​Princess Nokia

Pride Parade

Photo: Milah Libin

BY A. HarmonyPublished Aug 29, 2017

If her single "G.O.A.T." is any indication, Princess Nokia's upcoming album 1992 Deluxe promises to be assertive, bold and braggadocious. Due in September, this revamp of her previous effort will feature eight new tracks and more swagger than before. "Everybody wants to act like I ain't a big deal, when I am," says the New York native. "I'm one of the most relevant and influential rappers of my generation."
 
Nokia recently signed to Rough Trade Records and spent the summer on an international tour — and she did it without gimmicks, radio play or celebrity co-signs. 1992 Deluxe will explore the highlights of her journey since 2016, and she won't hold back from celebrating herself. "In the original 1992, I tried to stay away from [talking about my] success. But I was like 'let me talk my shit in 1992 Deluxe!' It's me glorifying the places I've been, the things that I've seen and the experiences I've had. The flavour is different."
 
A self-described "spunky, bitchy feminist," Nokia stresses the importance of owning her narrative, and expresses pride in shaping her career on her own terms in a male-dominated industry.
 
"I had a bad taste in my mouth from the little bit of business that I tried out when I was a young girl — there was a bunch of men trying to tell me what to do and how to do it and I didn't like that," says Nokia. "Ain't nobody more involved in [my career] than Princess Nokia. Every part of what I've done for music, from the visuals to the business, I did it. And I'm really proud of that. I worked hard for this shit. I made something out of it. So excuse me if I want to brag."

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