What is the best solo rap album by a female MC of all time?

From MC Lyte to Lauryn Hill to Cardi B, female MCs have made some of hip-hop's most powerful statements. Which solo female rap album is the greatest?

1

Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill's 1998 debut that won five Grammys and remains the most celebrated album by a female rapper.

2

Missy Elliott – Supa Dupa Fly

Missy Elliott's 1997 debut, a wildly inventive record with Timbaland that reshaped hip-hop and R&B production.

3

Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy

Cardi B's 2018 Grammy-winning debut, the first rap debut album by a woman to be certified Diamond.

4

Queen Latifah – All Hail the Queen

Queen Latifah's 1989 debut, a landmark of Afrocentric feminist rap establishing her as a pioneering voice.

5

Lil' Kim – Hard Core

Lil' Kim's 1996 debut produced by Notorious B.I.G. associates, a provocative and groundbreaking album for women in rap.

6

Foxy Brown – Ill Na Na

Foxy Brown's 1996 debut, a Mafioso-rap statement featuring collaborations with Jay-Z and the Trackmasters.

7

Rapsody – Laila's Wisdom

Rapsody's 2017 Grammy-nominated debut showcasing her jazz-influenced wordcraft and thoughtful feminist perspective.

8

Noname – Room 25

Chicago's Noname delivering her 2018 jazz-rap debut album with soft-spoken feminist wit and political intelligence.

9

Little Simz – Grey Area

Little Simz's 2019 UK album, hailed as a masterpiece for its raw production and honest lyricism.

10

Eve – Let Me Blow Ya Mind

Eve's 2001 Ruff Ryders-affiliated album that produced a Grammy-winning single and earned her mainstream success.

11

Azealia Banks – Broke with Expensive Taste

Azealia Banks's long-delayed 2014 debut featuring eclectic production across house, rap, and electro-pop.