To say that 2017 was a banner year for Justina Valentine would be a gross understatement. Aside from dropping more brilliant visuals like “Deep End,” “Crushing On You,” and “Sunlight,” she also cemented herself as a bonafide celebrity. She’s a fan favorite on Nick Cannon’s Wild ‘N Out, earning props for her freestyle talent and Jersey-sized personality. Who could forget her freestyling while on the back of a mechanical bull? She’s also been enlisted to be on this season of MTV’s The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars, where she has more than held her own in some of the more grueling competitions.
One of the things that has endeared her to viewers and her fellow contestants is her fearless, don’t give a f*** attitude. This girl’s not afraid to get her hands dirty or do things a little differently, with her newest example being her new Feminem mixtape. The follow up to Scarlet Letter finds Valentine paying tribute to one of her biggest influences, Eminem, by spitting her own interpretations of the rapper’s classics. Obviously, this is not an easy exercise and one that most artists would be very unwise to attempt. Justina, on the other hand, strikes the perfect balance between staying true to the original spirit and sprinkling in her own flavor. Check out the comments on any mixtape site and you’ll see a stack of approving fire emojis in the comments section.
Feminem’s first single is the brilliant new “The Real Justina,” which, of course, is a reimagination of the classic “The Real Slim Shady.” The beat is classic and her flow is spot on, but the real beacon in this tune is Justina’s ability to take the lyrics and rework them to fit perfectly into her own story about being a white female rapper in 2018.
