As an up-and-coming female artist, Howard student Nikki Jayy is making a name for herself. Her debut EP “The Treatment (Side A)” has reached over 16k streams on Apple Music, Spotify, and other streaming platforms and will soon headline her first-ever show. Nikki Jayy and Cover2Cover sat down to chat about the moments in her career that led up to this milestone. 

What was your childhood like?

“So growing up, I was heavily involved in athletics, like basketball, soccer, volleyball, track gymnastics. I danced a little bit. I actually started dancing at the age of 3. And that was like my first introduction to being on stage. My parents wanted to make sure that I was heavily involved in the arts. So I think that heavily influences who I am today as an artist and just as a young woman.”

When did you start rapping? When was your peak?

“My first rapping song is ‘Act Different.’ That was the first time that I rapped. And it was just for fun, I was playing around. I was like, ‘Money makes you act different. And it's funny how a bank can make you act different.’  And I didn't know that it would actually go up the way that it did. Or people would like it that much. Because I did it jokingly, but I did it. So I was like, ‘Huh, okay, like this is my most streamed song.’ Maybe I should keep it because rapping differs greatly from singing for me. Even just lyrically. It takes me a lot more time to write soulful singing songs that I make than it does for me to make a rap song. I can make a rap song in 30 minutes.”

Who are your biggest rap influencers? Like female-wise?

“Erykah Badu, she's just an overall influence. I love her. Erykah Badu, I like Flo Milli and Monaleo. I won't say they're an influencer. But for my song, ‘Silly Heaux,’ I definitely took inspo from Flo Milli.” 

What do you think about female rappers being judged when discussing sexuality in their music?

“Honestly, I feel like everyone should mind their business. I think everyone should follow their business because personally, I don't care what someone else is doing with their body, their skin, their hair, or anything that has to do with someone else is not my business. And I'm a girl's girl. So anything that women are doing that's positive to them, I'm going to support it. I might not do it. It might be against my moral values, but if that's what makes them happy, I think everyone should do what they want and mind their business as long as it's not harming anyone else.”

What message do you hope women gain from your music?

“They are the baddest females walking on this earth. Confidence. That's the biggest thing. Confidence–you won't make it in this industry without confidence. And it's the difference between being cocky and confident. But I think everyone should have some confidence in them. And if you know someone that doesn't have high confidence, and they have more of a low confidence, it's nothing to hype them up. It's nothing to tell them that they're beautiful. It literally takes nothing, takes nothing to shed light on somebody and support them and make them feel beautiful and confident as well”.

What sparked these upcoming shows?

“So I always wanted to do a Nikki Jayy and Friends at SOB (Sounds of Brazil). So everything that I wanted to come to fruition. But I was going to LA to record at a studio, and I hit a major stage. I was like, ‘Hey, like, is there a show happening during this time span? Because I'm going to be there, whether it's just to watch or like to come as a special guest like, let me know.’ And they were like, ‘Actually, the 25th we have a show with this artist, and you can be a special guest on their performance.’ I'm like, ‘Okay, let's do it.’ He gon call me a week later talking about some, ‘Okay, so actually, this artist wants to push their show back to July. How about we do Nikki Jayy with friends in LA during the New York period?’ I was a little taken aback. Because, one, I've never done a show in LA before. I've only been to LA one good time. And then two, I was like, I only have two weeks to prepare. That's insane. And then on top of that, I'm already preparing for Nikki Jayy and Friends in New York, which to me, has to be the heavy hitter detail because New York is my hometown. But my team always has my back. And so when I felt doubtful, I almost told him no to LA. They were like, ‘No, we got this anything you need. We got you, like, let's do it.’”

Did you see yourself here two to three years ago?

“Two, three years ago, I didn't see myself graduating. Yeah, no, that's so crazy to me. Because two or three years ago, I didn't see myself graduating because I didn't want to. And honestly, I don't like I know that I'm going to be big. I know that I'm going to accomplish all of these things. I don't know when. So I don't put a timeline on anything. It's just working hard, and it will come to you. So I knew that I was going to get all these opportunities. It's just a matter of when.”

Nikki Jayy’s new single “Silly Heaux” is set to release April 25. The music video for the single drops on April 28. Her two upcoming shows will take place in Los Angeles on April 25 and New York on May 8.