First Things First is a short history of women in hip-hop. It details the stories of women who helped change and form the genre.

Great research, reflection, and approach. The flow of the book is often hard to follow, which is too bad, because the ideas (like rap battles in prose form) are so unique. But the formatting and design are confusing. People will love the content about the artists, so the book is fairly buy-able and gift-able for hip hop lovers. I'm interested in what other work the author puts out.

This book is all about giving credit where it’s due—highlighting the incredible women who’ve shaped hip-hop into what it is today. From Queen Latifah getting her Hollywood star to Missy Elliott basically taking us to the future, it’s packed with game-changing moments that’ll leave you in awe.

It’s not just about the music, either. There’s love for fashion icons like April Walker and trailblazers in TV and radio like Angie Martinez. Plus, it’s full of fun extras like games, charts, and amazing visuals. If you love hip-hop or just want to learn more about the powerhouse women behind it, this book is a total celebration of the ladies who’ve broken barriers and made history. You’ll come away ready to drop some serious knowledge on anyone who forgets how much these women have done.

This was an enjoyable read with lots great little tidbits about artist that the general public may not have always been aware of unless you're a super fan or each artist. I definitely learned a few things about these women in hip-hop. Sometimes it felt like the stories jumped around a little bit, but I guess that it to be expected when the author is speaking from the place of an intimate relationship with the genre. I think this would be a great collectors item to fans of hip-hop and a good introduction for people who are wanting to learn about significant contributions on women within the genre. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this copy.

This sampler for "First Things Firs: hip Hop Ladies Who Changed the Game" by Nadirah Simmons includes 3 fun chapters - one on the movie Wild Style, another on cultural icon Nicki Minaj, and finally one on Honey magazine. I was already familiar with Nicki Minaj and the movie Wild Style, but had not yet heard of Honey magazine. All three chapters were very informative, and have me excited to read the book from cover to cover. I would recommend this to any fans of rap and hip-hop, and thos interested in niche areas regarding the cultural impact of women in history. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC sampler of this book.

First Things First was a great book celebrating the women of Hip-Hop! Hip-Hop is a genre that I love to listen to, but admittedly, I tend to focus more on male artists, so there was a lot of information and artists that I, either didn’t know or knew far too little about! I really enjoyed reading this one!

I very much enjoyed this sample. This book is a celebration of the women of Hip-Hop, which I've seen before, but this seems to be aimed at young people. From what I read, it seem very accessible to teens. (Plus, we can never have too many book celebrating women!) The profiles where well researched and balanced. I could feel the author's passion for her subject. Highly recommend.

This book was a delightful discovery for me as a music lover, especially of hip-hop and rap by female artists. It unfolds like a journey of exploration, spotlighting the often-overlooked contributions of fashion designers to iconic looks from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s in hip-hop culture. While I wished for more visuals, the book's depth and insights into Black women's pivotal role in hip-hop make it a must-read for music enthusiasts.

As a music historian, I am continually inspired by hip-hop's evolving narrative, and "First Things First: The Achievements of Women in Hip-Hop" is a genuinely enlightening addition to the genre’s literature. This book brilliantly reframes the history of hip-hop by giving long-overdue credit to the trailblazing women whose contributions have left an indelible mark on music and culture. As for the length, it is spot on for the YA reader it targets.

Lauterbach's "First Things First" dives into the monumental firsts achieved by women in hip-hop. From Queen Latifah being the first rapper to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to Lauryn Hill making history as the first rapper to win the coveted Album of the Year Award at the Grammys, the book meticulously documents these pivotal moments. The narrative also highlights April Walker's dominance in hip-hop fashion and Da Brat's groundbreaking achievement as the first solo female rapper to have a platinum album. These factual firsts are interwoven with metaphorical milestones, such as Missy Elliott’s futuristic influence, which pushed the boundaries of the genre.

What sets this book apart is its approach. It celebrates not only the music legends like Nicki Minaj, Lil’ Kim, and Mary J. Blige but also recognizes the impact of influential TV and radio hosts like Big Lez and Angie Martinez. Including games, charts, and vibrant images enhances the reading experience, making it informative and engaging.

"First Things First" is more than a historical account; it celebrates women's resilience, creativity, and influence in hip-hop. The book is a powerful reminder of the barriers these women have broken and the mold they have reshaped. It equips readers with factual knowledge and empowers them to acknowledge and honor the achievements of female pioneers in hip-hop.

In conclusion, "First Things First" is an essential read for anyone interested in the true history of hip-hop. It is a testament to the incredible women who have shaped the genre and a valuable resource for setting the record straight on their contributions. This book celebrates women's past, present, and future in hip-hop and is a must-have for music enthusiasts and historians alike.

And you know I be watching Wild Style after reading this book.

First Things Firby Nadirah Simmons highlights women in hip-hop who have heavily influenced the game. As a hip-hop enthusiast, I love the idea of this book. I really like the "interludes" and track listings that title each essay. I just wish I could have seen more in the Netgalley digital copy. From the look of the track listings and women mentioned in the table of contents, this is a book I'd love to read to its entirety.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for its vital exploration of hip hop artists and their impact on art and fashion. However, I found myself wishing for more illustrations to complement the insightful content.

Although my ARC only included a few chapters, I recognize the significance of this book and its potential to be a valuable addition to my personal library. It's a gem that deserves to be shared widely for its celebration of creativity and cultural influence.

Long live women in rap may they reign! Very excited to see a book documenting the significance of women in rap, and their influence in art, fashion and pop culture as well.

The excerpts shared were very detailed. Not sure if the cover captures the essence of this book

I loved this a lot.

This book had a lot of nostalgia and it brought the facts!! I love how this book was broken down into different categories and gave the rap girls their flowers.

You can tell that the Author, Nadirah Simmons, really put their true heart and energy into this book. The attention to detail, the research. It brought back memories of seeing the late 90's and 2000's again. This is definitely one of those books that you would want to keep on your coffee table as a conversation piece. Relieving the moment Nicki Minaj's feature on "Monster" came out and her EP, "Beam me up scotty" so many beautiful moments in this book, so many past and present. Lil' Kim being listed in the fashion section, giving us a taste of her 90's fashions that STILL influence the girls in 2024.

GET THE BOOK!! READ IT!!


I volunteered to read a copy of this book through NetGalley.

This is a fun book for hip hop lovers! This ARC only contained a couple of chapters, but I can see myself purchasing the book so I can get the full story! Such a fun trip down 90s and early 2000s hip hop memory lane. This will make a great gift for the female rapper fans in my life!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher & of course the author for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun read. I enjoyed the way that the author presented the Queens of Hip-Hop. You can definitely feel the author's joy in the subject matter. This was a good book to get more insight into the beings of some of today's top female artists.

This book is just ok. It’s kind of all over the place. It reads like a transcript of a podcast. Each “track” (chapter) would probably do well as a podcast episode or YouTube video. The information is interesting. The format is nice but it just isn’t cohesive enough to make it that good of a read.

Definition of, don’t judge a book by its cover. I absolutely love the cover, but it does not match what is in the book… And not in a good way. I do love that it starts off with a tracklist instead of your typical chapters but I really thought that this was gonna be more of a picture book. The layout just was a bit confusing for me, and I think it was just trying too hard to be so different. I did like the stories in it and the content but I think it could’ve been better present.

I was granted digital access to an extended preview of 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭: 𝐇𝐢𝐩-𝐇𝐨𝐩 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 by Nadirah Simmons.
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Pub date for this new release is Tuesday, January 30, 2024
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My extended preview allowed me access to 3 of 35 chapters.
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Chapter 8 ~ THE LADIES IN AND AROUND THE FIRST HIP-HOP MOVIE, WILD STYLE
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Chapter 25 ~ NICKI MINAJ, THE FIRST WOMAN RAPPER TO COMPLETELY DEMOLISH TWO GOATED MEN ON A TRACK
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Chapter 27 ~ HONEY, THE FIRST MAGAZINE TO SPEAK TO BLACK WOMEN OF THE HIP-HOP GENERATION
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(Note: Because my access is from an ARC, the above titles are subject to change by final print).
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I’m a hip-hop head! I love all things old school hip-hop. And from what I can tell this book is filled with great stories about the first ladies of hip-hop. I enjoyed the three chapters I read. They were short yet entertaining. It is clear Nadirah Simmons has a lot of personality and it comes through in her writing.
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In the chapter titled, NICKI MINAJ the author provides a breakdown of the song MONSTER. She displays the lyrics of Nicki, Jay-Z and Kanye West to show exactly how Nicki destroyed these men on the track. The layout was unique. She stated her case in a very noteworthy way.
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I learned a lot from chapter 27 titled 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺. I remember this magazine because I used to read it. What I didn’t know is that the female creators of Honey were robbed of their publication. I love reading unknown facts like this.
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Other artists included in the book are:
• Millie Jackson
• MC Lyte
• MC Trouble
• Roxanne Shanté
• Big Lez
•Queen Latifah
• Lil Kim
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And many, many more!!!!
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Judging from what I’ve read, this looks like it’s going to be a pretty good one! I definitely plan to check out the finish copy once it’s in stores.
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Thank you to #hachettebooks #grandcentralpublishing and #netgalley for the extended preview!

Made me nostalgic for the '90s! Featuring MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Salt N Pepa, and Missy Elliot, among others - including contemporary queens like Cardi B. I enjoyed the "Monster Match-up" between Nicki Minaj and male rappers of the era (Kanye being Kanye, and then Jay-Z). That part's a fave. Inventive, felt cinematic.

First Things First celebrates ladies in hip-hop and their iconic moves in the industry. With engaging and individualized graphics this book is SO interesting and has so much great information.