List of best-selling female rappers

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Nicki Minaj is the best-selling female rapper of all time, with over 100 million records sold. Nicki Minaj MTV VMAs 4.jpg
Nicki Minaj is the best-selling female rapper of all time, with over 100 million records sold.

This is a following list of the best-selling female rappers of all time, including albums and singles.

Contents

Figures for the list only includes pure sales figures and available figures after the 1990s: as of 2010 certifications have been combined with streaming or digital audio sales; in this list only digital sales are counted since most of today artists' pure sales are sold digitally.

Best-selling female rappers worldwide

ArtistCountry of originPeriod activeStudio albumsClaimed sales
Nicki Minaj Trinidad & Tobago2004- Present5100 million [1]
Iggy Azalea Australia2011–present370 million [2] [3] [4]
Lauryn Hill United States1988–present150 million [5]
Lil' Kim United States1994–present545 million [6]
Cardi B United States2015–present131 million

[7]

Missy Elliott United States1991–present629 million [8] [9] [10]

Best-selling female rappers singles

Sales based on claimed figures and certifications.

ArtistRelease yearSongClaimed sales
Cardi B 2017"Bodak Yellow"10 million [11]
Iggy Azalea 2014"Fancy"9.1 million [12]
Nicki Minaj 2012"Starships"7.2 million [12]

Best-selling female rap albums worldwide

Release yearAlbumArtistClaimed sales
1998 The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill 20 million [13] [14]
2010 Pink Friday Nicki Minaj 3.8 million [15]
2014 The Pinkprint Nicki Minaj 3 million [16]
2018 Invasion of Privacy Cardi B 3 million [17]
2012 Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded Nicki Minaj 1.4 million [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil' Kim</span> American rapper (born 1976)

Kimberly Denise Jones, better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper. She was born and raised in New York City and lived much of her adolescent life on the streets after being expelled from home. In her teens, she would freestyle rap, influenced by fellow female hip-hop artists like MC Lyte and the Lady of Rage. In 1994, she was discovered by fellow rapper The Notorious B.I.G., who invited her to join his group Junior M.A.F.I.A.; their debut album, Conspiracy, generated two top 20 singles in the United States and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<i>Under Construction</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Missy Elliott

Under Construction is the fourth studio album by American rapper Missy Elliott, released by The Goldmind Inc. and Elektra Records on November 12, 2002, in the United States. The album was primarily produced by Timbaland, with additional production by Craig Brockman, Nisan Stewart, Errol "Poppi" McCalla and Elliott herself.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doo Wop (That Thing)</span> 1998 single by Lauryn Hill

"Doo Wop (That Thing)" is a song by American rapper and singer Lauryn Hill from her debut solo studio album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998). It was written and produced by Hill. The song was released as her solo debut and lead single from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on August 10, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records. No commercial release was originally intended for the single in the US, but limited-quantity physical formats were issued two months later, on October 27.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicki Minaj</span> Trinidadian-born rapper and singer (born 1982)

Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, known professionally as Nicki Minaj, is a Trinidadian-born rapper and singer based in the United States. Often referred to as the "Queen of Rap", she is known for her musical versatility, animated rap flow, and alter egos. She first gained recognition after releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bass</span> 2011 single by Nicki Minaj

"Super Bass" is a song by Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj from the deluxe version of her debut studio album, Pink Friday (2010). It was sent to American rhythmic radio stations as the album's fifth single on April 5, 2011. The song was written alongside Ester Dean, Roahn Hylton, and producers Kane Beatz and JMIKE. According to Minaj, the song's lyrics detail the story of a playful romance between Minaj and a potential suitor. The pop rap song contains electronic influences, while Minaj raps over a hip hop beat. An accompanying music video for the single was shot in March 2011 by director Sanaa Hamri and shows Minaj playfully taunting a group of men; while making use of multiple props colored bubblegum pink.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iggy Azalea</span> Australian rapper (born 1990)

Amethyst Amelia Kelly, known professionally as Iggy Azalea, is an Australian rapper and model. Azalea's accolades include two American Music Awards, three Billboard Music Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, a People's Choice Award, four Teen Choice Awards and four Grammy Award nominations. Azalea is popular on video sites, her Youtube channel has accumulated 3.4 billion views, and 15 of her music videos have received over 100 million views on Vevo.

<i>Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded</i> 2012 studio album by Nicki Minaj

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starships (song)</span> 2012 song by Nicki Minaj

"Starships" is a song by Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on the date February 14, 2012 by Young Money, Cash Money, and Universal Republic as the lead single from her second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012). The song was written by Nicki Minaj, Nadir Khayat, Carl Falk, Rami Yacoub, Bilal Hajji, and Wayne Hector, and it was produced by RedOne, Yacoub, and Falk.

<i>The New Classic</i> 2014 album by Iggy Azalea

The New Classic is the debut studio album by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. It was released on 21 April 2014 by Def Jam Recordings. Primarily a hip hop album, The New Classic features elements of EDM, dance-pop and trap in its production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fancy (Iggy Azalea song)</span> 2014 single by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Problem (Ariana Grande song)</span> 2014 single by Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anaconda (song)</span> 2014 single by Nicki Minaj

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<i>Reclassified</i> Reissue of debut album by Iggy Azalea

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<i>Billboard</i> Women in Music American music award

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">MotorSport</span> 2017 single by Migos featuring Nicki Minaj and Cardi B

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doechii</span> American rapper and singer (born 1998)

Jaylah Ji'mya Hickmon, known professionally as Doechii, is an American rapper and singer. After releasing her debut EP, Oh the Places You'll Go (2020), she rose to prominence on TikTok with the viral success of her 2021 song "Yucky Blucky Fruitcake". She then signed with Top Dawg Entertainment in a joint venture with Capitol Records, through which she released her second EP, She/Her/Black Bitch (2022. Her 2023 single "What It Is " marked her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Freaky Girl</span> 2022 single by Nicki Minaj

"Super Freaky Girl" is a song by rapper Nicki Minaj from her fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2 (2023). It was released on August 12, 2022, by Young Money and Republic Records as the lead single from the album. It is an upbeat, raunchy song that samples Rick James' 1981 single "Super Freak," as Minaj raps about a girl having sexual fantasies and endeavors, while also boasting about her career. It received comparisons to Minaj's 2014 single "Anaconda," as both tracks include classic samples and sexual lyrics.

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