Born Fatimah Warner, NoName is an American rapper out of Chicago. Known for her intimate spoken-word verses and intricate storytelling methods, she's a rare speck of bliss in the chaotic world of hip-hop. Blending the worlds of D'Angelo and Chance the Rapper, her sound is rooted in jazz. Now 31 years old, she recently took to Instagram to announce her third full-length album, Sundial. The project is currently slated to release in July. NoName has solidified herself as a beacon for women in rap, stating to NPR, "I guess I approach everything with a very entrepreneurial spirit and mentality. Even though it's a lot of work and I have a very, very slow-rising career, I'm grateful for it because I've learned so much about myself through owning my own business."
At its core, her artistry is all about rejecting the societal norms surrounding artistic output. "I try to exist without binding myself to labels. I'm not really into labels at all, even the way I dress; I usually don't wear anything with a name brand," she told FADER in a 2016 interview. "For me, not having a name expands my creativity. I'm able to do anything. NoName could potentially be a nurse, NoName could be a screenwriter. I'm not limited to any one category of art or other existence, on a more existential level."
NoName Has Stayed Independent As A Rapper
That entrepreneurial mindset is in her bloodline. Raised by her grandparents in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago, her mother owned Afrocentric Bookstore, where her love for books and poetry began. She would begin to hone her talent in creative writing during a class in high school and developed an innate love for the world of poetry. Initially acting as a creative outlet for struggles surrounding her family life and trying teenage years, she would place 3rd in 2010 at the Louder Than A Bomb competition.
Soon enough, her talents with a pen would begin to translate into spoken word. She would befriend another local talent in the form of Chance the Rapper -- an artist who shares a mutual stance on major labels. NoName's big break would occur in 2013, when she appeared on Chance the Rapper's iconic Acid Rap mixtape, contributing a verse to "Lost." While the verse was brief, it was enough to garner her a reputation throughout the Chicago area. Soon enough, she was collaborating with the likes of Mick Jenkins and Kirk Knight, blending the worlds of neo-soul and hip-hop.
Telefone and Room 25 Received Significant Critical Acclaim
It was only a matter of time before her mellow, soul-infused raps would morph into a full-length project. We got it in 2016 with Telefone. The concepts of her debut project surround her struggles, specifically in the context of a Black woman growing up in Chicago. Although Telefone reflected the adverse situations she observed growing up, her first project is triumphant and heartwarming in nature. Deriving inspiration from fellow Chicago rappers, Telefone features a plethora of jazzy instrumentals from start to finish. Its soothing verses are a nice breath of relief, offering a reprieve from hip-hop's emphasis on boisterous energy. Instead, NoName is having an intimate conversation with her audience.
Two years later, she released 2018's Room 25. NoName's sophomore effort showcased a significant amount of growth, as she continued down the endearing form of neo-soul hip-hop that popularized her sound in the first place. Room 25 would do an even better job of complimenting her soft voice on the instrumental end, lighting the record into one of the best rap albums of 2018. Take "Window," an impassioned and lengthy odyssey into a romance that morphed into heartbreak. Moving from Chicago to Los Angeles after the success of Telefone, Room 25 is all about embracing change with a reassuring perspective.
NoName Aspires To Spread Social Justice Awareness
From starting the NoName Book Club to creating generational hip-hop albums, her soft voice looms in the Internet world. That voice sparked a beef between herself and J Cole back in 2020. She stated, "Poor black folks all over the country are putting their bodies on the line in protest for our collective safety and y'all favorite top selling rappers not even willing to put a tweet up. N***as whole discographies be about Black plight and they no where to be found." J. Cole, apparently feeling slighted, responded with "Snow On Tha Bluff." However, a conversation between the two confirmed that the song wasn't in reference to NoName, ending the supposed argument.
Three years ago, NoName also stirred a fair bit of controversy after airing out a series of personal frustrations on Twitter. She tweeted, "me consistently creating content that is primarily consumed by a white audience who would rather shit on me than challenge their liberalism because somehow liking Lizzo's music absolves them from racist tendencies." However, she's far from the first Black artist to express this frustration. NoName didn't invent the issue, but she's daring enough to bring it to light. Overall, NoName's confident voice and in-depth poetic lyricism will continue to influence hip-hop with her next album, Sundial.