#MUZEMONDAZE: Week 9

A NEW EXCLUSIVE WEEKLY COLUMN BY ITEM MAGAZINE.
By Contributor Tre Florez

1. Leikeli47 “Miss Me”
​Brooklyn’s masked and feisty rapper – Leikeli47 – made waves last year with her single, “Fuck the Summer Up", boasting the name and top spot on Jay-Z’s first Tidal Playlist. Now, the rising rapper is here to slay with the anti-BS anthem, Miss Me. With a play on words, the title suggests you should “miss her” with any negativity and hate.

“Miss me with the bullshit..
...Talk about it but the never gon’ do shit*”

And:

“Everybody want the glory
But they don’t wanna put the work in and keep it O.G.

Shade? Probably.
​
Leikeli47’s signature? A mask covering her face during performances and interviews, keeping her identity a shared secret. She likes it that way (for now), but clearly uses it as a fashion statement and as a creative. Covering her face makes her face instantly irrelevant and you hone in on her voice (similar to how the rising artist H.E.R. wants it to be solely about the music). Leikeli47 is one of the only female rappers in the game to do this, allowing her to stand out from others in her dominating genre.

With Cardi B’s uprising and with queen Nicki still ruling the charts, New York’s female rap scene is hotter than its last decade. Leikeli47’s debut album was released at the end of 2017 and we are obviously here for it.

2. Vince Staples feat. Kendrick Lamar “Yeah Right”
Rapper Vince Staples’ first official album, "Big Fish Theory", is still fresh off the scene and every song on it, is pure excellence. Having released two EPs since 2014, as well as some collaborations (with acts such as The Gorillaz and Flume), BFT had an eagerly impatient arrival for all of his  fans. The latest single, Yeah Right, is one of our favorites yet, as the message plays on the relevance of our modern digital society's goals and social norms. This song is about the many social media influencers and socialites that lie online to get more followers and as they say, maintain some  ‘street cred’.

Vince begins the song asking several questions, such as :

“Is your house big? Is your car nice?”...
“Is you well payed? Is your shows packed?”

And my personal favorite:

“Is your soul played, would they know that?”​

Vince is ultimately calling out other rappers and influencers for saying they have nice things and do extravagant activities every day, but know they are doing it all for show. He is calling out how fake everyone seems online, just for the sake of their fame: “Boy yeah right, yeah right, yeah right..", goes the chorus.

Casting doubt over the answers to Vince’s questions, Kendrick’s feature goes undocumented on the track title. It is a bit of a surprise for listeners the first time you hear his verse hit. Both artists style is beyond the norm and they seem to be speaking on their own regular, everyday life struggles. Surely, Kendrick compliments the track, as he is also notorious for not being overly flashy; donating his money and keeping a low-key vibe online. (Kendrik even received backlash recently for buying his sister a Toyota Camry, instead of an expensive car that people know or thus assume  he can afford.) So yes, he was a perfect addition for this track. We are gladly looking forward to hearing more from this duo in the future and are especially awaiting the visuals for this piece. Is it coming guys? Let us know!

Other notable hits from Big Fish Theory are: Homage, Big Fish, and Party People