070 Shake (US) + Tea Sofia (CZ)

A fresh take on hip hop, with a futuristic sound, from this American rap talent

070 Shake thrives in shadows. The boundaryless New Jersey artist crafts uniquely nocturnal songs, full of the frayed emotions that crop up during late nights spent alone with your thoughts. Since signing to GOOD Music in 2016, she’s appeared on hooks for veteran rappers like Kanye West Nas, and Pusha T, bringing her piercing lyrics and sentimental vocals to powerful rap songs. And across her solo efforts, she’s demonstrated poise and vulnerability, as well as a dedication to going to uncomfortable places, writing moving songs about romantic entanglements and infidelity.

Her sophomore album, You Can’t Kill Me, is an extension of her previous works’ interrogation of humanity. The album aims to further expose her innermost feelings, to explore complicated interpersonal connections, to dig deep.

You Can’t Kill Me is a manifesto about emotional investment, codependency, and withdrawal. In a 2021 tweet, Shake teased the project’s premise: “Don’t wanna depend on anything I’ll one day have to detach from.” The 25-year-old views everything as temporary. The physical perishes and, eventually, even darkness fades. “We’re so attached to this physical world, it makes us more susceptible to being hurt,” she says. “You can’t kill me because I’m more than my body.” In some ways, its new territory for her—on the record, over an always shifting tapestry of sound, she offers full transparency, demonstrating a delicate balance of sensitivity and strength.