Saweetie

Saweetie, born as Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper, is an American rapper, and songwriter who hails from Hayward, California. Saweetie earned a degree in communications and business from the University of Southern California, where she initially started to perform covers of other artists. Harper started to pursue her solo rap career after her viral video on Instagram performing the freestyle “ICY GIRL”. Afterward, the track was released officially, and it has received over 126 million streams on all platforms.

About Saweetie

Saweetie is an influencer rapper known for her punchy lyrics, good mixtapes, and a confident demeanor; she is determined to establish herself as a dominating presence in the hip-hop scene. Born in Hayward, California, Saweetie had a multicultural upbringing, like a Filipino-Chinese mother, and an African American father explaining her diverse style in music. The Bay Area native grew up listening to the classic rap of 2Pac, Biggie, and Lil’ Kim, and she was hugely inspired by their music. It's no surprise that Saweetie's music focuses on self-confidence, women empowerment, and materialism.

In her early days, Saweetie wasn't particularly interested in becoming a rapper. While studying at USC, she began recording covers of hit tracks and posting them online. It wasn't until 2017 that Saweetie's career began to take off, thanks in part to her freestyle rap song, "ICY GRL." The clip blew up on social media and has been viewed millions of times since. Saweetie immediately signed a deal with Warner Bros Records, and from then on, she has been on a roll in the rap industry.

Saweetie has an icy style and is known for her strong voice, confident attitude, and sharp lyrics. Her music is usually a fusion of hip-hop and more upbeat pop or electronic music, and she combines positive female messaging with braggadocious trap rhymes. What sets her apart from others in the industry is this unique blend of styles that many artists haven’t been able to achieve quite yet.

Within a year of her debut release, Saweetie followed up with her sophomore EP, Icy. Quavo, her boyfriend at the time, collaborated with her on two tracks “Tip Toes” and “Emotional,” creating a powerful duo. Icy earned Saweetie a spot on Billboard Hot 100's "Emerging Artists" list with a considerable fan following and popularity, which only seems to be increasing.

Saweetie's lyrical style is a product of the hip-hop music of the late 90s and early 2000s. Already a creative writer, Saweetie knew she wanted to be a rapper from the moment she heard Tupac's "Unconditional Love." Tupac's message of truth and love for his people resonated with Saweetie, and she knew that music was her calling. She looked up to artists like Biggie, Lil’ Kim and Lisa Left-Eye Lopes, who all inspired her to pursue a career in rap.

In 2018, Saweetie released her debut EP, "High Maintenance," from Warner Bros. Records. High Maintenance features production from her cousin, veteran producer Zaytoven, and some catchy hooks and memorable lyrics. Her debut single, ‘ICY GIRL’, is one of Saweetie's more popular songs, followed by other hits like “Pissed” and “Tap In.” Saweetie's music has gained critical acclaim and accumulated millions of streams, and she has been dubbed as one of the brightest rising stars in hip-hop.

Saweetie's music is unique and refreshing at the same time. Her raps are confident, sassy, and overtly feminist. She uses her music to send a message of empowerment to young women and people of her generation, encouraging them to be themselves and feel no shame in their self-expression and independence. As she continues to grow and establish herself as a respected hip-hop talent, she will remain a significant and influential voice in the industry, delivering her positive message to those who need it most.