Arguably the voice and sound of a generation, Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott went from background vocalist to guest star rapper to ushering in a completely different visual style and sonic reckoning that devastated pop charts the world over. Her work as a writer on Aaliyah’s mid-1990s sophomore album, One in a Million, launched a thousand artists since then and still sounds otherworldly and futuristic today in 2022.  

The five-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer is also the first woman rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, which makes her work behind the boards instantly immeasurable. Through her own work, she carried hip hop culture into an Afrofuturistic wave before it became popular. She branched together Black music traditions from Motown to Parliament-Funkadelic to hip hop, blending distinct voices and personalities along the way to become a true-and-living immortal in music.  

Get a taste of Missy Elliott with: Monica’s “So Gone,” Keyshia Cole’s “Let It Go,” 702’s “Steelo”

Speaking of Motown, most people immediately think of mainstay producers such as Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, or Marvin Gaye, when it comes to describing “the sound of young America.” In actuality, a name that, unceremoniously, gets left on the cutting room floor is Iris Gordy. The daughter of Fuller Gordy (Berry’s older brother), Iris Gordy was the bridge between the sonics as she ushered in a new era of funk, soul, and R&B that kept the Detroit-founded label’s doors open with new talent from the likes of Rick James, DeBarge, and Teena Marie.  

Alongside another legendary Motown executive, Suzanne de Passe, Iris Gordy’s accomplishment as a producer includes curating the soundtrack for 1972’s Lady Sings the Blues, which hit #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart and #2 on the R&B Albums Chart. As a board member of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation, Iris Gordy’s remarkable work as a songwriter and producer will forever be an indelible part of music history that opened the wave for others who came after her.

Get a taste of Iris Gordy with: The Originals’ “The Bells,” DeBarge’s “All This Love,” Tata Vega’s “Just as Long as There is You”

Sylvia Robinson Dubbed as “The Mother of Hip Hop,” Sylvia Robinson is responsible for how we view, listen to, and consume rap music as we know it today. Embedded in the music of the 1960s, as an artist, Robinson was formerly a part of the group of Mickey & Sylvia and saw the language of the streets shifting in an intriguing way. In 1982, she partnered up with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five to produce “The Message,” which was one of the most important records in hip hop’s formative history.

It is an essential footnote to mark since she also created The Sugarhill Gang and gave the world what has been regarded as the inaugural rap recording, “Rapper’s Delight,” a song that still gets played at the cookout no matter who is invited.  A pioneer in every sense of the word, “Little Sylvia” also co-wrote and produced The Moments’ “Love on a Two-Way Street,” Shirley & Company, “Shame, Shame, Shame,” and composed “Funk You Up,” which was the first rap record by an all-female group, The Sequence, better known as Angie Stone’s first recorded appearance. 

That song’s influence has lived on through samples by Dr. Dre (“Keep Their Heads Ringin’”), Erykah Badu (“Love of My Life Worldwide”), and De La Soul (“This Is a Recording 4 Living in a Fulltime Era”). Robinson’s impact on music is iconic, even serving as the inspiration behind everyone’s favorite snack, Cookie Lyon, played by Taraji P. Henson on Empire.

Get a taste of Sylvia Robinson with: The Moments’ “Love on a Two-Way Street,” Shirley & Company’s “Shame, Shame, Shame,” The Sequence’s “Funk You Up”

Shakari Boles has done more in music before even being legally able to drive than some of the most established artists who are twice her age. Better known as TRAKGIRL, this DMV O.G. has become an important power player within the industry. The roster of artists she has written and produced for is a proverbial who’s who of Grammy nominees (Jhené Aiko), pop culture mainstays (Omarion), and genre-defying artists (Mansions on the Moons). Her portfolio belies her musical family background and with credits including a bouquet of today’s hottest stars — Vic Mensa, Madame Gandhi, and BJ The Chicago Kid — she circumvents the heavily male-dominated industry with her skill set.  TRAKGIRL has doubled down on making those changes as a mentor and encouraging a presence for other women producers in the game. 

Inspired by Timbaland and Missy Elliott, Boles as TRAKGIRL promotes self-awareness and women empowerment through her venture, PAY US TODAY, which promotes fair pay for creatives and producers, as well as 7% Series, an invite-only event in Los Angeles which celebrates women engineers, provides speaking engagements, and producer clinics.  According to Billboard.com, the event’s name is inspired by the statistic that less than 7 percent of recording producers and engineers are women. With the backing of such places as TIDAL, Georgetown University, and Spotify, TRAKGIRL is a shining light to others and deserves to be lauded for all the work she has done.

Get a taste of TRAKGIRL with: Jhené Aiko’s “Overstimulated,” Dawn Richard’s “Slim Thicc,” 24hrs’ “Sinner”

Canada’s own living legend, Ebony Oshunrinde, has a résumé that most veteran producers would desire. Best known as WondaGurl, Oshunrinde famously won Toronto’s competitive Battle of the Beatmakers in 2012, before hitting the tender age of 20 years old. She was behind the boards, instructing Jay-Z (“Crown”), Drake (“Used To” feat. Lil Wayne), and Rihanna (“BBHMM”) to hit all the right notes. A protégé of Boi-1da, WondaGurl was also one of the first people to closely work with Travis Scott when she was 16, eventually producing her first Top 40 hit single, “Antidote,” which would then lead to her being featured as one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30. She is also one of the youngest women to add production to a platinum-selling hip hop album and motivated for more.

As the owner of her own record label and publishing company, Wonderchild Music, Oshunrinde continues to make waves in the music industry. With a discography full of hits, her unique style of production continues to be in high demand, especially now that she’s under the Sony/ATV music umbrella. Most recently, she was announced as a mentor for 2022’s #YouTubeBlack Voices Music Class, where she utilizes the global program to provide support to artists on the verge of success. True to her name, WondaGurl continues to promote astonishment and curiosity within her community of women producers and way beyond.

Get a taste of WondaGurl with: Pop Smoke’s “Aim for the Moon,” Travis Scott’s “Antidote,” Jay-Z’s “Crown”