Lakeyah, returns with her fiery new single ‘No Hesitation.’ Right out the gate, Lakeyah stacks flex on top of flex, leaving little doubt that she lives up to the song’s title: “If I want it, I’ma cop it wit no hesitation/He got a bag then he gon’ drop it wit no hesitation/I cut ‘em off, bh I got options, ain’t no hesitation/I’m that bh, so I can pop it wit no hesitation. From there, ominous piano keys and spaced out effects set the stage for Lakeyah’s gritty, unadulterated bars. The accompanying video, directed by 20K Visuals, provides a case and point as to why the Milwaukee-bred rapper feels the need to shed any hesitation and truly express how she feels.
British hip-hop artist Speech Debelle is back in the spotlight with her latest single, ’11:11′, taken from her fourth studio album, Sunday Dinner On a Monday, which is out now. This album marked a significant return to the music scene for the critically acclaimed artist, whose career took off with her Mercury Prize-winning debut album, Speech Therapy, in 2009. ’11:11′ is a track that encapsulates elegance, grace, bravado and rap. Produced by Skripture, with additional production by Dem Drums, the song exudes the energy reminiscent of classic hip-hop. The single arrives alongside an equally impressive music video directed by Aiden Harmitt-Williams. Speaking about ’11:11′, Speech Debelle says, “The track reminded me instantly of classic hip-hop. It has that energy that makes you want to let everyone know what you as a rapper are meant to do with a beat.” ’11:11′ is a testament to Speech’s continued creativity and her ability to evolve as an artist while staying true to her unique style.
One month after Australia voted ‘no’ to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, rapper and Malyangapa, Barkindji woman Barkaa has dropped a clapback with the cutting single ‘Division’. ‘Division’ was made before the results were released, and Barkaa had originally hoped that the track would never see the light of day. But as the prospect of a no vote became clear on October 14, she began to ready it for release. In a press statement Barkaa says, “I was just so sad. But then a part of me was like, ‘At least I’m not crazy. Everything I’ve been feeling is real, is the truth. The nation’s rejection of us confirms it.” The accompanying video shows Barkaa ferociously rapping to a man wearing a cap in the Australian green and gold. They sit across from each other, making direct eye contact, as she spits: “I don’t want your table, fuck your table and its weak legs / Fuck your constitution, you can keep it for them rednecks / And everytime you look at us, I hope it makes you fuckers sweat.” [via NME]
Brooklyn star Lola Brooke has released her debut album Dennis Daughter and its third single and music video, ‘Don’t Get Me Started’ featuring Coi Leray and Nija. The Jersey-club inspired track received video treatment from director Ben Mark, showing Lola, Coi and singer/songwriter Nija taking over the streets of Downtown Newark, NJ and Times Square. The high-energy visual sees bikers and club-dancers matching the mood of the tune, as they hit signature Jersey moves like the “running man,” “rock ya hips” and “sexy walk.” [via VIBE]
After recently releasing a collaborative project, The Am3rican Dream, with Jay Worthy and Harry Fraud, Kamaiyah is back with a new single and video for ‘Groupies.’ Along with the new single and video, Kamaiyah has also announced her new album Another Summer Night. The former XXL Freshmen Class member’s swagger and charismatic raps shine through on Another Summer Night, and the funky, freaky spirit of her hometown of Oakland remains a core and vital element in her music. Another Summer Night features appearances from Jay Worthy and 03 Greedo. [via Broadway World]
Atlanta rapper/singer/actress and self-proclaimed “theater kid” Baby Tate snatches follicles in a dramatic lip sync competition for ‘Wig,’ inspired by RuPaul’s hit series Drag Race. It’s an anthemic song from her newly released EP, Baby Tate Presents — Sexploration: The Musical. To start things off, Baby Tate dedicates the vignette to members of the trans, drag, and nonbinary communities. From there, she plays a judge alongside Grammy-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter and RuPaul’s Drag Race star Luxx Noir London, in an electric lip sync battle that includes spirited dancing, colorful wigs, and feisty competitors who aren’t afraid to snatch them. The hook itself is an incessant command that becomes an engrossing chant. “Gimme your wig, wig, wig, wig,” she repeats over a thumping baseline. The video aligns with the song’s mischievous lyrics and jumpy piano; the animated miming — and the judges’ reaction to it — creates an epic exhibition in camp. As imaginative as it is braggadocious, the video is a fitting visual manifestation of Baby Tate’s technicolor mind — a fertile ground where impulse and big ideas become the stuff of theater. It’s just the latest example of the creativity that powers her latest project. [via Broadway World]
