We’ve all been there. We know someone isn’t right for us. Maybe they’ve cheated on us. Maybe they’ve ghosted us. Or maybe they’re just not the right fit. But sometimes, lust, comfort and the assurance of nostalgia wins out. It’s a concept explored by Stefflon Don in new single Can’t Let You Go, a much-needed new track that solidifies her status as one of Britain’s most talented and plaudit-worthy rappers.
Born Stephanie Allen, Stefflon Don’s career began in earnest in 2015, but her profile rose in 2017 with the release of top ten hit Hurtin’ Me. Now, she’s glad to be back in an industry that has been forced to pause during the pandemic.
‘I am so grateful to be releasing music in this climate’, she tells Grazia. ‘The creative industry has had to evolve and find a new way of working. From the live experience to the virtual has become a real shift, and we are continually thinking of new and creative ways to connect with people. In the ideal world I'd be in Jamaica right now recording more music, but for now, I'm excited to get the new single out!’
Stefflon is our nation’s best export when it comes to women in rap, and is competing on a world stage with other success stories like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, whose collaboration WAP has been one of the biggest hits of 2020. Naturally, men including Russell Brand found its exploration of female sexuality reductive.
‘There is always such irony when women speak on subjects that men have been freely rapping about for years’, Stefflon explains. ‘It just highlights the double standards and the fact that people are intimated by women who are genuinely confident and own their identity and express themselves freely. Music and expression shouldn't have to please everyone or tick all the boxes, but if it makes some people feel good and empowered then, to me, you're doing your job. I’m all for staying true to yourself and being authentic.’
There seem to be more women in rap than ever before. The genre has been accused of being something of a boys’ club, with little room made at the table for female artists. But Stefflon has consistently been inspired by those who came before her.
‘I always have to pay homage to Lil Kim’, she explains. ‘In the early 90s, no one was doing what she was doing. She created her niche in the market, which completely changed the game for female rappers. She's a pioneer and has paved the way for many other artists that have come after her.’ She also namechecks Eve, Foxy Brown and Beenie Man for being the sort of artists who build a legacy which, she says, is ‘ultimately the building blocks for the next generation.’
If you ever needed proof that women must outperform men by a ratio of 100 to 1, then you found it this year, when Beyonce’s Coachella performance was beaten to an Emmy by James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke. I ask if she feels that she has noticed this in her career, if her success is a result of proving time and time again that she is talented and deserving. She is also proud to balance her work with motherhood: she has a young son who, she has previously explained, always wants to show her off at the school gates.
‘I'm a perfectionist,’ she says. ‘I want to challenge myself to always do and be better. Also, to stand out in a genre where it's all about craft, technique and delivery, you have to be great, and you have to put the time in. Of course, there are barriers and challenges that we all face, some are more talked about than others, but I try not to get distracted with the politics. I know my worth.’
The uber confidence Stefflon presents onstage is a costume, a suit of armour that aids her performance and provides a division between her professional and personal lives. For her, it’s vital. ‘Do I walk into the supermarket with the same energy I walk onto a stage with?’ she asks herself. ‘No! But, it's no different to how people may put on a power suit to walk into a boardroom before a big meeting. You have to act like you own it! I do think that being a rapper you come across ultra-confident, but you have to. There's nowhere to hide when you're spitting bars.’
Can’t Let You Go is out today
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