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Tag: I Am Chamel

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A film about Northwest hip-hop from

The Lost Tapes

Federal Way rapper I Am Chamel dropped this raw five-song EP of gangster throwback rap exclusively on SoundCloud alongside the new UNITY clothing line. It’s her first effort since 2017’s widely-acclaimed No Gimmicks. Although the pandemic is not directly addressed, I Am Chamel fantasizes about someday being able to eat cheese in France and salad in Greece on the song “Tap In,” featuring DaKid. On “Prison Break,” she ruminates on the benefits and frustrations of being alone, adding the potent and relevant reminder that “the most oppressed on this planet is a Black woman, we create the solutions, and yet you steal from us.”

The Lost Tapes was created in and features appearances from:

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A film about Northwest hip-hop from

No Gimmicks, Vol 1

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing I Am Chamel perform multiple times recently and she always brings the house down. I agree with her assessment on the opening track: “They ain’t never known a broad who can spit this heat.” Which brings me to this record: No Gimmicks, Vol 1, a 2017 release from this talented young Federal Way rapper. Last night she was a guest performer on queer hip-hop web series THE BEAT, where, when asked about the title she said, “To be successful, you’re pressured to have a gimmick as if you can’t just be yourself and succeed. This record is all about being yourself.” The G-funk song “Vibe” lays bare the struggles of being an independent artist, while “Winnin” is an anthem worthy of a major sporting event. Audience favorite “Against All Odds” refutes the pressure to be someone else and features some solid synth production from Tacoma’s one-stop-shop Cold Clock Productions and engineer Kyle Layng. This is a record with some serious heat. I can’t wait for volume 2.

No Gimmicks, Vol 1 was created in and features appearances from:

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