In a world teeming with could-have-been rappers and a generation obsessed with gaining their time in the limelight, gaining renown as an up and coming artists is difficult. Iggy Azalea, Amethyst Amelia Kelly, has the personality, looks, and talent that it takes to climb the charts as a top artist.
Releasing her first solo album, The New Classic, Iggy built her U.S fanbase with her sultry and aggressive raps. Throughout the album’s various tracks, Iggy tells the story of her growth as an artist from the young age of sixteen. An Australian native, teenage Iggy moved to Miami, Florida in hopes of beginning her career. The independent attitude she earned as a result of this life experience is conveyed songs such as “Work” and “F***k Love”. Her rapping throughout “Work” narrates the story of her evolution as an artist and how people ¨don’t know sh*t bout where [she] was made, or how many floors [she] had to scrub just to make it past where [she] is from.¨ Similar to other prominent female rap artists, Iggy reeks of independence and girl power. She preaches ¨I’m already in love with myself…You can’t break my heart. You can’t take my pride.¨ Although not necessarily lady-like, Iggy’s demeanor serves as admirable for girls who have not yet learned self-sufficiency.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Iggy broaches the redundant themes of other rappers in tracks “100” and “Fancy.” Repeatedly she raps about her wealth and how’s she’s “deluxe, classic, expensive, you don’t get to touch.” The cliche of immense wealth and status within the rap genre is predictable, but can be overlooked due to Iggy’s style and the commercial appeal of her music.
With all her swagger and talent aside, it is unmistakable that Iggy’s physical allure is a substantial factor in her climb to notoriety. Some may argue that Iggy’s work has no substance, and she is merely another pretty-faced celebrity that is over-marketed due to her admirable appearance. Even so, her appearance may be pleasing to the eyes, but that does not mean her music cannot be pleasing to the ears. Her emanating beauty very well may have gained her renown, but her current popularity in the music realm owes its occurrence to the substance of her character and music.
