The world could use more warriors like Erica Thomas—a natural-born leader devoted to uplifting others, creating music in the name of reclamation and empowerment. For Thomas, music is sacred ground: a place to speak her truth, heal old wounds, and spark lasting change in her community and beyond. But music is just her latest chapter. The Georgia-based artist has always been a writer first, sharing her perspectives through poetry, books, and plays. Her sharp wit and fearless honesty soon caught the attention of other artists, leading her to break into the industry as a ghostwriter.
Raising children as a single mother, learned the true meaning of perseverance—balancing family, creativity, and ambition while keeping her dreams alive. Now on track to graduate from law school next year, she continues to grind toward her goals, championing justice and supporting her loved ones every step of the way. There’s never been a better moment for Thomas to step into her own light, to build her empire brick by brick. Her debut single, “Broke N*gga,” lays the foundation, setting the stage for a bold new catalog of fiercely unforgettable songs that cut deep, linger long, and ignite a movement all her own.
From the jump, Ms. Diamond refuses to shy away from the raw, unvarnished truths that shape the human experience. Dripping with sass and savvy, “Broke N*gga” spotlights an intergenerational problem plaguing communities like Ms. Diamond’s own. As a single parent, she knows firsthand the struggle of trying to reason with—let alone raise a child with—men who are “broke” in more ways than one. Ms. Diamond isn’t just calling out a financial situation, but a mindset—men who plant seeds only to walk away, expecting the mother to handle it all graciously. Rapping with razor-sharp precision and intensity that nods to hip-hop’s golden era, she spares no mercy—her frustration fueling every (well-deserved) insult. For Ms. Diamond, it’s not just about redemption, but evolution—sparking a dialogue about breaking a destructive cycle. She doesn’t want to see her children and grandchildren suffer the way she has. Acknowledging the problem is the first step toward a solution, and with stories like Ms. Diamond as bold, unfiltered reminders, the human family moves one step closer to a world where no one ever has to curse out a “Broke N*gga” ever again.
It’s one thing to hear Ms. Diamond tear into the “bum” who caused her so much duress, but it’s another entirely to see her story come alive in the “Broke N*gga” music video. Teaming up with her college friend and professional filmmaker, Byron Henderson, Ms. Diamond delivers a striking debut visual that mirrors her lived experience, unraveling the conflicts of a dysfunctional couple navigating parenthood. Featuring her children and grandchildren—MiyaGalore, OsooReal, AriTheActress, BigLou, and more—following in her footsteps, the unfolding scenes hit almost too close to home.
The video magnifies the growing tension and emotional strain of two parents trying to make ends meet when one isn’t pulling their weight, a burden that often becomes too heavy to bear and, in the end, tears families apart. As gut-wrenching and thought-provoking as the story is, it’s also bursting with untamable fire and spirit. Thomas and the women around her wrap things up with a fierce, defiant chant—a warning to any man bold enough to cross them again: turn around, and walk the other way.
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