On “Death Before Dishonor,” Chattanooga, Tennessee’s bbymutha silkily spits “If you ain’t dying/what the fuck you trying to live for?” over boricua producer Joey LaBeija’s instrumental. LaBeija teamed up with the “rap game Lisa Frank” to record the rapid-fire track long-distance to preview her first live appearance in NYC this weekend, which is actually her second live show ever.
As the slightly muddled reverb in the verses suggest, the vocals were laid down in bbymutha’s home, showing her scrappiness in making the recording process work regardless of a lack of access to full studio equipment. LaBeija seems to have embraced this process, opting for leveraging the show-all, unpolished method that he employed on his honest, seductive take on ’90s R&B with Don Christian on “You Don’t Know” late in 2014.
bbymutha debuts Saturday at LaBeija’s gorgeously chaotic monthly party Legendary at Brooklyn’s Cameo Gallery, with House of LaDosha’s resident DJ Michael Magnan, Nicole of Nina Sky, resident False Witness, and Riobamba on the decks.