MC Lyte Says Fetty Wap Is the Most Feminist Artist in Hip-Hop

This past Friday (Nov. 20), the White House Council on Women and Girls hosted a summit to examine how to improve the lives of women and girls of color. Charlene Carruthers, Executive Director of the Black Youth Project 100, and Dr. Johnnetta B Cole, Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, moderated a panel on women's vulnerability and voice in hip-hop.

Part of the panel's conversation included a discussion on feminism in hip-hop. When the subject of who the biggest male champion of feminism in hip-hop is came up, Fetty Wap was named. Legendary rapper MC Lyte explained why she felt Fetty is indeed the most feminist artist in hip-hop today.

"At this point in time, it probably is Fetty Wap," Lyte said. "What I mean is that he may have a very unique way of presenting his ideas, but he does love women. For what he’s up against in this climate with all of the other MCs, he’s taking a stand. He’s being pretty courageous right now with what it is that he presents in his music because it’s really not the norm. When I was trying to write down a few people that may have said something. Now there’s of course Kendrick [Lamar], right? And then there’s Big Sean. He raps about his grandma. Any man that raps about his grandma you gotta show some love to. And then of course there’s Common and Talib [Kweli].”

Lyte also describe how Fetty and the other artists she mentioned could be the catalysts for major change in hip-hop if they're encouraged to do so.

“What I will say is that we need to give a few of these good men a chance in hoping that they will develop to be something else in the future,” Lyte said. “I know that when I first started I used a whole lot of profanity. I wasn’t good at communicating, so I just used what I knew. And the more you understand that you’re not just rocking for the block, that these words are going out across the entire globe. You at that point have to take responsibility and accountability. And I just think for Fetty Wap and some of these guys that I mentioned, that they really are on the forefront of what could be a great change in hip-hop if we show them the love and let them know they're heading in the right direction.”