Signed to South Coast Music Group, Big Mali is taking the Carolinas by storm.
The 22-year-old rapper grew up only about an hour away from me, in the town of Henderson. Listening to her 2020 record "#Glllt," I gravitated toward her crisp enunciations, hard-hitting bars and quick, unique flow.
Claiming Henderson but showing love to Raleigh, Big Mali is a heavyweight in the booth and on the mic. She makes trap music look sexy and her signature tagline of obscene language is a favorite amongst her fans.
Big Mali is no stranger to the rap scene — she started rapping at the age of eight but didn’t take it seriously until the age of 14. From there, she used rappers like Nicki Minaj as her blueprint.
“When I grew up, it was literally only Nicki … she was one of the hardest female rappers out," Big Mali said.
Now, there are a plethora of female rappers, including Mali herself. She described her music as a combination of sounds.
“My music is a little more gangster, a little hood, a little ratchet," she said. "A lot of people say it’s drill wrapped up in there too.”
Her bars are hard, her cadence is fast-paced, and she executes on every track.
“I do feel like I brought a sound to North Carolina for the females that wasn't popular," Big Mali said. "I do feel like I played a part (in) opening the door."
Mali signed her first recording deal in 2017 and dropped her first project "If I Fall Asleep" in 2018. Her road to stardom includes over 10 million views on YouTube. She’s well known for her 2020 projects “First Lady” and “Gangsta Talk.” On stage, she’s had the opened up for Charlotte rapper DaBaby and St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red, and she has headlined her own shows. Most recently, her music was featured on the award-winning HBO series "Euphoria." Her continued success has allowed her to provide for her family, which she takes pride in.
Even with her accolades, Mali wants more than what music has to offer. She has a desire to give back to the community.
“Of course, I want to do everything in music but I also want to build apartments for people who can’t get approved," she said. "I want to work with AAU (basketball) teams, I want to work with majorette teams. I just want to be great and just give back.”
Mali said she is excited to be a part of the current era of women taking over the music industry. Her hit song, “Das Me ft Asian Doll,” showcased her appreciation for camaraderie in the rap game.
“I would have never thought that we will have a time like this," she said. "Everybody's doing their thing. You got Ice Spice, Sexyy Red, Latto, Cardi B. still going crazy.”
Even with her being a self-proclaimed “Barb,” she loves to see the rap girls come together.
“If you genuinely support me then, I support you, let's do it. We can rock out, it's no problem," Mali said.
One of Big Mali's most notable qualities is her confidence — she’s assertive without being arrogant.
“I'm always standing on what I believe," she said. "I do feel like I was one of the first females to do this in North Carolina. Carolina gave me the title of being the hardest female rapper, of being the 'most lit' female rapper. They gave me that title. So, I had to stand on it for my state.”
Big Mali will be opening up for rapper Sexyy Red on her upcoming "Hood Hottest Princess" tour.
