Chances are, you’ve probably already heard of Laila!. She first caught the attention of rap fans during an On the Radar freestyle released back in May, where she performed now-viral songs like “Like That!” and “Not My Problem.”
However, it wasn’t just the catchy bars and memorable hooks that made people curious about Laila!. So was the rumor that she is the daughter of one of the most beloved and respected rappers of all time — Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def.
Since then, Laila! has confirmed that Bey is her father, while continuing to show her own capabilities as a talented rapper and artist.
With Laila! expected to drop her debut album next month on September 6, you should be aware of who she is before she inevitably blows up. Here’s what you need to know about Laila!.
So, is Laila! really Yasiin Bey’s daughter?
Yes. In an interview with Complex earlier this month, the 18-year-old finally addressed the speculation about her being Bey’s daughter, saying, “Yes, he is my dad, y’all. The rumors are true; no, I’m kidding. But yes, he’s my dad. He’s my dad.”
She also shared how both Bey and her mother and manager, Jessica Chong, have been supportive of her exploration as an artist, with Laila! recalling how her father has encouraged her ever since she was little.
“I feel like as a kid, like whenever we would just jam sesh and like vibe out, me and him, I don’t know, I always had my own style, I always had my own thing going on. And he’s always just been like, ‘Okay kid, I see you,’” she said.
She also shared why she hasn’t leaned too much on her father’s acclaim, saying: “I guess I just never led with it because I just didn’t want my talent to be diminished. … And I’m proud of my family, I’m proud of who my dad is, and it’s never something — I know I’m my own person, I’m my own artist. And I just didn’t think that was something that I had to mention in order to, you know, get people to care about my music or care about who I am, you know, and he’s very proud of me.”
How long has Laila! been around?
Well, she first dropped songs “Like That!” and “Wassup” last year, while this year saw the release of three EPs: IN CTRL!, Like That! (essentially a smart repackaging of “Like That!” amid its viral success, with the EP including sped up and slowed down versions — a pretty common strategy in the age of discovering music through TikTok), and “Not My Problem (Flyer Than U).”
What makes Laila!’s music stand out?
Well, it’s evident from “Like That!” that she can rap. Bouncy, playful and clever, the opening lines of the song serve as an introduction into who Laila! is: “Stevier than Lacy / Wavier than waves be.”
But she can also sing, coming up with hooks that are undeniably catchy. “Like That!” wouldn’t be what it is without that hook, and same with the Afrobeats-tinged “Not My Problem.”
And lastly, she’s a producer, having produced “Like That!” herself.
What’s next for Laila!?
She’ll be releasing her debut album, Gap Year!, on September 6. According to People magazine, the album will consist of 17 tracks, all of them written and produced by Laila!. (And to tie it back to her father for a moment, the cover art for Gap Year!is quite reminiscent of Bey’s Black on Both Sides album art.)
As the artist explained in an Instagram post promoting the album, Gap Year! is in reference to her not going into college after graduating early from high school, writing in the post’s caption: “I’m not sure if you guys know but basically I graduated a year early from high school (in my junior year) and I didn’t have any plan for college.”
“In all honesty, I just wasn’t taking it seriously,” she added.
Aside from that, she’s riding on the momentum of “Not My Problem” being the basis for Cash Cobain’s recent posse cut, “Problem,” which samples the former track and features Big Sean, Flo Milli, Fabolous, 6LACK and others.
She’ll also be having her first headlining show shortly after Gap Year! releases. The concert will be at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn on September 20.
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