Jermaine Dupri is a legendary producer, who has made many contributions to the culture — but he’s full of s**t. A few weeks ago, Dupri caught flack for claiming the current generation of female rappers all rap about the same thing, as Blavity previously reported.
"I don't think they're showing us who's the best rapper," he told People TV. "For me, it's like strippers rapping. And as far as rap goes, I'm not getting who's the best rapper. I'm getting like, 'OK, you got a story about you dancing in the club, you got a story about you dancing in the club, you got a story about you dancing in the club.' It’s like, 'OK, who’s going to be the rapper?' At some point, somebody's going to have to break out of that mold and just show us — talk about other things, just rap about other things besides that."
He was dragged after making these comments, and rightfully so. However, unfortunately, he isn’t the only one who lumps the current generation together. If you’ve ever had a conversation with a Black person over the age of 40, they all complain that the current generation of music is overly sexualized. You would think the youngins invented sex, not Trey Songz.
One of my favorite past times is poking holes in silly opinions, so I decided to put together a list of vintage p-popping songs your mama and 'nem probably love.
1. “Freak Like Me” by Adina Howard (1995)
YouTube | ClintonMMisc
Howard compares her sex drive to a dog and proudly proclaims she “don't give a damn about a thing.” Her proclamation is the epitome of a hot girl motto. Speaking of hot girl, this song was released in January 1995; almost a month before Megan Thee Stallion was born.
2. “How Many Licks?” By Lil' Kim (2000)
YouTube | Atlantic Records
Honestly, the Queen Bee’s discography could be its own list. Kim has spent decades bragging about her skills in the bedroom. In one song, she claimed she could deepthroat a soda can. In another, she claimed she had a magic clit. However, I chose “How Many Licks” because it's a song about receiving head; when Kim and Sisqo dropped this track, eating a woman out was still considered taboo and shameful.
3. “One Minute Man” by Missy Elliot (2001)
YouTube | Missy Elliot
Missy Elliot is another rapper who rapped about sex: All. The. Damn. Time. However, I bet my next check you can go on Twitter right now, and find a dude wishing more female rappers were respectable like Missy.
Here’s an example:
This is why y’all not get wife’d cause y’all keep glamorizing & praising this Ratchet shit, Missy Elliot, Eve, Lauren Hill & Left Eye wasn’t like this in the the early 2000’s think about that???? pic.twitter.com/h62zc9CgoF
— Abraham S (@Abstract7777) May 25, 2019
In actuality, Missy is just as nasty as Kim. In “One Minute Man,” the rapper insists her partner pleasures her for as long as it takes; one-pump chumps need not apply.
4. “I’ll Take Your Man” by Salt 'N Pepa (1986)
YouTube | Salt-N-Pepa
If you think this is just a City Girls song, you might be too young to be reading this list. Before JT and Yung Miami, Salt 'N Pepa were smacking hoes and snatching boos. Hell, they didn’t even write this song, either. They were the OG City Girls.
5. “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” by TLC (1991)
YouTube | TLCVEVO
Almost a decade before they were singing about scrubs, T-Boz, Chilli and Left Eye released a song begging for the D. They wanted it in the morning and the middle of the night like they ain’t got jobs or something. Maybe that’s why they ended up with a guy who hollers "from the passenger side of his best friend’s ride."
6. “Lick My Neck, My Back” (2002) by Khia
YouTube | Le Geomant
We know you hear this song at every party, but it is almost 20 years old. I turn 30 years old this year and I was in middle school when it was released. The Thug Misses is messy as hell, but she made a classic bop. Baby Ash was grossed out by this song but grown Ash endorses this message.
7. “Ill Na Na” by Foxy Brown (1996)
YouTube | FemaleRapperLyrics
Stalli rapped about men buying her shoes, but Foxy was riding yachts and had dudes making her breakfast. “Ill Na Na” is an ode to Brown’s fox. She also encouraged our aunties to finesse our uncles or “outslick” them, as she called it.