While the Donald Trump era has brought about some less-than-favorable moments in the past year, Rapsody believes it’s still inspired togetherness in Hip Hop.
During an appearance on Larry King Now, the North Carolina MC was asked by this host if times like this make Hip Hop better or worse. Rapsody explained that artists from various sub-genres in Hip Hop, female artists and others have started to come together musically.
“I think musically it makes it better,” Rapsody said. “There comes a time, especially when it’s bad and you can’t ignore it, you have to speak on it because we’re all affected by it. Now, you just see these movements and people are coming together more. Even in rap.”
“People like to divide rap,” she continues. “From underground or socially conscious. But I see artists coming together now more. I see women coming together. So, these times, I think they definitely bring us together more. And when we’re together and we see our power with that, even musically. I think the best music is made with a bunch of people.”
As Rapsody continued to speak on division and unity, she also addressed her Grammy nomination in the Best Rap Album category for Laila’s Wisdom, one of HipHopDX’s Best Rap Albums of 2017. She’s the sole woman nominated in the category alongside JAY-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Migos, and Tyler The Creator.
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Rapsody considers the nomination bittersweet due to the perceived “there can only be one” approach when it comes to female lyricists.
“I think there are less women on a mainstream level,” she said. “There are women in Hip Hop, but you have to dig and find them … This new era, it seems like there can only be one at a time. So, it’s bittersweet in that I wish that there are more women that get put in these categories with these men. And don’t get saved for ‘Oh, these are the best females of rap’ or ‘This is the best female of this year.'”
“So, it’s bittersweet in that moment,” she adds. “But at the same time, to be one of those women that breaks through and says that, ‘We can compete with men and we are just as good as men.'”
We’ll see if Rapsody takes home the Grammy for Best Rap Album when the annual awards show airs on January 28 at 4:30 p.m. PST.
