Rappers Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are putting out hit after hit on the music charts.

They're making lots of money and causing lots of controversy with a style some say is way too explicit.

"They are being provocative,” said author and hip-hop journalist Clover Hope. "We saw how they dominated the Grammys with their performance of "WAP" and we also saw the outrage afterward. But, hip-hop is full of these stories of women pushing the envelope."

What You Need To Know

  • Nicki Minaj and Cardi B come from a long line of NYC female rappers, a topic explored in Clover Hope's new book

  • Her new book on hip-hop documents the contributions women and girls have made through the years in a billion-dollar rap industry

  • Hope says female hip-hop artists were there at the beginning of the culture in the 70's, and wants to share their legacy with hip-hop listeners

Hope says people should not be surprised that women in hip-hop are telling stories and entertaining the way they want to.

"Being provocative is not new and hip-hop - this is a culture that is built on being outspoken,” she said.

Female rappers who earn millions of dollars today are standing on the shoulders of women from decades ago who broke down barriers in the male dominated music genre.

In her new book, "The Motherlode, 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop," Hope writes about the backgrounds of a dozen artists. Some you may not know about.

"It starts in the 70’s, the beginning of hip-hop, breakdancing, DJing, graffiti. Women, girls were involved with all of that from the beginning,” Hope said.

The book highlights MC Sha-Rock who is called the mother of the mic, and was rhyming with male emcees back in 1979.

Then artists like Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliot, Lil' Kim and others came along in the 80's, 90's and early 2000s.

Hope who grew up in Queens and lives in Brooklyn wants to connect the dots when it comes to the matriarchs of hip-hop.

"Who are the women who laid the foundation, who are the women who started this culture and how does that connect to the women who are rapping today,” Hope said.

She says she was thrilled to learn new facts about the women and teenage girls who helped to build hip-hop to where it is today, including a song that came out in 1988 and helped Dr. Dre, who is now one of the richest rappers and producers in the world.

"J.J. Fad had a role in they had that huge single "Supersonic.” They also had a role in funding early NWA records. And helping Dr. Dre and Eazy-E get those records made because of the success of Super Sonic,” she added.

Hope says this is history about women in hip-hop and rap that needs to be told.