Rap artist Nemesis recently released her single/music video, “Mi Fiesta,” featuring the Colombian rap group Voces del Silencio.
In April 2021, Bogotá erupted in protest. After years of austerity, inequality, and official malfeasance, Colombians refused to be silenced. They took to the streets and made their discontent audible.
Three thousand miles to the north, allies in Southern California heard the voices of Colombians and pledged their support. Rapper Nemesis of the incendiary hip-hop group Pure Order recognized the Latin American dissidents as fellow travelers.
The result – “Mi Fiesta” – is a one-off single that feels like part of a sustained revolution: a party song designed to quicken the pulse of marchers and protesters around the globe. Some of the verses are in English and some are en Español, but the fundamental message of solidarity, self-respect, and belief in people’s power comes through in any language.
Producer Yodaroc’s track fuses the celebratory quality of contemporary Colombian pop with the urgency and drive of Los Angeles underground rap and the directness of Midwestern hip-hop.
Tattoo.com caught up with Nemesis to discuss how she got started in music, the inspiration for “Mi Fiesta,” and how the track came into being.
How would you describe your music?
I would describe my music as highly lyrical, creative, soulful, and intelligent hip-hop.
Tell us more about “Mi Fiesta.” Walk us through your mindset as you recorded.
Recording was from separate studios in Bogota Colombia for Voces del Silencio, and Los Angeles for me, so we had to be in our vibes with the song as we recorded individually. I was focused on blending the vocals despite our different accents and conveying movement and fun as my arrangement allowed us to take turns rapping every 4 bars.
What inspired “Mi Fiesta?”
‘Mi Fiesta’ was a cry from our souls about our right to have the lives we dream of as we create them through the art form of music. As talented, independent, and somewhat undiscovered artists, we felt a sense of exhibiting our self-respect through celebrating ourselves knowing that this vibe will resonate with the millions worldwide struggling to live their dreams as well.
With “Mi Fiesta,” what was your main focus? What did you want to try and achieve with this single?
Our main focus on this song is a strong lyrical voice over a jumping beat. We want to give the world a hip-hop collaboration that exhibits the oneness of purpose between all true heads worldwide.
How did you connect with Voces del Silencio?
Voces and I met on social media after discovering each other’s music and instantly found a kindred spirit in each other about 7 years ago. As struggling independent artists at the time, we wanted to collaborate on a song but had other obligations or obstacles get in the way, until we said ‘enough’ and decided to make it happen despite the hardships. I searched for a beat and a good friend, Yodaroc, generously offered an array to choose from and Voces and I loved this one for ‘Mi Fiesta!’ We commenced writing and arranging parts together via Zoom and messenger chats with heavy use of translator assistance, so we were able to structure and record an unorthodox song that we are all very proud of as a result!
How did you get started in music?
I started in music after acquiring my name and reputation as Nemesis in cipher battles in high school and then meeting a friend that also rapped but who infused me with great confidence at a time when I was cripplingly shy – God’s Gift. I first appeared on his album with DJ Shag called The Valkyrie in 2014 and decided to continue rapping with God’s Gift as one half of our duo Pure Order. We now have several singles released and an album to be released this year!
Why do you make music?
I make music because I love it. I love it because it moves me, gives me vibes to relate to, and carries me. I love expressing myself from an unobstructed point of view. It’s very liberating. I love the prospect of the music I make being enjoyed by others. It’s exhilarating!
What can you share about your creative process?
I meditate to find an observation I feel strongly about. I study the beat by replaying it to hear layers of melodies as potential complements to the concept I’m conjuring. Lyrics flood my head almost instantly. I scramble for my phone or pen and paper to scribble down the line(s) I’m thinking of retaining as I marinate on the concept and build on the lines I was inspired to. I edit lyrics to 16 bars and then consider the music concerning a hook. Whenever possible I like to write a hook. Some rap songs are better without hooks, I take that into discretion and create according to the feel of the music and bars together.
What inspires your writing? Do you draw inspiration from poems, music, or other media?
I’m inspired by the wonders of creation. The awesome function of all that exists. The function dispels the dysfunction enough for me to free myself. This soaring free feeling is when my inspiration to make music is boosted.
Which do you enjoy the most: writing, recording, practicing, or playing live?
I enjoy recording and arranging the piece the most. It feels like the convergence of the creative pieces as they take place in the private world of my home studio, yet it is the creative stage where I’m accounting for the lovability of the piece as it hits listeners’ ears. I’m writing and expressing privately while recording so I feel also like I have space to be raw which is very important to conveying the purpose of the piece honestly.
What’s next for you?
I’m finishing several albums produced by legendary producers Evil Dee and Doctor No, along with several singles and features with many cherished collaborators. My duo Pure Order has an album to be released this summer and we are performing in L.A. and New York this spring and summer showcasing the new releases we have lined up.
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