MASE One and CKXU are going to show that the girls can kick it just as well as the guys in hip hop with a special female based hip hop show at the Army Navy Club (517 5 Ave South) on April 12 featuring local acts Pzeudo, Sam Mackey, Mwansa, Emma Ladouceur and Dr. Drea with Calgary based, Lethbridge born rapper Nki Louise and Role Model headlining.
“I’ve worked with MASEone and James “ DJ Booda” Nishima for a long time,” said Nikki Louise Nesbit, who goes by Nki Louise on stage.
She has been perform
ing as a rapper for the past five years and has since toured with Choclair twice.
“ I started out as a singer who went to hip hop. Five years ago, when we had MySpace, I had a bunch of songs with me singing but there weren't many hits on it. But I had one where I combined singing and rapping and a people were very interested in that,” she said adding a group of Toronto rappers were very interested it and invited her to be part of a Canadian Mixtape which caught the ear of a variety of bigger names like Drake.
“ That kind of opened a lot of doors,” she said adding her current sound combines a lot of different influences and styles.
“ I can play a versatile genre of music,” she said adding she performs rap, Hip Hop, dub step and even a little country music.
She is working on a dub step rap Cd, which won’t be out until later in the year, however she and Role Model are working on a CD which will be out in a couple of months called “Misery Loves Company.”
“ It is very heartfelt. Both of us were going through relationship things and break ups. So we decided to work on this together,” she said.
The dubstep rap CD will be more upbeat.
“It is called ‘Welcome to Louiseville.’ It was very inspiring and challenging. I like to challenge myself,” she continued.
“I don’t rap about guns and drugs. I rap about my life and make it relevant. I love singing too, so there are some broken down, broken hearted sons and songs about partying and having a good time,” she said.
She took it easier last year due to health issues and only played 30 concerts including a summer tour with Choclair but is working on some things for later this year including a U.S. Canada tour.
She met Choclair through DJ Booda even before she started making music.
“I toured with him last year, last June and July. He’s really fun to tour with. He’s just a great guy. He’s so uplifting and high spirited,” she enthused,” she said, adding DJ Booda was organizing a concert with him years ago in Medicine Hat and invited her to come on down and hang out.
A friendship blossomed which lead to a few shows then a couple of tours.
She is excited to return to Lethbridge where she has a lot of friends.
“If will definitely be great to see a lot of people. It will be great to meet a lot of females who are into hip hop. It used to be a man’s world, but that’s been changing. Girls are starting to represent themselves properly and get the respect they deserve,” she said.
Can She Kick It? Yes She Can begins at 9 p.m. at the Army Navy Airforce Club.
Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door.
It will also be broadcasted live on CKXU.
“ I’ve got friends from the Texas National Guard who will be tuned in,” she enthused.
Nki Louise will be on stage at approximately 11 p.m. or midnight.
