Everything is Beautiful / Everything Sucks

Princess Nokia, or Destiny Frasqueri, changes her name according to her mood. Something similar is seen in the dual releases Everything Sucks and Everything Is Beautiful, reflecting the multifaceted nature of the rapper. One is funk, jazz samples and vocals, and the other is trap, beat and rap. However, this dualism carries the smarts not to choose between the harsh and the soft, sadness and joy, or man and woman, but rather to make them exist at the same time. We also hear in this ensemble a beautiful way of taking advantage of one’s strengths and vulnerabilities, of changing them by bringing them up to date so that a certain harmony reigns within this “split personality”. The sharp-edged rap of Everything Sucks becomes light and silky on Everything is Beautiful. Princess Nokia is accompanied by Terrace Martin on one of the latter’s funkiest tracks of which is “Green Eggs & Ham”, highly recommended for enjoying breakfast. It’s a logical continuation of the track “Tomboy”, from their 1992 Deluxe mixtape, released in 2017, and also something to satisfy those who, like me, drift among styles and, plagued by indecisiveness, just pick out the best bits. And if the urge arises, taking a step back and listening to Destiny Frasqueri’s “Soul Train” would allow a better understanding of the richness of this character, and the advantage of not having to choose.