Within the last 20 years, the entertainment industry has ushered in a wealth of talent hailing from the city of Houston. The likes of superstars such as Beyoncé, Travis Scott, and most recently, Megan Thee Stallion have managed to amass mega-followings and ignite stan-wars, all while changing music history and effectively putting Houston on the map.
In many ways, SunniThaRapper, the self-proclaimed “HBIC of Houston,” mirrors her hometown counterparts. Born in California but raised in Houston, Sunni began her professional career under the guidance of Mathew Knowles, the father of one of the greatest musicians of all time, Beyoncé.
“I was in a girl group called Blush before becoming a solo artist. We did a showcase, and Mathew Knowles signed us afterward,” Sunni shared in an interview with Remixd Magazine. “Mathew didn’t create us. We were already fully formed and practicing 4-5 hours a day, several days a week, but he came and developed us and upped us.
Life as a signed artist would not pan out for the young rapper, but the memories of Knowles’ teachings went far, shaping her transition from shy girl, to sex symbol, and pop-rap, girl group, to hardcore independent rapper.
To fresh ears, Sunni’s self-described “southern twist with a west coast twang, “rap-onizing” (harmonized raps) sound” gives listeners a potent dose of energy. On recently released tracks, such as “Fantasy Freestyle” and “Look Good,” the starlet spits hard-hitting bars that show off her lyrical ability and sexual boldness.
Though liberal with showcasing her sexual energy, the journey of embracing it while growing into her identity would prove to be a challenging one, a battle that many creative women find all-too-familiar.
“I started off trying to rap like Lauryn Hill (one of my favorite rappers), but I realized I had to find my own formula as an artist, and I went through so many transitions as Sunni,” the rap star shared.
“I was very uncomfortable with being a sexual being, and I didn’t always feel sexy, or like I was a bad b—h…I had to find my confidence and learn that it was okay to show off my sexual side. Honestly, I feel like Beyoncé did help me with that, and when I got signed to Mathew, he also helped me with that,” she said.
2022 marks the culmination of more than a decade of hustle for SunniThaRapper, who, alongside her small team of music professionals, is working to keep up with the demand for more music, collaborations, and content.
Between plans for newly coming projects and successful rollouts of her freestyles, singles, and social media challenges, the young rapper encourages fans to take away one key message from her hustle:
“Be the head bitch in charge of your life,” Sunni shared. “I’m big on being an HBIC, especially for my women, because I want people to know that you have to run your course and write your own narrative; otherwise, you get lost in allowing other people to control it,” she added.
Check out SunniThaRapper’s latest releases as well as her social media updates, below.
IG: SunniThaRapperTwitter: @SunniTharapper“Fantasy” FreestyleLook Good Freestyle
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