Have you gotten a chance to listen to Revenge of the Dreamers III yet? I finally got a chance to comb through it recently. While I loved the project for it’s comedic moments, various cadences, and lyrical flows, I’m immensely thankful for the album for a different reason. ROTD3 introduced me to a new favorite! Her name you ask? Her name is Mereba, an Ethiopian-American R&B singer…and low key lyricist. She caught my eye, well, in this case, my ear, with “PTSD”, the 17th track on the album. She opens up the single with a harmonic rap melody, which is what made me look into her further.
In a recent interview with Hypebeast, she touches on her Ethiopian roots:
“MY DAD SENT ME BACK THERE ON SOME DISCIPLINARY SH*T…HE THOUGHT I WOULD BE MAD BUT I WAS MORE LIKE..I’M NEVER COMING BACK, AND I ENDED UP STAYING THERE FOR 7 MONTHS. IT GAVE MY LIFE CONTEXT. IT GAVE ME A GREATER SENSE OF PURPOSE. I HAD SUCH AN EPIPHANY ABOUT MYSELF AS A BLACK WOMAN, ABOUT THE THINGS I CAN DO IF I WAS WILLING TO, IN THE WORDS OF NIPSEY, JUST RUN THE MARATHON INSTEAD OF JUST SPRINTING”
I’m astonished that I’ve been missing out up until this point. After hearing “Highway 10” and “Sandstorm” from her recently released album, The Jungle Is the Only Way Out, I knew she would be an artist that I’ll need to keep up with from this point forward. Her versatility is undeniable.
Hours before its release, J. Cole prefaced ROTD3 with the following message:
“Revenge album dropping 2nite. Know that this album represents community and the unheard unsung artist that fight and bleed daily to be felt. There will be someone you never heard of on this album. Look them up and support them if they resonate with you. A follow goes a long way.”
Having worked with artists such as 6lack, EARTHGANG, and JID, Mereba has more popularity than I initially was aware of. It took ROTD3 for me to become a fan, and that’s okay. Is there a newer artist on Revenge that resonated with you? If so, don’t be afraid to look them up and support. As Cole states, a follow goes a long way. While you’re at it, be sure to check out Mereba’s latest music video for “Sandstorm”, featuring JID.
