Today's subject focuses on one of my favourite producers' label signees aka the best female rapper out right now, in my opinion. Meet Rapsody, a 33 year-old beautifully-talented rapper from Snow Hill, North Carolina, who is signed to 9th Wonder's Jamla label. Most of y'all may know her from her guest appearance on Kendrick Lamar's classic To Pimp a Butterfly in the standout "Complexion (A Zulu Love)" but let's take it back, so that you guys can know more about her...
Born Marlanna Evans in Wilson, North Carolina, she began her career in a group called Kooley High. During that era, she was noticed by 9th Wonder in 2005 (which was, according to him, during the release of Little Brother's The Minstrel Show), which would lead to her signing to his label, It's A Wonderful World Music Group (IWWMG) in 2008. She was first heard back in 2007 though on 9th's second album, The Dream Merchant 2, with a few interludes of her spitting at the end of tracks. Although releasing a compilation in early 2010, that consisted of her earlier music, she wouldn't officially have a big break until at the near end of the year, releasing Return of the B-Girl in early December of that year.
Released: December 7, 2010
Return of the B-Girl was released in early December of 2010, and preceded Replay, the compilation of unreleased tracks from Rapsody. It was her first solo effort released while still with Kooley High, and featured 20 tracks, with most collaborating with legends, underground rappers and some well-known artists like Mac Miller, Big Daddy Kane, Heather Victoria, Laws, King Mez and more. The mixtape clocks past 80 minutes, with production from Amp, Ka$h, E. Jones, Khrysis &, of course, 9th Wonder, and sees Rapsody with a unique style, having an earlier and more surprising voice, before switching it up on later projects
The mixtape led Rap to a better recognition, instead of being known as the only girl in Kooley High. Many legends started to reach out for her talent and wonderful lyricism. Her next mixtape, Thank H.E.R. Now would showcase her storytelling abilities, and see her working with more established artists such as Big K.R.I.T., Jean Grae, Estelle, Raekwon and more. She'd also tour with Mac Miller on the Incredibly Dope Tour, doing 15 dates, and on the Phonte & 9th Wonder tour,
With all the critical acclaim she had got from this, and how this was her significant breakthrough, is it actually very good? Considering the fact that I heard her later work first, when hearing 1 or 2 songs off this mixtape, I felt a little weird (her flow was a little different), but I got used to it. Would it be the same with the other 18 tracks or not? Well, let's find out...
1. The Intro
Yay! This isn't any of those spoken interludes at the beginning of a lot of rap albums. A nearly 7-minute song which is pure bars. For an intro, you'd expect maybe 1-3 minutes, but this is still great the way it is. With a beat courtesy of 9th, we actually hear a standout. After 9th starts off with an actual introductory verse (under the name 9thmatic; gotta admit, he was kinda wack on the mic), Rap comes through with a great and long verse that really helps set the mood, along with a long ass shoutout interlude. The beat was very impressive, and Rap killed her freaking verse. It was fire! I wished with those 6 minutes, she could've rapped another verse before shouting out everybody she knows. A very great opening!
2. 1983
This song is dedicated to her early years to now, considering that the title is her year of birth. Here, she tells the audience her story, whether it was school, family or her ambition to rap. It was a very interesting song on the tape. Her flow really impressed me here, and the way Ka$h flipped the sample was just... wow!
3. Win (feat. Rah Digga)
So Rah Digga is the first appearance on the album, as she comes on this wonderful song, with some sick scratches during the hook. Both Rap & Rah kill it, and here, Rah honestly outshines Rap, especially with her hardcore and aggressive ass flow. Even at 3 minutes, it still feels short AF, but I still love it. It's an impressive song that has an old-school vibe to it, considering the fact that a legend is on the song too. One of my favourites on the album!
4. I'm Ready (feat. Heather Victoria)
DJ Premier comes through with such a fire instrumental, as singer Heather Victoria gets hook duties on the track. It's a personal track where Rap focuses on her struggles and life in general, with 2 hot verses that had me fully bumping my head. But I always thought one thing was missing here: Premo's killer scratches! I know Heather was on the hook, but they could've been a way for him to slip his scratches in. I personally think that would've made it better. But this song is freakin' great, one of my favourites actually!
5. Blankin' Out (feat. Mac Miller)
9th provides a beat for Rap & Mac Miller to spit on, and honestly, I first thought the beat was boring and uninspiring. While it featured that smooth and soulful shit, I didn't hear the banging drums. But I actually got used to it. Rap starts off fine, and her flow is a little too weird to hear, considering hearing her later songs before these type of songs. But lemme be honest, I actually thought Mac killed this song. He actually sounded very comfortable on this beat, and he really flowed on this track more better. Obviously, in terms of lyricism, Rap was better. But Mac's flow got me in more. Overall, they both did their shit on the track, and I loved it.
6. Cherry Red Hot
When I first heard this song, words couldn't describe how disappointed I was. Hearing the blurred out sample at the beginning, while Rap was singing her hook, already got me gassed to hear the beat drop and how 9th would flip that sample. But no, it was just a loop with no added drums. But I actually got used to it, you know! This song is actually quite decent. Rap did her thing on this one, and impressed me with her sick bars. But I just expected better from the beat to be honest. I wanted it to be better than just this, especially when it came from 9th! He could've flipped it a lot more than just this. It's still a dope track though.
7. Little Things (feat. Phil Ade)
Rapsody gets singer Phil Ade on a smooth ass track, that is actually pretty dope. Rap's flow is a lot more calm and laidback flow, and Phil is on the hook duties, and does a quite decent job with it. And I kinda like it. When the track first begun, I kinda found it boring and mediocre, but I was interested in Rap's flow and style on this. And to be honest, this song actually gives good vibes. A very great track.
8. Return of the B-Girl (Mara Jade)
It's mad cos a beat not even courtesy of 9th, got me fully bumpin' my head, like MAUD! It's that good! On this title track standout, Khrysis provides a banging beat, sampling the Carl Douglas classic "Kung Fu Fighting", while Rap comes with some straight-up fire bars! It's just such a great track, and Rap really impressed me on this one. One of my favourites on the tape!
9. Love Tonight (feat. Sundown)
Eric G provides such a fire beat, that I didn't expect would have such a hardcore vibe to it. I was expecting something smooth and soulful, not this. However, that doesn't mean this track is shit! Cos it's actually pretty good, Rapsody does her thing, coming with some fire bars, and her flow is on point! Actual Proof member Sundown comes through with a nice verse, and he really does well and impresses me. But am I the only one that feels weirded out by the title? Judging from it, I wasn't expecting something hardcore and worthy of a standout, to be honest. This one really amazed me. Love this track!
10. U Sparklin'
9th Wonder comes through with a smooth ass banging instrumental, and I like it. But I was kinda bored on this one. I found it weak, to be honest. The beat is good, and I understand where Rap is getting with this track, but it's just my opinion that overall, it was meh for me. Anyway, on to the next one.
11. Make It After All
Once again, 9th comes through with a fire beat, while doing a hook as a hypeman, and this is one of the tracks I really REALLY like on the album. As I write this, I'm just bumping my head listening to this joint. The beat is dope, the sample is just tight AF, and Rap's lyricism is a lot more impressive on this as she tells her story of how she went from a normal school girl to a talented rapper on 9th's label. It's a great track, which explains her life in a very interesting way while the banging beat plays. One of my favourites on the mixtape.
12. You Make Me Say (feat. Heather Victoria)
The lovely and beautiful Heather Victoria makes a second appearance on the tape, as her & Rap make a soft ass track about that someone that makes them happy and feel special. While Heather comes with her soft and amazing vocals on the hook, Rap really impresses me with the verses, while the dope instrumental from 9th bangs out. It's another song that gets me bumping my head, and is another one of my favourites on the tape.
13. Hoop Dreams to Rap Dreams (feat. King Mez & Skyzoo)
King Mez & Skyzoo jump on a track with Rap, as E. Jones comes with a laidback and sombre beat. All 3 touch on basketball and rap, speaking on their early life and dreams. Rapsody starts off very well, and King Mez did well with his verse, but I really was feeling Skyzoo's verse on this. He freaking snapped on this. And I loved the freaking beat, that shit sounded too damn tight! Another standout on the tape.
14. No More Trouble (feat. Enigma, HaLo & Sean Boog)
Not one, not two, but THREE people jump on such a hardcore track with Rap (which runs for 6 minutes), and they freaking go in on here, while another banging beat from 9th (of course). Rapsody actually starts off hard, and surprisingly snaps like never before. Enigma continues off smooth, and his flow is actually pretty interesting. But before hearing HaLo & Sean Boog kill their verses, Rap once again comes with a hard verse. and when they both come on, they really do their thing, especially HaLo, who really comes with a long ass killer verse. That doesn't mean Sean doesn't snap, as before HaLo, he really does well. Overall, I freakin' love this track. Once again, another standout!
15. Cipher Kid (feat. Big Remo)
Big Remo comes through on a song that I didn't even expect to bang out like that. I nearly thought it would be just average, and it really surprised the hell out of me! Then again, 9th's on the beat, and you know how he's like on the boards. But damn, is this shit GOOD! Remo starts off with a nice verse, but damn did Rap snap on this track. Like, she freakin' went in! Once again, another standout, easily my favourite on the tape!
16. Angel (feat. Laws)
On this track, which kinda gives a dark and gritty atmosphere, Rap gets Laws on this lyrical track, which sees the 2 complement the track in a very interesting way that really impresses me. Rap starts off nice, and her flow is on point with the track. But Laws kills this track, I really liked him on this track. Another dope song!
17. Young, Black with a Gift (feat. Big Daddy Kane)
9th & Rap remixes the classic "Young, Gifted & Black" by the legendary Big Daddy Kane, who even manages to jump on this banger, and goes back and forth with the female rapper. This shit got me bumping my head, and the beat is just amazing, as 9th flips a classic song into a banger! Dope ass track.
18. Little Things (Remix) [feat. Thee Tom Hardy & Heather Victoria]
The original "Little Things" was actually heard earlier on the mixtape, as the seventh track, featuring singer Phil Ade. Now fast-forward to track 18 and we get the remix, which instead sees Heather Victoria (once again) and Thee Tom Hardy on the track, while 9th loops the original sample that Phil was actually singing in the original. This one is more light, and this sample feels a lot better, compared to the original. Also, I feel Rap sounds more comfortable on this song more than the original. As for Tom & Heather, they did their thing. Tom started off good, and hearing Heather singing so beautifully just turned me on. I love this remix!
19. Honda Accord Music (Remix) [feat. Skyzoo & Thee Tom Hardy]
The original "Honda Accord Music" remix was heard 2 months before this mixtape dropped, on 9th Wonder's compilation, 9th's Opus, and was actually one of my favourite songs on there. Now, we're on track 19, and Skyzoo & Thee Tom Hardy jumps on this one, making this one 10x better than the original. It even feels like a whole different song. As 9th provides a killer instrumental, Rapsody really impresses me on this one, but once again, Skyzoo delivers a sick verse on this. Tom, on the other hand, was actually pretty good on this, and I didn't expect myself to like his verse. But, at the end of the day, Sky freakin' snapped on this! This shit on repeat and really gets me bumping my head. Another standout!
20. My Melo My Man (feat. TP)
The mixtape ends with a tribute to Carmelo Anthony, and with 9th on the boards, of course, Rapsody & TP get on the track, and both delivered great verses over the dope beat. 9th even provides a hook. TP started off fine, but damn, did Rap do her thing on it, once again impressing me. A great closing track.
Return of the B-Girl, at first, got me bored AF. Hearing the first few tracks got me feeling dull and tired. The song I really liked the most was "Blankin' Out" and "I'm Ready". But the more tracks I heard from the tape, the more I instantly loved it. Return of the B-Girl is just hot, HOT, HOTTT! The tape features a young Rap deliver wonderful lyricism, while more talented guests come across on certain songs. She manages to tell her stories, whether it's about her early years or her passion for rapping, and manages to really interest her listeners with the tracks. Plus, the production is A-freakin'-1, considering that her label boss, 9th, was nearly all over the mixtape's production. And it gives a range of vibes, whether it's laidback and smooth ("You Make Me Say" and "Blankin' Out") or hardcore and gritty ("Cipher Kid" and "Angel"). The features on here were just as good as the production. Hearing Rah Digga go hard on "Win" just amazed me. Skyzoo killed his verses on the "Honda Accord Music" remix, along with "Hoop Dreams to Rap Dreams". Mac Miller did his thing on the smooth cut "Blankin' Out". Heather Victoria sounded so sweet and beautiful as she brought out her vocals on "I'm Ready", "You Make Me Say" and the "Little Things" remix. Big Remo did his thing on "Cipher Kid". And as for the posse cut, "No More Trouble", the 3 guests did their thing, especially HaLo & Sean Boog. Overall, I freakin' love this tape, everything about it is just amazing, and Rapsody delivered well with her lyricism and flow. Download this NOW! This mixtape on repeat, and I bet y'all will love this too.
Recommended Tracks
Honda Accord Music (Remix)
Cipher Kid
Return of the B-Girl (Mara Jade)
You Make Me Say
I'm Ready
No More Trouble
Young. Black with a Gift
Make It After All
Blankin' Out
Win
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