“I always thought that I might end up being a rapper anyways, so from a young age I used to try to freestyle as much as I could,” says American rapper, Lola Brooke, as we speak one Thursday in August. She says this a week ahead of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary where it felt more women than ever were being celebrated for their contributions to the genre. From Nicki Minaj to Lil’ Kim and back to Foxy Brown, these are some of Hip-Hop’s finest – and now, Brooke is assuring that she is amongst that list too.

On first impression, Brooke is cool, calm, and collected. Yet, her authoritative spirit dominates the conversation – something that is prominent in both her songs and performances. And if you know anything about the 4’ 9” bar-spitting powerhouse, it’s that her energy is consistently on 10 and her spirit is infectiously electric. “I lead with supreme confidence, and that’s been the key to navigating Hip-Hop as a woman. You have to ensure that your confidence is shatter- proof and that your voice is heard because if you don’t, you’ll leave room for others to try to project on your craft,” she says. “It’s empowering and challenging at the same time, but if you set that expectation at the beginning for yourself, people will know that you’re not one to be played with.”

It’s baffling to know that her hit single “Don’t Play With It”, featuring fellow Brooklyn-rapper Billy B, first made it onto our sound waves back in 2021 when it’s been one of the hottest sounds of this year. ‘I’m still gon’ me a hundred M’s with a hundred plans/ Gimme beso (muah), Extendo (grrah)/ I carry bitches like I’m preggo (bop- bop, bop-bop)’ she commands over a beat that blurs the lines between Drill and Hip-Hop, but is contagious nonetheless. Having garnered over 100 million streams across all streaming platforms, it’s clear that this has become an anthem of sorts. Did someone say hot girl summer? “This was a song to show who I was as a full artist with energy,” she says. “I knew one of my songs would do good and I had a strong feeling with “Don’t Play With It”. I knew that it would be a good song for the city but I didn’t know that it would be globally.”

Brooke is full of wisdom; she’s precisely to the point, concise in her message, and truly isn’t playing with it. “I remember when I was 18, I’d just graduated from high school and I had walked in my mom’s room and said to her, ‘I’m gonna go to college and I might take time off because I want to go work and make some money’,” she says. “‘But besides that, Ma, I feel like I’m a star, like I’m important to the world. I don’t know what it is, but I’m gonna figure it out.’ And so I knew the world was gonna get Lola Brooke because I had the name.” And we’re so glad she figured it out. After dropping out of college, she dedicated her time fully to working to fund her hustle, and hustling to fulfil her dream, with most of her earnings going towards studio costs. “Most of the greats figured it out on their own and they’re the pioneers of it – they started it off. Whatever I know is because of what they knew.” And yet there has to be some foreshadowing here because the Rap starlet can already check this off.

In “2017 Flow”, one of the first freestyles she released to the world, showed us a taste of the message and creativity a then 23-year-old Brooke, dressed in a black leather jacket, white skinny jeans and Timberlands was itching to bring into the musical realm. It’s so New York, that undoubted roughness and aggression brimming with social commentary and riddled with youthful angst and emotion on life in the city and the suburbs. It’s the same recognisable finesse that helped cement the success of fellow Empire Staters such as 50 Cent – one of her key inspirations – Jay-Z, Nas, and now, herself. Every year since then, she’s been sure to bless fans with not just new flows but new singles and experimentations. And each year, she simply gets better. “Learning is what makes the artist who they are. Where do they come from? Where’s the foundation?” She evaluates. “I look at documentaries of people like Michael Jackson or Beyoncé, and they always had somebody local, it was always either family or a dope team around them that kept everything moving.” At the core of this team are her family, who she called on the help of and was able to enjoy the process with; booking out studio sessions with cousins while also uploading her flows to SoundCloud.

More recently, someone else who has become local to Team LB is none other than music maestro Teyana Taylor aka ‘TT’, as she calls her. A creative pioneer, fellow New Yorker and “big sister figure” for Brooke, Taylor has welcomed her with open arms. At HOT 97’s Summer Jam this year, Taylor even stepped in to help creatively direct and choreograph Brooke’s set. “It feels good, because I’m not just my neighbourhood hero anymore, it’s extended out to the greats as well. I’m like the little sibling and I finally get to come outside,” she says, with a light giggle. “They guided me and I’m blessed to have people who have the grace to be around me and teach me things that I might not know because a lot of artists don’t get that privilege.”

For the lyrical wordsmith, she affirms the importance of spending endless sessions in the studio, turning mumbling into lyrics, and rhythms into beats, so that her favourite hobby could become her dream job. It’s a constant that remains. “When I’m in the studio, I always say to myself: ‘You gotta leave here with at least one song – even if you don’t like it,’” she says. When asked if she’s been able to keep up that discipline, the answer comes immediately. “Yeah, what! I would woop my little butt like I was in trouble [if I didn’t]. I do not play games,” she says. “Whatever you want to do, in 24 hours it can get done.” So, when renowned producer Sharif “Reefa” Slater, who has also worked with one of Brooke’s favourite rappers Meek Mill, got onboard to help curate the sound we’ve grown to love her for, it seemed that the stars were aligning and “this music thing” was probable.

Nowadays, Brooke’s day looks a little different. It’s been a busy year for the 29-year old rapper; she’s fresh off a summer of back-to-back festivals across Europe and North America. From Wireless in London to Rolling Loud in Miami and fitting in time for Rolling Loud in the Netherlands as well, there’s a growing demand for Brooke – and luckily for her fans, she’s committed to it. “I’m just happy that everyone is welcoming me to the game because I’ve worked so hard to be where I’m at today,” she says. “To be [performing] in the UK at Wireless in London, and to hear those people say my words, it was a good feeling.” If you’ve seen any clips or snippets of Brooke’s performances, you know how exhilarating the atmosphere becomes to the point that you can imagine the pulsing bass vibrating up your legs and ringing in your ears. She’s quickly establishing herself as an artist that does it all; writes sick lyrics, can put on a killer show, and can connect with a crowd – and she loves it, truly.

There are so many facets to Brooke that hook listeners in, but she believes she’s discovered the cheat code. “The accent! Because I don’t consider myself having an accent but everyone always comes to me saying, ‘Oh, you have a strong Brooklyn [accent]’, ‘You could tell you’re a Brooklyn girl’. So, now I get it.” But it’s more than that. It’s her unequivocal ability to command a room and space with confidence and intrinsic panache. She recalls one bustling night in the city; she’d just attended a Migos release party before heading to the studio to record and produce another hit to add to her already-impressive discography when her producer Reefa pulled up a hidden gem. “He ran down the history of it, how much of a classic it was and I was scared to do it but I ended up doing it anyways,” she says. She’s talking about a recent single “Just Relax” which cleverly samples Hip-Hop duo Black Sheep’s “The Choice is Yours”. On it, she showcases her adaptability on a remake of an old-school hit and rather unknowingly awakens nostalgia for lovers of the genre – and puts some of that learning to the test. “I’m a fan of Hip-Hop before anything and will always be a student of the culture and craft,” she says. “It gives a voice to people like me, which was important for me growing up, especially as an only child.”

As she prepares a new project already in the works for release later this year, things are switching up a gear or two and her calendar is looking busier than ever. We’ve had somewhat of an introduction to Lola Brooke, hell she suggests we’ve even been reintroduced. From TikTok virality to people dancing to her songs, the love is clear, and appreciated. But now’s the time for her to introduce herself, her way on her terms – not the algorithm’s. “[The project’s] gonna be an emotional rollercoaster,” she says. “I don’t feel like people know me. They just know of me right now, but they don’t fully know how long the book [of Brooke] is. This project will introduce them to Lola Brooke.” With so much to say, and she promises not to give away too much, she gives a little insight into what to expect, and it’s three points only: “Growth, very much Brooklyn, and pain.” So, it’s looking like Miss Brooke may lead the charge on ‘All the Feels Autumn’ – and we’re not complaining. “This could be the outro. “Don’t Play With It” was just an introduction to Lola Brooke as an artist. But I need to show them who I was before Lola Brooke, how I even became [Lola Brooke], so that they could understand my story.”

Just as the eclectic Brooke snuck up on the rap scene like a pantheress, now she prowls around it – and still like a pantheress. Only this time round she’s not lurking in the dark for too long, and if she is, it’s in the studio. “This wasn’t overnight,” she says. “I worked really hard to have this moment. It might have taken very long but it happened. Things are starting to pick up more and more but it doesn’t faze me because I’m prepared for it.” And that’s a fact.