The fourth quarter of 2022 has been significant for Baltimore’s Deetranada. The 21-year-old was the first Baltimore woman artist to appear in a BET Hip Hop Awards cypher, where artists take turns doing live performances. She starred in an Air Force 1 campaign for the popular DTLR urban wear store and, more recently, released her latest album, “NADAWORLD 2.″

Deetranada has always believed in the “quality over quantity” mantra, and her latest project is no different. With 12 tracks at only 30 minutes long, “NADAWORLD 2″ is an easy listen.

Setting the tone for the duration of the project, Deetranada opens with “FORGIVENESS,” a track about the perks of her current lifestyle as a music star. For about two minutes, Dee blitzes listeners’ ears with energetic punchlines and compact rhyme patterns. Tracks like “ANNA MAE” and “COLD WORLD,” where she discusses overcoming problems with her father and current haters, are similar to the intro, but none of them feel repetitive — a testament to Deetranada’s capability of sticking with her strengths.

“CHECK IN,” the lead single, features Deetranada and fellow Baltimore-based artist Kyshia rapping over a Ronny 808-produced bass-heavy instrumental. The single was featured on several playlists on Apple Music and Spotify, most notably, Spotify’s DMV Ripple Effect, on which Deetranada was the cover artist. The project’s bonus track, “AF1,″ is a fast-paced lyrical demonstration of Deetranada’s talent, which was also used in the Air Force 1 sneaker campaign she starred in.

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Deetranada has always been known as a talented lyricist, but “NADAWORLD 2″ showcases her ability to invoke emotion. DARK TANGO,” which she produced, features Nada narrating a modern, candid take on relationships. With no intention of omitting the truth, the wordsmith bares all, including her partner’s hypocritical tendencies. Wondering whether she or her boyfriend are belittling each other or including outsiders in their personal business, she uses the hook to reassure him that she just wants to enjoy the current moment together.

“LONGLIVECOREY!” is another heartfelt track, dedicated to Deetranada’s recently killed cousin. She unveils her vulnerability, mentioning setbacks such as facing eviction because her rent was past due and coping with smoking weed while being on edge.

Checking all the boxes for a good present-day project, “NADAWORLD 2″ is a strong release and follows February’s “Nadaworld.” Listeners can only hope to hear similar content moving forward as Deetranada continues to grow as an artist.

taji.burris@thebanner.com

Taji Burris

taji.burris@thebaltimorebanner.com

Taji Burris

Taji Burris has covered the Baltimore music scene since 2015 for outlets such as The Working Title and The 4th Quarter, and now at the Baltimore Banner.

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