A shout-out to the women ushering in a new, loud era of style across basketball and music. 

As everyone searches for the song of this summer, there’s an undeniable presence of songs by women rappers being up for consideration. A quick browse at the Billboard Hot 100 rankings– or the players’ TikToks, Instagram captions, and pre-draft playlists– includes tracks from popular rappers like Latto, Cardi B, Ice Spice, Kali, Coi Leray, and more. These women are known for their attitude; empowering approach to style; and an overall fearlessness in how they approach a traditionally male-dominated genre. While the league has built an official bridge with women in rap through the “More Than Game” creative campaign with Coi Leray, the rise of women as rappers and ballers contains many style parallels.

Falling under the theme of women supporting other women, rappers and basketball players aren’t afraid to co-sign one another in the most mainstream opportunities. Fans of either realm were excited to see A’ja Wilson playing against Saweetie in a one-on-one game in her “Fast Motion” music video from 2021. Both women are supersized, which may reference their ability to impact the culture on a level larger than either of the games they represent. 

Earlier this month, Cardi B made a buzzy reference to viral moments in women’s college basketball, “I’ve been ballin’ so damn hard, could’ve went to LSU,” in her feature on Latto’s “Put It On Da Floor Again.” When the song’s music video finally dropped, the online response was focused on a cameo from college player Angel Reese, who’s seen in a Y2K-inspired outfit with both rappers. Stylist Maddie Igoby, who also works with Sparks player Zia Cooke, shares details about the video’s eye-catching outfit: “I wanted the look to scream Angel. Most of her pieces were thrifted the day before the shoot, I even made her fur boots the night before we had to be on set.”

Igoby also points out the similarities between Reese and Latto, they “both have amazing confidence, which made the shoot so authentic, and their chemistry was immaculate together. Two different industries, yet both were so confident, it was truly amazing to watch.” Although WNBA fans may have noticed pre-game tunnel outfits that feel similar to Reese’s music video look, there are nuances when personalizing a player’s style for different settings. When styling for music videos, Igoby focuses on connecting with the artist’s stylist to achieve the “theme of the video’s concept.” For pre-game fits, her goal is to “give [players] a confidence boost for the game.” In either case, she keeps them as fly as possible because “the better they feel, the better they’ll play.”

In previous scholarship around the style impact of women rappers, Elizabeth Way, assistant curator at the Museum at FIT, shares that “in the early days, the women dressed very similarly to the men. It was a very androgynous look.” By dressing this way, women rappers were striving to create a more “equal playing field… it’s only slowly over time, where [they] start to gain the respect and the confidence that they’re able to bring in more of their femininity and amplify what was always there: the jewelry, the hair, and the makeup.” This sartorial development can also be felt in the league’s history– studying earlier tunnel fits shows more players drawn to typical athletic outfits and baggy, men’s clothing. In recent seasons, it’s common to see WNBA players in micro-mini skirts, crop tops, heels, large hoops, and other types of styling that highlight their femininity (when players want to). 

Apart from these off-court moments of intersection, more of these young, bold women who rap have also been spotted at WNBA games this season. There’s been Coi Leray, attending and performing at halftime at a Las Vegas Aces’ first game on May 27, then Baby Tate performing at halftime for the Atlanta Dream on May 28. With New York City as a natural hip-hop hot spot, fans have also seen Lola Brooke sitting courtside at a New York Liberty Game on June 11, and R&B artist H.E.R. sitting courtside for the Liberty Dream matchup on June 13. From customized headwear to blinged-out footwear, each of these celebrity game sightings also provides epic style moments through a distinct women’s lens. 

While musical artists have a greater element of spectacle prescribed to their public personas when compared to athletes, these women who rap can provide a source of style inspiration for WNBA players. Looking at the way that rappers’ outfits can enhance confidence, Igoby points out the following style tips for players: “Don’t filter yourself for anyone. Don’t ever feel like you need approval to wear something just because of the career path you’re in. Wear what you want before the game, and set trends. Never follow them.” 

Throughout this season, keep an eye out for upcoming halftime performances and more hip-hop sightings at games. For more reading about the ways that the cultures around hip-hop and the W connect, re-visit this article from last season. 

WNBA reporter Kirsten Chen writes a lifestyle & fashion column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter through @hotgothwriter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs