Ceechynaa: Breaking The Male Dominated Industry Glass Ceiling
19 Dec 2024
This year we have seen several key trends shape the music charts. Genre-blending continued to rise, with artists merging pop, hip-hop, and electronic influences, making for more dynamic, cross-genre hits. Little Simz and Coldplay, both made the charts a home while TikTok’s influence remained strong, with viral trends pushing songs to the top of the charts almost overnight.
Releasing music during the festive period is often avoided by emerging artists trying to breakthrough, as it’s seen as one of the toughest times to make an impact on the charts. The charts are flooded with Christmas singles, and there’s that one yearly joke about Mariah Carey collecting her check from her 1994 single, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Yet, this year, Ceechynaa’s “Peggy” is the anomaly, entering at number 79 in the UK Charts, marking her debut charting single during this crowded period.
Highlighting a broader challenge: how difficult it has been for UK female rappers to break into the mainstream. As we know, male rappers have long dominated the music charts, and for me, the last reason for this is the idea that they are more talented. It’s a reflection of the deep-rooted misogyny within the UK music scene—where male voices are amplified, and female voices are often sidelined or scrutinised more harshly. We must look at the mistakes of the past and ensure we don’t carry them into our future.
Having seen countless trends and artists come and go through Mixtape Madness, I’ve always been drawn to the anomalies—the moments when something unexpected breaks through. Ceechynaa’s rise with “Peggy” is exactly that. This moment is made even more significant when we consider the difference between the UK and the US in how female rap is received. In the US, artists like Lil Kim, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, and Nicki Minaj have paved the way for women to embrace bold, explicit lyrics without facing backlash. However, in the UK, female rappers often face more scrutiny when they adopt a similar approach, with audiences less accepting of explicit content from women.
Being from Tottenham, I take immense pride in our Black musical legacy. I’m showing my age here, but if I think back to the ’80s with groups like The Demon Boys, through to the Grime and Garage eras with names like Boy Better Know, Wretch 32, and Chip, and then moving into the Drill era with the rise of artists like Headie One, it’s clear that the area has a rich, vibrant history of Black music. But the harsh reality is that the only platform truly acknowledging this history is Tim Westwood TV, we all know how that story played out, but that platform played a significant role in amplifying the voices of Tottenham and the wider Black musical culture.
Now, as we move forward, it’s essential that we not only empower female artists but also support the platforms that amplify their stories. There’s real power in ensuring that women, especially in the genres where they’ve been historically overlooked, are given the same respect, opportunities, and platforms to tell their/our stories.
We’ve seen how male-dominated narratives have played out in the past, and it’s time to build something that recognises and celebrates the full spectrum of talent, history, and culture—one that includes and uplifts women just as much as men.
Ceechynaa might not be your cup of tea but BXKS, Chy Cartier (deservedly MOBO Best Newcomer Nominated) and Vienna1 illustrate the diverse range sounds, flows, cadence, narratives and more that the new generation of female artists are bringing to the table. Let’s not TeeZandos and Cristale’s PluggedIn is arguably one of the best UK freestyles to drop in the last 2 years.
For me, watching Ceechynaa’s rise is a reminder that we’re living through a moment of change in the music industry. It’s not just about seeing more women on the charts; it’s about seeing women take control of their own narratives and redefine what it means to be a woman in music.
As Ceechynaa continues to make her mark, it’s clear that she’s leading this charge, and I’m excited to see where she—and the many other women following in her footsteps—will go next.
Words by Kwabz Oduro Ayim