Rapsody‘s thoughts of career satisfaction have changed over time.
Back then, she wanted to collect Grammys and awards, but now, she’s about longevity.
“At one point, it was like, Man, I would love to take those pictures holding three, four, five Grammys, right? And I love the plaques on the wall,” she tells XXL. “But I think those are the bonuses for me. Those are the pluses. A good career for me looks like one, to wake up and do this for years, for 20, 30 more years. To continue to be able to always do the art and not have to have another job. To be able to travel the world and do something that helps add to the culture that makes it easier for the next person behind me.”
Rapsody adds that the most defining moments of her career are fan encounters. “I was in Boston one time, and after the show, I was doing a meet and greet with the fans. And this White boy came up to me. This is Eve Tour,” she recalled. “And he said, ‘Thank you for making Eve because I got to learn a lot more about my Black girlfriend.’ And it’s moments like that that take me away.”
Rap admits there are frustrating times when she doesn’t “feel as accepted and as loved as” newer women in rap, but suggests it’s necessary “to audit yourself” when those feelings arise.
“The most frustrating part to me on a business level is when there’s only one narrative pushed and there’s only one image pushed … I don’t ever want an artist to feel like they have to compromise themselves because that’s what they think it takes to be successful,” she explains, noting Cardi B, Tierra Whack and Latto are all loved for their authenticity.
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