Barriers for female rappers have been falling like dominos this decade and an MC like Stefflon Don is taking full advantage.
Hailing from East London, her foul-mouthed fearlessness has attracted the attention — and respect — of peers such as Future, Big Sean and French Montana and she appears to move with the poise and diligence of an artist who’s in for the long haul of the male-dominated gauntlet.
Seeing that her presence is firmly established, her newest project, Secure, stands as her first official test to American eardrums as she puts a 180° spin on Issa Rae’s honest fragility and overdoses on the testosterone.
One need not look any further than the ballsy intro, “Lil Bitch” for their crash course in Steffie’s artistic wheelhouse. Overtop a thundering, post-apocalyptic appropriate backdrop scored by Rymez (who produces the bulk of the album), the Don lyrically stalks her prey with baritone bars and killer conviction. It’s a focal point that reoccurs on the LP. On the bouncy “Crunch Time,” she licks warning shots with lines like, “Keep your crown clown, I’ma done what the bloodclaat /Me nuh talk, I leave fishes swimmin’ in a bloodbath,” while mid-album cut “Precious Heavy” finds her cranking up the flow over a frenetic keyboard hybrid.
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While Steff’s pen is definitely formidable, her biggest challenge on Secure is finding a sound that absolutely works for aspirations of total dominance. Given the subject matter, it made total sense for her to channel the bold Lil Kim look on the cover art but by the LP’s midway point, listeners will have had their fill of hearing about how superior her pussy is compared to inferior bishes.
The international crossover reaches featuring Future and Ebneezer in “What You Want” and “Uber,” respectively, are solid enough but she easily sounds most comfortable tapping into her Jamaican roots on the slinky “Both Ways” or the “Hurtin’ Me (Remix),” which features the all-star cadre of Sean Paul, Popcaan and Sizzla. The project also runs a bit long throughout its 16 tracks and between the limited back-and-forth vibes of battle rap and island, things can get a little tiresome.
Despite the critiques, Stefflon Don is a few tweaks and a couple seasons in the States from being an undeniable force in the rap game. Her competition should definitely feel insecure.
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