My first time listening to Lakeyah was only a couple months ago. I hadn’t realize Quality Control had a new female artist out. When I first heard her, I was trying to figure out her style, was she a pretty rich girl type of female rapper. Got it out the mud and rapping through her struggles or was she doing this for fun. After I listened to “Female Goat” featuring the City Girls, I was ready for more. She appeared as one of those, “I am passionate and destined to make it” artist.
In Due Time makes Lakeyah shine
The song that stood out to me first was “Pressure” and Lakeyah raps about being young, coming into the game and applying that weight. It’s one of those heavy songs that make you say, “This artist about to come in strong, don’t sleep on them”. I enjoyed it because sometimes while being young it can feel as if you always have to prove yourself. I think this song is just a reminder that Lakeyah got some heat and she will not be letting up any time soon.
“Easy” was that cocky song, I feel a lot of rappers make to the haters and people who doubted them. “Look at me, look at you, I am winning now.” One of those type of songs that make you want to flex on your haters and make them realize that counting you out was their loss. “Look at Me” is that same vibe, people tend to doubt the ones who got talent. When they make it, that’s typically when people start paying attention. In this song, that’s what Lakeyah is getting at. Them haters now are regretting their decisions. Oh did I mention, she ran the beat in “Easy” so precisely?
“I make ’em trap all day and tell that n****,” “Bring the profits” -Lakeyah’s song “Poppin”
Due to so many new female rap artists, it feels they are on this reverse psychology when dealing with men. Hip hop needs that right now. For many years, male artists were dominating rap. Now with artist like Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi-B , City Girls, Mulatto and the list goes on, we see a new perspective. It’s not a “lets treat men like dogs”. More so a let’s treat men how they treat women, go do this work for me. Go handle my business while I sit and look pretty. I think that’s extremely important for black women. Typically we have to be this strong figure and always do stuff for ourselves. Let these men do it for us for a change and if they can’t then be gone.
Artist like Lakeyah does just that with one of the banging songs on the mixtape featuring Mr. Big Gwoup himself. Gucci Mane is featured and his verse adds that rich taste but Lakeyah’s catchy lines makes this song more fun.
We love a good summer anthem
“Young and Ratchet” makes you want to shake your booty and if doesn’t you’re just boring. It’s one of those jams, you turn in the car with your girls and start turning up. Every now and then, a good fun dancing song is needed. It feels every artist makes a song for people just let loose and have a good time. Plus it just make you feel good being young and free. If you successful, got your own bag and independent this for you. You can be classy and still have a good time.
Short songs that hold weight
I don’t listen to too much Lil Durk but I do like the references Lakeyah made in song number nine called “Dirty World”. Sometimes when you get towards the end of a piece, you get a little bored. There are only a couple songs, I wasn’t too keen on because they didn’t sound like what I thought they would. ”Too Much” and “Perfect” featuring Yung Bleu were two songs that didn’t hit for me. One being I was hyped up by the time I got to those songs. Lakeyah does good on her own, it has to almost be a perfect feature artist to match her style of rap in order for the song to really flow. That can change but for now she sounds best by herself.
“Dirty World” brought me back in spirts, it made me fall back into my train of “I am still rocking with this”. ‘From the Bottom’ does that as well, but I do feel some songs stand out more than it does.
Songs like “XO”, I haven’t got used to that sound of female rap artists rapping over mellow beats. Lakeyah is a mixture of rap and r&b. If you find some of her old clips on Youtube, she is seen doing both.
As a Detroiter, does she rap like our style?
I can see it, I definitely heard it when I heard her track “Big FlexHer” with Detroit artist 42 Dugg. I don’t think she wants to be from Detroit. She touches on this in an exclusive interview with XXL Magazine. Where she explains she just loves Detroit. I definitely see the Detroit influence because that girl sure loves bringing up Cartier Buffs, a Detroit staple for sure. She also mentions Detroit artist Sada Baby in “Female Goat”. When she raps, I don’t think she trying to steal our flow, more so appreciate the culture. The beats do sound Detroit-ish sometimes especially her older songs.
Lakeyah is a star
One thing you can’t say about Quality Control is that they don’t push for all their artist to succeed. Lakeyah is slowly being integrated into the industry. What’s crazy about her situation is she just signed in July 2020 with that label. She has the look, the edge and her own voice. Let’s see where she takes us by July 2021.
This mixtape is a HIT. 8/10
Check out my other artist album reviews.