After years of waiting, fans can finally experience Noname’s sophomore album, “Room 25.” Noname first released her debut album, “Telefone,” in 2016, and it quickly gained a hip hop and rap cult following. The Chicago native used the developmental years after her first album to create her second. Named after her busy lifestyle of living hotel room to hotel room, “Room 25” still holds the quintessential sound of Noname that blends her poignant voice and rap skills with influences of jazz and soul. Noname is a talented rapper and poet that showcases her newfound confidence in the male dominated genre of hip hop.
A lot of the album touches on issues of being a black woman in a crowded and typecast industry. Noname is a master of word play and hilariously sprinkles in the story of her new-found fame within “Room 25.” While listening to this album, you will hear features of rising rap and hip hop artists such as Ravyn Lanae, Saba, and Smino.
Noname remains an independent artist, and her music reflects the creative freedom she possesses with her comically real lyrics. “Room 25” is honest and explicitly reveals the pitfalls of fame and the strength of female power.
