Since she introduced herself to the world in 2017, the New York rapper Leikeli47 has had an instantly identifiable visual signature. She rapped in a ski mask with gold fronts, and that image got her noticed. But now Leikeli47 has parted ways with her old record label, and she removed the mask in her video for "450" last year. When she unmasked in that video, Leikeli47 also announced the impending release of her new album Lei Keli ft. 47 / For Promotional Use Only. The LP had a tracklist and everything, but it didn't have a release date yet. Now, we know that the LP is arriving next month, and Leikeli47 has shared another early single.
On "Soft Serve," Leikeli47 goes in over a sinister, pounding house beat, rapping in an exaggerated whisper. The track draws on underground ballroom aesthetics, and it's just as hard and glamorous as the music that Leikeli47 made when she wore the mask. In a press release, she says, "The complexion of this album is coming of age. It’s about innovating my spaces and how I only sell out to the moment. My soul, my gift, and my service is never for sale. This new LP is personal and playful, harmonic and melodic, raw and heartfelt, edgy and elevated. It’s a dedication to the visionaries who reside in their own world. The mask is off, and the perspective is aerial." Listen to "Soft Serve" below.
Lei Keli ft. 47 / For Promotional Use Only is out 6/13.
