Remember the Prince protege Vanity and her hit "Nasty Girl?" Probably not. With their Victoria's Secret wardrobes and sexual boasts, most women in rap are, like Vanity, titillating, sometimes liberating, but for the most part forgettable after the record finishes.
Utterly memorable, though, are Missy Elliott, and her album "So Addictive," and Ursula Rucker and "Supa Sista." Opposites in many respects, they are stand apart from other hip-hop sistas. Between them they demonstrate the breadth of possibility for women in hip hop. And between them they've made 2001 a year to remember.
Elliot is a full-fledged pop star. "Get Ur Freak On," the single lifted from "So Addictive," has an infectious hook (courtesy of a shamisen) that sent it shooting up the charts. It is fun and catchy in ways that are intelligent, playful and don't require showing a lot of skin.
Rucker is a poet. The title track of her debut album, "Supa Sista," explores passion, gender, race and responsibility, backed by equally forward-thinking beats gleaned from drum 'n' bass and jazz. Her brand of sexuality speaks of flesh and blood women, not Playboy cartoons.