Tanaka Makoni is a fresh hip hop artist hailing from the UK’s capital, London. She takes a new leaf out of the hip hop book, and she drives her own journey with a sound which is leaving many people, including myself mesmerised.
Her latest release ‘Lust’ grips from the get-go. It kicks off with an intro lead which will be humming around your mind for days, weeks if not months. It was around a week ago when I first listened to this piece, and I have been craving it ever since. It is catchy, and somehow Tanaka has added a contagious melody which somehow pops up unwillingly time after time.
Tanaka has a transparent quality. She is a talent which takes a no prisoner approach with her articulating her message with no ambiguity. Her story is meaningful and relevant to many, with her singing about a relationship which may not be love but more lust. I am sure we have all been there, we meet someone, and the passion takes over however it soon starts to spiral out of control, yeah?
Vocally, Tanaka sounds great, she sings with a clear tone, and her lyrics come bright with full of satire and clever hooks. She also lends an unforgivable rap in sections which proves her ability to switch things up. Also, the chorus is a nail-biter, it digs deep, and it leaves us itching for another fix.
Overall, the track is a prime example of how much talent is leaping out from the underground hip hop scene. It also demonstrates how Tanaka is pushing the way for female hip hop in the UK. But, she is still relatively early in her career; therefore, she will need even more hits like this one to cement her name in the archives.
If you want to listen to the track head on over to Spotify, and make sure and follow the artist on Twitter and Instagram.
About the Author
Jack Kirby is a music journalist with plenty of years of experience in music press under his sleeve.
Off the Record 