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Marika May raps but the young artist calls her music alternative hip-hop because she transcends genres. After all, with classical dance training, including a year spent studying dance at a London conservatory, there are more dimensions to her than just writing to beats and recording. On her self-titled debut EP entirely produced by L.A.-based production team School of Velocity, Marika offers up high-velocity burners for the club, the car and the headphones.
In her early 20s, Marika has seen her share of different places – yet she can trace her roots to the birthplace of hip hop. “Both of my parents are Jamaican, so I have a huge Caribbean influence in my life,†Marika says. She's lived in Philadelphia, Chicago and in South Florida before settling in Atlanta and going to high school. After moving to L.A. to attend the prestigious California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts), Marika's talents started to get noticed, and her career began to take shape.
Always inclined to write poetry and music, she initially put her material on MySpace without any expectations. It wasn't long before Baltimore's DJ Blaqstarr stumbled upon the tunes and invited to Marika to attend his set while he was in L.A. At the very same show, while backstage and politicking with Blaqstarr, Marika also met School of Velocity, comprised of producers Brian Grushkin and Nathan McQueen. The producers and the artist decided to try recording together and while finishing her studies at CalArts, Marika started making headway on her first project.
“It's a reflection of life and the things you learn in your 20s,†Marika says of her EP. “How to be strong, how to have fun, try to enjoy the days you have. My message is simple; live life, have fun, be you.â€
On her self-titled EP, the one-time classical dancer stamps her unique staccato vocals over electronica-inspired tracks. The result is a sound reminiscent of Gwen Stefani and Kelis, yet uniquely Marika May. Such a blend could only come from an artist that name checks Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Kelis, as well as gospel singers Mahalia Jackson and Shirley Cesar.
Whether it's on “Trick Me Out,†a song she calls her “demand to be treated really nicely by men,†or “So Determined,†which she employs to deliver a message that she'll outwork any competitor, Marika's talent is undeniable.
-by Slav Kandyba (contributing editor for Source, URB, AllHipHop.com)
