As anyone who is tuned into the Hip Hop scene or is at least somewhat active on TikTok or Instagram would know, Milwaukee is a city that is on the rise. So much of the music and the dances associated with it have gone viral over the last couple of years, with artists like 414BigFrank, Chicken P, and Certified Trapper making waves and becoming online sensations. Although those three are at the forefront of the Milwaukee music movement, many female rappers from the city have been tearing it up and making a name for themselves too; Myaap and 414JungleBaby are two that immediately come to mind, both having made hit tracks recently themselves. Another Milwaukee female rapper on the rise right now is Lonni Monae. She is currently going viral for her collaboration with 414BigFrank on his song ‘Tubi,’ but she made a name for herself in the city well before this, with multiple tracks of hers that have become local hits recently. Lonni Monae has a gangsta rap feeling to her flow and sound, and she incorporates it into the Milwaukee Slap music sound nicely. She puts her own nasty spin on the style of music that has become so popular in the city; her flow and delivery make her music stand out and really pop. Recently, Lonni Monae dropped her new mixtape, Baddies Archive Vol.1: The Introduction. Below, I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite tracks from Baddies Archive Vol.1: The Introduction, then give some thoughts on the project overall to close things out. Please let me know in the comments what you think of Lonni Monae, and also comment the names of any other up-and-coming artists I should check out!

 CUTWATERR feat. Sada Baby

‘Cutwaterr’ was actually one of the songs from Lonni Monae that became popular around the city earlier this year when it was released. For the mixtape version of this track, though, she got the feature from Sada Baby. Now, it is certainly easy to see why this song hit so big locally when it came out. ‘Cutwaterr’ has the quintessential low-end sound and feeling that has become so popular in Milwaukee over the last couple of years. This song pretty much has no melody to it. There is a bit of a tone to the bass drum in the background of the track, but the instrumental is all pretty much raucous drums and high-energy. This track has the kind of Slap music tempo that will get any function jumping when it comes on. Lonni Monae and Sada Baby both more than match the energy and feeling of this instrumental with their raps. Lonni Monae delivers a fast-paced and exciting rap performance that is addicting, and Sada Baby brings in quirky flow to give the song texture. ‘Cutwaterr’ is a Slap music banger that embodies the Milwaukee sound so well. 

TF

‘TF’ is a lot grimier and grittier than ‘Cutwaterr’ is. To be honest, this song has a sound that feels adjacent to a lot of Chicago Drill music that is big right now. The melody for this song is very dark and cold, with a bit of a funky element to it. The melody is provided by a groovier piano riff that sounds like something out of a horror movie. It is complemented by sound higher-pitched synths that add to the brisk feeling of the track. The drums for ‘TF’ are deliberate and hard-hitting. They pound and have a tempo and energy that feels perfect for Drills. Lonni Monae raps with a smooth and gritty flow that feels sinister and forward on this already harsh instrumental. If you are looking for a new Drill banger to get you in mode, ‘TF is a song you need for your playlist.

BUSS IT

‘Buss It’ is another song that has a sound that will get any Dance floor jumping when it comes on. There is something about the beat and melody for this one that immediately made me think of the City Girls when it comes on. This sentiment is kind of funny to me because Lonni Monae mentions partying in Miami almost immediately in the song. ‘Buss It’ has a raunchy and low melody that is provided by what sounds like a slightly out-of-tune piano. The distortion on the piano melody gives an undeniable groove to the track. The drums on ‘Buss It’ are fast-paced and intense. They have a Dance Trap tempo that just makes me want to move when I listen to it. Lonni Monae’s rap performance on this one is smooth and yet quick. She raps with a tempo and style that adds the fun and sassy feeling of the track. ‘Buss It’ is another Club banger that I would kind of expect to end up becoming a hit(at least locally).

As I mentioned in the introduction, Lonni Monae has really been popping off over the last couple of years. I can not say she is just bursting onto the scene right now because she already had motion, but it seems like she is really coming into her own currently.  Baddies Archive Vol.1: The Introduction is a fun and bold project that proves how talented and entertaining the artist Lonni Monae is. This project captures the magic and life that is coursing threw Milwaukee and its music recently, but it always shows the individual talent that makes Lonni Monae stand out. Of course, being from Milwaukee, I am always going to be partial to songs like ‘Cutwaterr’ because of the instrumental, but Lonni Monae shows that she can do more than just that sound on  Baddies Archive Vol.1: The Introduction. Lonni Monae raps with addicting flows and tones that make these songs really pop, and she has a diversity to her sound and style that makes her stand out. Overall,  Baddies Archive Vol.1: The Introduction is a high-quality, dope project that proves Lonni Monae has the potential to be the city’s next big star.