Ghanaian rapper and Volta Region native Feli Nuna oozes self-confidence and asserts control over her public image in her 2023 single “4EVA MOOD.” Nuna, who also goes by 3 alter egos, Queen Femcee, Daavi Diva, and Black Star Barbie, criticizes haters in the music industry and seems to call out other female artists who are not supportive of her.
On a Central Cee-esque beat, Feli Nuna delivers bar after bar claiming herself as queen of the rap game. However, “4EVA MOOD” should not be viewed as just another haughty rap song. Nuna provides important commentary on the pressures of women in the rap industry to conform to a certain image. She asserts a refusal to be a media puppet, saying she does not merely follow trends but creates the trends. Feli Nuna takes pride in her own realness. She tells record companies she’d rather be herself than conform for access to a wider platform, opting to achieve success on her own terms. In one particular bar, Nuna addresses the rap industry directly, saying it quite literally stinks and that she should spray it with Lysol.
Feli Nuna draws from her own negative experiences with record executives for “4EVA MOOD” Back in 2012, when Feli Nuna used the stage name “Felly,” she released her first single with the Ghana-based Lynx Entertainment. However, shortly after its release, Nuna’s relationship with the label soured. She cited a lack of creative freedom that prompted her to leave and sign with BeeHyve Entertainment. From 2021 to 2023, Nuna worked with Fuse ODG’s label Off Da Ground but refused to renew a deal with the label after feeling like executives were unwilling to put in the necessary work for her music and were reneging on previously agreed upon contract terms. The rapper presents herself as an advocate for both artistic and public image freedom. Feli Nuna manages to create a catchy, yet conscious work, in “4EVA MOOD” and serves as a positive role model for female rappers looking to break onto the scene.
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