Best Female Rapper – 2012 TheDrop.fm Music Awards

While some of the artists in our Best Female Artist category are established superstars -- Nicki Minaj, Trina and Lil Kim -- there were a few newcomers who made noise in the rap game in 2012. The spunky Azealia Banks and Aussie transplant Iggy Azalea brought sex and sassiness to the game, while rap newbies Angel Haze and Nitty Scott, MC made their impressions felt in the indie scene. Each are in the running for the 2012 TheDrop.fm Music Award for Best Female Artist, in addition to a few other contenders.

Nicki Minaj had a fantastic year with her second album 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded' reaching platinum status. In 2013, the Queen Barb will conquer the television game as a judge on 'American Idol.'

Azealia Banks made a name for herself in 2012, with her sexy music videos and her critically-acclaimed mixtapes '1991' and 'Fantasea.' She also managed to nab several magazine covers without even releasing a full-length studio album. Banks' sassiness, however, has gotten her in trouble on Twitter -- particularly with Jim Jones and producer Munchi -- but her social media kerfuffles seemed to have brought her more attention.

Iggy Azalea released the bombastic video 'My World' in 2011, but the Aussie rapper's name was on the tip of hip-hop heads' tongues when she inked a deal with T.I.'s Grand Hustle Records. She also became the first white female rapper to ever grace the cover of XXL magazine's Freshmen List in 2012. With Tip backing her up, and her debut LP 'The New Classic' dropping in 2013, she will soon have the world in her hands.

Another female rapper who joined a formidable rap clique is Lola Monroe. The former video vixen teamed up with Wiz Khalifa as a member of his Taylor Gang posse. While comparisons to Nicki Minaj are inevitable, Monroe has consistently stayed on her grind with mixtapes and appearing on songs with Wiz and Juicy J. Only time will tell if Monroe can shine on her own.

Closing out the list are Nitty Scott MC, Angel Haze, Jean Grae and Snow tha Product. Both Haze and Grae made their impressive debuts on the BET Hip-Hop Awards' popular "Tha Cypher" segments. The two have delivered their respective albums and mixtapes and continue to garner mainstream attention. Meanwhile, rap newbie Snow tha Product recently dropped her new mixtape, 'Good Nights and Bad Mornings.' Finally, Nitty Scott made some noise with her stellar EP 'The BoomBox Diaries, Vol 1.'

Who's got your vote for 2012′s Best Female Rapper? Vote for the artist you believe should take home TheDrop.fm’s Music Award below! Remember you can vote once per hour until the poll closes on Jan. 15, 2013, at 11:59 PM EST. Good luck!