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Episode Description

The empowerment of women in hip-hop begins with acknowledging their accomplishments. Every history of hip-hop previously published, from Jeff Chang’s Can’t Stop Won’t Stop to Shea Serrano’s The Rap Yearbook, focuses primarily on men, glaringly omitting a thorough and respectful examination of the presence and contribution of the genre’s female artists. For far too long, women in hip-hop have been relegated to the shadows, viewed as the designated “First Lady” thrown a contract, a pawn in some beef, or even worse. But as Kathy Iandoli makes clear, the reality is very different. Today, hip-hop is dominated by successful women such as Cardi B and Nicki Minaj, yet there are scores of female artists whose influence continues to resonate. God Save the Queens pays tribute to the women of hip-hop—from the early work of Roxanne Shante, to hitmakers like Queen Latifah and Missy Elliot, to the superstars of today. Exploring issues of gender, money, sexuality, violence, body image, feuds, objectification and more, God Save the Queens is an important and monumental work of music journalism that at last gives these influential female artists the respect they have long deserved. Will there ever be unity for women rappers in hip-hop or is the sisterhood not a relevant ideal? Hip-Hop has dominated rock in the music industry. It is the new pop. What is the future for this medium? Will it survive its demons, come back to lyricism, and evolve into a cultural force that accurately reflects its fan base? Drop In to find out with Kathy Iandoli ~

Kathy Iandoli

Kathy Iandoli is a seasoned journalist and cultural critic with two decades of music industry experience in the fields of Media, Marketing, Radio, Publicity, and Brand Management. She has reported from the sidelines of multiple musical genres including Hip-Hop, Rock, Electronic, and Pop, documenting from various angles and speaking with some of the highest profile artists and industry veterans. In addition, Kathy has written about fashion, politics, feminism, travel, food, and more. She is also a professional Media Trainer, working with Pop and Hip-Hop stars, as well as upcoming artists. With an extensive history within different facets of entertainment, Kathy aims to both inspire and educate through her work. Kathy Iandoli is on the inside track of Hip-Hop history, and particularly women in Hip-Hop. Drop in with us to find out how these icons impact us, whether they’re famous or with equal impact, are our private icons, our own mothers. Examining roles of gender, staying true to self and survival tactics; the movement symbolises that what women do, what African American do, is to stay strong. Kathy Iandoli traces the arc from exceptions to the rule, to who rules and how.