Lately, the ugly monster haunting hip-hop is its virtual underrepresentation of women behind mics. Now, if you’re only tuned into your local radio station, yes, you’ll be hard-pressed to hear a female holding shit down outside of Nicki Minaj. But if you’ve kept your ear to the ground, you should know the name Rapsody pretty well. Being hailed as one of the best femcees, North Carolina’s own Rapsody has finally dropped her debut EP The Idea Of Beautiful. Produced largely by her mentor 9th Wonder and the Soul Council (Khrysis, Ka$h, E. Jones, eric g, and Amp), Rapsody incorporates clever wordplay, intricate storytelling, and personal revelations into the Jamla Army sound.
Rapsody clearly has a deep, personal relationship with hip hop, as evidenced by the many subtle and overt odes to the art form. It’s not uncommon for rappers to personify hip hop, showing love to h.e.r. through dedications and celebratory lyrics. In “Precious Wings,” Rap comes to hip hop as a sanctuary, an escape from life’s confusions and pain. “Everyday is pressure, each one feeling like 22/catches, that’s some give and take/and all of if learning, tryna educate myself as I go through it like Lauryn,” she laments.
