On July 31, 2024, Spotify honored many female hip-hop artists in its new art exhibition “The Gold Standard” in New York City. The exhibit aimed to pay homage to female rappers currently “setting the bar” in hip-hop, showcasing framed paintings of the rappers with a biography explaining their careers.

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When Spotify unveiled its exhibit on social media on August 1, it was met with a backlash from people claiming it omitted several famous female artists like Nicki Minaj, Missy Elliott, Lil Kim, and Lauryn Hill, among others. One person tweeted,

“where is lil kim, nicki minaj, missy elliot, lauryn hill, iggy, salt n pepa. if this is the bar then the bar is an inch off the floor.”

This sentiment was shared by many, who called Spotify’s lineup of artists embarrassing.

“Spotify isn’t only weird for this, but unprofessional. Embarrassing,” one person tweeted.

“they set the bar in the pits of HELL,” a user wrote.

“nobody taking this seriously i’m crying,” another netizen commented.

Others commented on the artists included while calling out the streaming platform for not adding their faves.

“saweetie ??? setting the bar for hip hop IJBOLLLK,” one person said.

“yung miami but no jt and nicki minaj not present? Spotify is nasty for this,” another user added.

However, some concurred the exhibit was to honor the newer/younger artists, a category that Nicki Minaj and other prolific rappers did not fit into because of their experience and longevity in the industry.

“Don’t y’all think it would be a little insulting to put Nicki with these people? Just a little? She would need her own room with pictures full for herself,” one person commented.

“This shows once again that Nicki Minaj is one of the best artist in Hip Hop History,” another fan added.

Spotify’s “The Gold Standard” exhibit included Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B and Doja Cat

Spotify’s exhibit ‘The Gold Standard’ was unveiled on July 31 at The Hole in New York City to honor female artists who have set the bar in hip-hop. The artists featured in the exhibit included Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Doja Cat, Sexyy Red, Ice Spice, Flo Milli, Latto, GloRilla, the City Girls, and Saweetie.

Mali-born artist Manon Biernacki painted the artworks. According to Hip Hop Wired, she said the series allowed her to “honor and uplift voices”, adding,

“As an artist with a rich cultural background, I am passionate about celebrating the origins and stories of diverse female artists. Projects like The Gold Standard series allow me to honor and uplift voices that resonate with my own experiences and heritage.”

The free exhibit welcomed people to look around, encouraging visitors to take pictures of the paintings and learn more about the rappers from their biographies. The exhibit also provided an array of food and was covered with mirrors with the words “Feelin’ Myself” on them, where visitors could take selfies. Visitors were also given pamphlets that mirrored a replication of the rappers’ paintings, with a QR code in the back that would take them directly to said rappers’ Spotify playlists.

The central exhibit drew inspiration from Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel paintings, with all the female rappers painted on a cloudy backdrop. The room was also filled with cloud-like decoration, with chairs in front of the main artwork for people to take pictures.

A reel on Spotify’s Instagram page showcased Flo Milli, Latto, and Sexyy Red visiting the exhibit and taking pictures with their paintings. The three rappers also took a group photo in front of the main artwork. The post was captioned,

“Scenes from The Gold Standard Exhibition, featuring fine art portraits of the ladies setting the bar for hip-hop. Oh, and a few of the subjects pulled up.”

The exhibit, announced in July, was touted as a “fine art show dedicated to the current golden era of women in hip-hop” on Spotify’s TikTok page.