ABC News Announces Special Exploring the Inspiring Rise and Powerful Force of Women in Hip-Hop in Their Own Words

ABC News announced today the special “The Real Queens of Hip-Hop: The Women Who Changed the Game – An ABC News Special,” which takes an intimate look at the evolution and impact of women emcees and rappers, told by the trailblazing artists who helped create a musical and cultural empire. Featuring an all-female interview lineup, Salt of Salt-N-Pepa narrates the special, along with original spoken word performances by the legendary MC Lyte and an original score by WondaGurl. This one-hour program features new interviews from today’s chart-toppers like City Girls, along with pioneers of the ’70s like “mother of the mic” MC Sha-Rock and stars of the ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s including Da Brat, Eve, Trina, and Yo-Yo.  These groundbreaking artists open up about their biggest career moments and share a behind-the-scenes look into their personal stories.

The program also includes a rare intergenerational conversation hosted by radio personality and rapper Angie Martinez with Lakeyah, Lil Mama, and Roxanne Shanté who discuss their shared experiences on breaking into a male-dominated industry, the industry placing body and beauty pressure on women in the spotlight, and how the internet and social media have changed the rap game. “The Real Queens of Hip-Hop: The Women Who Changed the Game – An ABC News Special” airs Monday, October 18 @ 10PM EDT, on ABC and can be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu.

Ahead of the highly-anticipated series premiere of ABC’s primetime drama “Queens,” “The Real Queens of Hip-Hop” chronicles the origins of hip-hop as it grew from urban culture in the ’70s and ’80s, and eventually exploded into the pop mainstream as a globally recognized musical genre and cultural phenomenon. It explores how the strides of each generation influenced the next and celebrates what the genre has become and the women who have ushered it forward and continue to push its boundaries.

“I grew up listening to and loving the pioneering work of female emcees and was amazed by how much I learned when previewing this special,” said Marie Nelson, senior vice president of integrated content strategy, ABC News. “With projects like ‘The Real Queens of Hip-Hop,’ ABC News and ABC Entertainment are working to super-serve culturally diverse and multigenerational audiences with authentic and relevant storytelling that widens the lens and places their experiences at the center.”

“The Real Queens of Hip-Hop” is produced by an all-female leadership team at ABC News. Fatima Curry is the director, and Melia Patria and Curry are co-executive producers.