Herstory in the Making

Three years after crashing the rap mainstream with her tough stance and hardcore rhymes, New York rapper Young M.A released her official studio debut, Herstory in the Making. The loftily titled set maintained focus on the artist herself, with M.A taking center stage with unflinching, biographical tales that chronicled her struggles, sexual orientation, and rapid rise to fame. Her effortless delivery and grit keep Herstory firmly grounded in reality, balancing the confessional and the hardcore on tracks such as "Kold World," "She Like I'm Like," "Numb," and "Bipolar." Upon release, Herstory in the Making debuted at number 16 on the Billboard 200. ~ Neil Z. Yeung