Rouge Weighs In On Why There Aren’t Many Collaborations Between Female Rappers In SA Hip-Hop. South African rapper Rouge is changing the game—and the narrative—when it comes to women in hip-hop.
Following the release of her bold new single “Juicy” featuring heavyweights Nadia Nakai and Moozlie, the lyrical powerhouse opened up in a recent interview about the long-standing question: why don’t we see more collaborations between female rappers in the local hip-hop scene?
Rouge didn’t hold back. “Honestly, I think it’s just the culture—it’s a competitive sport,” she began. But instead of pointing fingers at the women themselves, she turned the spotlight on the men in the industry. “I actually blame the guys, because even when me, Nadia, Gigi Lamayne, Fifi Cooper and Moozlie were coming up, it was actually a lot of the guys who were pinning us up against each other, not actually the girls. And I think it kinda fed into that energy.”
Her latest track “Juicy” isn’t just a musical collaboration—it’s a statement. “My coming up with my single Juicy featuring Nadia Nakai and Moozlie was so important to show that we actually can [collaborate] and we don’t have to listen to what people are saying on the outside,” Rouge explained.
She also revealed that the process behind “Juicy” was refreshingly seamless and collaborative. “This has been the easiest roll-out I have ever had. The professionalism that comes from the girls in the game—setting up on time, coming to the studio, putting our heads down,” she said. “This wasn’t a situation of sending the verses—no, they came to the studio and everyone was writing together. We were showing up for each other, and we were going to events.”
Rouge believes this energy marks a turning point. “I think it’s gonna happen more often,” she said with excitement. “I’m so excited to work with the likes of K.Keed. I’m so excited to work with Zulu Mecca. People think that I’m competing again—no. I look up to those girls even if they came after me.”
Her closing message was clear, empowering, and fierce: “I think we are able to make music. It’s not about listening to the noise. Don’t listen to boys, huns.”
