All-Girl Group Raps For Women's Rights

Meet Tigresse Flow, a group of female rappers in Morocco who are pushing the boundaries of what is deemed acceptable for women in the country.

Below is a video (apologies for the poor quality) of Tigresse Flow performing their hit “Maghribiya” (Moroccan Woman). The group members, Miss ND, Soltana and Miss Wiba, didn’t always plan to go into music, and only started rapping after a fruitless job search. They got their big break in 2008 when they received several awards, one at the Mawazine music festival in Rabat and another at a rap gathering “Ouf de Bled.” Their prize for winning the Mawazine music festival included funding for their first album and video.

Although the number of pop concerts and music festivals are said to be steadily growing in Morocco, they are not universally welcomed. Moroccan Islamist politicians have claimed that the concerts encourage immoral behavior, including heavy drinking and promiscuity.

The ladies of Tigresse Flow, however, do not swear or rap about their sexual exploits. Their songs do not even have what Reuters terms the “bling attitude” common to American rappers. Instead, they address violence, unemployment, poverty, and women’s rights. “Most of our fans are women and they are who we’re aiming at,” said Miss MD. “We rap about the problems of our generation — unemployment, violence — but also about joy and all the good times we’ve had together.”