By Tai Saint Louis
Four of the most recognizable - and possibly most underrated - female rappers in recent years are being united by a new project that aims to renew the female emcee's presence in commercial Hip-Hop.
Babs Bunny, Lady Luck, Amil, and the Lady of Rage have come together to create the Females Earning Money, or FEM Movement.
The four women are hoping to reap the benefits of unity without losing their individual solo status, explains co-executive producer Uneek, who developed the new Movement alongside popular New York radio personality and former Yo! MTV Raps host Ed Lover.
A former rapper herself, Uneek currently manages both Babs and Lady Luck and is fully aware of the difficulties women face in Hip-Hop.
"Females don't come together enough and we need to show unity and cohesiveness," said the former Bounce Squad member of her vision. "Men do it all the time and now it's our time to stand up, stand together and make some money. FEM gives these talented women an opportunity to come together as a movement to show the power that we have when we work as a team."
Despite having been ushered into the world of Hip-Hop by some of the most prominent crews in the game, some more than a decade ago, all four artists are aware of the current status of their careers.
"None of us are amateurs," said Babs, the last of the four to enter popular consciousness, via MTV's Making of The Band 2 in 2002. "We are all very talented and we have all worked with major artists in the industry,” Babs said. “Rage with Dr. Dre and Snoop, Amil with Jay-Z, Luck with Def Jam and EPMD and myself with Diddy. But at the same time we all still have something to prove."
"A lot of people have been wondering what happened to the female emcees," explained Hip-Hop pioneer Ed Lover. "Well these ladies are about to prove that they are here and they are better than ever! The FEM Movement is great for the future of Hip-Hop! This is the perfect time to do a project like this"
The FEM Movement's first collective project, a new mixtape hosted by DJ Doo Wop, is currently in the works and has recruited the involvement of other high-profile female artists, including Rah Digga.
The as-yet-untitled mixtape will be followed-up with a tour.