Princess Nokia: 1992 Deluxe Vinyl 2LP

Princess Nokia (née Destiny Frasqueri) manages to succeed where most of the latest batch of NYC rappers have failed, by nailing a sound that that is so undeniably New York while retaining solid, universal radio and club appeal. Tracks like “Saggy Denim” (featuring Wiki from Ratking) and “Brick City” are primed for Rucker Park courtside boomboxes, and “Green Line” does exactly what it says on the tin. But there’s something for everyone on 1992. Frasqueri covers a wide range of styles and cadences, coolly channeling a vintage Foxy Brown over a very Neptunes-esque beat on opener “Bart Simpson” before pivoting to full-on ratchet mode on club anthem “Tomboy.” She breaks down her heritage in a syrupy, pitched-down drawl over a hair-raising beat on the stunning “Brujas,” and again on “Mine,” two of the record’s absolute best tracks. Check out the back-to-back lyrical aerobics in her best MF DOOM deadpan on “Goth Kid” and “Reciepts.” Perhaps the only thing that could be more New York than this record is throwing a cup of hot soup at some belligerent asshole on the L train, but Nokia has ticked that box as well. 1992 was originally self-released as a 9-track digital download in 2016, and Rough Trade have done well in expanding it to a whopping 16 tracks on this gorgeous deluxe gatefold edition. Recommended.

• expanded 16-track edition
• deluxe gatefold sleeve
• music label: Rough Trade 2017

reviewed by hannibal chew 11/2017