rap

Otis Mensah oscilates between genres drawing on influences from rap, jazz and beyond. Since moving to Berlin, they have found their place in the local music scene and recently released their EP "small town otis". In conversation with Anna Grubauer, Otis chats about their musical approach and reflects on their experience of searching a home in Berlin.

The Vancouver-based rapper Kimmortal makes music that challenges the status quo of the music industry and colonial capitalist frameworks. Their recent release "sunniest of days" is about navigating the tension of witnessing the injustices and genocides being committed across the globe, while holding space for personal happiness. Ahead of their show in Berlin on 17 September, we spoke to Kimmortal about their musical journey.

The New Delhi-based rapper and producer Kinari recently released her new project "BADDUA". Ilo Toerkell spoke to the artist about the diverse range of influences she draws from, including traditional Indian and Tamil sounds, hip-hop and Ballroom beats, her relationship to faith, and how the district Dilli 17 of her hometown has shaped her creative output.

The rapper Enana and DJ/producer mx.pinky merged their creative energy to create the EP "Becoming." It is the debut release on exude records - a label and event series by and for trans artists. Ilo Toerkell met Enana and mx.pinky to chat about their collaboration, allowing joy regardless of the repressive climate that trans and other marginalized people face, and why we need more T4T spaces.

Hidaiyah "Yaya" Bey is a musician from Queens, New York, whose sound fuses elements of R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and dance into something entirely her own. OFFKEY author Alice Vyvyan-Jones had the honour of sitting down with Hidaiyah ahead of her debut Berlin show at Privatklub to speak about her upcoming album "do it afraid".

Londoner rap icon Little Simz is back with a new record. "Lotus" is her sixth album and takes a more unguarded and personal turn in comparison to the previous releases. OFFKEY's editor Felicia Ete Aghaye took a closer look at the record and what makes it so special.

The Berlin-based rapper Ebow just dropped an extended version of her 2024 album "FC Chaya". The re-release includes four brand-new songs and comes with a glitter edition of the vinyl. The artist, who is a well-known queer and Kurdish voice in the German rap scene, gives us some insight into what the songs are all about.

The artist and rapper Lex Amor recently released her new record "Forward Ever" - an ode to her hometown, London. The album is a testament to continuous movement, learning, self-discovery, and reconnecting to a natural state of joy. Svenja Isabel Hudson caught up with Lex Amor to speak about her most introspective work to date and how she maintains peace of mind.