A new Netflix documentary is causing an uproar. Not for the actual full-length content of the documentary, but for its one-minute trailer. The spearheading streamer released the official trailer for Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop and viewers are upset that two of the most impactful female emcees, Nicki Minaj and Missy Elliott, were not referenced in the short video clip.
The trailer begins with a voiceover saying “Black women are crushing it right now,” while simultaneously showing Cardi B — interesting alignment to say the least considering the rough social media dialogue surrounding this conversation. What follows are several fast-paced inserts of female rappers, including Latto, Coi Leray, Saweetie, Ice Spice, and more.
Who Made the cut?
Dream Hampton, producer of Surviving R. Kelly and This World Is Not My Own, directs the doc featuring an impressive roster of sit-down interviews with Queen Latifah, Sha-Rock, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shante, Remy Ma, Yo-Yo, Da Brat, Rah Digga, Monie Love, Bahamadia, Tierra Whack, Kash Doll, Rapsody, and Chika.
Yet, hip hop fans are not satisfied at all, even with the heavyweight list. Commentators on Netflix’s YouTube channel expressed their feelings about Minaj and Elliott being snubbed on the promo piece.
“I’m sorry but Coi [Leray] and Latto,” One fan, @Bahiya13, commented, “Not to be rude or anything but I can’t believe these 2 made the cut with these OGs and you left off Nicki Minaj. Just wow. And then no Missy! Im speechless.”
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Do The Fans Have A Point?
There’s some validity to the fan’s point. While the platinum-selling, award-winning Minaj seems like an obvious icon to include in the doc, there’s many more artists that deserve recognition, as well. Missy Elliott is a multi-hyphen visionary and one of a kind as her resume consists of songwriting, producing, rapping, and entertaining with actual dance and stage presence.
Lauryn Hill rose to fame as one-third of the rap trio Fugees and singlehandedly altered female rap and the entire genre with her RIAA Diamond-certified debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Some commentators brought up Trina, Foxy Brown, and Left Eye of TLC as contenders.
Is There Another Agenda?
The uproar may be another instance of “the Internet” getting ahead of itself as herd mentality takes over. The truth of the matter is that the documentary has yet to be released. Therefore, speculation based on a one-minute clip can be loud and wrong.
Then again, this could be another marketing engine to promote the film at the expense of a trending entertainer. Or an even bigger plan — the precursor to that “Baddie Festival” we hinted to back in the day. Clues of more to come are embedded in the synopsis which states that there are four installments within the documentary.
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The full synopsis reads, “This timely limited doc series re-contextualizes the role the irrepressible women of hip hop played throughout the revolutionary genre’s 50 years by reinserting them into the canon where they belong: at the center, from day one to present day.”
“Each of the four installments features a parade of iconic emcees like MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, and Rah Digga, up and comers, and artists currently at the top of the charts like Latto, and Tierra Whack alongside key figures from record labels, stylists, and journalists.”
“By giving flowers to originators like Sha-Rock and Roxanne Shante or hearing real talk from contemporary superstars like Saweetie and Coi Leray, Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop contextualizes the history of the music that changed the world within the wider social, racial, and political landscape of the times and, crucially, through a female lens.”
Will you watch even if Minaj, Elliott, and Hill are left out?
View The “Controversial” Trailer Below
Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop premieres August 9 on Netflix.
