Rapsody

Not to be confused with Rhapsody (disambiguation).
Rapsody

Rapsody in 2014.
Background information
Birth name Marlanna Evans
Also known as Rapdiddy[1]
Born (1983-01-21) January 21, 1983
Wilson, North Carolina, United States
Genres Hip hop
Occupation(s) Singer Rapper
Years active 2007–present
Labels Diamond Lane Music Group
Associated acts 9th Wonder, Mac Miller, Kooley High, Khrysis, Childish Gambino
Website iamrapsody.com

Rapsody (born Marlanna Evans on January 21,[2][3][4] 1983[5]) is an Jamaican American singer rapper from Durham North Carolina.

Career

Rapsody was born in Wilson, North Carolina, and began her career as a member of the North Carolina based hip-hop group, Kooley High.[6] She launched her solo career in 2008 after signing with 9th Wonder's It's A Wonderful World Music Group. Her first significant career breakthrough came with the release of her mixtape Return of the B-Girl on December 7, 2010. Return of the B-Girl marked her first work with legendary hip-hop producer, DJ Premier, and featured guests such as Mac Miller and Big Daddy Kane. She continued to build acclaim with the release of her next mixtape, Thank H.E.R. Now., on June 21, 2011. Thank H.E.R. Now. showcased her storytelling abilities as she drew from personal life experiences and featured her work with a variety of critically acclaimed acts such as Marsha Ambrosius, Estelle, Raekwon, Jean Grae, Murs, and Big Krit. Her next project, For Everything was released on November 15, 2011 as a free download with an option to donate on DJBooth.net. For Everything showcased her work with both newly acclaimed and established acts such as Kendrick Lamar and Freeway and a number of the tracks were featured in XXL magazine's "Bangers" section.[7][8] In May 2011, Rapsody joined Mac Miller on his Incredibly Dope Tour for 15 dates.[9] In late 2011, she toured with Phonte and 9th Wonder as a part of the Phonte & 9th Wonder Tour.[10]

Style and philosophy

Rapsody is known for her intricate rhyme patterns, metaphors, and wordplay. She cites Jay-Z, 9th Wonder, Mos Def, Lauryn Hill, and MC Lyte as the biggest influences on her music. Her production is primarily handled by The Soul Council, which is the team of in-house producers on It's A Wonderful World Music Group. The producers that comprise The Soul Council are Khrysis, E. Jones, Fatin "10" Horton, Ka$h Don't Make Beats, AMP, Eric G., and 9th Wonder. Rapsody's philosophy is "Culture Over Everything," referring to the culture of hip-hop music. She describes this phrase in an interview with Vibe Magazine where she says, "To me, it’s about culture moreso than money or anything. I make music for the people of the culture we’re in; that comes first. If you touch the people first, the rest just falls into place. That’s what it means to me, just preserving and respecting the culture." [11] [12]

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US US R&B
The Idea of Beautiful

—

Mixtapes

EPs

Guest appearances

List of guest appearances
Title Year Other performer(s) Album
"Black Swan" 2011 Statik Selektah, Nitty Scott, MC Population Control
"Shorty Left" 2012 Buckshot, 9th Wonder The Solution
"Get Together" Murs, 9th Wonder The Final Adventure
"Same Shit" 2013 Oh No, Psalm One Disrupted Ads
"Complexion (A Zulu Love)" 2015 Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly
"Stop Play Rewind" Add-2 Prey for the Poor
"Kool Aid" Add-2, Sam Trump
"Walk Like a God" Murs, 9th Wonder, Propaganda Brighter Daze
"Without You" 2016 Anderson .Paak Malibu

References

  1. ↑ Aguilar, Andrea. "“LOVE AND HIP HOP” – INTERVIEW WITH RAPPER RAPSODY". beautifulstruggles.com. Beautiful Struggles. Retrieved 2014-12-29.
  2. ↑ C.M., Emmanuel. "Happy Birthday, Rapsody!". xxlmag.com. XXL Magazine. Retrieved 2014-12-29.
  3. ↑ https://twitter.com/rapsodymusic/status/425659668263084032
  4. ↑ https://twitter.com/rapsodymusic/status/425662164461166592
  5. ↑ Haver Currin, Tina. "Rapsody prepares to rise above her Kendrick Lamar and 9th Wonder co-signs". indyweek.com. Indy Week. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  6. ↑ Griffith, Spencer. "Raleigh hip-hop six-piece Kooley High hits the big screen". Independent Weekly. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
  7. ↑ https://web.archive.org/20111119003256/http://www.xxlmag.com:80/bangers/2011/11/rapsody-ft-kendrick-lamar-rock-the-bells/. Archived from the original on November 19, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2011. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ↑
  9. ↑ Paine, Jake (April 18, 2011). "Mac Miller Adds More Incredibly Dope Tour Dates, Rapsody Joins As Opener". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
  10. ↑ Paine, Jake (September 19, 2011). "Foreign Exchange Continues Tour, With Phonte & 9th Wonder Dates Added". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
  11. ↑ "Watch Your Throne! Rapsody Discusses Becoming The Female Jay-Z And What To Expect From 'Thank H.E.R. Now'". Vibe. May 25, 2011. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
  12. ↑ "OK-Tho.com's Top 25 Artists of 2013" http://www.ok-tho.com/2014/01/top-of-year-deans-list-top-25-artists.html

External links

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