“Yo yo Redman! What the fuck, man? Get the fuck off that punk shit! Get with that rough shit! You know how we do…”
With those unforgettable words, Gloria “Hurricane G” Rodriguez made her mark on Redman’s 1992 classic Tonight’s Da Night, introducing the world to one of Hip-Hop’s most distinctive female voices. Her commanding tone and unapologetic attitude would become a lasting part of Def Squad and East Coast Hip-Hop history.
On this date in 2022, Hurricane G passed away in hospice care after a long battle with lung cancer. She was 52. Her passing marked the loss of not only a pioneering Puerto Rican emcee but also a trailblazer who helped redefine the role of women in the male-dominated rap world of the 1990s.
Her 1997 debut album All Woman cemented her as a lyrical force with cultural depth. Its lead single “Somebody Else,” sampling The Jones Girls’ 1979 hit “You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else,” broke into the Top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Singles chart, blending street grit with soulful introspection. The album also featured appearances from Hit Squad affiliates Das EFX, reflecting the tight-knit energy of that era’s New York rap scene.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Hurricane G built her reputation as a fierce collaborator, lending verses and vocals to projects by Diddy, Smif-N-Wessun, Thirstin Howl III, Tony Touch, and others. She shared both personal and professional ties with EPMD legend Erick Sermon, with whom she had a daughter.
Following her passing, Sermon took to social media to honor her legacy, writing, “My heart is hardened today. One of my good friends… my oldest daughter’s mother passed away today. #HURRICANEGLORIA was also a legend in her own right in the Hip-Hop community. One of the first Puerto Rican female rappers. She rapped with me, @redmangilla — she paved the way.”
Hurricane G’s voice, raw, real, and resolute, still echoes through the culture she helped build. Her presence remains immortal in every verse she delivered and every mic she blessed.