The Female Rappers Who Dominated 2000s Hip-Hop Fashion

From Missy Elliott to Lil Kim, these are the female rappers in the 2000s who placed their stamp on hip-hop fashion using pure authenticity.

Hip-hop might be male-dominated, but it’s women who set the trends. Since the genre’s iteration in the late 1970s, groundbreaking female rap pioneers like Salt-N-Pepa, J.J. Fad, MC Lyte, and Queen Latifah all contributed to hip-hop’s fashion origins, flaunting Africa medallions, leather bombers, and aviator sunglasses. Nearly two decades later, the streetwear origins of hip-hop would crossover into 2000s hip-hop fashion, as female rappers got chummy with high-end designers — some even created their own retail lines.

Going from “dope” to “decked out,” the Y2K era introduced fads that would define female rappers of the generation. Bucket hats. Baby tees. Micro mini skirts. Exposed thongs. Even the options for urban clothing lines were abundant; FUBU, Baby Phat, Rocawear, Apple Bottom Jeans, and Sean Jean all had something for the ladies.

But female rappers didn’t just look to popular brands of the time – they placed their stamp on hip-hop fashion using pure authenticity. Now, rising artists like Saweetie, Ice Spice, Bree Runway, GloRilla, Monaleo, and Lakeyah are bringing 2000s nostalgia back with a Gen-Z twist.

Taking a look back, here are the 12 most fashionable female rappers of the 2000s.

Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes

The late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC commanded the stage and fashion campaigns like any girl group breakout star could. Although her 2001 solo debut Supernova was shelved in the United States due to poor sales overseas, the Philadelphia-raised rapper caught attention for her wild updos, neon-colored threads, and futuristic style. When she wasn’t coordinating looks with fellow TLC members Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, Lopes modeled for the likes of Calvin Klein and was set to make a fashion collection with her designer uncle, Kyle Young, before her untimely death in 2002.

Kid Sister

A technicolor phenom in the pre-EDM movement of hip-hop was Chicago rapper Kid Sister. The “Pro Nails” artist dropped her debut album Ultraviolet in 2009, and regularly wore spunky nails to promote the Kanye West-assisted single. As late-2000s hip-hop began to see a decline in female artists, Kid Sister repped the indie movement with pride, consistently rocking a neon palette that made her a standout amongst contemporaries.

Lil Mama

Lil Mama knew she was ‘poppin’’ off the strength of her hit single “Lip Gloss.” The Brooklynite and self-proclaimed “Voice of the Young People” had semi-retro charm, like her fearless Angelic Pretty jumper skirt at the 2008 BET Awards. It seemed that a majority of Lil Mama’s closet was a nod to the ‘80s, as seen in her house party-oriented music video for “What It Is (Strike A Pose)” featuring T-Pain. When she wasn’t offering ultramodern glam (“Shawty Get Loose”), or rhinestone-coated Ed Hardy trucker hats (“G-Slide (Tour Bus)”), the rapper boosted her VYP title. At the 2007 MTV VMAs, Lil Mama casually strolled on the red carpet wearing a lavender satin dress and bonnet, paired with a Swarovski pacifier.

Remy Ma

Hip-hop enthusiasts on both coasts couldn’t help but fall for Remy Ma in the mid-2000s. The Bronx native, who came up with the Terror Squad, released her solo debut, There's Something About Remy: Based on a True Story, in 2006. Although the album cover mimicked posters for the 1998 comedy film, There’s Something About Mary, Remy Ma’s unapologetic style was all her own. The rapper repopularized the ‘skunk stripe’ hair, which was arguably introduced by XSCAPE member Tameka "Tiny" Harris neé Cottle in the ‘90s. Remy Ma’s blond bangs made her fashion choices pop, including heavy gold chains, bamboo earrings, leopard-print bralettes, and pinstripe blazers.

Charli Baltimore

Shortly after dropping her 1999 debut Cold As Ice, Philadelphia rapper Charli Baltimore joined Murder Inc. Records and the rest was history. Referenced by her legal name, Tiffany Lane, in Jay-Z’s 2003 song “Allure,” Baltimore was identifiable for her pin-up girl-yet-street demeanor and crimson-hued locks, and was regularly seen in platinum fits. In 2000, Baltimore’s wild tresses and rockstar charisma would land her a spot as a model in Betsey Johnson’s Ready-to-Wear runway show during New York Fashion Week. Two years later, she’d return to the catwalk, supporting the Baby Phat Collection for MTV’s Fashionably Loud.

Trina

Miami rap legend Trina reminded NPR Tiny Desk Concert viewers that she’s still “The Baddest” last month, but for those familiar with the Diamond Princess, there’s no need for a reintroduction. In the 2000s, Trina embodied sultriness and hip-hop glam, whether dripped in bejeweled two-piece gowns, flossy crop tops, or her memorable BDSM-inspired outfit while performing on a 2001 episode of The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. Perhaps Trina’s most daring moment in Y2K fashion was in the music video for Missy Elliott’s “One Minute Man,” where she wore two seductive jade green pieces, highlighted by shimmering brown makeup. Trina’s impact is seen in present-day Southern female rappers including City Girls (who she’s also mentored), Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, and Flo Milli.

Nicki Minaj

This round-up couldn’t go without mention of the Queen. Directly initiating the next generation of female rap, the quirky and quick-tongued Nicki Minaj solidified herself as the original Harajuku Barbie. After her trilogy of late-2000s mixtapes — Playtime Is Over, Sucka Free, and Beam Me Up Scotty — the Queens-bred rapper exuded fierceness, often stunting a hot pink undertone beneath jet black hair and a signature diamond-encrusted ‘Barbie’ nameplate. Her early fashion sensibilities were hood but salacious, as the “Itty Bitty Piggy” rapper opted for spandex leggings, waist-cinching corsets, and studded shades. Minaj’s style would get even more outrageous as hip-hop entered the 2010s, becoming a monarch to rap progenies like Doja Cat, Doechii, TiaCorine, Ice Spice, and more.

Eve

Hip-hop was never the same when Ruff Ryders’ First Lady stepped on the scene. Eve – who to date has released four studio albums – exemplified 2000s-era androgyny. Much like her hard-spitting verses, Eve brought her trademark “pitbull in a skirt” phrase to reality, rarely seen without oversized sunglasses, pixie cuts dyed platinum and fiery red, and low-cut tops that revealed her signature paw print chest tattoos. Alongside Gwen Stefani in the 2001 visual for “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” Eve had a biker chic aesthetic instead of conforming to Y2K video vixen pressures. In 2003, the Scorpion rapper would model for Tom Ford’s Yves Saint Laurent fall collection, and even launch her own now-discontinued clothing line, Fetish, which carried bedazzled graphic tees, velour tracksuits and denim jackets.

Foxy Brown

Fox Boogie, better known as Foxy Brown, wasn’t just a force in Brooklyn, but hip-hop at large. Holding her own amongst male MCs, the Chyna Doll stunted femininity with an edge, once a muse for luxury fashion house Christian Dior. Brown would later proudly wear the title of “dark-skinned, Christian Dior poster girl” in her 2001 single “Oh Yeah” featuring Spragga Benz. With a petite figure, the ‘Ill Na Na’ brought Christian Dior denim bikinis to the masses on the front cover and promotional art for her 2001 LP, Broken Silence. Years later, Brown’s trendy pieces would make it to Rikers Island during an eight-month bid at the prison, where she boldly wore Fendi for a photoshoot behind bars.

Da Brat

Before Eve, So So Def artist Da Brat was queen of fluidity in hip-hop fashion. Jermaine Dupri, So So Def founder and mentor to the Funkdafied rapper, envisioned Da Brat as a female version of Snoop Dogg, a role she gladly accepted. Early in her career, Da Brat wore braids and two-strand twists highlighted by colorful elastic bands, with baggy military fits, jerseys, and brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein. By the rollout of her 2000 LP Unrestricted, Da Brat’s look went glam, as she wore tight-fitting attire, block heels, lace bustiers, and hair extensions. For proof, watch Da Brat and Tyrese’s “What’Chu Like” music video, where the former stepped into her flirty, skin-baring side.

Missy Elliott

Missy Elliott’s now-iconic trash bag suit in the 1997 “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” music video caught everyone’s attention. The Virginia native maintained the oddball, near-circus visuals well into the 2000s, but mostly traded in her baggy attire for matching tracksuits, rhinestone bandanas, Kangol hats, and occasional spray-painted pieces dedicated to late R&B and pop vocalist Aaliyah. Constantly refining hip-hop, Elliott’s transformational aesthetic has been a direct inspiration to contemporary successors like Tierra Whack, Baby Tate, Kari Faux, and Chika.

Lil’ Kim

By the 2000s, The Notorious K.I.M. was no longer a hip-hop newcomer, but instead a pioneer of bringing high fashion to the genre. While her male rap peers exclusively flaunted streetwear, Lil’ Kim was an early hip-hop fashion icon, wearing embellished jeans, multicolor (and occasionally stenciled) wigs, barely-there bodysuits and fur trim coats. Designers wanted in and Lil’ Kim gladly namechecked the likes of Donatella Versace and Marc Jacobs in her rhymes or in collaborations with the luxury designers. With partial credit to stylist Misa Hylton, Lil’ Kim transcended hip-hop and brought it to the runway.