How to Be Outside, Inside with SALIMATA

As soon as SALIMATA starts rhyming, you can feel the raw Brooklyn energy oozing through her pores. She’s signed to MIKE’s 10k label, and her unique style and original rhyme cadence have earned her “critic's favorite” status. If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out her most recent LP, The Happening, which dropped late last year.

Sali’s chosen activities for relaxation and recreation include outdoor painting in sprawling city parks, art exhibitions, live performances and impromptu house parties that go deep into the night. Check out her picks below.

Okayplayer: Where do you go in NYC when you want to be outside without being outside?

SALIMATA: Respectfully, I never not wanna be outside, but I guess the fire escape. If it’s not that, then a roof. It’s usually in Bedstuy or Crown Heights when I’m on one of those, lol. Or, I’m at the office or the mall, Green Acres Mall to be exact.

Where do you go when you want to be around people but not with people?

I like to go to Prospect Park, the Crown Heights/Flatbush side. Ever since I was a kid, my parents took us there to play football and roller skate. It is my home — if there were shares to buy, I’d have huge stocks in Prospect.

I also enjoy the Great Lawn in Central Park. I used to skip school and just smoke weed and cloud watch. I love to have events in that park or paint with friends. The Great Lawn means a lot to me. I also like to go window-shopping or just go for a walk/bike ride, or skating. You’re never alone in this city — as long as I have my Apple headphones, my legs or any means of transportation, I am satisfied. There is so much to see and so many characters to take in. Never a dull moment.

What does your perfect NYC day look like?

A perfect Sali day goes like this (my brother has to be involved)...

Maybe I wake up around 7, and I do my lil’ workouts and sh*t. I wake my brother after I’m done, and then we wake and bake. Now we’re making a big-ass munchie breakfast because we’re hungry-ass ni**as.

Then we both get ready and fit-check each other. Maybe I go out to a studio session, or yoga or pilates class. After that, maybe I go to a friend’s place and we make a nice hefty lunch after working our asses off at the gym. By now it’s noon, and I want to shop so I do that. Or, since I rap now, I pick up clothes from all the different places who have picks and grabs for me.

Then after, maybe I go hang with my bitches; we go shake our ass and talk about the revolution with blunt in hand and books on table. Now the evening is approaching and maybe a friend is performing or has an exhibition, and I go to that and get a lil’ wine drunk. It’s nighttime now, so we’re hanging out at a bar, chatting, giggling, and shooing away da ni**as. Finally, we’re at somebody’s house that’s big enough to fit all us, and the night ends in laughter, Uno, and music blasting till 4.

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