NYC hip hop artist, Princess Nokia has launched a new era of her music career with a powerful single, No Effort.
If you’re looking for a fresh anthem to add to your ‘boss babe’ playlist, Princess Nokia’s new single, No Effort is a must.
Described by the artist as a “love letter to girls in the hood,” this bold, brilliant and endlessly-playable tune is nostalgic of early-2000’s hip hop, but carries a modern twist.
“Look at me, so clean, no effort. Ponytail, ripped jeans, no effort. Face clean, gold ring, no effort. Insane, my chain, big pressure,” the global songstress confidently chants throughout the rhythmically-captivating, anthemic chorus.
A follow-up to her dazzling late-2021 single, Boys Are From Mars (feat. Yung Baby Tate), Princess Nokia exceeds expectations once again with her first single of 2022.
The track is coupled with an equally powerful music video, directed by Travis Libin. Dedicated to late film director, Sebastian Sdaugui, the cinematic clip tells a powerful tale of sisterhood and pays homage to the hip hop songstress’ Harlem roots.
In the making of the video, Nokia drew inspiration from an image that was featured in a 1996 New York Magazine article captioned, “Prep-School Gangsters.” As recounted by Rolling Stone, the article discussed a group of wealthy students from an elite New York City private school who “fetishized hip-hop culture and committed petty crimes.”
According to Nokia, “Understanding the subject of the article and the ironic juxtaposition of social and economic representation, I wanted to recreate the photo and symbolize the beauty of the actual inner city [from a] female perspective.”
Filmed at an East Harlem park, the video showcases hypnotic dance choreography performed by an enviously-badass, all-female crew flaunting matching puffer jackets. Through a cinematic recreation of the aforementioned image, Nokia deftly “reclaims the co-opted aesthetic” and “brings it back to Harlem.”
A known trailblazer in experimental hip hop, Princess Nokia’s No Effort marks a new chapter in her musical career: “New era. new music. same me,” she stated.
With her first music release of 2022 done and dusted, the global artist is now gearing up for the exciting few months ahead, starting with an upcoming performance at Coachella in April, followed by opening for Haim at Madison Square Garden in May.
Listen to No Effort below.
