Angell Mutoni sets herself apart, no doubt. From the extra “L” in her stage name, Angell, to the fusion of hip hop and Afrobeats in her music and level of poetry she brings. She also is one of the most prominent names right now for hip hop artists coming out of Rwanda, all while doing it with finesse.
In a separate interview, she considers her shyness an obstacle she overcame while starting her career. Does that come across in her music? Not at all. “Let Loose” ft. Kevin Klein and its unofficial video is everything bold, colorful, and fun.
Angell starts off clearly addressing Black girls and women, empowering their right to be angry and tired, then almost challenging them to rise to the challenge to feel good and “let loose.” While the horns, bouncy beats, graphics, and imagery of Black women and girls dancing radiates fun and carefree vibes, Angell uses her power and voice to enjoy themselves but also relieve themselves of the struggles of being both Black and a woman in today’s society. She states, “I know you had a long day, every day’s a fight, so let loose.” Not only is it a dance anthem and a song you can shake your hips to, but it’s also a critical reminder to Black women and girls about the need for self care and love. She transitions into a “typical” but lovable theme in her free, bouncy song of talking about her looks, her “ladies,” her music, money, and more.
But, almost as quick as her flow, she goes immediately into discussing mobilization and the need for change. She states, “You know we won’t compromise, we all rise, all or nothing, time to mobilize, synchronize, been a long time coming…” reminding the listener that we need to have fun, but don’t forget the message. While matching the energy of many men in the rap game, she still remains true to her narrative while having fun – which is precisely the theme of her song. This almost reminds one of Beyonce’s famous music video, “Formation” – undoubtedly a bop, but also a visual anthem for Black visionaries and the future. There she also states, “Okay, okay, ladies, now let’s get in formation.” Immediately after watching the video, I thought of this statement.
The imagery of Black women and girls enjoying themselves, dancing, and being carefree to Angell’s beats and even her calls for her listeners to put their hands on their hips and let loose is very needed. The social justice aspect of its role as an empowering anthem for Black women fused with the playful dance music allows the message to spread, along with its catchy rhythms.
Check out her Spotify, poetry blog, and more to stay up to date with a very promising artist that I am excited to see grow.
Instagram: angellmutoni.rw
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/angellmutonirw