The UK music scene is getting more and more recognition outside its own borders. That being said, you’d better get familiar with Ms Banks, who may soon become UK’s First Lady.

Ms Banks inspires respect. She’s a strong woman in every way. That’s what it takes to play your cards right in a world that, to say the least, doesn’t offer many opportunities to those with an ebony-colored skin. The South London rapper nevertheless managed to make it her strength, distilling her Nigerian and Ugandan origins in each of her ‘Bad B Bop’: anthems that make you want to twerk and party, which enabled her to pretend to grow international. After she was invited on french rapper Kalash’s song ‘Nossa’ featuring Dadju, on his last record Diamond Rock, Ms Banks is now ready to send out her first album, without having needed to commit to a major label. Boss lady. As she dropped by Paris, the artist welcomed us in her 10th district hotel to chat about the recent booming of the UK scene, the struggle of being a black woman in the music industry and the success of Aya Nakamura, whose work she’s a big fan of.

From our french perspective, it looks like, today more than ever, it feels good to be a UK artist. Do you feel the same?

Yes, I do. I feel like the music is getting much better. And it’s starting to level with all the other sounds around the world. For a long time, there was a big market for french music, with a big audience, and now there is a big market for afrobeats too, and so for UK music.

How do you explain that the UK scene and culture is popping right now?

It’s been poppin’ for a while, but now everyone seems to be catching on. We have lots of big people backing for years, like Drake. People are finally starting to see how we grow up, what we go through in our area – and not only the posh and western part. It’s real. There’s so much culture in London especially, so much different people from different backgrounds, coming from West Africa, East Africa, the Caribbean or Asia and working together… The sound become really infused will all that and it sounds more international.

The rise of UK music also seems to go hand in hand with that of African music.

It’s true. Like you said, the UK scene is getting bigger, and Africa has always been big but the mixture of our sounds helps us to grow. We’ve been united for a while : the UK always had love for African music and afroswing, and now we incorporate it in our own music. You can hear that in ‘Location’ by Dave, same as Stormzy’s ‘Own It’. It’s not just rap music now, we got afrobeats too. And I think that helps pushing the sound cause there’s more of us pushing it.

‘I haven’t seen a dark skin girl be as big as Aya in France or even in Europe. It’s crazy. We all rooting for her.’

How does your nigerian and ugandan roots has influenced the music you make today?

It has influenced me a lot. From younger, I always wanted to find a way to incorporate my culture because I didn’t know how to speak my language fluently, being born in the UK. I wanted to represent that part of who I am, whether it’s for the beats,  the fashion, the small sayings or speaking pidgin. Just trying to bring my nigerian and ugandan culture in some way or another. It’s very important to me.

What kind of music you listened to growing up?

Lot of hip-hop and R&B, lot of African Music. My mom loved Koffi Olomidé, 2Face – you remember it, right ? [laughs.] He was so dope, with the crazy outfits and stuffs. That’s what I grew up on.

Culturally-speaking, France and the UK are pretty much close to each other : football is our national sport, we both got a massive African diaspora, when you go to our suburbs, people dress with the same tracksuit, same Nike sneakers, etc. How come the connection between us isn’t really made yet?

First of all, you guys have a lot of great music. Maybe y’all got so much options that you don’t feel the need to listen to a lot of UK music. And in the UK, well, we got a lot of great music too. Plus sometimes, I feel like language could be a barrier. Me and my manager, we thought about trying to learn french but we know it’s not an easy language to learn. [laughs] We’re still very much open to it though. But it’s true : there’s still a lot of similarities between us. I feel like once people will get past the language barrier, and start hearing the similar sounds and beats, it will infused more. More of us need to work together though. There’s so much french artists that I like! Luckily I’ve got to work with Kalash and Dadju, on the song ‘Nossa’. But there’s still more french artists I’d like to work with. Like Aya Nakamura, for example. I’d love to work with her. I think this is the kind of moves that would help us bridge the gap.

Tell us more about this feature on Kalash’ track ‘Nossa’, with Dadju. How did that happen?

I think his management saw my song ‘Snack’ and they really liked it. And the fact is that they already knew my management so it was just like that. They contacted my team, and then I’ve done the song. I’m a big fan of Kalash. I think he’s amazing.

It’s not the first time that we hear you talking about Aya Nakamura, since you already showed mad love to her on Twittter. What do you like about her and her music?

I like her attitude. I think she’s really fierce. Plus I kept on hearing her songs in the clubs, and people were going off every time! I didn’t know what she was saying at the time, but then I went to go watch her videos, done a bit of research, and grow to understand it. She’s nice. She reminds me a lot of myself : very fierce, a lot of attitude. And she’s a black girl! I haven’t seen a dark skin girl be as big as Aya in France or even in Europe. It’s crazy. We all rooting for her.

You also said that « she represented our sisters so well ». What did you mean by that?

It’s all aboutt being a black girl. She’s representing well because her music is good, it’s undeniable. She’s a vibe. I like people that do their job and doing it properly, and Aya is one of them. Musically, she’s great.

In France, Aya Nakamura is often told to have ‘an attitude’ or being arrogant when her reactions aren’t really what people would expect from her. And the same thing is happening in the US with Summer Walker and her ‘social anxiety’. Do people ask too much to black women?

Yes! I don’t know anyone personally to vouch for them and say who’s a diva, or who’s not… But I feel like there’s much pressure on black women to be more calm, and just adjust to every situation, be really subtle when you don’t have to be. A woman that works hard and is a boss knows what she wants and is gonna have a certain standard. And it shouldn’t be a problem. If people need to take time out for them to get their things done in proper order, I don’t think it’s too much to ask. As a black woman, I know what it takes to really maneuver in this industry. It’s a hard job.

‘In our community, we are not look down on for being big, or tall, or having a broad nose or big lips: it’s the norm.’

As a black woman, what kind of hardships you’ve had to face in this industry?

First of all, when it comes to my whole prep of my image and my music, everything has to be on perfect : hair, make-up, outfit, etc. I like looking good but I realize that black women in the media are probably a lit bit more judge than other skin colors. People find problems with how we style ourselves, how we choose to do our hair, so I have to make sure that’s on point. Same goes for my message, what I’m saying in my music : I feel like more is expected of me as a black woman. Just having people believing in the vision can be a hard job. Even within the black community : light skin or dark skin, it’s all the same to me, but to the public, I realize that maybe a fairer skin girl might get away with something I might not get away. Or when it comes to having an international appeal, I feel like sometimes, as a black woman, people don’t see you’re a star ’cause they may not be attracted to you, which shoudn’t even be a thing. It should be all about the talent. Because if another girl that was fairer would do the same music as I do, you would probably give her a big check. So why do I have to work ten times harder?

You, Aya Nakamura, even Megan Thee Stallion or Lizzo are all black women who don’t really fit with was used to be the beauty standards. And i feel like if it wasn’t for our music and culture, there would be no place for women like y’all.

That’s very true. We’ve had to make that space. All the women you mentioned have work super hard to get to where they are. And yeah, it’s not the ‘normal’ standards of beauty but it’s our beauty. In our community, we are not look down on for being big, or tall, or having a broad nose or big lips: it’s the norm. I pray that we continue to represent it. There’s not one standard of beauty.

Do people really take the full extent of the impact this culture have?

They do, but they don’t wanna say how big it is. It’s much bigger than they say. The impact of urban culture and black culture? It’s crazy. Massive. International.

You got a song titled ‘Bad B Bop’. What’s your definition of a « Bad B »?

A Bad B is a confident woman, getting her own money, looking out for her family, working hard and just slayin’ it. She’s just being herself, basically. That’s what a Bad B is.

During your shows, you often bring people from the crowd on stage to making them dance, twerk, or even perform. Why is that important to you?

I love performing. I feel like it’s the best part of doing music – separately from being in the studio. And  it’s nice to interact, but it’s also nice to let people feel like they’re really involved. Like, ‘Come on stage with me, share this space with me. It’s not only my space, it’s your space too’. It loosens people up in the crowd, cause they can see other people coming up on stage and having a good time. I feel like it’s important to interact and just unite.

Now you’re name is getting bigger, but yet you chose to not be fully linked with a major label. Why?

I just haven’t found a label yet that has made me feel like home. I’m looking for a great team, which understands me and my vision, and can help broadening it to get a bigger audience. When I’ll find that, I’ll made that decision.

What can we expect about your upcoming album?

It’s just fun, light-hearted. Lot of party vibes, I’ve been in the clubs a lot so that’s what it sounds like. I hope everyone just enjoy it, until I get back on my bullshit. [laughs]