Nikki Lynette: Rock, hip-hop, and unapologetically pop

Chicago's "queen of afro-punk" proves that Only the Strong Survive

By Niema Jordan
Published: November 18th, 2010 | 7:00am

“Nikki Lynette is an artist who makes strange music that happens to be pop.” She pauses for a moment. “Yeah, that sums it up.” It’s early autumn and Lynette has just released her EP Only the Strong Survive. She wrote and produced the songs. She rapped the verses. She sang the hooks. Even the distribution is a DIY endeavor. If she says it’s strange and pop, who are we to question? She’s been crowned Chicago’s queen of Afro-punk, she’s a self-described rocker, she’s often categorized as hip-hop, and MTV has licensed her entire EP, hence play on the series Jersey Shore.

“I’m random, even to me.” Her matter-of-fact tone suggests that even if she could be “normal,” she wouldn’t. This is who she’s always been. From the funky hair to the unique style of dress and diverse playlist, it’s authentic. She grew up in the Windy City alternating between Fiona Apple, Nas, Tori Amos, and Tupac. Not too much has changed and though Lynette’s comfortable, she can’t say the same for others. “I released a mixtape called Roses and Guns,” she says. “It was a rap-rock project and there were some people who were pissed that it was so rock oriented.” She pauses for a quick chuckle at their audacity to complain. “But that’s Nikki. That’s me.”

Despite complaints Lynette’s unclassified still has meant fans in high places. In 2009, she won second place in a national competition leading to placement in Billboard Magazine and a lot of press. MTV came knocking shortly after, and all she needed was her masters so she could sign the contract. The catch: the team she’d been working with wouldn’t hand them over unless she agreed to sign away huge percentage. “The only option I had was to produce a project and put it out myself,” she says. “I knew if I worked with another producer I was going to have to go through hell for the publishing.”

Fast-forward to fall 2010 and the company that brought you TRL, The Real World, and Jersey Shore is also serving up a helping of Nikki Lynette. “I give them a license to use whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want, and I get paid,” she says. “It’s awesome for independent artists.” Ask why and she’s quick to note how the industry used to work. Gone are the days where radio is your only outlet or being shelved means your music doesn’t see the light of day. “Do we really want the music industry to be like it used to be? I don’t. I’d be screwed.”

But how can an artist make commercially viable music without sacrificing their creativity? Where do they draw the line? Nikki Lynette champions the likes of Common, Lupe Fiasco, and Shawna. She holds her own in a cipher. Her counterculture cred is visible. She studied vocal performance and trained with the same woman who coached Chaka Khan.

“Some songs, the beat and the time setup it lends itself to a very wordy lyrical message,” she says. “But, if I’m writing a song called ‘Love You Crazy,’ I’m not about to go off on this Maya Angelou-sounding narrative. I’m gonna give you something quick and fast.” Without hesitation she adds, “I think the key is if you’re a writer you know how to do both.”

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Nikki Lynette official site

Nikki Lynette MySpace page