My affinity for late 80s and early 90s hip hop is well documented. One of the most underrated groups of that time was JJ Fad. Essentially they were one hit wonders, but they came from the same school of thought as Salt n' Pepa, who are legends. Aesthetically, they even look the same with the oversized jackets, tight pants and bamboo earrings.
If I were more of an academic (read: had more time) I would happily write a paper about feminist figures in the early years of hip-hop. JJ Fad would certainly be included. They were assertive without being aggressive and lyrical without being crude.
Larger issue: why are there no JJ Fads and Salt n' Pepas today? The bizarre Girl Power fad of the late 90s which spawned the Spice Girls was certainly not what I had in mind in terms of positive female role models in music.
