Lena Jackson

..."On Friday at The Pour House, the Carolina Waves x K97.5 All Women Hopscotch Day Party, curated by Miriam Tolbert, offers an array of talented women across genres. But the hip-hop standouts are local newcomer NunAfterHours and seasoned rapper Lena Jackson. Jackson is a heavy spitter who shows up prepared to compete with everybody. She attacks the mic in the same manner as a battle rapper, her approach is intentional, and with each new opportunity, she delivers." - Indy Weekly

North Carolina-based Lena Jackson transitioned from the poetry scene to spitting in ciphers. The 10 tracks that make up Darkness Brim present her as an MC with a smart flow who’s open to addressing issues like domestic violence and growing up in poverty: On the string-infused “Poor Kids,” she recounts a childhood of hand-me-downs. A self-determination streak continues through to the end of the project, where on the woozy, bass-heavy “End Of The Tunnel” she puts faith in the mantra “let your passions take action.” - Bandcamp

Performers include [...] Lena Jackson, a writer, rapper and poet from North Carolina. - Scott Mervis

"When hip-hop enthusiasts think of cities that contribute to the culture, large urban areas such as New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Houston come to mind. North Carolina is often overlooked, and when it’s not, attention usually goes to men: Da Baby, Stunna 4 Vegas, Lute, Mez, Deniro Farrar, G Yamazawa, J. Gunn, and others have all achieved some form of success in recent years. Before them, it was Petey Pablo—the “first to put it down for North Carolina” on his national hit, “Raise Up”—and Little Brother, the hip-hop trio that met in Durham and proved that Southern MCs could soulfully match the boom-bap aesthetic of their Northern peers.

Although their tenure was short, Little Brother’s impact on hip-hop culture still looms large. They’ve influenced the likes of Kooley High, J. Gunn, King Draft, and up-and-coming producers Professor X and Grade A Beats. Big Pooh co-manages Dreamville Records signee Lute, who’s based in Charlotte, and 9th Wonder is the visionary behind Jamla/RocNation artist Rapsody.

Rapsody, who is from Snow Hill but attended N.C. State, came up as a member of Raleigh rap group Kooley High before she was featured on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and nominated for a Grammy for 2017’s Laila’s Wisdom. She might seem like the exception to the male-dominated rule, but she’s far from alone among women holding down Triangle hip-hop.

Though the relationship between hip-hop and women has always been complicated, women have been rising to the forefront in recent years, whether as artists, producers, or music-industry movers. Here in the Triangle, they’re on the radio. They’re curating festivals, shows, and unique cultural spaces. They’re doing public relations and digital marketing. They’re capturing dope visuals, spitting fire lyrics, and crafting catchy trap hooks. Most important, some of them are doing it while mothering. This is our salute to fifteen talented women in the Triangle hip-hop scene to follow on Instagram."

"Lena Jackson (@Ljackpower) If you love Jean Grae, you’ll love Lena Jackson. Remaining true to the foundations of hip-hop, Jackson effortlessly approaches soul-sampling backdrops with intention, wisdom, and grace." - Kyesha Jennings