Black Women in Music Who Are Supa Dupa Fly

I don't believe it's possible for me to list all of the Black female artists that have inspired me and many others. However, there are a few standouts that have shaped my self-worthiness, my love and appreciation for Black womanhood, and also started me down the path of feminism. These women have played an integral role in my personal development, and continue their legacies each day in my playlist.

Billie Holiday

A power house! Billie Holiday had a career spanning 26 years performing as a jazz and blues singer. I wanted to highlight a particular aspect of her career that unfortunately led to her untimely demise: Strange Fruit.

Strange Fruit was written by a Jewish communist teacher and civil rights activist from the Bronx, Abel Meeropol, who wrote it, first as a poem, then later as a song. After he composed it into a song and passed it onto a nightclub owner, it was then introduced to Holiday.

While performing Strange Fruit, Billie requested that all waiters stopped serving. The lights in the room were shut off and there was one spotlight shining on Billie's face. At the end of her performance, the lights were turned on again, and the stage was empty. This is how Holiday would perform the song for over 20 years.

Federal Bureau of Narcotics commissioner Harry Anslinger, was determined to silence Billie Holiday. She was banned from performing the song in nightclubs and she was also imprisoned for more than a year after being sold heroin by Anslinger's goons.

After her release from prison, Billie was blocked from renewing her cabaret performer’s license, which meant she couldn't perform in nightclubs anymore. This caused her to return to using heroin again.

1n 1959, Billie checked herself in a New York City hospital because she was suffering from a number of health issues. It was during this time that Anslinger was determined to reduce Billie to nothing. He had two police officers stationed at her door at all times, she was handcuffed to her hospital bed, pictures were taken of her without her consent, and her gifts from fans and friends were thrown away.

During her final days, Billie was showing signs of improvement, but Ansligner prevented doctors from giving her further treatment which led to her death.

I will always remember Ms. Billie Holiday for her unwavering activism!

Donna Summer

My first encounter with Donna Summer's music was at age 10. I stumbled across her music accidently and I was immediately hooked!

At the tender age of 10, I couldn't articulate what it was about Donna Summers that kept me interested and obsessed, but now I know. It was her hair, her voice, her fashion and effortless sensuality, Donna was a bad mutha...shut your mouth!

I wanted to speak on a song of hers that stirred up so much controversy: Love To Love You Baby. The song was a 17-minute long aphrodisiac filled with grunts, groans and moans. People were so outraged about this song, that it even got the attention of Rev. Jesse Jackson and he encouraged people to not listen to the song because he claimed it would cause teenage pregnancy, laughable.

Love To Love You Baby is such a big deal. This was the first time a woman expressed her need and love for sexual pleasure through music.

The backlash that Donna Summers suffered through has an eerie similarity to the backflash Cardi b and Megan Thee Stallion had to deal with for WAP.

I find it interesting because it goes to show how much society hates female sexuality that doesn't serve the male gaze, especially pertaining to Black women.

As I reflect upon this sultry disco queen, I remember a Black woman who defied her religious upbringing and industry politics to create a song that was the shock of the century. Love To Love You, Donna.

Missy Elliot

Where do I begin? Missy Elliot was the highlight of my childhood. I remember sitting in the living room with my sisters watching The Rain ( Supa Dupa Fly) music video for the 1st time and I was blown away.

The visuals and Missy voguing in a trash bag, she was truly ahead of her time! Missy Misdemeanor Elliot is a visionary and a musical genius.

The real reason why she resonates with me so much is because for the first time I saw a fat Black woman who was unafraid to be herself, who was creative and talented and that gave me hope. I grew up as a fat Black girl, and representation at that time was sparse. But, here was this dark skinned woman with finger waves and a plus-sized body saying: "pop that, pop that, jiggle that fat".

Watching her being presented with the Michael Jackson video vanguard award at the 2019 VMAs was a tearjerker. She deserves all of the recognition in the world for her creativity and artistry!

Megan Thee Stallion

When I first heard Meg's music in 2018, something told me she was going to make it big. From "Big ole Freak" to "Body" to "Cry Baby", Megan has seriously been making things happen.

What I admire about Megan is that she is living proof of the fact that Black women don't exist in a monolith: "I'm a savage, classy, bougie, ratchet". She's a college student, she loves anime and she can out rap most of her male counterparts.

She has overcome a lot of obstacles. She's lost both of her parents and was also shot by a z-list rapper and had to deal with people questioning the validity of her story. People really go out of their way to not believe Black women and it's pathetic!

I am excited to see what new music she releases, and in the meantime I'll be training my knees with her current music.

There are much more women that I could speak on, but I would be typing for several days. For now, I will blast the music of these four powerful Black women while writing and editing this article.