This will be another up-and-coming artist who I have written about that seems to have had her career venture crossroads with singer Lykke Li. This time not actually working with her but living with her for some time. Mapei (or Jacqueline Mapei Cummings) is a rapper-slash-singer that has moved between the United States and Sweden. Her style involves the mixture and switching, within song, hip hop and soul. She also produces music within pop but many of her works so far revolves around hip hop and the lyrical skills of rap.
After an interview, she stated that she wanted to venture into singing. Realizing her previous work was just freestyling and not writing songs, she wanted to find inspiration. This brought her to travel around to various countries in the next following years. Like many artists, sometimes the “creative flow” needs a trigger to gain momentum. That momentum then grows and ideas and concepts almost uncontrollably begin to spill out. She definitely found what she needed and began working when she returned to Sweden. She involved her work time with producer Magnus Lidehall and the rest flew into full flight.
Her single “Don’t Wait” was released in 2013. The song obviously received popularity as various producers remixed the song. Another version was released in March 2014 that featured Chance the Rapper. In May 2014, the song debut at #48 on Billboard Hot Dance Club chart. After a year, she released her second single “Change” in June 2014 and then “Believe” in August of the same year. Finally, her debut album was released in September 2014. It was entitled Hey Hey.
Mapei has released only a few songs and a debut album but I think we are probably going to be hearing some new production work soon. I definitely hope so. I would like to watch her alongside the other new and talented artists on the rise. I like the style she has brought with a sound that keeps us wanting more.
Here’s the acoustic version of her single “Don’t Wait” by Mapei:
