Lola Brooke Always Had It In Her

Something that makes the raptress an even more refreshing talent is her work ethic and point of view — she’s not looking at anyone else as competition but herself. Even with all this success, it’s just a start. The rapper, signed now with Arista Records, isn’t wasting any momentum. From the age of 8, she had recognizable talent, and even her grandmother would read her poems and use the word rapper to describe Brooke. Obsessed with Hip Hop early, Brooke began studying the lyrics to raps by some of New York’s finest, like Jay-Z and 50 Cent. The studying she’s done has paid off, and now Brooke is a hot commodity, having been featured on Flo Milli’s “Conceited” remix alongside Maiya The Don and dropping a remix of her own today for “Don’t Play With It” featuring Latto and Yung Miami.

office caught up with Brooke to reflect on how life has changed for her, her work ethic, and the action movies she's manifesting to be a character in.

When you first started rapping, you were around eight and writing poems and journaling. Was there a teacher or anyone who encouraged you to start that habit?

I was the only child. I did things like that can keep myself occupied so that I could get my feeling out. Any teacher that I had, introduced their students to poetry. So, I guess I could just say my teachers probably like fostered it a little bit more, but it was already there.

When you’re writing songs, are the mostly freestyles that you just have to remember when you hit the studio?

Normally I write, but sometimes I go to the studio, and I freestyle. It just depends on how I feel. There's no like, right or wrong way to do it. It just depends. So one morning, I'll wake up, I'll listen to some beats, and I'll take those beats to the studio, or one morning I wake up on YouTube, listen to some beats just to practice, go to studio do it on a different beat. Some days I don't, and I’ll just listen to music in general. And then when I go to the studio, I’ll freestyle, and I just punch in. It really depends on how motivated I am. or anything.

Speaking of motivation, with “Don’t Play With It” having the viral moment it did, how has that shift affected your work ethic?

I push myself in general because this is my passion and I really do believe in it. And it's just therapeutic. So regardless of anyone, I push myself the most because it's what makes me feel good, it’s what makes me feel like I released a lot of weight off my back.

It's refreshing to hear that I feel like not a lot of rappers say it's therapeutic for them. Billy is featured in the song. Do you realize what an important thing you did to feature another female rapper in the original song?

I met Billy B probably around like 2018 or 2019 and I collab with her for the first time in 2021. And the importance of having another female artist on a record is very powerful but I just wanted to put another Brooklyn artist on “Don't Play With It.” She just came to mind because I see someone that I relate to and she just so happened to be a female artist.

You talk about Brooklyn, Bedstuy protecting you and having your back. How has your community built you up in regards to rapping over the past few years of taking it seriously?

It was just the encouragement. Always making sure I had confidence, always making sure that I was protected. They have my back. And once you have like a real good foundation behind you, it's like you feel untouchable so you gonna go either way.

You quit your job working at a shelter on Valentine’s Day; how did you make such an easy break away to do what you love?

For me to leave my job was a big stepping stone. it wasn't easy to leave because I really cared about my clients, but my family and my team, Team 80, made it a real easy transition for me. So, my mom actually told me that I could resign, and when my mom told me to resign, I took it to my team and told them what I was doing. They said they were backing me up. So I have full support, and I wasn't alone. I didn't feel like I was alone doing it. I had good reasons for doing it. Because I was chasing my dream.

Why do you think you were drawn to rap, and what are the ways it’s inspired your everyday life?

It moved me in a different way because the only thing that I had to express myself or feel good about was words. So me writing down words and then turning on the TV or the radio and hearing people use their words in a certain rhythm, in a certain way, it moved me. So, it was easy for me to just tap into just as much because it made me feel good.

Have there been any young women that have reached out or told you that you’re their inspiration?

I have little girls telling me they want to be just like me. It sounds so crazy to me, but I take it in and try to make sure it don't pressure me too much because, you know, you got little girls looking up to you now, so the expected thing and I don't ever want to disappoint.

That's real, being a role model is a lot of pressure but you're definitely doing your thing.

Thank you.

Since “So Disrespectful” has dropped, you’ve been compared to Lil’ Kim the most. I don’t know I’ve you’ve seen that on Twitter but a lot of people have been saying that. Do you hear that in your cadence?

I hear Lil’ Kim, I hear Foxy, I hear DMX, I hear Meek Mill, I hear 50 Cent. So I hear a lot of greats when I listen back to my music. And I think it's cute that the fan base is kind of fighting over me whether it’s Kim or Fox because it's really both.

Now we can confirm it's both.

It’s really both! I actually wrote it before on Instagram, is that I was told that I'm a good mix between Kim and Fox. And I feel like there’s no getting better than that.

Yeah, it’s a very sexy mix. The visuals for “So Disrespectful” is such a good modern take on 90s rap videos. Did you have a lot of say in the creative direction?

Any video that you've ever seen me do I have most definitely had the most say on it. Like I'm always saying, This is what I want. This is what I need. And this is what I disliked. Because when I'm in the studio, making these songs, I know exactly how I see myself because I'm the one writing the music. So, you paint the picture already and that's how you even start to become an artist. You're painting pictures in your head. You just so happened to be by a mic and express it a different way but it starts in your head first.

How has tour been with A Boogie, and how does it feel to have that type of support from him and other shoutouts and cosigns from other rappers?

Like a movie actually. It feels surreal. Honestly, Sometimes I wake up and be like, so surprised that I am where I am in life, but then I double take and think,’ I've worked for this.’ So, this should be happening.

What are some things outside of rap that you’d like to be known for?

Acting, of course!

What kind of movies would you want to be in?

I always see myself in movies like Boys In The Hood, Paid In Full, Bad Boys, Transformers. Any type of movie, honestly, I’m down as long as they got some action in it.

You would eat in a Bad Boys remake.

Thank you! Yeah, I would love to be in a Bad Boys movie for sure.

If you can tell us, when can we expect the album? People, including me, are waiting.

I know! I'm not going to have y’all wait too long but for sure for sure 2023! You guys will have a project from Lola Brooke. I’m not gon’ play with it!