years later, she released her second album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, which spawned six hit singles- “Starships”, “Been in the Trap”, “Right by My Side”, “Va Va Voom”, “Automatic”, and “Pound the Alarm.” To support the album, she also embarked on a concert tour, which brought her across Europe, Asia, and Oceania.
Since then, she’s come out with two new albums- The Pink Print in 2014 and Queen in 2018. Some highlights include “Anaconda”, “Only (ft. Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, and Drake)”, “Bed of Lies (ft. Skylar Grey)”, “Regret In Your Tears”, and “MotorSport (with Cardi B and Migos), all of which charted on the Billboard 200 and on the Top R&B Albums chart.
Not only is she a three-time Guinness World Record holder, but she’s also received five MTV Video Music Awards, eight American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, six MTV Europe Music Awards, and twelve BET awards.
She’s also appeared in a handful of films including Ice Age: Continental Drift, Barbershop: The Next Cut, The Other Woman, and The Angry Birds Movie 2.
