Nora Lum, a native of Queens, New York and of Chinese and Korean descent was profiled yesterday in the New York Mag article ‘Can an Asian Woman Be Taken Seriously In Rap?‘ As the title reads, the article simply asks just that. It caused a little stir and may have done its duty to not only bring Awkwafina to the forefront of the rap industry, but also bring attention to creative Asian females in general.

At the young age of 24, the artist produces her own music and lyrics. Highlighted in the profile was the music video for her song “NYC Bitche$.” In the song she vehemently targets the ever growing amount of transplants and hipsters moving into the Bushwick, Williamsburg and even Red Hook areas of Brooklyn. In the chorus, she raps “New York City, bitch. That’s where I come from. Not where I moved to on mom and dad’s trust fund.” The disdain that she has about the rapidly increasing popularity of “Brooklyn culture” and its effect on the subcultures and cultures of the borough through the gentrification is clearly reflected in her lyrics. Through the song’s electronic beats and easily understood yet witty lyrics, the hooks become almost anthemic.

“NYC Bitche$” along with her other music videos for her tracks such as “My Vag,” “Peggy Bundy,” and “Yellow Ranger” has really caught the eye of many of her peers and has slowly garnered herself a following.

But Awkwafina isn’t the only Asian female artist out there in the game. Artists such as Knewdles & Sos, Rocky Rivera, Hopie, and many others are out there making a name for themselves. They’re rhyming and rapping just as creatively and sincerely as their contemporaries. So other than the stirring a little controversy with the racial addendum, the profile on Awkwafina raises awareness that yes, Asian women can be taken seriously in the rap game and that they’ve been playing all along.

Watch the official music video to “NYC Bitche$” below:

[New York Mag]