Albums

CHIKA Drops Her Debut Project, ‘Industry Games’

blame it on Shake March 13, 2020

Photo: Leeor Wild

Back in 2018, we introduced you to an artist by the name of CHIKA after she chin-checked Kanye West and bodied a Funk Flex freestyle.

Now, less than two years later, the Bama-bred, LA-based artist is ready to take the next step with the release of her debut project, Industry Games.

“I want to change the way that people process emotions,” Chika said in an interview with TIME last year. “I want to bring back what’s real and let people be more in touch with themselves. Not all rap, of course, but some of it is so fabricated and narcissistic because we build this wall up around ourselves so that no one can hurt us as rappers and musicians. I want to strip that away and show that you can still make bangers that have a message and it doesn’t have to be corny and contrived; it can just be positive and it can be real. I just think that’s something that’s missing in the industry right now and I definitely want to do my best to resurrect that. I don’t feel that I chose rap, it chose me and I have to do it justice.”

Equipped with seven tracks, including the infectious “Songs About You,” the EP can be heard below. Press play and add it wherever you get music.

On top of the EP, Chika also stopped by the NPR offices to perform five of the seven songs as part of their ongoing Tiny Desk concert series.