The Tribe: Lioness is Ready for Global Domination
She has now completed her sixth and final year of Medical school, and ‘The Pride of CilQ’ is also the culmination of Lioness hustling for 11 years to finally get her ‘big break’.
A qualified doctor, Lioness is sitting on top of her throne as the illest hip hop femcee Namibia has produced in recent years.
In an interview with Ché for ‘The Tribe’, Lioness talks about the creative process that birthed ‘The Pride of CilQ’.
“It was a little bit difficult for me because I had to really prioritise. Obviously, school was my priority, but I couldn’t stay away from the music, and so I did it in parts, I did it actually over a year,” she says.
She worked with different producers and artists on the project while her best friends and fellow rappers, Skrypt and KP Illest pitched in to put finishing touches to the album, while she wrote her final exams.
Another Namibian rapper, the late Catty Catt, assisted Lioness in navigating the music business.
“I’m honoured you know, and Catty Catt really had my back, back then. May his soul rest in peace.”
It took the rapper countless freestyle battles, cyphers and even performing for a handful of people – to get to the top. She persisted through it, and now boasts an intercontinental collaboration with South African rapper Boity and Kenyan musician Nazizi – which was facilitated by Coke Studio Africa.
“Yeah, I mean well some artists get lucky, for other artists you know, it takes a little bit of time and that’s okay, because we all have our different journeys,” she says.
Quick Facts:
Dope beat or killer chorus?
Dope beat.
First job?
Waitress.
Your first salary was spent on?
I remember giving it to my Mom.
Beard or no beard?
Girl, I have to go with the beard. I’m a beard girl.
The ultimate collaboration you’d like to be on?
Burner Boy.
Follow Lioness
Twitter: @lioness_CilQ
Instagram: @lioness_nam_
Facebook: Lioness
Listen to the interview here :