“It’s giving a little ‘Cocaine Cowgirl’” says Armani Caesar describing her outfit to us backstage at Coachella. She came out on the festival stage dressed in a cowboy hat, white roper boots, and a black corset (that she made herself through her Armani’s Closet boutique). All are hard to ignore even when worn separately, and that’s kind of the point. Armani Caesar is an unstoppable force in hip-hop who refuses to be ignored and she has every right to demand attention. As the first female rapper signee to the Griselda Records label, Armani Caesar has made sure to not only keep her flow up with fellow label mates, Benny the Butcher and Westside Gunn, but also distinguish herself as a heavy-hitting writer and lyricist for the label with her own sound.
Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Armani Caesar was making music as early as 15. She continued to work on music while simultaneously studying at North Carolina Central University. Being from New York and moving down to the south molded her sound significantly, merging the southern drawl and slower tempo beats that NC is known for with the boom-bap, gritty sound of NYC. The exposure to multiple sounds has helped make Armani Caesar the multifaceted MC she is today. “I can carry and transition [Grisleda’s] sound without being in a box,” explains Armani in an interview with Forbes. She showed off her style of rap in her debut album, THE LIZ, which helped get her name out to a wider audience and get her featured in articles alongside other prolific female rappers like Saweetie, Megan Thee Stallion, and City Girls.
It is Armani Caesar’s insatiable hunger for success that has helped get her to where she is today and her music speaks to her hustler mentality. In one of her standout songs, Mac 10s For Everybody, listeners get a glimpse into what it took for her to be one of Griselda’s elite talents. “’Member nights I used to freeze, fucked up, eatin’ no grilled cheese / It made me stronger, real queens go through things’” Armani Caesar raps in “Mac 10s For Everybody”. From her challenging past to being thrust onto the stage at Coachella, Armani shows a true appreciation for the opportunity. When we asked her about how it felt to be performing at the world’s biggest music festival, she exclaimed “It feels amazing! I don’t know anybody from [Buffalo, New York] that’s been to Coachella before. Not performing, at least.”
Coachella isn’t the final stepping stone for Armani Ceasar though, as she currently is working on new projects and music. Looking to top her THE LIZ album, and also answer the call from her fans for new music, Armani Caesar announced that “THE LIZ 2 is dropping [and also] just mad freestyles.” She adds, “I’m ready to give it to [my fans] plus more. I’m going to make it worth their while.” From her music to owning her own business, Armani Caesar is proof that hard work, sweat, and a lil “Cocaine Cowgirl” swagger can get you far. Look out for THE LIZ 2 to drop on streaming platforms and stores later this year.
