Rapsody

Marlanna Evans (born January 21, 1983), better known by her stage name Rapsody, is an American rapper. After signing with music producer 9th Wonder's music label It's a Wonderful World Music Group, she released a series of mixtapes and collaborated with Erykah Badu and Talib Kweli. Soon afterwards Rapsody released her debut album The Idea of Beautiful. She would attain further prominence when she was featured on Kendrick Lamar's 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly, on the track "Complexion (A Zulu Love)".

Her second album, Laila's Wisdom (2017), received critical acclaim and was nominated at the Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Song. In 2020, she was featured alongside Cordae, Chika, and Busta Rhymes, on the Stevie Wonder song "Can't Put It in the Hands of Fate". Rapsody released her fourth album, Please Don't Cry, on May 17, 2024. She released her fifth studio album, God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops on August 21, 2026.

Career Rapsody began her career at North Carolina State University, where she would later join hip hop collective H2O and its spinoff group Kooley High, despite not having rapped before. The group met producer 9th Wonder in 2004, who was impressed by one of Rapsody's verses, In May 2011, Rapsody joined Mac Miller on his Incredibly Dope Tour for 15 dates. In late 2011, she toured with Phonte and 9th Wonder as a part of the Phonte & 9th Wonder Tour.

Rapsody signed with Jay-Z's record label Roc Nation in July 2016, and her debut for the label, Laila's Wisdom, was released on September 22, 2017. The album received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Song.

Rapsody's third studio album, Eve, was released on August 23, 2019, to critical acclaim from music critics. In June 2024, Rapsody's "Asteroids" was nominated for the Hollywood Independent Music Awards in the Adult Contemporary Hip Hop category. The song was the first lead single from her fourth studio album, Please Don't Cry, her first project after five years. The album released on May 17, 2024. The album spawned the single, "3:AM", featuring Erykah Badu, which went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.

In 2025, she released the EP, MadRaps, in collaboration with producer Madlib. The following year, she released her fifth studio album, God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops. The album featured guest appearances from Amanda Reifer, George Clinton and Malice.

Style and philosophy Rapsody is known for her intricate rhyme patterns, metaphors, and wordplay. She is often hailed as one of the best living lyricists in the hip-hop genre. Rapsody cites Jay-Z, Mos Def, Lauryn Hill, and MC Lyte as the biggest influences on her music.

Rapsody's production is primarily handled by The Soul Council, the team of in-house producers at It's A Wonderful World Music Group comprising E. Jones, Ka$h Don't Make Beats, AMP, Eric G., Nottz and Khrysis. Rapsody's philosophy is "Culture Over Everything," referring to the culture of hip-hop music. She describes this phrase in an interview with Vibe where she says, "To me, it's about culture more so than money or anything. I make music for the people of the culture we’re in; that comes first. If you touch the people first, the rest just falls into place. That's what it means to me, just preserving and respecting the culture."

Personal life In her younger years, she watched the MTV show Yo! MTV Raps and considered MC Lyte as one of her early influences and later stated Lauryn Hill as an all-time favorite. She grew up in the small town of Snow Hill in North Carolina. Rapsody wasn't exposed to much hip hop and would listen to what her older cousins would play in the car. She would later develop her love for hip hop when she entered college.

Her 2017 album Laila's Wisdom was named after her grandmother, Laila Ray.

In 2019, Rapsody played for the "Home" roster during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at the Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The roster was made up of celebrities with Carolina roots. Her team won the game and she had one assist in the game while playing around 12 minutes.

Discography Studio albums + Title Album details Peak chart positions US USR&B/HH The Idea of Beautiful Released: August 28, 2012 Label: Jamla Format: LP, CD, digital download, streaming—— Laila's Wisdom Released: September 22, 2017 Label: Jamla, Roc Nation Format: LP, CD, digital download, streaming125— Eve Released: August 23, 2019 Label: Jamla, Roc Nation Format: LP, CD, digital download, streaming7642 Please Don't Cry Released: May 17, 2024 Label: Jamla, Roc Nation Format: LP, CD, cassette, digital download, streaming—— God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops Released: August 21, 2026 Label: We Each Other, Inc., Roc Nation Format: LP, CD, cassette, digital download, streaming——

Extended plays The Black Mamba (2012) Beauty and the Beast (2014) Crown (2016)

with Kooley High Kooley High Presents... Raleigh's Finest (Mixtape) (2007) The Summer Sessions EP (2008) Eastern Standard Time (2010) Kooley High Presents...David Thompson (2011)

with Madlib

MadRaps (2025)

Mixtapes Return of the B-Girl (2010) Thank H.E.R. Now (2011) For Everything (2011) She Got Game (2013)

Guest appearances Title Year Other performer(s) Album "We Are Jamla" 2009 Skyzoo, Big Remo, GQ The Power of Words "As We Shine" Thee Tom Hardy, D-Mal The Hardy Boy Mystery Mixtape: Curse of thee Green Faceded "Okaaaaaay" Thee Tom Hardy, TP "Let's Go" 2010 Actual Proof The Free EP "It's Cool (Word to A. Gilliam)" "Times Up" Actual Proof, Halo, GQ, Sean Boog "I Will Always Be Down" Heather Victoria Victoria's Secret "Your Favorites" Thee Tom Hardy The Hardy Boy Mystery Mixtape: Secret of thee Green Magic "Never Settle" Sean Boog, Halo, Sundown Light Beers Ahead of You "What It Is" Sean Boog "Heroes" Sean Boog, Big Remo, King Mez, Halo, GQ, TP "Breathe" 2011 Actual Proof The Talented Tenth "The Jungle" Halo Heat Writer II "Dream Big" TP TP Is My Hero "Won't Stress Me" Heather Victoria Graffiti Diary "Fight the Feeling" Sean Boog, Halo, Tyler Woods The Phantom of the Jamla "Represent" Actual Proof Still Hotter Than July "Sizzlin" Median The Sender "Lines" Halo, 9thmatic The Blind Poet "20 Feet Tall (Remix)" 9th Wonder, Erykah Badu The Wonder Years "Set It Off" The Away Team, Talib Kweli Scars & Stripes "Black Swan" Statik Selektah, Nitty Scott, MC Population Control "ACC" GQ, Halo Trouble Man "Optimus Prime" GQ, Bluu Suede "Not Taking You Back" Heather Victoria Hip Hop Soul Lives "Headlights" 2012 Actual ProofBlack Boy Radio "Many Microphones" Actual Proof, 9thmatic "I'm Back" Big Remo Sleepwalkers "A Love Never Dies" Sean Boog, Khrysis Sean Boogie Nights "And Another One" Rah Digga "Shorty Left" Buckshot, 9th Wonder The Solution "Get Together" Murs, 9th Wonder The Final Adventure "Gettin' Mine" 2013 Big K.R.I.T., Heather Victoria "Same Shit" Oh No, Psalm One Disrupted Ads "I Know" GQ, Rocki Evans Death Threats & Love Notes: The Prelude "Before Midnight" L'Orange & Stik Figa The City Under the City "It's OK" Add-2 & Khrysis Between Heaven and Hell "The Resurrector" 2014 Bishop Lamont The (P)reformation "Hallelujah" Dilated Peoples, Fashawn, Domo Genesis, Vinnie Paz, Action Bronson Directors of Photography "Pretty Balloons" Halo Mansa Musa "Pump Ya Brakes" Diamond D, Boog Brown, Stacy Epps The Diam Piece "Never Give Up (One for Ava)" A-Villa, Guilty Simpson, Villa, Avalyn Villagomez Carry on Tradition "Complexion (A Zulu Love)" 2015 Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly "Told Y'all" dEnAuN sTuFf In My BaCkPaCk "Kidnapped" King Magnetic Timing Is Everything "Another Level" Statik Selektah Lucky 7 "Stop Play Rewind" Add-2 Prey for the Poor "Kool Aid" Add-2, Sam Trump "Guillotine Flow" Big K.R.I.T. "Respect" Bad Lucc Breathe "Ski Mask Way" "Every Ghetto" Talib Kweli, 9th Wonder Indie 500 "Life Ahead of Me" "Don't Be Afraid" Talib Kweli, 9th Wonder, Problem, Bad Lucc "See Love" Shawn Stockman "Walk Like a God" Murs, 9th Wonder, Propaganda Brighter Daze "Without You" 2016 Anderson .Paak Malibu "Far Gone" Musiq Soulchild Life on Earth "Shadows Crawl (DJ Premier Open Eyes Remix)" Torii Wolfrowspan="2" "Guns Hang High" GQ "The Law" Ab-Soul, Mac Miller Do What Thou Wilt. "Let It Burn" 2017 Talib Kweli, Styles P, Chris Rivers The Seven "Loved Ones" 2018 PRhyme PRhyme 2 "Love Is A Funny Thing" Evidence, Styles P, Khrysis Weather or Not "Care To Say About It" T.I. Rapture The Soundtrack "Go" H.E.R., Alex da Kidrowspan="2" "Go (Remix)" H.E.R., Alex da Kid, Jorja Smith "Dostoyevsky" Black Thought Streams of Thought, Vol. 1 "Big Discount" 2019 The Karrin Allyson Sextet Shoulder to Shoulder: A Centennial Tribute to Women's Suffrage "Wishing Well" Elle Varner Ellevation "He Won't Hold You" 2020 Jacob Collier Djesse Vol. 3"Fight The Power: Remix 2020"Public Enemy, Nas, Black Thought, Jahi, YG?uestloveWhat You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? "The Mighty Tree" Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, Kamasi Washington, Herbie Hancock Dinner Party: Dessert "Air & Water Interlude" T.I. The L.I.B.R.A."Can't Put It in the Hands of Fate" Stevie Wonder, Cordae, Chika, Busta Rhymes "Deep End (Remix)" LecraeRestoration "Fallback" 2022 Phife Dawg, Renée Neufville Forever "Still" 2025 Joey Badass, Ab-Soul Lonely at the Top "PS118" Jurin Asaya