I mentioned earlier I have mixed feelings about this album. One of my favourite songs on this album, ABCs of New York, shows off Destiny’s lyrical dexterity as she uses the alphabet to break down the dichotomy of her town, talking about everything from gangsters, inhabitants of the ghetto, skaters, downtown kids to white supremacists, police and the FBI. I'ma hit the barrio and eat some Spanish foodĪnd sit in Central Park, I’m in a New York mood I’m a New York Puerto Rican like a rough kinda dude What I appreciate about this is that she makes it very clear that New York is as much a part of her as her love for comics or her dislike of people touching her hair. Throughout the album, Nokia makes reference to New York whenever she is describing herself or talking about the things she likes to do. In fact, individuality is the biggest message of this album Princess Nokia makes her case very clear that she is her own person, not to be influenced by the masses and remaining strong within herself despite being an outcast in both her hometown and in the music industry.ĭespite being a social outcast within New York, her views of her community and her overall connection with her city. Just these few of many quotable lines from this project, The Artist Formerly Known as Wavy Spice shows us that she is not a person that can be marginalised into one group, showing her relatability towards people who feel as if they must pick a group to be a part of when, in fact, we are all individuals. I’m that Black Native American, I vanquish all evil Taken from Tomboy I’m that Black a-Rican bruja straight out from the YorubaĪnd my people come from Africa diaspora, CubaĪnd you mix that Arawak, that original people I could take your man if you finna let me Taken from Bart Simpson With my little titties and my phat belly I really like Marvel ‘cause characters look just like meĪnd women don’t have roles that make them look too sexually I go home to a place of fantasy outside my ownĪlways been a loner, never had a solid home Just like on G.O.A.T, she continuously challenges how female rappers should look or how they should act whether it is through discussing her upbringing in inner city, talking about how she would rather play sports, skateboarding and reading comic books or how she openly discusses her body image that is not reflective of the desirable body figures some other female rappers (or artists in general) have. I must say, I have very mixed feelings about this album despite the fact that I enjoyed listening to it.įrom the very outset, Miss Destiny is open about herself and her background. Having no other point of reference for this album aside from G.O.A.T, I walked into this listening experience with an open mind. Due to my high regard for her rebellious contradiction towards the norms of hip-hop, her unique personality and the multiple perspectives she takes on her character on a single song, I was drawn to listen to more from her.
G.O.A.T was, of course, one of six songs added to her previously released 1992 EP to create this reissued album known as 1992 Deluxe (a name that is very on the nose yet straight to the point). “I see her as a representation of a millennial raised in the internet era openly embracing intersectionality as she is a kaleidoscope of personalities and identities within a single being. Princess Nokia when I heard her single G.O.A.T for the very first time. A few weeks ago, I was introduced to New York City M.C.