Milwaukee native Lakeyah burst onto the hip-hop scene in 2020 together with her breakout hit, “Big Flexher,” introducing the world to one of many latest rap women out of the Midwest. At simply 22 years outdated, Lakeyah has solidified her place as a outstanding lady in hip-hop, rising at a time when rising stars like Latto, GloRilla, Doechii, and others are additionally placing on for ladies in hip-hop.
To this point, she’s launched a handful of full-length tasks (2020’s “Time’s Up”; 2021’s “In Due Time” and Gangsta Grillz mixtape “My Time”; and 2022’s “No Pressure” Pts. 1 and a pair of) and hit singles, and has much more music on the best way. She’s additionally a star on BET+’s “The Impact: Atlanta” actuality collection, which seems to be on the lives of prime influencers like herself. With that title to her identify, Lakeyah has excessive hopes for her future in hip-hop, as she’s nonetheless simply getting began.
In honor of hip-hop’s fiftieth anniversary, Lakeyah displays on how she was formally launched to the tradition, the artists who’ve impressed her, and what extra she hopes to see from hip-hop sooner or later. Trace: a femcee takeover. Learn all of it, in her personal phrases, forward.
How hip-hop first got here into my life is as a result of my mother did quite a lot of listening to music. In fact, I really feel like everyone once they come throughout music — it is from their mother and father or individuals that they are round lots. I used to be at all times in the home with my mother, and she or he listened to quite a lot of Wale and Rick Ross. I am telling you, these are my prime two male artists. After which, in fact, I noticed Nicki Minaj. I feel the primary music exterior of “Itty Bitty Piggy” that I heard was “Right Thru Me.” I used to be like, my lady can sing, too? I am like, that is one thing I actually wish to do. I might see myself doing it. Singing and rapping are two issues I am gifted at, so I can simply take over this lane and I can receives a commission whereas doing it — that is what I am gonna do. Nicki being genuine and actually caring in regards to the bars impressed me. I like anyone that cares about lyrics, as a result of I began with poetry. So with regards to that, I am tremendous critical about it, and she or he respects expertise. Any hip-hop artist that is doing that, I am like in love with it.
I simply love the those that paved the best way. They’re tremendous necessary for ladies like me, as a result of take a look at the business proper now: so many individuals, so many kinds of illustration for every lady.
“The perfect world is female collaborations in the industry, for sure. More women taking over the spots that they deserve.”
I keep in mind final yr I did an interview and anyone requested me, “What do you see hip-hop being like so many years from now?” I used to be like, “I can just see so many females taking over.” We’re seeing that on daily basis — it is a new feminine artist popping out, whether or not it is rap or R&B, and she or he’s actually opening the lane for herself and conquering it. I simply love that, as a result of after I got here in — I have been doing this within the business for 3 years now — it wasn’t as many individuals to look as much as. Once I was doing it after I was youthful, like 15, I used to be discovering so many underground artists, feminine artists, that could not break by means of. Now it is really easy, and labels aren’t in search of feminine artists to interrupt. I simply love that.
Each time I meet a brand new lady, they’re so supportive of me. They inform me how lengthy they have been watching me, and so they wish to collab. It is a lot love being proven, and I actually, actually f*ck with that. Since you by no means know. We already going by means of quite a lot of stuff, whether or not it’s with labels or followers or feedback you gotta cope with on the web, individuals’s opinions on daily basis. So whenever you’re with women which might be so supportive, it makes it a lot simpler to be doing this, and it feels enjoyable. Prefer it’s not a job on daily basis.
In an ideal world, the way forward for hip-hop could be no males, all women. Let’s simply get them out the door. The proper world is feminine collaborations within the business, for positive. Extra girls taking up the spots that they deserve. Extra girls CEOs having report labels. I might like to see that. All feminine excursions, sh*t like that. My headliner would undoubtedly be Nicki and Cardi B, and so they must do their massive one. I might combine it up with Summer season Walker and Tink, too, as a result of I would wish to stability that. After which add some new women to house it out, like Latto, me, Maiya the Don, and simply end out the present. Rock out.
