Set to release her debut EP this summer, rapper Kiara unveiled her official first single, 'Ape Shyt', in March, followed last week by 'Blame On Me'. The two tracks show an artist with immense burgeoning talent and versatility.
As an opening gambit, 'Ape Shyt' certainly grabs attention. She takes a sparse beat produced by IGot20OnMyBeat and fills it with power and aggression. On 'Blame On Me', she takes a softer approach that's emotionally raw and honest. Both are impressive, though neither suggests she's yet given us the whole picture.
"It's funny, people look at me and think that I'm an R&B singer, and don't expect me to be a rapper", she says. "But I can spit with the best of them".
"I have different sides", she adds. "Just check out my videos. In my music I can talk about love, my childhood, or give that raunchy side. I think of my sound as raw and authentic. That's a good thing, because this is a great time for female rappers. We are taking over the game".
Watch the video for 'Blame On Me' here: