Floral motifs abound on Cha’keeta B‘s EP Where the Wildflowers Grow, which plows plots for rhymes on love, lust, and labor. Following 2018’s hard-hitting full-length 2 Incomparable and a slew of singles, the rapper reenters the ring championing jazz-forward, gooey beats over her debut’s electronic and trap inclinations. The Eastside native’s penchant for community continues, however, in features from three-time collaborator Lakrea; vocalist/guitarist Ivy Roots; Temple, Texas, emcee Marcell Clemons; gruff Austin rapper Dame Mac; and R&B composer/singer Terrence Léon. On her own for the luscious “Aromatic,” Keeta balances softness and hunger regarding the divine feminine in botanical detail (“Put your nose all in my flowers“). Bouncy neo-soul charges brief anti-capitalist condemnation “Lotus (9 to 5),” where the poet’s switch between hushed and bold annunciation mimics cog-in-the-machine exhaustion. “We gotta work until our hands and our feet hurt, just to give it all back on the damn 1st,” she spits, while guest vocalist Tree G lends a similarly catchy syncopation in the chorus. Cautionary tale “Desert Rose,” a final word on loyalty that sees Keeta ultimately embrace lonesomeness, demonstrates both her fruiting wisdom and flourishing flows.
Cha’keeta B
Where the Wildflowers Grow
This article appears in January 5 • 2024.