Tommi Tsunami Showcases Ultra-Smooth Flow on “Brand New Nigga”

The D.C. music scene has always been a vibrant intermingling of world-class musicians with roots in countless genres. As the world attempts to recover from Covid-19, both new and established acts from the area are barreling back headfirst into the music scene — and they’ve got a lot to share. Read on for our reviews of 10 local artists’ impressive new releases. 

“Brand New Nigga” is the latest in slew of 2021 singles including “Upperhand,” “PARANOID,” “Baby Gangsta” and “OMW,” soon to be joined by Tsunami’s newest release “Violin” on October 29. “Brand New Nigga” is a perfect showcase of Tsunami’s deep vocals and ultra-smooth flow as she raps over a looped beat, promising to replace her man with a new one now that she’s grown bored and tired of his presence. She opens up the track with a wish list for her new man, venting “I want a nigga I ain’t never ever seen before, a nigga I ain’t even thought up in my dreams before.”

Her music fits her aesthetic perfectly, a retro, alt R&B stunner whose Instagram bio is just as powerful a statement as her beats: “Head bitch in charge.” Not one to step aside when there’s room under the spotlight, Tsunami is rolling through a predominantly male scene at full force. Tsunami isn’t only aware of her worth, she reaffirms it. She’s deserving of a man that she “know[s] is clean for sure,” one that “will pay to see me touch my toes.”

Her song rolls through seemingly innocuous wants to deeper, more emotional desires, pausing midway for a plea to see her needs as they are. “I know what I want” is the lyric that drives the song’s message home. A Maryland native, she’s found a style that perfectly matches the DMV’s music scene: underground, lo-fi and ultra-cool. Tsunami’s newest single is not the girl-power anthem you’re used to. It’s the self-defining song of a woman in charge, come hell or high water.

For more information on Tsunami, visit linktr.ee/TommiTsunami or follow her on Instagram @tommittsunami2000.

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