Thanks to the open-door policy of social media, today’s rap game can be oversaturated. From every fresh-out OG Uncle to any third-grader with a MacBook, anyone can (and does) post their music online. So, if an artist can stand out over the millions, they must be memorable. Enter: Lola Brooke.
With Atlanta’s reign dominating in music for almost two decades, the influence runs so deep that New York-born artists have been accused of sounding southern. But that’s not the case for Bed-Stuy’s Lola Brooke whose deep voice is so present when she rhymes that she sounds like she’s from the same school as 50 Cent, Lil’ Kim, and even the late Pop Smoke. Brooke has been penning verses since she was a small child, and she’s been putting out music since 2018 with tracks such as “Bipolar”, “Not the Same”, and “Sh!ttin Me?” Her songs generated slight buzz, but none of them blew the eardrum like “Don’t Play With It ft. Billy B” which has become a constant on the a radio and Billboard charts. One can’t help to spit out their Starbucks the second she (Lola) raps, “I just wanna rough neck n!gga on the tongue!”
The success of Lola Brooke’s “Don’t Play With It” is undeniable, and although the song’s remix features Latto and Yung Miami, it’s Lola who still shines. Plus, not only is this hit record generating attention for Brooke, the latest showcase of her radio freestyle has shown the potential to lyrically satisfy the core Hip Hop Street fan. When she spit, “They ain’t like me/ I ain’t never judge/ Started seeing U-turns/ when I caught a lil buzz,”that barwas enough to make DJ Funk Flex give his signature twist-face of approval.
Despite Lola’s ongoing recognition, there has yet to be an official word of an upcoming album release. Nevertheless, she’s signed a major label deal with Arista Records through her Team 80 management. While it’s unpredictable today if an independent artist signing to a major label is hurtful or helpful, a fan can only hope that with songs such as “So Disrespectful”, “Here I Come”, and “Dummy Ummy”, that the momentum will carry Lola Brooke’s gifts to the star level she’s working towards.
For Lola Brooke’s NextUpMicUp playlist, click HERE.
