Since its inception, hip hop has had an internal battle with misogyny that’s made it difficult for female rappers to freely express themselves without being dismissed as too ‘girly.’ There’s been a nasty tendency in the industry to throw women who want to rap, in a box of objectification or overemphasized aggression, and what came out was usually so inorganic that it couldn’t be taken seriously by anyone. However, in recent years this tide has been changing, and we’re finally beginning to see rappers who have tossed that box in the dumpster, next to the dead body of corporate music, and are making raw, dope, hip hop.
Enter Junglepussy, a rapper from Brooklyn, NY who spits bars with overwhelming power that demand respect. Junglepussy’s rhymes are delivered with the kind of confidence that transcends gender lines. She’s not afraid to be vulnerable in songs like “Somebody,” and she’s even less afraid to spit venom on enemies. Her energy is raw (pre-gentrification) Brooklyn.
Take for instance her line from the song “Nah,” where she raps: “Spicy ass Jamaican bitch, you can get your chicken jerked/suckin’ on the wrong dick that can get your sister murked/ You don’t know what I got all up in my fuckin’ purse/Grippin on my water bottle, all these niggas thirst.”
This kind of attitude is what separates Jungle from the crowd. Listening to her lyrics are like talking to that unfiltered friend who isn’t afraid of their sexuality or their angry side. She keeps it realer than most rappers, and her flow is what puts the whole package together. Jungle’s flow is akin to Cam’ron’s, with an effortless and cocky delivery accompanied by her New York drawl. It oozes unimpeachable coolness, unashamed Blackness, and powerful femininity.
Though she hasn’t been in the game that long (she showed up in 2013), her work has garnered the respect of Erykah Badu, which was a cosign that sent her career up to the pro-leagues in 2014. Since then, she released two albums, Satisfaction Guaranteed (June 2014) and Pregnant With Success (November 2015), under the Vice Music imprint. In addition to her music success, she has also spoken at Yale University and Columbia University about her healthy options lifestyle and music.
Junglepussy will be performing at CAM on Thursday, September 8th at 11:30pm. If you’re a fan of NY hip hop and want to start your Hopscotch off right, make your way down there!
-DJ Iron Mic