Lady London

{{Short description|American rapper (born 1995)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Lady London | image = | caption = | birth_name = Zaire Miylaun Stewart<ref name=CN2012/><ref name="People's Party Interview"/> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|6|25}} | birth_place = The Bronx, New York, U.S. | origin = East Orange, New Jersey, U.S. | genre = {{hlist|Hip hop<ref name="Revolt Interview">{{cite news |last1=Ju |first1=Shirley |title=Lady London discusses her queen aesthetic, women being underestimated in rap and her upcoming EP |url=https://www.revolt.tv/article/2022-03-11/156499/lady-london-underestimating-women-upcoming-ep-the-missing-piece/ |access-date=November 11, 2023 |work=Revolt |date=March 11, 2022}}</ref>|R&B<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schube |first1=Will |title=Lady London Recruits Jeremih For Do Somethin |url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/lady-london-jeremih-do-somethin/ |website=UDiscover Music |date=October 22, 2023 |access-date=November 11, 2023}}</ref>}} | occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|songwriter}} | label = {{hlist|High Standardz|Def Jam}} | years_active = 2018–present | website = {{URL|https://www.bossladylondon.com/}} }}

'''Zaire Miylaun Stewart''' (born June 25, 1995), known professionally as '''Lady London''', is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York, currently based in Los Angeles. Her debut extended play (EP) ''S.O.U.L.'' (Signs of Universal Love)—preceded by two mixtapes—was released on November 3, 2023.

==Early life== London was born in The Bronx, New York, to a Jamaican mother and Trinidadian father.<ref name="HNHH OTCU">{{cite news |last1=Hynes |first1=Hayley |title=Lady London Describes Co-Signs From Nas & Busta Rhymes In On the Come Up |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/615570-lady-london-describes-co-signs-from-co-signs-from-nas-busta-rhymes-in-on-the-come-up |website=HotNewHipHop |access-date=November 11, 2023 |date=December 29, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Essence Interview">{{cite magazine |last=Davis |first=Shanice |title=Meet Lady London: The Cutthroat Femcee With Surgeon-Sharp Precision |url=https://girlsunited.essence.com/article/lady-london-interview/ |magazine=Essence (Girls United) |access-date=November 11, 2023 |date=July 22, 2022}}</ref> Raised in her grandmother's house in East Orange, New Jersey, she started composing poems at the age of 11, which she used as "an outlet to speak about [her] anger and what was bringing [her] in [those] spaces".<ref name="People's Party Interview">{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyVoO55Klng|title=Talib Kweli & Lady London Talk Jean Grae, Sway Freestyle, Chino XL, BLM, HBCUs|date=July 19, 2021|via=YouTube|author=Uproxx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816071724/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyVoO55Klng|archive-date=August 16, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=November 11, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Essence Interview"/> She graduated in 2012 from Mother Seton Regional High School in Clark, New Jersey.<ref name=CN2012>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-news-mother-seton-regional-h/135144274/ "Seton Class of '12 has 100% college acceptance"], ''Courier News'', June 6, 2012. Accessed November 13, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Mother Seton Regional High School, Clark, conducted commencement Thursday with the principal, Sister Regina Martin, awarding diplomas to 133 graduates.... Following is the list of graduates, including their hometowns... Zaire Miylaun Stewart, East Orange"</ref> London attended Howard University, where she studied and received a bachelor's degree in sports medicine and chemistry before later attending the University of Southern California and receiving a master's degree in global medicine with a concentration in international health policy.<ref name="Essence Interview"/> During that time, her original goal was to become an orthopedic surgeon.<ref name="Essence Interview"/>

==Career== In March 2018, London posted a video of her freestyling while sitting in a car via her Twitter account, which soon went viral and received praise from media outlets.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=LadyLondonnn|title=🤐🤐🤐|number=978002401843036160 |date=March 25, 2018 |access-date=November 11, 2023 |archive-date=May 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505100303/https://twitter.com/LadyLondonnn/status/978002401843036160 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Revolt Interview"/> Afterwards, she began recording and posting more freestyles titled "Lady Londays", which helped her gain more traction.<ref>{{cite news |author1=J Hall |title=On the Come Up: Lady London, the Next Queen MC |url=https://aurn.com/on-the-come-up-lady-london-the-next-queen-mc/ |access-date=November 16, 2023 |work=American Urban Radio Networks |date=November 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113160414/https://aurn.com/on-the-come-up-lady-london-the-next-queen-mc/ |archive-date=November 13, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> On July 30, 2019, she independently released a song titled "Woosah" to digital platforms and started a dance challenge to promote the track.<ref>{{cite web |title=Woosah - Single by Lady London |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/woosah-single/1474940908 |work=Apple Music |access-date=November 16, 2023 |date=July 30, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX2JhgtNhsc|title=Lady London - Woosah (Challenge)|date=August 2, 2019|via=YouTube|author=Lady London}}</ref> In 2021, she released two official singles: "Money Over" and "Never", which were both accompanied with music videos, to generally favorable reviews from critics.<ref name="OutNowMag">{{cite news |title=Lady London Delivers Lady Like: The Boss Tape |url=https://outnowmagazine.com/lady-london-lady-like-the-boss-tape/ |work=ON Magazine |date=January 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118150630/https://outnowmagazine.com/lady-london-lady-like-the-boss-tape/ |archive-date=January 18, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> On January 14, 2022, London released her first solo full-length project, a mixtape titled ''Lady Like: The Boss Tape''; the mixtape consists of thirteen tracks, majority of them being freestyles.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Grant |first1=Shawn |title=Lady London Releases Lady Like: The Boss Tape |url=https://thesource.com/2022/01/14/lady-london-releases-lady-like-the-boss-tape/ |work=The Source |date=January 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125193314/https://thesource.com/2022/01/14/lady-london-releases-lady-like-the-boss-tape/ |archive-date=January 25, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> A few months later, she released a single "What Is It Giving", produced by Kosine, alongside its music video.<ref name="RevoltWIIG">{{cite news |last1=Cho |first1=Regina |title=Lady London shares glamorous What Is It Giving video |url=https://www.revolt.tv/article/2022-07-29/183308/lady-london-what-is-it-giving-video/ |work=Revolt |date=July 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930100852/https://www.revolt.tv/article/2022-07-29/183308/lady-london-what-is-it-giving-video/ |archive-date=September 30, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> While speaking on the song, she said: "Creating this record, I wanted a chant... one that felt comfortable enough to repeat, while also being full of caption-worthy rhetoric. The perfect balance."<ref name="RevoltWIIG"/>

In September 2022, London made her acting debut in the Sanaa Lathan-directed musical drama film ''On the Come Up'' as the character Ms. Tique.<ref>{{cite web |title=On the Come Up |year=2022 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0770810 |work=IMDb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221082500/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9783730 |archive-date=February 21, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> To promote the film, she was featured alongside Jamila C. Gray and Rapsody on a song of the same name, which was later featured on the film's soundtrack.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Howard |first1=Jacinta |title=Rapsody Releases New Single On the Come Up |url=https://rockthebells.com/articles/rapsody-on-the-come-up/ |work=Rock the Bells |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123230006/https://rockthebells.com/articles/rapsody-on-the-come-up/ |archive-date=November 23, 2022 |date=September 16, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> On March 23, 2023, she signed a joint record deal with High Standardz and Def Jam Recordings.<ref name="BillboardDJHS">{{cite magazine |last1=Lamarre |first1=Carl |title=Lady London Signs With High Standardz & Def Jam Recordings |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/lady-london-def-jam-signing/ |magazine=Billboard |date=March 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530011035/https://www.billboard.com/pro/lady-london-def-jam-signing/ |archive-date=May 30, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> On April 14, 2023, she was featured on the remix to Ciara's song "Da Girls" entitled the "Girls Mix" alongside Lola Brooke.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.revolt.tv/article/2023-03-29/282994/lola-brooke-lady-london-ciara-da-girls-remix/|title=Lola Brooke and Lady London put their twist on Ciara's "Da Girls" track|work=Revolt TV|last=Cho|first=Regina|date=March 29, 2023|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref> On October 10, 2023, she performed on the BET Hip Hop Awards cypher alongside Brooke, Gloss Up and Bun B.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Mamo |first1=Heran |title=All the 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards Performances Ranked |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-2023-bet-hip-hop-performances-ranked/ |magazine=Billboard |date=October 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231019174003/https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-2023-bet-hip-hop-performances-ranked/ |archive-date=October 19, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> London's debut extended play (EP) ''S.O.U.L.'' (acronym of '''Signs of Universal Love''') was released on November 3, 2023.<ref name="Hits 11-9-2023">{{cite news |title=Lady London (High Standardz/Def Jam) |url=https://hitsdailydouble.com/the_bside&id=338348#:~:text=(short%20for%20%E2%80%9CSigns%20of%20Universal,celestial%20mechanisms%20that%20drive%20us. |access-date=November 16, 2023 |work=Hits |date=November 9, 2023}}</ref> The EP was preceded by the releasing of two singles "Yea Yea" (with Dreezy) and "Do Something" (featuring Jeremih).<ref name="Hits 11-9-2023"/> It features guest appearances from Dreezy, Jeremih, B-Boy Stance, Tink, Omeretta the Great, Capella Grey, Brooke Valentine and Mila J.<ref>{{cite web |title=S.O.U.L. - Album by Lady London |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/s-o-u-l/1713872719 |work=Apple Music |access-date=November 16, 2023 |date=November 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105124036/https://music.apple.com/us/album/s-o-u-l/1713872719 |archive-date=November 5, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Musical style == A defining aspect of her style is her bravado and her “Boss-Lady” persona.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Callwood |first=Brett |date=2022-02-02 |title=Lady London Is A Boss |url=https://www.laweekly.com/lady-london-is-a-boss/ |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=The Village Voice}}</ref>

== Discography == ;Extended plays * ''S.O.U.L.'' (2023)

;Mixtapes * ''I Kant Make This Shit Up'' {{small|(with Murrille)}} (2022) * ''Lady Like: The Boss Tape'' (2022)

== References == {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.bossladylondon.com}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:London, Lady}} Category:1995 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American women singers Category:21st-century American women rappers Category:21st-century American rappers Category:21st-century African-American women rappers Category:21st-century African-American rappers Category:African-American poets Category:Def Jam Recordings artists Category:Howard University alumni Category:Musicians from East Orange, New Jersey Category:Rappers from New York (state) Category:Rappers from the Bronx Category:Rappers from New Jersey Category:American rappers of Jamaican descent Category:American rappers of Trinidad and Tobago descent Category:University of Southern California alumni