Milwaukee native Lakeyah burst onto the hip-hop scene in 2020 along with her breakout hit, “Big Flexher,” introducing the world to one of many latest rap ladies out of the Midwest. At simply 22 years outdated, Lakeyah has solidified her place as a distinguished lady in hip-hop, rising at a time when rising stars like Latto, GloRilla, Doechii, and others are additionally placing on for girls in hip-hop.
So far, she’s launched a handful of full-length initiatives (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 couple 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 on the lives of prime influencers like herself. With that title to her title, 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 a number of listening to music. After all, I really feel like everyone after they come throughout music — it is from their dad and mom or folks that they are round so much. I used to be at all times in the home with my mother, and he or she listened to a number of Wale and Rick Ross. I am telling you, these are my prime two male artists. After which, after all, I noticed Nicki Minaj. I feel the primary tune exterior of “Itty Bitty Piggy” that I heard was “Right Thru Me.” I used to be like, my woman 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 concerning the bars impressed me. I really like any individual that cares about lyrics, as a result of I began with poetry. So on the subject of that, I am tremendous severe about it, and he or she respects expertise. Any hip-hop artist that is doing that, I am like in love with it.
I simply love the people who paved the best way. They’re tremendous essential for ladies like me, as a result of have a look at the business proper now: so many individuals, so many sorts of illustration for every woman.
“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 any individual 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 daily — it is a new feminine artist popping out, whether or not it is rap or R&B, and he or she’s actually opening the lane for herself and conquering it. I simply love that, as a result of once 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. After I was doing it once 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 searching for feminine artists to interrupt. I simply love that.
Each time I meet a brand new woman, 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 a number of stuff, whether or not it’s with labels or followers or feedback you gotta take care of on the web, folks’s opinions daily. So once you’re with ladies which are so supportive, it makes it a lot simpler to be doing this, and it feels enjoyable. Prefer it’s not a job daily.
In an ideal world, the way forward for hip-hop can be no males, all ladies. Let’s simply get them out the door. The proper world is feminine collaborations within the business, for positive. Extra ladies taking on the spots that they deserve. Extra ladies CEOs having report labels. I’d like to see that. All feminine excursions, sh*t like that. My headliner would positively be Nicki and Cardi B, and so they must do their large one. I would combine it up with Summer time Walker and Tink, too, as a result of I would wish to steadiness that. After which add some new ladies to house it out, like Latto, me, Maiya the Don, and simply end out the present. Rock out.
