10 Things You Should Know About Rapsody

The story behind one of hip hop's most buzzworthy artists.

I Ain't New to This - North Carolina emcee Rapsody was trending all day once Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly was leaked early. Besides Snoop Dogg, Rap is the only guest lyricist on the project as she and K Dot spit back and forth on the introspective track “Complexion (A Zulu Love)." Definitely not a newcomer to the game, she's fought hard to earn her respect and props. Check out 10 things about this lyrical titan.— Michael Harris (@IceBlueVa)(Photos from left: John Ricard/BET, Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

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I Ain't New to This - North Carolina emcee Rapsody was trending all day once Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly was leaked early. Besides Snoop Dogg, Rap is the only guest lyricist on the project as she and K Dot spit back and forth on the introspective track “Complexion (A Zulu Love)." Definitely not a newcomer to the game, she's fought hard to earn her respect and props. Check out 10 things about this lyrical titan.— Michael Harris (@IceBlueVa)(Photos from left: John Ricard/BET, Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

Jamla's in the House - Rap was discovered and signed to fellow North Carolina-based artist 9th Wonder's Jamla label in 2008. (Photos from left: Johnny Nunez/Getty Images, John Ricard/BET)

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Jamla's in the House - Rap was discovered and signed to fellow North Carolina-based artist 9th Wonder's Jamla label in 2008. (Photos from left: Johnny Nunez/Getty Images, John Ricard/BET)

Photo By Photos from left: Johnny Nunez/Getty Images

Schooling MCs - Rap first started kicking up dust as part of the hip hop collective Kooley High, which formed at North Carolina State University.(Photo: Suzi Pratt/Getty Images)

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Schooling MCs - Rap first started kicking up dust as part of the hip hop collective Kooley High, which formed at North Carolina State University.(Photo: Suzi Pratt/Getty Images)

Mic Destroyer - Rapsody ripped the BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher back in 2013 alongside Jon Connor, Emis Killa, Wax and Rittz.(Photo: John Ricard/BET)

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Mic Destroyer - Rapsody ripped the BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher back in 2013 alongside Jon Connor, Emis Killa, Wax and Rittz.(Photo: John Ricard/BET)

Return of the B-Girl - Rap has been on the grind for several years now and kicked off her mixtape game back in 2010. Her critically acclaimed projects include Rapsody Replay, Return of the B-Girl, Thank H.E.R. Now, For Everything and She Got Game. They have also included production from 9th Wonder and DJ Premier as well as collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Big Daddy Kane, Rah Digga, Big K.R.I.T., Raekwon, Estelle and Marsha Ambrosius.(Photo: Terrence Jennings/Retna. Ltd/RetnaLtd./Corbis)

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Return of the B-Girl - Rap has been on the grind for several years now and kicked off her mixtape game back in 2010. Her critically acclaimed projects include Rapsody Replay, Return of the B-Girl, Thank H.E.R. Now, For Everything and She Got Game. They have also included production from 9th Wonder and DJ Premier as well as collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Big Daddy Kane, Rah Digga, Big K.R.I.T., Raekwon, Estelle and Marsha Ambrosius.(Photo: Terrence Jennings/Retna. Ltd/RetnaLtd./Corbis)

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Ride for the Cause - Rapsody's music and lyrics are filled with change-provoking messages and empowerment of Black people, which earned her her membership into the Universal Zulu Nation.(Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)

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Ride for the Cause - Rapsody's music and lyrics are filled with change-provoking messages and empowerment of Black people, which earned her her membership into the Universal Zulu Nation.(Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)

Educated MC - Rapsody brings more than beauty to the mic as the educated spitter is a graduate of North Carolina State University as well.(Photo: Suzi Pratt/Getty Images)

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Educated MC - Rapsody brings more than beauty to the mic as the educated spitter is a graduate of North Carolina State University as well.(Photo: Suzi Pratt/Getty Images)

North Carolina's Finest - Rapsody released her debut album, The Idea of Beautiful, independently on Jamla Records in August 2012. The project featured the videos and singles “Believe Me,” “Kind of Love” and “The Drums” and collaborations with Ab-Soul, Raheem DeVaughn, Mac Miller, Childish Gambino, Buckshot and The Cool Kids.(Photo: Terrence Jennings/Retna. Ltd/Retna Ltd./Corbis)

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North Carolina's Finest - Rapsody released her debut album, The Idea of Beautiful, independently on Jamla Records in August 2012. The project featured the videos and singles “Believe Me,” “Kind of Love” and “The Drums” and collaborations with Ab-Soul, Raheem DeVaughn, Mac Miller, Childish Gambino, Buckshot and The Cool Kids.(Photo: Terrence Jennings/Retna. Ltd/Retna Ltd./Corbis)

Tarheel Love - NBA baller Grant Hill was also impressed by Rap and recruited her to ghostwrite his bars in 2013 after Damien Lillard put out a #4BarFriday challenge to him on NBA TV.(Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)

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Tarheel Love - NBA baller Grant Hill was also impressed by Rap and recruited her to ghostwrite his bars in 2013 after Damien Lillard put out a #4BarFriday challenge to him on NBA TV.(Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images

Back to the Motherland - Rapsody's video for her ode to hip hop, "Kind of Love," from 2012's The Idea of Beautiful, was shot in Soweto, South Africa. (Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)

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Back to the Motherland - Rapsody's video for her ode to hip hop, "Kind of Love," from 2012's The Idea of Beautiful, was shot in Soweto, South Africa. (Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)

Master of Ceremony  - Rapsody has worked hard to develop her skills and can rip many emcees –– male or female –– to shreds. For that reason, she despises the term "femcee" because she feels it puts her in a box and alludes to the idea that she's nice for a woman when she's nice... period.(Photo: John Ricard/BET)

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Master of Ceremony  - Rapsody has worked hard to develop her skills and can rip many emcees –– male or female –– to shreds. For that reason, she despises the term "femcee" because she feels it puts her in a box and alludes to the idea that she's nice for a woman when she's nice... period.(Photo: John Ricard/BET)