Business is booming in the rap industry. The MCs who are making waves in the hip hop scene are not as you might imagine. Female rappersThese are taking the game up a notch, the most notable being Nicki Minaj’s protege Lil’ Wayne. But she’s far from the only one.
While Minaj might be the top chart performer, she’s not the only one. Other women of note include M.I.A. from Sri Lanka, who combined elements of electronica and hip-hop to create a sound that some call “genre-less.” M.I.A.In M.I.A.’s wake are many other budding multicultural female rappers such as Amanda Blank, Bay-Area Kreayshawn, and Filipino Abie Flanstone.
“There’s a lot of talent taking root among female rappers and hip-hop acts right now. Since the days of Eve, Lil’ Kim, Lauryn Hill and Missy Elliot, there’s been a vacancy, but a score of young, multicultural artists are making a comeback and paving new roads,”Jake Shapiro is the founder of Big Jake Music, an independent record label based in New York. “Surprisingly, one of the youngest women in the game is showing some of the most promise, Abie Flinstone.”
Flinstone, a 19 year-old Belgian artist, has taken a different approach to her music and is not settling for the sexism that was embraced by Lil’ Kim. Flinstone, who is both young and sexy in her own right, prefers to let the lyrics and feel of old-school 90s music speak for herself.
M.I.A. was a model for Flinstone. Flinstone, like many others, began writing and recording from her bed. “Bedrock.”Her humble beginnings in her bedroom have been surpassed by her success. Flinstone signed with Big Jake Music and Mostiko Records. Her single “The One” was released. “Get Outta My Way” featuring Kaliq Scott.
“Her voice, I fell in love with it instantly. Her voice is just pleasing to my ear, so it’s enjoyable to mix and edit,”Kaliq Scott described his experience with Flinstone. “I threw her this beat, and I was like ‘yo, this girl’s dope.'”
Kaliq Scott believes creativity and quality are key ingredients to success. Flinstone has both. After recording a mixtape on her laptop, Flinstone proved that artists don’t need large production budgets or studios to make great music.
Flinstone once worried about telling her parents that she got a record contract. Flinstone is now worried about how to overcome her fear of the cameras. You can learn more about Flinstone at www.AbieFlinstone.com. www.bigjakemusic.com.
