

DEETRANADA Is Redefining What It Means To Be A Female MC On The Rise
Hot on the heels of her 1M followers on Instagram, DEETRANADA is a young, powerful rapper to look out for. In a male-dominated industry, DEETRANADA is showing that she can join the ranks of female emcees such as Megan Thee Stallion, Rico Nasty, Mulatto, Saweetie and other millennial and Generation Z rappers taking over the game. At only eighteen years young, DEETRANADA is making a name for herself in the music industry with her dope cadence, unique style and a flow that fallen legends would be proud of.
When it comes to women empowerment, especially in the music industry, there is no concrete definition; we all have different ways of supporting one another and showing our love and appreciation for sisterhood across all fields, races and circumstances. When asked what she defines as women empowerment, she replied with, "A woman trying to live, however she may get her money, I support." And that's on period, pooh.
From “The Rap Game” To Beyond
DEETRANADA may be a familiar face from the Lifetime Television Network's hit show, The Rap Game, a show testing the young talents and efforts of up-and-coming teen rappers from across the country to battle for the win of a contract on SoSoDef's record label. After her season on Jermaine Dupri's The Rap Game in 2017, she followed the appearance with the release of a mixtape and an EP, Adolescence Swim (2017) and A Bunch Of Nada (2018). As she reflects on the early stages of her career, DEETRANADA speaks to xoNecole on her evolution as an artist.
"I don't even think I existed before 2018. That's how I look at everything," DEETRANADA shares. "They're chapters of my life that I went through and that book is now closed. Evolving into the young woman I am now, it's all about learning and moving on with life. Certain things don't define me nor will I let it, it was just a lesson. Moving forward, I just have to make sure I protect my energy, especially in an industry like this."
As she's grown into her artistry and as a young woman, DEETRANADA has been able to step into her own and become Miss Independent due to her hard work and dedication to her craft. For her, the most rewarding experiences of her career are those when she has the opportunity to give back to her loved ones. "I just want to give my people everything they couldn't get for themselves," she says.
"I don't even think I existed before 2018. Evolving into the young woman I am now, it's all about learning and moving on with life. Certain things don't define me nor will I let it, it was just a lesson. Moving forward, I just have to make sure I protect my energy, especially in an industry like this."
B-More: Born & Bred
Born and raised in Baltimore, she proudly wears the city on her back and pays homage to the city as a key factor of who she is since the beginning of her career. "The things I went through in my life pushed me to make music. [Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia] and Baltimore prefer to stand by themselves, so I would say Baltimore as a whole pushed me to live," DEETRANADA tells me as she explains that she was never particularly influenced by any one person, place or thing during her upbringing. "Our culture is so beautiful. From how we carry ourselves to how we dress, down to how we live. It just bred me different, and you can hear it in my voice. You can see it in my style. You can peep it in how I walk. I can say that for anybody from Baltimore. We [are] just different!"
To only be eighteen years of age, DEETRANADA has made a name for herself in ways that artists in their 30s and 40s can only dream of. Her age has played a factor into her success, and for that she's grateful that her youth gives her space and opportunity to shape her craft and work towards her goals. "I could take a three-year hiatus and come back when I'm 21, I'm still young," she says. "Time is everything and the fact that I got that over people twice my age is an advantage. Plenty of room to grow and improve! I don't even think I've reached my prime yet and that excites me."
Social Media & Generation-Z Power
DEETRANADA has created such a buzz for herself and her music through social media platforms, especially with the recent release of her album, DeeVsEverybody!. The young raptress admitted to feeling pressured to prioritize quantity over quality when approaching her work, but ultimately the latter prevailed. "Honestly at first, I always felt like I had to keep pushing out material because nowadays fans are unappreciative of quality and only care for quantity, and I found myself not performing to the best of my ability," she admits.
This album, now available everywhere, includes a personal favorite of mine, "ATTITUDE". When asked how social media has played a role in the leverage of her music, DEETRANADA is not too shy to admit that there are social media trolls and people trying to put a halt to her bag collection process. "For anybody that thinks they're bold enough to 'troll' me, it's just a pretty little button that makes them go away," as she refers to our good friend, Block Button. "I don't have time to argue anymore because people are stupid, miserable and bored. As for people trying to stop my bag? They get handled accordingly, but it's all mind over matter. They don't exist in my head." Two snaps for you, sis.
Women Empowerment In The Music Industry
As we all know, female rappers weren't always given the respect they deserve when it comes to their craft in the music industry. From OGs Trina, Queen Latifah and MC Lyte to today's starts Cardi B, Doja Cat and Tokyo Jetz, women are often hypersexualized or deemed as "doing the most", and we're never just allowed to be women. DEETRANADA confessed that her own defiance of straying away from sexual topics in her music has impacted her growth and visibility as an up-and-coming artist. "I'm not the type of rapper that talks about promiscuous topics because I'm not and never will be comfortable doing so, so labels and fans don't care to look at me," she reveals. "In this game whether you want to believe it or not, people don't care how hard you rap unless you're easy on the eyes. That's been one of my main challenges because a lot of times I feel like all of this is pointless."
Unfortunately, one of the most difficult challenges as an up-and-coming female rapper is not being able to sell your talent, but having a talent to sell your bodies and amplify your sexuality. In what James Brown referred to as "a man's world", women are oftentimes compared to the opposite sex or chastised for being a member of their own gender or gender identification. When asked how she felt about phrases like, "like a girl" or "like a man", or even "she can hang with the dudes", when clearly young women like her can hold their own next to any rapper no matter the gender identification, sex, or race, DEETRANADA is not a fan. "It's annoying," she says. "I get very annoyed when, mostly older, fans tell me things like that because they never throw around comparisons like that when addressing a male. I'm just as strong as a man mentally and musically so the fact I would even be compared as someone who can 'stand with dudes' is insulting. It just makes me think they don't believe women are their own entity."
"In this game whether you want to believe it or not, people don't care how hard you rap unless you're easy on the eyes. That's been one of my main challenges because a lot of times I feel like all of this is pointless."
What’s Next?
With her debut album, DeeVsEverybody, DEETRANADA shows zero signs of slowing down when it comes to her music and telling her story through it. "I want to try and shoot a visual for as many songs as I can off of my album because it really does tell a story about my mental health that I want everyone as a fan to see, hear and understand". As far as pushing new music anytime soon, she says, "As for new music, I'm in the lab trying to build up my material. When I come with a formula, I'll let y'all know!"
Only three years shy of 21 years old, DEETRANADA is growing into womanhood before our eyes from her debut mixtape to her widely respected and distributed album. When asked to leave a final message for those young women looking at her for encouragement and empowerment, she encourages our ladies to "find your own pocket". DEETRANADA's word to the wise concludes with:
"It may not be what's popular but if you keep at that long enough, you're going to be undeniable. If you're like me and you don't like conforming to the norm for what a female in the industry should be, stay true to yourself. The main thing I always say though, do whatever you want to do. As long as you're your true self, I support it! No matter what or who you are."
For more of DEETRANADA, follow her on Instagram.
Featured image by Brad Barket/Getty Images
Exclusive: KJ Smith Talks Viral Wedding With Skyh Black: ‘We Did What We Wanted To Do’
Whether it was your group chat, social media feed, or your favorite media outlet covering the spectacle, I’m pretty sure you’ve come across the viral Black wedding between actress KJ Smith (Sistas, Raising Kanan) and actor Skyh Black (All the Queen’s Men, Sistas). From their grand entrance to Jay-Z, Kayne West, and Beyoncé’s song “Lift Off” to KJ’s standout dance routine and the endless celebrity appearances, it’s an addictive TikTok scroll you can’t help but delve into.
But what many people would be surprised to know is that the couple’s original wedding plan was nothing like what it grew to be. What started as her simply scrolling through posts to get ideas eventually transformed into what the internet knows now as #TheBlackExperience. In an exclusive conversation with xoNecole, KJ walked us through her planning process, the morning of her wedding, and what she thinks of the online response.
Some women have their whole wedding planned out, from the bridal gown and venue to the bridal party and playlist. However, KJ was not one of those people. “I didn’t foresee a wedding in my future,” she reveals. “I was just gonna be the boss chick, rich auntie. I didn’t force love in my life until recently. I never had an idea of what a dream wedding would look like, it was easier for me to elope.”
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
And to many people’s surprise, that was their original plan – until Skyh brought up a valid concern. He was raised by his grandmother and thought she should be at the wedding, and naturally, that led to KJ wanting her grandmother to be there as well – then her mom – and later her sister – and, you’ve gotta invite the besties too, right? From there, the guest list continued to blossom. Much like the updo and pop of color bold red lip, she wore on her special day, which was initially on her Pinterest board as a soft glam look with her hair hanging on her shoulders, KJ is okay with changing her plan if it brings her and her loved ones happiness.
So let’s get into the wedding, which took place in Malibu, CA. The first thing you should know about the celebrity couple is that they’re non-traditional. They know, and they don’t care. So, in true unconventional fashion, they shared the morning of the wedding together.
“I woke up with Skyh, we walked our dog, had black coffee, and said good morning to the people who stayed at the venue with us,” she says.
Now, it was time for hair and makeup. While she was getting glammed up, she had Black-owned McBride Sisters wine and champagne (which ties into The Black Experience theme) on deck with her mom and friends, had her besties help rework her vows, retried on every outfit (sis is very Type-A), took photos, and ended the early-celebration with prayer and meditation. It seems very non-Bridezilla, I said.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company,” she explains. “The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
Things moved quickly, and before she knew it, it was time to line up to walk down the aisle.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company. The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
KJ Smith and her bridal party
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
Since everything started with their grandmothers, the couple wanted to ensure they honored them and planned to keep an element of their wedding traditional. Although we’ve all seen the reception videos and photos online, you may have noticed visuals from the wedding itself are harder to find.
“We planned for it to be traditional, but we’re not like that, so we tried to create those moments. We jumped the broom and had a salt ceremony (where the bride and groom individually pour salt into a glass container, symbolizing their lives becoming one.) But honestly, still, nothing was traditional about it.”
She goes on to explain that her mom caught the holy ghost coming down the aisle, her glam team was on deck, and she became so nervous with excitement that she had an anxiety attack – something she struggled with for years, she explains tearfully. Her friends had to literally cheer her down the aisle because of how overwhelmed she felt until she eventually calmed down.
“Skyh was standing there with his hand on his heart; we have our own little language, and I could feel the support,” she shares.
It was surprising to hear all these emotional moments happened before the party we saw online. That is until she once again got into the backstory.
“As a Black woman actress, for so long, it was popular to be mysterious and secretive, but that’s not who I am or what I like. Plus, we both wanted to create an experience for everyone there. We are the people who always host family and friends,” she says. “Like for me, the first order of business was getting sandals for the women so they can dance all night long. We had oxtail, D'ussé, and a coffee and sativa lounge – which is part of Skyh and I’s lifestyle and routine. We wanted to bring them into our world.”
Skyh Black (L) and KJ Smith (R)
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
She went on to discuss the dance routine she did for her husband at the reception, which has taken over the internet. Apparently, that’s another thing that didn’t go according to plan. According to KJ, she had promised a performance at their joint bachelor/ bachelorette party, but her outfit got stolen from her car. So, Skyh ended up performing for her – complete with a strip tease. Still, she never forgot her promise to dance for him.
So, she hired her friend as a choreographer, learned the routine, made friends and family watch it endless times, and attended Beyoncé’s Renaissance show a few days before for a confidence boost. It ended up being a show to remember. But that wasn’t all the night offered. Lil Mo performed, and the guests received special goody bags featuring their favorite Black-owned products like journals, hair care, and more.
“We made sure everyone was taken care of all night. That kind of stuff makes us happy. I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives,” she says.
But naturally, the internet is going to internet, and while there were countless people praising the event and applauding the newlyweds, some thought it was too over the top. I was curious to know her thoughts on some of the criticism.
“It’s cool. We did what we wanted to do. I’ve decided to share my world with people. Just how I went on social media platforms and found inspiration, I want people to do the same,” she explains. “I don’t think it's fair to my supporters not to give that out. There’s so much I wanna share with brides, specifically Black brides. I love that people are adding it to their Pinterest boards."
"I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives."
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
“I’m happy with it because we did what we wanted to do. They can do what they wanna do. Don’t be cruel, though, because you will get blocked,” she said, laughing.
The more I spoke with her, the more her sense of freedom shined through. People are always going to have their opinions, but at the end of the day, it’s you who has to live your life, and it seems like the couple realizes that and embraces that power. She also stressed the importance of not living for others and the lessons life has taught her.
“I’ve been to countless weddings, and I’ve been in countless weddings. I’m a generally older bride. So when women in my demographic get married, and you and your husband are busy working people like us, you deserve to have the one you want to have,” she shares.
“This is what we wanted to do. Our loved ones love and support us. We did so much to honor them, but we also wanted to start our own tradition, legacy, and creation. I'm not going to be pulled back into ideas of the past when I’m trying to create a future with my partner. “
If you’d like to see more of the couple, you probably won’t have to wait long. Although no content is planned yet, she admits to being an oversharer. “Me being open and transparent about my experiences lets people know it’s okay to have flaws; it makes you human, and for many years, I didn’t believe that was okay. I had pressure to be perfect, and I’d crumble every time,” she explains to xoNecole.
Now, she owns her flaws and uses them as a superpower to connect with her community and feel and express her love.
“Some people give us [Skyh and KJ] a hard time because they say we just seem too perfect. I’m like, why is that a bad thing? I love the people I love. From my man to my mama, to my friends - unabashedly. We move through time and space how we want to move. If we did it another way, we’d let ourselves and our union down.”
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Feature image by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
Whether you prefer to travel in groups, solo, or on baecations, picking the right destination is a major component of ensuring a great trip. Where you go for your next vacation can come down to price, location, activity options, and a host of other things. We’ve seen how often group trips can go awry because each person has different interests and wants to do different things. But how do you pick the right place for yourself when there’s so many options to choose from?
Choosing a destination that will provide you with the most memorable experience comes down to your own needs, and believe it or not, your love language can help with that. Our love languages are a guide to how we prefer to receive love and support, as well as how we like to give it.
Knowing about our love language can help build healthy relationships, better self-care routines, and improve our overall well-being. Imagine centering your travel around the way that you like to be loved and then experiencing that each moment of your trip. Every place around the world is unique and thus can provide a different vibe and feeling for us. Figuring out the places that align with our love language can be a game changer in how we experience the world.
Whether you’re a quality time girlie like me or prefer acts of service, here’s some of the best destinations to visit based on the five love languages.
Rome, Italy
The “Eternal City” is home to the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and all the pasta and gelato that your heart desires. People who value acts of service love when things are done for them, and life is made easier. If that’s your jam, consider going to Rome and experiencing an authentic Italian dinner cooked by locals for you. What better act of service than having someone cook a full meal for you in their home?
No need to learn how to roll pasta dough or knead pizza. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the free-flowing wine while learning about Italian culture and having a 4-course meal provided for you. After that, take a guided city tour where someone else can show you around all the popular spots, skipping the lines and avoiding crowds.
Bangkok, Thailand
Having acts of service as your love language is not just about how others show you love but also about how you show it back. If you enjoy giving acts of service to others, consider heading to Thailand and visiting an ethical wildlife sanctuary where you can spend the day volunteering. Choose a place like Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, where people are not allowed to touch or ride the elephants but can help with harvesting bananas, cleaning enclosures, or even helping out in the animal clinic. You’ll leave feeling a sense of pride and knowing that your time was spent in a way that made an impact.
If your love language is physical touch, you might want to visit...
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Guatemala
There are so many ways that we can experience the love language of physical touch, and Guatemala is a tropical sanctuary that can provide just that. This South American country is full of rainforests, volcanoes, and ancient ruins and can be the perfect escape to get some TLC. Consider staying at a luxury hotel like Villa Bokeh, where you can get your physical needs met through massages, yoga, or rowing on their lagoon. And if you want to explore off the resort, get those steps in with a hike of one of Guatemala’s volcanoes.
If your love language is gift giving, you might want to visit...
Dubai
There’s no better place to go to for all your shopping needs than Dubai. Whether you are a gift giver or like to be spoiled, this is where you need to be. To start, the Dubai Mall is the largest mall in the world at over 12 million square feet. With around 1,200 shops to choose from, you are bound to find something for just about everyone. Dubai is not a budget destination, so leave a little extra space in your luggage and prepare to spend a pretty coin while you’re there. If luxury gifts aren’t your thing, head to the Covent Garden Market, where you can shop local vendors for more affordable items.
If your love language is quality time, you might want to visit...
Costa Rica
Whether you’re planning a cute baecation or a solo trip, quality time is all about disconnecting and spending intentional time with your loved one or yourself. Costa Rica is an ideal location to be off the grid and be present. Spend some special time with bae at a nice resort, enjoying a couples massage, a trip to the rainforest, or a sunset dinner. There’s something about being off the grid that allows us to be more present with each other.
If you want to get in some DND solo quality time, book a stay at Nayara Springs Resort, located on the outskirts of Antigua, where you can enjoy uninterrupted and secluded relaxation while indulging in amenities like yoga classes and a hot springs pool.
Marco VDM/Getty Images
Tanzania
There are many ways to spend quality time with yourself or others, so why not do it in one of the most beautiful countries in the world? Explore Dar es Salaam with family, learn about the history of Tanzania, and then spend more quality time at the beach on Mbudya Island. If you are looking for a more romantic trip or quality time on your own, go out to Zanzibar, the archipelago off the coast of Tanzania. Here you’ll find some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and can stroll through the historical Stone Town.
If your love language is words of affirmation, you might want to visit...
Paris, France
If words of affirmation get you feeling all tingly inside, then why not take a trip to the "City of Love," Paris, France? Not only is Paris considered the mecca for love, but French is literally one of the world’s romance languages. So take a French lesson where you can learn how to speak beautiful words about yourself, or if you’re with bae, take a stroll by the Eiffel Tower at night while sharing some of the things you appreciate about each other.
Bonus points if you can say it in French.
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Featured image by Diamond Dogs/Getty Images