Photo Credit: Alberto Vargas
LATASHA Re-Emerges, Redefines, & Defies With Song "Sumpn" [Premiere]
Photo Credit: Alberto Vargas
“Sumpn” will be featured on LATASHA‘s self-titled album slated for release later this year.
Contemporary hip-hop artist, LATASHA is back in full effect, releasing her first single of the year, "Sumpn."
Formerly known as Latasha Alcindor and L.A.,"Sumpn"—produced by Segnon Tiewul & irCasim— marks the Brooklyn MC's musical inauguration under the name LATASHA, a transition she welcomed tells Okayplayer was inescapable at this stage in her career saying her purpose was "to be who I always knew I am, without a doubt. I am Latasha."
LATASHA, who is of Haitian, Jamaican, Panamanian, and Puerto Rican origins, begins the track with traditional Haitian music ritual chanting. A drum and instrumental wind-down ushers in the soft-trap sound that anchors the song and carries what she does best: bars.
"Sumpn" is less of a re-introduction and more of an undoing. The artist has shed her layers to redefine herself. LATASHA is present. “This song is to remind the world that you, as an individual, are magic," she says. "It’s impossible for anyone to remove you from your divine purpose."
WATCH: Latasha Alcindor Drops Black & White Visuals For “Ol' BK Soul” ft. Radamiz [Premiere]
The track will be featured on LATASHA's forthcoming 12-track, self titled LP about navigating her womanhood, finding peace with losing a loved-one through gun violence, and re-writing the rules to being a woman in hip-hop as a college graduate, spoken word playwright and poet, and performance artist.
Off the heels of her re-brand, LATASHA debuted her performance art piece, All A Dream: Intro to LATASHA at the Brooklyn Museum in February. She was also recently featured in an NBC Left Field mini documentary highlighting her transition from working in the finance to being a full time independent artist. Since that pivot to pursuing music, she's opened up for heavyweights like Kanye West, Q-Tip, Big Sean, and Ghostface Killah, and became the first hip-hop artist in residence at New York City's artist-led venue, National Sawdust last year.
WATCH: Latasha Alcindor Debuts Her ‘All A Dream’ In Brooklyn
Keep up with LATASHA on Twitter and Instagram and stream Latasha's new single, "Sumpn" below:
Catch LATASHA performing live at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) for their annual WORD.SOUND.POWER on April 12-19, and at The Hum' all-woman music series at the House of Yes in May.