I’ve been following the Hennessy Cypher for years, and while it’s become one of Africa’s biggest rap platforms, one thing continues to bother me: where are the women?
Before anyone gets defensive, let me be clear, I have nothing but respect for Hennessy as a brand. From the days of 2Pac and Hip-Hop’s golden era to its continued investment in African music and culture today, Hennessy has consistently shown up for creatives. The brand has evolved with the culture, supporting everything from rap to Amapiano. This isn’t an attack on Hennessy; it’s a conversation with the hip-hop community about one of its flagship platforms.
The Hennessy Cypher has given us unforgettable moments over the years. We’ve seen elite lyricists such as Sarkodie, M.I Abaga, Vector, Ladipoe, Blaqbonez, Khaligraph Jones, M.anifest, A-Reece, Maglera Doe Boy, Didi B, Young Lunya, Joey B, Octopizzo and many more remind us why lyricism still matters on the continent. Country editions have also showcased incredible talent from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and beyond.
But when you look at the representation of women, the list becomes alarmingly short. Across multiple editions, only a handful of women have featured prominently —Ms Banks, Femi One, Phlow, Laudreyes and Xtatic. That’s a striking imbalance for a platform that’s marketed as celebrating African hip-hop.
The frustrating part is that Africa is overflowing with women who can rap at the highest level. I say this confidently because, for the past four years, I’ve profiled one woman in hip-hop from somewhere on the continent almost every month through Women in African Hip-Hop. I’ve spent years discovering and documenting incredible MCs from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Eswatini and beyond.
Trust me, they exist. So the question isn’t whether the talent is there. The question is: what is the selection process? Who chooses the rappers? Is it Hennessy’s internal team? Is it partner agencies in each country? Is it labels? PR agencies? Friends of the brand? Trending names? Or is there a clear set of criteria based purely on lyrical ability?
Greater transparency would answer many of the questions fans continue to ask every year. Another issue is geographical representation. Nigeria has understandably been central to the platform since its inception, but Africa’s hip-hop ecosystem has grown tremendously. Why not rotate more countries? Why not see elite lyricists from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Tunisia, Botswana, Namibia, Eswatini, Zambia or Mozambique get the same spotlight?
A pan-African cypher should continuously expand the map, not just revisit the same territories. One of the platform’s biggest missteps, in my opinion, came when it attempted to merge Amapiano into the cypher format. While experimentation is important, hip-hop audiences come to a cypher for one thing: bars. The numbers reflected that disconnect. Previous cyphers comfortably reached millions of views because they stayed true to lyricism. Fans weren’t asking for a genre crossover, they were asking for elite MCs standing in front of a microphone proving why they belong there.
Hip-hop has always been about skill first. As we approach another Hennessy Cypher, I hope the organisers widen the lens. Not because diversity is trendy, but because it’s an accurate reflection of the talent already thriving across the continent. Personally, I’d love to see someone like ZuluMecca represent South Africa while carrying the flag for African women. There are dozens of names deserving of that platform if the selection process truly prioritises lyricism.
At the end of the day, this comes from a place of respect. The Hennessy Cypher remains one of Africa’s most important hip-hop initiatives, and it deserves credit for investing in the culture year after year. But the best platforms don’t stay great by repeating the same formula, they evolve. Hip-hop deserves broader representation, Women deserve more opportunities, fans deserve transparency. And if Hennessy can address those three things, the cypher won’t just remain relevant, it’ll become the definitive celebration of African lyricism that it’s always had the potential to be.