Young M.A. Herstory In the Making

Last Thursday rapper Young M.A. released her debut album, “Herstory in the Making”. Describing her album, Young M.A. opened up, “You’re gonna get the truth. You’re gonna get the cocky joints, the slick talk joints where I talk my talk, but then I’m gonna get personal.”
A Brooklyn native born Katorah Marrero, the M.A. stands for, “me always”. Since going triple platinum with her single “OOOUUU” in 2016, Marrero has stayed relatively under the media’s radar. “Herstory in the Making” has a tracklist of 21 songs, with features by Relle Bey, Max YB, and YG. The album plays, “No Mercy”, “Da Come Up”, “Big”, “Kold World”, “PettyWap”, “The Lyfestyle”, “Smoove Kriminal”, “Stubborn A**”, “RNID”, “She Like I’m Like”, “Numb”, “Bipolar”, “Bleed”, “No Love”, “Car Confessions”, “Foreign”, “NNAN”, “My Hitta”, “Sober Thoughts”, “Crime Poetry”, and “Pettywap 2”.
Beginning the album with intro “No Mercy”, Young M.A. wastes no time addressing critics. “I wasn’t welcome, I imposed” and “Fu**in with the same sex, they say it’s a sin” were two of many lines that catch the listener’s attention. An open member of the LGBTQ+ community,  M.A. raps freely about her sexuality, which is sometimes taboo in the rap game. 
So much so that rapper Kodak Black has been called out on a few occasions for inappropriate remarks made about Young M.A. earlier this year. Black rapped on his song, “Pimpin Ain’t Eazy”; “I’m fu**in’ Young M.A, long as she got a c**chie/Say she got the strap and the toolie, say she put the crack in her booty.” When fans lashed back at the pervasive lyrics, Kodak had this to say, “I’m talking about, how you a girl but don’t want your p***y penetrated?”
Dismissive of most of his comments, M.A. simply responded to the attention from Kodak, “Obviously, the n***a is weird.” One of a handful of female rappers, Young M.A. has the talent, but is often disregarded as a female rapper in identification with her sexual preference. With artists like Megan thee Stallion, City Girls, and Cardi B., M.A. is rarely brought into the discussion on women’s influence in hip hop. 
Local rapper and senior Matt Paige agreed, “Young MA is in my opinion one of the best female artists. She actually spits, and of course doesn’t talk about the same topics as other heterosexual females, making it more relatable to men.” 
Whether or not she is overlooked, “Herstory in the Making” as  Young M.A.’s first official album is certainly noteworthy. From what is sure to be a party hit with “She Like I’m Like” and “PettyWap” to a smooth and relatable vibe on relationship quarrels with “Stubborn A**” and “Numb” the album has a little something for everyone.