8 women shaping hip-hop in Canada

"We didn't know we were pioneers," said singer Jully Black in 2021, reflecting on the rise of early Canadian hip-hop artists including herself, Michie Mee and more. "My message … especially [to] the next generation, is know that you are laying in the pages of history. The things that we do now are really significant for the future."

Black is one of the trailblazers who helped pave the way for women in hip-hop in the '90s, as part of the collective the Circle, with artists including Saukrates and Choclair. Since then, a number of other women have made their mark on the genre, whether through their innovative music or women-focused programming.

From rappers to producers to entrepreneurs, below are eight women who are shaping hip-hop in Canada.

Jully Black and the Circle

In 1992, R&B singer Jully Black made a group of friends — Kardinal Offishall, Director X and Saukrates — who bonded over their love of music in a Toronto youth jobs program. The musicians eventually linked up with other artists including Tara Chase and Choclair to become the Circle, named after the circle of friends who loved hip-hop. Black teamed up with Saukrates for her Top 40 hit "Rally'n" in 1998, and was originally slated to collaborate with him again the same year as part of Rascalz's song "Northern Touch," a hit that helped popularize the genre in Canada. A scheduling conflict meant she was unable to participate in the song, but she continued releasing her own music and writing songs for rappers including Nas and Missy Elliott.

Over the years, she has reunited with members of the Circle, including a 2022 performance at Drake's All Canadian North Stars concert. With nine Juno nominations and one win, Black continues to receive recognition for her work, as well as her activism. 

Michie Mee

Jamaican-born, Toronto-raised MC Michie Mee was the first Canadian woman in hip-hop to score an American record deal in the '80s, which helped launch the genre in Canada. Mee made the genre her own by incorporating her Jamaican heritage into her music: her debut album, Jamaican Funk—Canadian Style, fused dancehall, reggae and rap, and earned her a Juno nomination for rap recording of the year. She pushed for change in the music industry and helped form Dance Appeal, a supergroup including other rappers such as Dream Warriors, Maestro and more. The group called on the CRTC to support the country's first urban music station.

"The hardest thing in the game for me, in coming up, I was a woman. I was an immigrant from Jamaica and it was hip-hop. It was a man's world," she told CBC Music's The Block. Ultimately, Mee helped shape both the sound and culture of hip-hop in Canada and paved the way for other women MCs. 

Ebonnie Rowe

As the founder of the non-profit Honey Jam, Ebonnie Rowe has been fostering the growth and development of women in the music industry since the '90s. From songwriting camps to industry workshops to mentorship from established artists, Honey Jam programming supports emerging musicians to help them achieve their dreams, including an artist showcase that lets up-and-comers showcase their skills. Famous alumni who got their start on the Honey Jam stage include Nelly Furtado, Jully Black, Haviah Mighty and more. 

"When I first started [Honey Jam], I said my biggest goal was for it not to have to exist because we would be on this level playing field," Rowe told Nuvo Magazine. "And I do think we have made a lot of strides, but nowhere near where we should be." Rowe continues to promote the advancement of women in the industry, and in 2021, she won the Canadian Independent Music Association's trailblazer award for her work in championing women's talent.

The Sorority

Toronto-based rappers Haviah Mighty, Keysha Freshh, Lex Leosis and Phoenix Pagliacci met at a rap cypher for International Women's Day in 2016, and immediately clicked. When their cypher went viral, they formed the all-women hip-hop collective the Sorority. In the group's three-year run, the three artists embarked on a national tour and dropped the album Pledge, which showcased their ability to connect through sharp, feminist lyricism. During their tenure, they collaborated with other Canadian acts including Leila Dey and Snotty Nose Rez Kids. When the Sorority disbanded in 2019, the group shared that they had "formed a bond as sisters" and that their continued support for women in hip-hop had never been stronger. Since then, each rapper has continued to tour and release music.

Haviah Mighty

Brampton, Ont., rapper Haviah Mighty released her first indie mixtape in 2010 when she was only 17 years old. From there, she began entering — and winning — rap competitions, before uniting with Keysha Freshh, Lex Leosis and Phoenix Pagliacci to form the Sorority. Just after the group's 2019 split, Mighty won the prestigious Allan Slaight Juno Master Class and then released her debut album, 13th Floor. The album, which spoke to barriers faced by the Black community, was critically acclaimed, won the 2020 Polaris Music Prize, making Mighty the first Black woman and hip-hop artist to win. In 2022, she made history again at the Juno Awards as the first woman to win rap album of the year. Mighty continues to release music, and recently dropped her newest album, Crying Crystals, in July 2023.

WondaGurl

WondaGurl (Ebony Naomi Oshunrinde) listened to Biggie Smalls and Tupac while growing up, igniting her interest in music. After receiving a keyboard from her grandmother, the Brampton, Ont., producer taught herself how to make beats after watching YouTube video tutorials. In 2011, she entered the Battle of the Beats competition in Toronto but didn't make it far that first time. She returned the next year, however, and won, catching the attention of producer Boi-1da, who became her mentor.

At age 16, WondaGurl got her big break when she sent a beat she made to rapper Travis Scott, who called her and told her the beat made it onto the track "Crown" on Jay Z's 2013 album, Magna Carta Holy Grail. Her career ascended, and WondaGurl began working with artists including Drake, SZA, Rihanna and more. In 2021, she won her first Juno for producer of the year and made history by becoming the first Black woman to win. She won for the second year in a row in 2022 for her work on Drake's album Certified Lover Boy. Now, when she isn't working with Grammy winners, WondaGurl's signing producers to her label imprint, Wonderchild.

Charmaine

Born in Zimbabwe, Toronto-based rapper Charmaine started writing songs as a teenager while living in a Motel 6 with her family. During that time, she only had experience performing live at school talent shows, but that didn't stop her from singing at a showcase at Toronto's Lee's Palace where she impressed an A&R rep from Warner Music Canada. In 2019, she pivoted from singing to rapping and eventually wrote the energetic song "Bold." The track took off (it currently has more than two million streams on Spotify) and won the Juno for rap single of the year in 2022, making her the first Black woman to win.

With brash, daring lyricism and a biting, fast-paced flow, Charmaine says she hopes to inspire her community through her music: "It's very, very important for me to always remain in that lane of empowering Black women, empowering Black girls," she told CBC Music. Charmaine has been steadily releasing new singles this year, including "Jeez" and "Hood Rat Shit."

SadBoi

Emerging Toronto rapper SadBoi (Ebhoni Jade Cato-O'Garro) started off as an R&B singer, uploading covers of songs by artists such as Beyoncé to the YouTube. She eventually released her own music, dropping her debut EP in 2021. The songs included a blend of sounds ranging from dancehall to rap, honouring her mixed Caribbean heritage. In 2022, SadBoi brought her inventive, braggadocious sound to the Boiler Room to perform "Stank Hoez" with DJ Bambii. As she gears up to drop her debut full-length project, SadBoi will take the stage at CBC Music's the Block Party in August and next year, she'll head to Europe to support 6lack.

The Block is counting down to hip-hop's anniversary by airing 50 stories over 50 days that focus on significant artists, events and moments in hip-hop history. The 50 stories will air nationwide each night on The Block on CBC Music until Aug. 11 to coincide with The Block Party.