When rising hip-hop talent Laughta was growing up on a council estate in north London, she was inspired by the MCs she saw performing in her neighbourhood. But the Nigerian-born Lebanese rapper-producer tells Apple Music that it was the likes of Missy Elliott and Ms. Dynamite who showed her the true potential of women in rap—allowing her to feel that, as a woman, she too could “pick the mic up and be bold with it”. The challenges she has faced as a female rapper, alongside more personal experiences, feed into songs that are often underscored by a sense of escapism. “I want my music to not only get you to think, but also to uplift,” she says. Laughta’s Lebanese background also influences her approach. “As an Arab woman in music,” she says, “my experiences have toughened me on the outside and made me more resilient on the inside.” Boosted by her recent residency at the Saudi Music Hub in Riyadh, she’s started to put her Arabic heritage at the forefront in her music, threading the evocative sounds of instruments such as the oud with street-hardened drill patterns. Her latest track “Belail”, meanwhile, features Sudanese rapper A.G Nimeri. Here, Laughta talks exclusively to Apple Music about her artistic approach, her ambitions and her latest music. What is the inspiration behind your latest release? “During my one-month artist residency with the Music Commission at the Saudi Music Hub, I was feeling incredibly inspired, and ideas were floating around me seamlessly. Towards the end of my residency, I had the honour of working with singer A.G [Nimeri] on new music. As soon as I heard the passion in his melodic tone in our first studio session, I had to invite him for another session and rushed to produce the beat for ‘Belail’. Both myself and A.G were aligned on the vision and created a song that we hope everyone can relate to in one way or another. Our session took place on the last evening of my artist residency and I left the studio in tears from the beautiful music we created at the Hub.” Your music comes with a powerful message. What are the topics that most resonate with you and why? “My music is always driven by real-life experiences, whether through my lens or the lens of others. To make my art, I need to feel the human-emotion aspect, because that is where the real passion spills from. I need to capture it in inside my body and mind, be moved by it and then the lyrics follow. “Topics in my music vary from issues that I have faced as a woman in music, like pressure surrounding image, but also other personal issues to do with past experiences. Even when you hear me on a bubbly, party-type song, the underlying tone is escapism from the rainy days. I want my music to not only get you to think, but also to uplift, where possible.” What first inspired you to get into hip-hop? “I grew up on a council estate in north London. As an Arab woman I started to be exposed to the UK music scene and would watch MCs from my estate go back-to-back. I loved the exciting nature of it, and then Missy Elliott became the talk of the town and her influence was huge, from style and sound to rebelliousness. I was really inspired by how talented she was and how she didn’t strive to conform to the norm. This really resonated with me and made me feel that I, too, as a woman can pick the mic up and be bold with it.” What other female artists do you most look up to? “Missy Elliot, Ms. Dynamite, when I was growing up for sure, and more recently Seera have inspired me. They are an incredible all-woman, all-Arab band that absolutely rock!” How important is it for women to empower and uplift each other in the industry? “I think that real women uplift other women. Generally, my nature is supportive to others and I love to shine light on others. Collaboration is key. While healthy competition is good, it doesn’t mean other women are your enemies. In fact, we should always embrace each other and amplify one another.” What are the challenges facing women rappers in the Arab world? “As an Arab woman in rap, I am aware of the lack of opportunities women face in the music industry. From lack of representation on festival stages, to having to work 10 times harder to prove your worth, it always feels like there are more barriers women face before jumping over each hurdle and seeing results. “Maintaining physical appearance and style is one aspect of this fight, but the harder part is having to just accept that misogyny will always exist, underlying sexism will always play a part and just having to march on bravely so that you don’t stamp out your opportunities. As an Arab woman in music, my experiences have toughened me on the outside and made me more resilient on the inside. I learned that, in order to survive this industry as an Arab woman, you need to stay true to yourself, speak out when something doesn’t feel right and be defiant.” How do you stay motivated despite the challenges? “It is not easy to stay motivated, especially when there are challenges. I work backwards, not relying on my mind—I do things like exercise and make music to reignite my soul. I also have learned that it is okay to take a little time out and do things like watch movies without feeling guilty. Burn-out creeps up, so it’s important to work smart.” How have your personal experiences and background shaped your music? “My personal experiences and background have heavily shaped my music. Being Lebanese, born in Nigeria and having grown up in London, my music is like a blend of scientific molecules giving a huge chemical reaction. I feel recently I have really owned my Arab heritage and put that at the forefront, as it is a huge part of who I am. So this includes incorporating blends of Arabic percussion, Arabic instruments like the oud and mixing in UK drill patterns too. I am so proud of all my new upcoming music as a result.” Walk us through your creative process—how do you write and arrange your songs? “My creative process involves me capturing the topic first and then deciding on the style of the song, from the sounds I want incorporated to the way I plan to deliver it vocally. I also imagine how it will look visually, to help with the vibe. I then create a suitable beat and start mapping out my flows, and as soon as I am satisfied, my lyrics rush out naturally. The structures depend on the energy and will always have a catchy chorus and rap. I have a studio set up, so I am able to record myself instantly and create a strong demo without needing to depend on anyone for this.” Can you share a personal story or anecdote behind one of your tracks? “One night after a performance at the Music Hub in Riyadh during my residency, I looked around and was surrounded by many creatives and music labels. I got speaking with A.G in the reception area when I first met him and asked him what he did—he answered confidently that he was one of the biggest artists to come out of Sudan. So, knowing the studio was just a floor up in the lifts, I somehow gathered other producers, artists and a bunch of music execs to join us in a studio session, and we created a song with three artists from Saudi. Not only did we all create music, we had a listening party too, each one showcasing our music. It was so special as it happened spontaneously.” We love celebrating regional talent—what other Arab artists would you like to work with and why? “My dream is to do a song with Nancy Ajram. As a Lebanese girl, I grew up to all her music, and was exposed to her through my older sister, who loves her. I picture her calling me one day for a rap verse, which I will happily do—it’s only right!” What is your biggest ambition? “I have many ambitions, and would love to continue to make music my reality. I want to see more women musicians, including myself, at the forefront—leading the way shoulder to shoulder.” What is one word that best describes you? “Creative.” What would you like listeners to take away from your music? “I want listeners to interpret my songs however they feel. Music is incredibly subjective and has many layers. As long as they feel something from my art, I will be smiling. They may feel different every time they hear the new music, so don’t just listen once to my upcoming EP, Layali. You need to really take it in. And for the latest track, ‘Belail’, featuring A.G, I want listeners to let me know what the first thing is they think of when they hear it and share this with us—would love to know!”