Neemz
I Choose Myself - Single
Album - Hip-Hop/Rap, Music
Breaking metaphorical ceilings is a subject that often comes up in song and conversation with barrier-busting artist Neemz. The Boston-based PalestinianRapper, songwriter, photographer, creative director, model: the Boston-based Neemz is a multidisciplinary artist with a unique sense of identity. A hijab-wearing rapper in a creative industry that is prone to stereotyping, she often sings about staying true to herself—while constantly embarking on new artistic quests that make her impossible to pigeonhole.
Her latest release, “I Choose Myself”, addresses self-love and acceptance, sprinkled with her trademark life-affirming spirit. “‘I Choose Myself’ is my realisation that everyone has their own timing, identity, DNA and challenges,” she tells Apple Music. “Choosing self means acceptance of everything, the unknown and known, the ups and downs as well as the hate and love.” As exemplified on her 2021 album It’s Above Me, which collects several of the rapper’s early singles, Neemz also freely hops between music styles, anchoring her mission to break metaphorical ceilings around a refreshing assortment of hip-hop, synth-pop, R&B and Afrobeats influences.
Regarding the challenges that Arab women face in rap today, her experiences in the US are not very far from those of female rappers in Arabic-speaking countries. “It sometimes feels like you are labelled because of your appearance,” she explains, lamenting people’s tendency to “limit you before they give your palette and music a chance”. Yet, if she could be captured in a word, that would be “ambitious”. Her plans for the future include producing for other artists—which just goes to show that there’s no knowing where this boundary-pushing artist might take you next.
What was your inspiration behind your latest release?
“The inspiration behind this track is my personal journey, my identity, the acceptance of self and being bold in my truth.”
What is the message behind it?
“‘I Choose Myself’ is my realisation that everyone has their own timing, identity, DNA and challenges. Choosing self means acceptance of everything, the unknown and known, the ups and downs as well as the hate and love. It’s a moment of peace and release, an affirmational stance to believing that life gets better with time and everything happens for a reason. Standing up for yourself and your truth is a base for everything that comes after!”
What are the challenges facing women rappers in the Arab world?
“I feel like the challenges I face being an Arab and a woman rapper in the US are a bit similar. It sometimes feels like you are labelled because of your appearance. It creates this lane for people to limit you before they give your palette and music a chance. Being labelled can feel like they are defining you versus being recognised as an authentic artist that happens to be a woman, Arab and a rapper.”
What is one word that describes you?
“Ambitious!” singer-songwriter and rapper straddles the worlds of music, fashion, film and beyond. So she’s quick to reject labels such as “Arab Woman Rapper”—which can often be limiting for multidisciplinary creatives whose “target audience is the world”, as she declares in her exclusive interview with Apple Music.
Within Neemz’s songs, sounds are skilfully moulded into various shapes and forms. Sharp rhymes are laid over stuttering, bass-heavy hip-hop, nostalgia-soaked pop synths, elastic R&B and Afrobeats addressing faith, self-love, cherishing life’s lessons and embracing change as we collectively strive to move forward. “When you feel close to letting go of what you want to pursue, what you want to accomplish, that is the time to hold on,” she wisely points out. Indeed, her songs are solid sonic edifices built on an unwavering belief in herself.
After 2021’s eight-track release It’s Above Me, the musician returns with Expansion, a record candidly charting her personal journey and experiences. It’s “a conversation with self and the audience”, she affirms. It’s also a powerful reminder that “no matter what box you are placed in, there are no ceilings”. Vital questions that encourage listeners to seek out their values and what they stand for are among the record’s driving themes. But one thing stands above all: Neemz is determined to speak up for issues that mean the most to her—sending a bold, big-hearted message to anyone willing to listen.
What was your inspiration behind your latest release?
“Expansion was inspired by my personal journey and experiences. This record is a conversation with self and the audience, allowing myself to express freely as well as reminding myself and others that no matter what box you are placed in, there are no ceilings in this journey. When you feel close to letting go of what you want to pursue, what you want to accomplish, that is the time to hold on. It’s the time to tap in with your fullest self and use every emotion, experience and thought to push yourself to the best version of who you are, with no fears. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West inspired some of the production on this record subconsciously. This record is educational to all who are stepping outside of the box that at times we or others place ourselves in.”
What is the message behind it?
“Expansion is a conversation with the audience listening, that in this journey of life there will always be times where your morals, your spirit and your mind are being tested. What do you stand for? What are your values? Are you holding on to what you believe in or letting go to please society? Through everything I will try my best to show you I’m here to speak up in matters that mean the most to me, using art as a way to portray that message. I continue to hold on to what I value and trust God with the rest. I’m breaking every ceiling, every box and merging worlds together.”
What are the challenges facing women rappers in the Arab world?
“One challenge, I’d say, is that there are too many labels [along the lines of] ‘Arab Women Rappers’, which at times can make it seem like we are limited to a certain audience or crowd—when in reality, my target audience is the world. I personally consider myself an artist, giving me the space to show you I can do more than one thing.”
What is one word that describes you?
“STORYTELLER.”
Her latest release, “I Choose Myself”, addresses self-love and acceptance, sprinkled with her trademark life-affirming spirit. “‘I Choose Myself’ is my realisation that everyone has their own timing, identity, DNA and challenges,” she tells Apple Music. “Choosing self means acceptance of everything, the unknown and known, the ups and downs as well as the hate and love.” As exemplified on her 2021 album It’s Above Me, which collects several of the rapper’s early singles, Neemz also freely hops between music styles, anchoring her mission to break metaphorical ceilings around a refreshing assortment of hip-hop, synth-pop, R&B and Afrobeats influences.
Regarding the challenges that Arab women face in rap today, her experiences in the US are not very far from those of female rappers in Arabic-speaking countries. “It sometimes feels like you are labelled because of your appearance,” she explains, lamenting people’s tendency to “limit you before they give your palette and music a chance”. Yet, if she could be captured in a word, that would be “ambitious”. Her plans for the future include producing for other artists—which just goes to show that there’s no knowing where this boundary-pushing artist might take you next.
What was your inspiration behind your latest release?
“The inspiration behind this track is my personal journey, my identity, the acceptance of self and being bold in my truth.”
What is the message behind it?
“‘I Choose Myself’ is my realisation that everyone has their own timing, identity, DNA and challenges. Choosing self means acceptance of everything, the unknown and known, the ups and downs as well as the hate and love. It’s a moment of peace and release, an affirmational stance to believing that life gets better with time and everything happens for a reason. Standing up for yourself and your truth is a base for everything that comes after!”
What are the challenges facing women rappers in the Arab world?
“I feel like the challenges I face being an Arab and a woman rapper in the US are a bit similar. It sometimes feels like you are labelled because of your appearance. It creates this lane for people to limit you before they give your palette and music a chance. Being labelled can feel like they are defining you versus being recognised as an authentic artist that happens to be a woman, Arab and a rapper.”
What is one word that describes you?
“Ambitious!” singer-songwriter and rapper straddles the worlds of music, fashion, film and beyond. So she’s quick to reject labels such as “Arab Woman Rapper”—which can often be limiting for multidisciplinary creatives whose “target audience is the world”, as she declares in her exclusive interview with Apple Music.
Within Neemz’s songs, sounds are skilfully moulded into various shapes and forms. Sharp rhymes are laid over stuttering, bass-heavy hip-hop, nostalgia-soaked pop synths, elastic R&B and Afrobeats addressing faith, self-love, cherishing life’s lessons and embracing change as we collectively strive to move forward. “When you feel close to letting go of what you want to pursue, what you want to accomplish, that is the time to hold on,” she wisely points out. Indeed, her songs are solid sonic edifices built on an unwavering belief in herself.
After 2021’s eight-track release It’s Above Me, the musician returns with Expansion, a record candidly charting her personal journey and experiences. It’s “a conversation with self and the audience”, she affirms. It’s also a powerful reminder that “no matter what box you are placed in, there are no ceilings”. Vital questions that encourage listeners to seek out their values and what they stand for are among the record’s driving themes. But one thing stands above all: Neemz is determined to speak up for issues that mean the most to her—sending a bold, big-hearted message to anyone willing to listen.
What was your inspiration behind your latest release?
“Expansion was inspired by my personal journey and experiences. This record is a conversation with self and the audience, allowing myself to express freely as well as reminding myself and others that no matter what box you are placed in, there are no ceilings in this journey. When you feel close to letting go of what you want to pursue, what you want to accomplish, that is the time to hold on. It’s the time to tap in with your fullest self and use every emotion, experience and thought to push yourself to the best version of who you are, with no fears. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West inspired some of the production on this record subconsciously. This record is educational to all who are stepping outside of the box that at times we or others place ourselves in.”
What is the message behind it?
“Expansion is a conversation with the audience listening, that in this journey of life there will always be times where your morals, your spirit and your mind are being tested. What do you stand for? What are your values? Are you holding on to what you believe in or letting go to please society? Through everything I will try my best to show you I’m here to speak up in matters that mean the most to me, using art as a way to portray that message. I continue to hold on to what I value and trust God with the rest. I’m breaking every ceiling, every box and merging worlds together.”
What are the challenges facing women rappers in the Arab world?
“One challenge, I’d say, is that there are too many labels [along the lines of] ‘Arab Women Rappers’, which at times can make it seem like we are limited to a certain audience or crowd—when in reality, my target audience is the world. I personally consider myself an artist, giving me the space to show you I can do more than one thing.”
What is one word that describes you?
“STORYTELLER.”
I Choose Myself - Single
Neemz
Breaking metaphorical ceilings is a subject that often comes up in song and conversation with barrier-busting artist Neemz. The Boston-based PalestinianRapper, songwriter, photographer, creative director, model: the Boston-based Neemz is a multidisciplinary artist with a unique sense of identity. A hijab-wearing rapper in a creative industry that is prone to stereotyping, she often sings about staying true to herself—while constantly embarking on new artistic quests that make her impossible to pigeonhole.
Her latest release, “I Choose Myself”, addresses self-love and acceptance, sprinkled with her trademark life-affirming spirit. “‘I Choose Myself’ is my realisation that everyone has their own timing, identity, DNA and challenges,” she tells Apple Music. “Choosing self means acceptance of everything, the unknown and known, the ups and downs as well as the hate and love.” As exemplified on her 2021 album It’s Above Me, which collects several of the rapper’s early singles, Neemz also freely hops between music styles, anchoring her mission to break metaphorical ceilings around a refreshing assortment of hip-hop, synth-pop, R&B and Afrobeats influences.
Regarding the challenges that Arab women face in rap today, her experiences in the US are not very far from those of female rappers in Arabic-speaking countries. “It sometimes feels like you are labelled because of your appearance,” she explains, lamenting people’s tendency to “limit you before they give your palette and music a chance”. Yet, if she could be captured in a word, that would be “ambitious”. Her plans for the future include producing for other artists—which just goes to show that there’s no knowing where this boundary-pushing artist might take you next.
What was your inspiration behind your latest release?
“The inspiration behind this track is my personal journey, my identity, the acceptance of self and being bold in my truth.”
What is the message behind it?
“‘I Choose Myself’ is my realisation that everyone has their own timing, identity, DNA and challenges. Choosing self means acceptance of everything, the unknown and known, the ups and downs as well as the hate and love. It’s a moment of peace and release, an affirmational stance to believing that life gets better with time and everything happens for a reason. Standing up for yourself and your truth is a base for everything that comes after!”
What are the challenges facing women rappers in the Arab world?
“I feel like the challenges I face being an Arab and a woman rapper in the US are a bit similar. It sometimes feels like you are labelled because of your appearance. It creates this lane for people to limit you before they give your palette and music a chance. Being labelled can feel like they are defining you versus being recognised as an authentic artist that happens to be a woman, Arab and a rapper.”
What is one word that describes you?
“Ambitious!” singer-songwriter and rapper straddles the worlds of music, fashion, film and beyond. So she’s quick to reject labels such as “Arab Woman Rapper”—which can often be limiting for multidisciplinary creatives whose “target audience is the world”, as she declares in her exclusive interview with Apple Music.
Within Neemz’s songs, sounds are skilfully moulded into various shapes and forms. Sharp rhymes are laid over stuttering, bass-heavy hip-hop, nostalgia-soaked pop synths, elastic R&B and Afrobeats addressing faith, self-love, cherishing life’s lessons and embracing change as we collectively strive to move forward. “When you feel close to letting go of what you want to pursue, what you want to accomplish, that is the time to hold on,” she wisely points out. Indeed, her songs are solid sonic edifices built on an unwavering belief in herself.
After 2021’s eight-track release It’s Above Me, the musician returns with Expansion, a record candidly charting her personal journey and experiences. It’s “a conversation with self and the audience”, she affirms. It’s also a powerful reminder that “no matter what box you are placed in, there are no ceilings”. Vital questions that encourage listeners to seek out their values and what they stand for are among the record’s driving themes. But one thing stands above all: Neemz is determined to speak up for issues that mean the most to her—sending a bold, big-hearted message to anyone willing to listen.
What was your inspiration behind your latest release?
“Expansion was inspired by my personal journey and experiences. This record is a conversation with self and the audience, allowing myself to express freely as well as reminding myself and others that no matter what box you are placed in, there are no ceilings in this journey. When you feel close to letting go of what you want to pursue, what you want to accomplish, that is the time to hold on. It’s the time to tap in with your fullest self and use every emotion, experience and thought to push yourself to the best version of who you are, with no fears. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West inspired some of the production on this record subconsciously. This record is educational to all who are stepping outside of the box that at times we or others place ourselves in.”
What is the message behind it?
“Expansion is a conversation with the audience listening, that in this journey of life there will always be times where your morals, your spirit and your mind are being tested. What do you stand for? What are your values? Are you holding on to what you believe in or letting go to please society? Through everything I will try my best to show you I’m here to speak up in matters that mean the most to me, using art as a way to portray that message. I continue to hold on to what I value and trust God with the rest. I’m breaking every ceiling, every box and merging worlds together.”
What are the challenges facing women rappers in the Arab world?
“One challenge, I’d say, is that there are too many labels [along the lines of] ‘Arab Women Rappers’, which at times can make it seem like we are limited to a certain audience or crowd—when in reality, my target audience is the world. I personally consider myself an artist, giving me the space to show you I can do more than one thing.”
What is one word that describes you?
“STORYTELLER.”
Her latest release, “I Choose Myself”, addresses self-love and acceptance, sprinkled with her trademark life-affirming spirit. “‘I Choose Myself’ is my realisation that everyone has their own timing, identity, DNA and challenges,” she tells Apple Music. “Choosing self means acceptance of everything, the unknown and known, the ups and downs as well as the hate and love.” As exemplified on her 2021 album It’s Above Me, which collects several of the rapper’s early singles, Neemz also freely hops between music styles, anchoring her mission to break metaphorical ceilings around a refreshing assortment of hip-hop, synth-pop, R&B and Afrobeats influences.
Regarding the challenges that Arab women face in rap today, her experiences in the US are not very far from those of female rappers in Arabic-speaking countries. “It sometimes feels like you are labelled because of your appearance,” she explains, lamenting people’s tendency to “limit you before they give your palette and music a chance”. Yet, if she could be captured in a word, that would be “ambitious”. Her plans for the future include producing for other artists—which just goes to show that there’s no knowing where this boundary-pushing artist might take you next.
What was your inspiration behind your latest release?
“The inspiration behind this track is my personal journey, my identity, the acceptance of self and being bold in my truth.”
What is the message behind it?
“‘I Choose Myself’ is my realisation that everyone has their own timing, identity, DNA and challenges. Choosing self means acceptance of everything, the unknown and known, the ups and downs as well as the hate and love. It’s a moment of peace and release, an affirmational stance to believing that life gets better with time and everything happens for a reason. Standing up for yourself and your truth is a base for everything that comes after!”
What are the challenges facing women rappers in the Arab world?
“I feel like the challenges I face being an Arab and a woman rapper in the US are a bit similar. It sometimes feels like you are labelled because of your appearance. It creates this lane for people to limit you before they give your palette and music a chance. Being labelled can feel like they are defining you versus being recognised as an authentic artist that happens to be a woman, Arab and a rapper.”
What is one word that describes you?
“Ambitious!” singer-songwriter and rapper straddles the worlds of music, fashion, film and beyond. So she’s quick to reject labels such as “Arab Woman Rapper”—which can often be limiting for multidisciplinary creatives whose “target audience is the world”, as she declares in her exclusive interview with Apple Music.
Within Neemz’s songs, sounds are skilfully moulded into various shapes and forms. Sharp rhymes are laid over stuttering, bass-heavy hip-hop, nostalgia-soaked pop synths, elastic R&B and Afrobeats addressing faith, self-love, cherishing life’s lessons and embracing change as we collectively strive to move forward. “When you feel close to letting go of what you want to pursue, what you want to accomplish, that is the time to hold on,” she wisely points out. Indeed, her songs are solid sonic edifices built on an unwavering belief in herself.
After 2021’s eight-track release It’s Above Me, the musician returns with Expansion, a record candidly charting her personal journey and experiences. It’s “a conversation with self and the audience”, she affirms. It’s also a powerful reminder that “no matter what box you are placed in, there are no ceilings”. Vital questions that encourage listeners to seek out their values and what they stand for are among the record’s driving themes. But one thing stands above all: Neemz is determined to speak up for issues that mean the most to her—sending a bold, big-hearted message to anyone willing to listen.
What was your inspiration behind your latest release?
“Expansion was inspired by my personal journey and experiences. This record is a conversation with self and the audience, allowing myself to express freely as well as reminding myself and others that no matter what box you are placed in, there are no ceilings in this journey. When you feel close to letting go of what you want to pursue, what you want to accomplish, that is the time to hold on. It’s the time to tap in with your fullest self and use every emotion, experience and thought to push yourself to the best version of who you are, with no fears. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West inspired some of the production on this record subconsciously. This record is educational to all who are stepping outside of the box that at times we or others place ourselves in.”
What is the message behind it?
“Expansion is a conversation with the audience listening, that in this journey of life there will always be times where your morals, your spirit and your mind are being tested. What do you stand for? What are your values? Are you holding on to what you believe in or letting go to please society? Through everything I will try my best to show you I’m here to speak up in matters that mean the most to me, using art as a way to portray that message. I continue to hold on to what I value and trust God with the rest. I’m breaking every ceiling, every box and merging worlds together.”
What are the challenges facing women rappers in the Arab world?
“One challenge, I’d say, is that there are too many labels [along the lines of] ‘Arab Women Rappers’, which at times can make it seem like we are limited to a certain audience or crowd—when in reality, my target audience is the world. I personally consider myself an artist, giving me the space to show you I can do more than one thing.”
What is one word that describes you?
“STORYTELLER.”
