Princess Nokia's Brash, Oddball Rap
The young artist’s <em>1992 Deluxe</em> is a super-fun, smart celebration of how identity is tied to culture.
by Spencer Kornhaber
Sep 12, 2017
3 minutes
Princess Nokia’s “ABCs of New York” at first seems built on a simple gimmick. “A is for the apple, take a bite and spit it out,” raps the 25-year-old rising star. “B is for bodega, eating on your mama couch.” It’s a list song, a nu-“10 Crack Commandments” or “Alphabet Aerobics,” rendering America’s biggest city in adult nursery-rhyme.
But as the track unspools over a laid-back keys loop, the seemingly rigid format begins to break down.
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