Lakeyah has shared her first solo release of 2023, “Want Em Hood.” The track is out now via Quality Control Music/Motown Records.
The fresh track is a rework of Gorilla Zoe’s 2007 hit record “Hood N___a” and combines pearl-clutching rhymes with brazen confidence.
“Want Em Hood” hinges on a head-nodding and nostalgic sample as Lakeyah locks into a fierce flow. Rich with sparse trap production and her signature brand of braggadocious rap, the self-described “Female Goat” instantly envelopes the listener with a sharp cadence.
Behind the track, Lakeyah explains: “‘Hood N___a’ is one of my favorite tracks that was leading the early 2000s. That was my favorite era of music and I wanted to exude that fun, feel-good but braggadocious vibe. ‘Want Em Hood’ is perfect for the summer and it’s empowering for my guys and girls. We love ’em from the hood!”
“Want Em Hood” continues Lakeyah’s hot streak, and builds on the momentum of her four-track single, “ADD IT UP,” released last month (June 2) with Detroit rapper Kash Doll.
Elsewhere, the Milwaukee-bred wunderkind has dominated in the media and entertainment space, most recently headlining the 2023 installment of CultureCon L.A. Not to mention, Lakeyah is gearing up for the return of BET+’s unscripted reality series The Impact Atlanta, doubling back for season two after a successful run with season one.
The Milwaukee-born rapper and singer entered the spotlight in 2019 with a remix of a City Girls track for the viral “First Day Out” challenge, which gained traction online and caught the eyes of Quality Control Music and City Girls’ JT, who reposted her track. In early 2020, Lakeyah followed up with The Keymix II project, which introduced the world to her unmatched range, effortlessly swinging between aggressive, braggadocious rap and soulful, earnest R&B tracks.
Later that year, she remixed Lil Baby’s “Sum 2 Prove” and “We Paid.” Again, her “We Paid” remix was quickly reposted by Lil Baby, and Quality Control signed her immediately.
