Aasha Marie is a highly gifted and talented creative from the south side of Chicago, IL. She has been professionally releasing music for the past 6 years; however, she has had a lifelong passion for music. She is currently celebrating the release of “BYOB,” which is out now on YouTube. It can also be found on WYWS, Aasha’s latest album that’s available to stream on all major platforms. As her closing bar on “BYOB” says, this album was about being able to “celebrate the escape that you made from your past.” Aasha Marie went deep into herself to evaluate areas where she was “asleep” in life and then found ways to ignite them. It’s learning to receive every experience as blessings and readjust to create a means to continue with an elevated mindstate.
More on WYWS
The “nucleus of the project” was described as leveling up.“It’s not being pretentious, it’s stating I’m here, here’s what I do, and here’s what I’m about; and you can listen to it on this album. So while you’ve been sleeping, i’ve been grinding, i’ve been working on it and here it is!,” Aasha Marie exclaimed. When asked what her favorite songs from the album, she excitedly responded that her first single was because of the in-depth nature. It took the longest to write, she was highly critical of her artwork throughout the process, and she also wanted to pack everything within the 16 bars to speak to diverse audiences. Extensive time was taken to collaborate with others to push her pen and keep refining the song. Additionally, each time she performs it, it takes on new meaning for her, especially in current times with its alignment to the political climate. Midnight Blues, which is a single off of the album with a neo-soul vibe, is her pick of the litter from this album. She was able to simply write how she felt, she poured her heart out and was able to be brutally honest and transparent with listeners.
The Process
Aasha Marie’s career is a direct reflection of how she walks in faith to utilize her God-given talents. She has continued to create and learn to find the joy in every situation within her daily life. This has brought about many blessings for both herself and others. Aasha Marie has been recently nominated for Rapzilla’s Womens Spotlight Artist of the Year and Album of the Year, when taught her to truly count her blessings and confirmed her work ethic after sometimes questioning it, as Indie artists often do. Moreover, helping others outside of creating content is important to Aasha, as she is thoroughly invested in African-American community matters.
In addition, being highly in tune with her Christian faith and involved in the church serves as the vehicle for her major moves within the music industry, being a proud CHH rapper. Her foundation includes everything from playing the organ at church, dubbing cassette tapes, previously serving on Englewood’s community board, and even harvesting anger that went unexpressed; all of which molded her into the woman and artist that she is today. She explained, “All of those experiences shape you… and that very much shaped who i am as an emcee.” This cornucopia of applied skills and talents explain why Aasha Marie is such a phenomenal communicator and overall creative.
Aasha Marie has developed immensely in the professional realm within recent years, ushering in major confidence with a trajectory of longevity. She is multifaceted, as she produces, composes songs, teaches choirs/ensembles, and much more, although rap is her dedicated lane. She went from overthinking each project regarding her delivery, networks, branding, etc. She eventually saw the divine message in this process was to wake up and push forward with confidence, get better, and connect with those who are healthy for her process.
Behind Her Vibrant Style
It is no wonder that Aasha’s style is bold, fresh, divine, and unique all in one. Beyond her powerful delivery, she infuses Christian faith, tells stories and narratives about where she’s from and her life experiences, and then fuzes them to make a relatable track for a mixed audience. “With rap I can express myself in such a way that I can’t in any other art form, not even in conversation. It’s just something about rap that frees me to be who I am and I feel like I have a license to say things I otherwise wouldn’t… that’s the type of rapper that I am.” Needless to say that you can feel the spirit moving throughout the crowd when she’s rocking the stage. She continued, “Even though it’s a Christian message and I have scripture weaved into it, I always try to find a way to repackage it and make it palatable for people to digest it and understand.” Her craft is the much needed intersection between rappers whose messages are so creative and lyrically deep that it goes over people’s heads, and rappers who are direct and straight to the point but may lack in spark.
The lyricst attributes her style mostly to growing up in her city and building with her neighbors. Aasha illustrated, “Chicago is a beautiful, beautiful city even though in a lot of the media and news it doesn’t get highlighted that way–because of the shootings and gang-related stuff… but Chicago has a rich history for music. For me, I got my start in gospel music and then I started rapping at 15-16 years old. So the city has always been vibrant and a hub for music.” She nostalgically described how she’d freestyle in the basement with friends and other people from the neighborhood.
Influences within the Music Industry
Outside of her immediate environment, her biggest inspiration has been the African American Church. Donald Glover is another all-around creative that she appreciates for not limiting himself. Lecrae, who is also a CHH artist, Pharrell Williams, and Jackie Hill Perry are also on her radar for collaboration.. Further, she appreciates artists like Rhapsody who don’t waste a single bar. She explained that collaborating with any artist depends on the chemistry that can be established between the artists based on subject matter, content, and goal so that they both have for the project.
Advice for Artists
“Get out of your own head, either you’re going to do this or you’re not,” Aasha Marie firmly urges artists. “I can’t continue to sleep on all the gifts that God has given me. Everything that God gifts us with… all of the different things that you do is going to help somebody. It’s giving them exposure, it’s helping you to grow in areas, it’s stretching you, making you more mature.” She went further to explain how comparison is the thief of joy, so we need to be mindful and grounded within ourselves and our faith. She also warned how vulnerable we are to feeling like less than during this technology era, where we regularly see glamorous showcases of others’ lives on social media. Aasha dropped more gems, “It’s important to look at what God has given YOU, look at your accomplishments and the things you’ve been blessed with, and let that be the push you need in life. Her beloved husband is her accountability partner with this, often reminding her, “Aasha, remind yourself of all the successes and accomplishments that you have and let that be a big push for you.” Having a positive network makes a major difference in both business and home life.
Having an outlet to unwind and stay grounded was also discussed. As a pure creative, Aasha’s release is another art form. She loves to cook because it helps her to unwind and relax. Supporting other artists by going to concerts and enjoying live music is also another therapeutic measure. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has limited contact, making it hard for artists who thrive off of gathering and fellowship. Aasha Marie genuinely misses performing and looks forward to being in a safe environment to do so. While having to be physically distant because of pandemic restrictions, she tries to be mindful of her physical health as well, especially with a baby arriving soon! She emphasized how important it is to get both sunlight and fresh air, which she tries to do at least twice a week. She keeps her creative juices flowing and stays sane by going to the studio every other week for energy and motivation.
Social Media Handles
Follow Aasha Marie on Youtube @Aasha Marie, IG & Twitter- @Aasha_Marie, and her website https://www.aashamarie.com/ for more dope content, upcoming shows/concerts, and other upcoming events.
