by Adair Smith
Photography by Diego Bendezu | Fashion by Emma Lillian
Welcome to the age of millennial rappers, where feminism is cool and social media is where you’re found.
jacket NOMIA. jewelry (throughout) Leaf’s own.
New York-bred and based rapper and producer Leaf is just about as lit as one can get. After only one album and just 50k on Instagram, the 22-year-old artist is already following in the footsteps of the likes of Nicki Minaj and Cardi B, gearing up to become rap’s new feminist icon.
jacket LINDER. pants “THE BREAK” VINTAGE.
The artist, who found success after being discovered on—you guessed it— Instagram by A-Trak, a Canadian DJ, record producer, and music label executive, has become a token young, innovative creative navigating the industry in the age of social media and women empowerment. While being a millennial with thousands of followers on Instagram isn’t new, being discovered and actually succeeding is somewhat is a novelty, even in 2017—a novelty Leaf seems to have owned.
top and skirt LINDER. boots LAURENCE DACADE.
The self-proclaimed “head bitch” dropped her debut album Trinity earlier this year, releasing a collaboration with everyone’s favorite “lil boat” Lil Yachty and creating some fire feminist anthems, from every woman’s go-to money making motivational track “Money” to the staple “you won’t do nada” track, “Nada”. The rapper doesn’t stop with music, she has an entrepreneurial mindset, running an all-female collective, MBM, “Magnetic Bitch Movement” or “Money Before Men,” helping women became, well, the boss bitches they are, engineering a feminist movement in its own right.
Cheers to another woke young artist making their mark on hip-hop and creating much needed space for women in music.
jacket SANDY LIANG. top ACNE STUDIOS.
Hair by Vi Huynh
Makeup by Norah Salazar
For the full story and more content, get your copy of Phosphenes #4 – “Music”
top ACNE STUDIOS.