A Salute to Girl Power in Hip-Hop

As much as I love film and television, there is nothing even remotely Hip-Hop about the Golden Globes. That didn't stop me from watching last Sunday's broadcast on NBC. A great stand-up performance by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, coupled with multiple female wins had even prompted the New York Times to label this year's award ceremony "A Salute to Girl Power in Hollywood." Interestingly enough, along with more seasoned Hollywood veterans, I noticed a crop of young talent has surged in Hollywood and has certainly been the focal point of discussion (Lena Dunham's often controversial series, Girls immediately comes to mind, or Jennifer Lawrence's proclivity for bold statements). But anyways, I digress.

Young talent is always refreshing to see..especially if my women out there are doin' it big--and just as younger talents like Dunham and Lawrence are surfacing in Hollywood as forces-to-be-reckoned with, these young women have been generating (or should be generating) serious buzz among beat lovers and beatnicks alike.

From least to most slept on..



At just 22 years old, this Brooklyn native has a self-released EP that has been praised by the likes of A$AP Rocky as well as fellow MC and collaborator, Childish Gambino (or as I know him, Troy from Community). Much of the charm in Homeschool lies in its production, as many tracks are produced by Odd Future sub-collective, the Internet. But Kish's lyrics are sweet, simple, and often deeply personal. With her mellow, borderline stream-of-consciousness style storytelling Kish shows us that sometimes solid Hip-Hop doesn't always have to be complex, or even aggressive for that matter.

Astronautica



When I was younger and had some semblance of a social life, I would sometimes attend Los Angeles's Low End Theory , which has always been a major hub for passionate up-and-coming Los Angeles-based beat makers. Although I seldom keep up with that scene today, I noticed that Alpha Pup Records had signed a few new artists, including certified ethereal beat manufacturer, Astronautica. I couldn't find much information on her online regarding future shows, but I do know that she's frequently on the Low End bill and has played at various other Southern California beat-friendly venues such as the Crosby. Her latest full-length release, Replay Last Night is slated for February, so it will be interesting to hear more buzz about this talented young electronic artist as her release date approaches (comparisons to Brainfeeder's Tokimonsta may abound).

May 2013 be a good year for women in Hip-Hop (and other related genres)!