Billboard magazine has officially named Nicki Minaj the greatest female rapper of all time. The prestigious music publication recognized the Queens-bred emcee’s unprecedented achievements, including her record-breaking 149 Billboard Hot 100 hits and the highest-grossing tour ever by a female rapper.
The honor places Minaj above legendary artists like Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, Lil Kim, and Queen Latifah, who rounded out the top five spots on Billboard’s definitive ranking of the 25 best female rappers.
Queen of Rap’s Unmatched Chart Dominance
Nicki Minaj made history back in 2018 when she became the first female rapper to surpass 100 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Now with 149 charting songs, her commercial impact stands unrivaled among women in hip-hop.
The Pink Friday 2 World Tour further cemented her legendary status. The record-breaking global trek became the highest-grossing tour ever by a female rapper, providing concrete evidence of her massive drawing power and enduring appeal.
Billboard praised Minaj’s transformative impact, stating she “quickly usurped the throne and stylistically rewrote the playbook for female rappers, while becoming an architect of pop music in the process.”
Two Decades of Game-Changing Influence
For nearly 25 years, Minaj has maintained her position at the top of the rap game. Her versatility shines through her various personas like Harajuku Barbie, Roman Zolanski, and Chun-Li.
Billboard emphasized her historical significance, noting that “the story of rap can’t be told without Minaj – and she’s got plenty of ‘sons’ around the industry running through the doors she busted down.”
The publication announced the honor on social media, declaring: “Who else but the Queen of Rap? From her game-changing verse on ‘Monster’ to rewriting the playbook for female rappers, Nicki’s influence is unmatched.”
Fan Celebration and Industry Recognition
Fans quickly celebrated the announcement across social media platforms. One supporter named Areais tweeted: “Well deserved 
Nicki has worked HARD for the rap game & female rapper. Go Nicki 
.”
Though Billboard didn’t publicly share their specific criteria for the rankings, the impact of their declaration reverberated throughout the music industry. The magazine’s top 10 list features hip-hop pioneers and innovators spanning multiple generations.
Behind Minaj in the rankings were Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, Lil Kim, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Salt-N-Pepa, Roxanne Shante, Eve, and Foxy Brown – all groundbreaking artists who helped pave the way for women in rap.
