Black women have positioned themselves as an influential force in the music industry and an essential element within our nation's popular culture. Queen Latifah is one of the biggest influences in the music industry, mainly because she came in at such a young age and has since transformed herself into a successful individual. She released her album, "All Hail the Queen" at a young age. The album had feminist themes that attracted a wide audience. Queen Latifah wanted to be respected and did not agree with misogyny. “I had a problem with [misogyny]. I was never the kind of person that was going to take something lying down,” she said. “And maybe that’s my father’s influence on me. I just was raised to protect myself and stand up for myself and speak my mind and be true. And even if I had to stand alone, I was to do that.” Queen Latifah promoted women's importance, demanding equal treatment of women, and the importance of women supporting each other. She was the first female MC to ever go gold which paved the way for other women rappers. "Black Reign" was her most popular album and included her biggest single, U.N.I.T.Y, which won a Grammy for Best Solo Rap Performance. Another independent contemporary music artist is Rihanna. She has won six Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, and twenty-two Billboard Music Awards. She's the youngest solo artist to have 13 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Rihanna created a foundation to help terminally ill children. She has also supported charities and foundations to help build a breast cancer screening and treatment centre. Rihanna was named 2017 Harvard University Humanitarian of the year. Alicia Keys has been called a modern Renaissance woman. Alicia Keys is a feminist who believes in advocating for women's rights and regarding political, social, and economical rights. She has won 14 Grammy awards and has co-founded the Keep a Child Alive foundation. She started the foundation to make treatment available to people in Africa and to focus on children by supporting clinics that provided this treatment. Kehlani who comes from the Bay was influenced by growing up in "the hood". She is openly bisexual and her music is about both male and female significant others. Kehlani has been opened about her life period, about her sexuality, relationships, her depression, being slut shamed, and her music. Many women are ridiculed for telling and doing so much but Kehlani stands up and stands out.