Emerging rap superstar Chika has been making a name for herself with her emphatic, inspiring performances of songs from her Industry Games debut EP. Her latest, for Songkick’s exclusive Songkick Live series, adds the intriguing wrinkle of being entirely acoustic, with Chika performing center stage, accompanied only by a pair of backup singers, a guitarist, and a box percussionist.
First up is the title track from the EP, on which Chika details her come-up from dropping celebrity-favorite freestyles to performing live on late-night TV to the frustrations and triumphs of her first record deal. Next, the swaggering yet pensive “Balencies,” which weighs the spoils of stardom against its costs. Finally, she performs “Crown,” the bold closer from the EP. “I know chasin’ the impossible take some courage,” she admits, “And I can promise at the end of your journey / When it’s all said and done / Won’t nothin’ feel much better then hearin’ ‘My n****, you won.’”
Watch Chika’s soulful, acoustic performances of the three Industry Games standouts above.
Industry Games is out now via Warner Records. Get it here.
Chika is a Warner Music artist. Songkick is a Warner Music Group property. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music.