Brooklyn-based writer, Clover Hope, will moderate a conversation between veteran rapper Roxanne Shanté and singer-songwriter Yaya Bey, which will explore how Black Women navigate and maintain control of their narratives within a male-dominated and predominantly white music industry. The discussion will also broaden to examine how Black artists, both historically and today, have carved out space for self-definition, autonomy, and creative ownership in the face of systemic barriers. Drawing on their respective experiences across different eras of music, Roxanne and Yaya will reflect on the strategies, sacrifices, and communal power that have allowed Black artists to tell their own stories.
Yaya Bey is an American singer-songwriter from Queens, New York, known for her introspective, genre-blending approach to contemporary R&B. Born Hidaiyah Bey, she creates music that weaves together elements of soul, jazz, hip-hop, and reggae, exploring the lineage of Black music while delving into themes of Black womanhood, healing, grief, and joy. Her work is both nuanced and deeply personal, often reflecting her life experiences and emotional resilience. Emerging from New York’s underground scene, she gained wider recognition with projects like Madison Tapes (2020) and her critically acclaimed album Remember Your North Star (2022), which earned “Best New Music” honors and showcased her candid, poetic storytelling. The daughter of rapper Grand Daddy I.U., Bey has accomplished much, but remains most proud of one thing above all else — that she’s stayed human. Her latest album, Fidelity, is available April 17th.
Clover Hope is a Brooklyn-based writer whose work has appeared in publications like Elle, Esquire, Wired, GQ, and Vogue. She has held editorial roles at Billboard, Vibe, XXL, Jezebel, and Pitchfork. She is the author of the award-winning The Motherlode: 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop, the first comprehensive history of women rappers. Her creative production work includes co-writing on Beyoncé’s Emmy-winning visual film Black Is King and the Hulu docuseries RapCaviar Presents.
Roxanne Shanté is a pioneering American hip-hop artist from Queens, NY, known as one of the first female battle rappers. At the height of her career, Shante was referred to as the “Queen of Rap” by The New York Times and has been noted as a hip-hop pioneer. The Sunday Times credited her for popularizing diss tracks. Billboard editor Natalie Weiner wrote that Shanté’s “blazingly male-shaming diss track” and “hip-hop’s first recorded beef” helped move hip-hop further toward the mainstream, calling her “rap’s first female star.” In 2025, Shante became the first solo female rap artist to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and hosts the daily show Have A Nice Day (on Rock The Bells, via SiriusXM).
Brooklyn-based writer, Clover Hope, will moderate a conversation between veteran rapper Roxanne Shanté and singer-songwriter Yaya Bey, which will explore how Black Women navigate and maintain control of their narratives within a male-dominated and predominantly white music industry. The discussion will also broaden to examine how Black artists, both historically and today, have carved out space for self-definition, autonomy, and creative ownership in the face of systemic barriers. Drawing on their respective experiences across different eras of music, Roxanne and Yaya will reflect on the strategies, sacrifices, and communal power that have allowed Black artists to tell their own stories.
Yaya Bey is an American singer-songwriter from Queens, New York, known for her introspective, genre-blending approach to contemporary R&B. Born Hidaiyah Bey, she creates music that weaves together elements of soul, jazz, hip-hop, and reggae, exploring the lineage of Black music while delving into themes of Black womanhood, healing, grief, and joy. Her work is both nuanced and deeply personal, often reflecting her life experiences and emotional resilience. Emerging from New York’s underground scene, she gained wider recognition with projects like Madison Tapes (2020) and her critically acclaimed album Remember Your North Star (2022), which earned “Best New Music” honors and showcased her candid, poetic storytelling. The daughter of rapper Grand Daddy I.U., Bey has accomplished much, but remains most proud of one thing above all else — that she’s stayed human. Her latest album, Fidelity, is available April 17th.
Clover Hope is a Brooklyn-based writer whose work has appeared in publications like Elle, Esquire, Wired, GQ, and Vogue. She has held editorial roles at Billboard, Vibe, XXL, Jezebel, and Pitchfork. She is the author of the award-winning The Motherlode: 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop, the first comprehensive history of women rappers. Her creative production work includes co-writing on Beyoncé’s Emmy-winning visual film Black Is King and the Hulu docuseries RapCaviar Presents.
Roxanne Shanté is a pioneering American hip-hop artist from Queens, NY, known as one of the first female battle rappers. At the height of her career, Shante was referred to as the “Queen of Rap” by The New York Times and has been noted as a hip-hop pioneer. The Sunday Times credited her for popularizing diss tracks. Billboard editor Natalie Weiner wrote that Shanté’s “blazingly male-shaming diss track” and “hip-hop’s first recorded beef” helped move hip-hop further toward the mainstream, calling her “rap’s first female star.” In 2025, Shante became the first solo female rap artist to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and hosts the daily show Have A Nice Day (on Rock The Bells, via SiriusXM).