The Lioness is Breaking In (by Jhantu Randall)

In hip hop, we’re inundated with stories, allegories, and fables of dealing, street economics, and torturous tales of redemption. All of it is intriguing as a premise, but the one thing it all has in common is, it is given through a mans perspective. Not to be too divisive, but in actuality some of these female emcees have more gripping stories to tell in this era. I personally love any artist who puts themselves out there, but at some point when the arena is run by predominately one gender, it’s refreshing to hear the point of view from someone who you may have initially overlooked. That’s where this story begins...

Dubitation Lioness is rather unassuming among the bills I’ve seen her on. Like a true student of rap, she knows her goal at every show and comes with the determination to make it happen regardless of any unforeseen event which may occur. While keeping her immediate circle very close-knit, she surrounds herself with just enough people to keep her level in an environment where the energy is unpredictable. Every time she grabs the mic and spits a few bars, she has the audience completely focused on her while she introduces herself through her rhymes.

In a teaser for her new video, Hard to Find, appearing under the name Lady Boss and featuring T.N.F. she manages to sharpen her delivery while playing with the inflection in her voice about every fourth bar. The video opens with a late night meeting where Lady Boss gets a text on her phone and heads for the door. Emerging from the shadows she approaches a car before the video transitions to her wearing a white jacket standing in front of a pearl white range and letting loose! This is where you hear the bars sync with the baseline and really start to feel the energy that the track produces.

James Brown famously sang, “It’s a mans world” and in hip hop this concept is almost celebrated on a hyper level, but when a female emcee can rock the stage and flip a verses flow and structure effortlessly it definitely makes those who are really listening pay close attention. In selling a fantasy in song, it almost gives women more room to play but the criticism seems to be harsher in response. It’s this precise reason that I pay extra attention to females who are nice with their rhymes. In my mind, I try to see the story behind what they are telling. It’s because of this that I am drawn to those who can openly be more braggadocios. It is more of a treat for the listener, but I hear a fiery passion at the root of it. It’s through lines like “Throw it at me, no lip/Lady Boss up in this bitch/Running Circles around these broke niggas/I’ve been out here getting chips” there's something deeper that fuels it. Stay tuned for more as Lady Boss is using the current platforms available to write her story and give you the raw version of it in her own voice.