. ♪ get down, good lord >> new jack swing was someone that could sing with the level of stevie wonderhe man that made a difference in my world ♪ >> female emcees wasn't a pop cultural phenomenon really until salt n pepa, and that blew the doors off it. ♪ what a man, what a man, what a mighty good man ♪ >> it opened up the door, well, who else are females rapping? oh. m.c. lyte. ♪ can i get a ♪ i need it, i want it >> oh. who's this queen latifah girl? oh, who is this missy? ♪ oh, missy try to maintain >> they were respected as artists. they didn't have to shake booty or wear a low-cut blouse. it changed the way we viewed things. ♪ >> to me, the best two female emcees to come out of the '90s are missy elliot and lauryn hill. ♪ never called you again >> you see the role of women in hip-hop, is it changing? like yourself? >> something that's always been there. whether or not they got the, you know, the acknowledgement they should have, they've always been there. and just now maybe they'll truly be acknowledged. ♪ guys are only ♪ about that thing, that thing, that thing ♪ >> she sings, sh