“Sell outs”.

Ask hip hop’s reigning highnesses – Lil’ Kim, Missy Elliott, and Nicki Minaj – and they can attest to being titled such at some point in their illustrious careers (the latter more than her rap predecessors).

Indeed, in the heavily male-dominated genre of rap, trying to “hang with the boys” has either constituted hypermasculinization or explicitly detailing bedroom antics.  Either way, rap’s estrogenic entities have had to take the extreme route often to little notoriety…

But, as artists like Elliott and Kim began to straddle the genre fences by collaborating with pop’s heaviest hitmakers, they found their social profile rising as well.  Such formula is one a certain Nicki Minaj has seemingly subscribed to and perfected as her pop potion has reeled in many-a-patron.  Conversely, her “harder” hip hop servings seem less desired by the general public despite cries of fans and spectators alike for the return of “the old Nicki”.

So what’s the recipe for rapstress success?

Even acts like Trina and Foxy Brown, who once found themselves camel toe to toe with the Kims and co. of yesteryear ,have found less success in their attempts to evade succumbing to pop positions – a decision that is costing them greatly. And, while a new school lay in wait to track their heels across hip hop’s female foundation, are they being taught that the formula for successful male rappers is different than that of female rappers?

For, history has shown, fewer male rappers have had to go the pop route and even when they do (i.e. Flo Rida), they are oft less respected.

So you tell us:

What is the formula to create a successful female rapper?

Your thoughts?