Rapsody

Marlanna Evans, better known as Rapsody, is an American rapper whose path runs through 9th Wonder’s It’s a Wonderful World Music Group. After signing to the label, she issued mixtapes and collaborated with Erykah Badu and Talib Kweli before releasing her debut album, The Idea of Beautiful, in 2012. Her profile rose sharply with a feature on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, appearing on the track “Complexion (A Zulu Love).”

Rapsody’s second album, Laila’s Wisdom (2017), drew critical acclaim and landed Grammy nominations for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Song. She followed with Eve in 2019, a third studio album that also earned critical praise, and in 2020 she joined Cordae, Chika, and Busta Rhymes on Stevie Wonder’s “Can’t Put It in the Hands of Fate.” The albums Please Don’t Cry (2024) and God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops (2026) have extended a catalog built on sharp writing and a strong sense of hip-hop tradition. Rapsody has never relied on surface flash; her authority comes from measured storytelling and a meticulous command of the form.