Prime Picks: "MAD" by CHIKA

The rapper/singer-songwriter lets her emotions shine on the bouncy track "MAD."

CHIKA has been in the news for many reasons, but she’s been growing through a lot. Whether it’s a situation on the flight where she complained about two young children crying (who turned out to be Tiny’s granddaughters) or arguing with stans online. But unfortunately, she was hospitalized for kidney failure a couple of weeks ago. Those aside, it’s a shame because she’s a gifted rapper/singer-songwriter ready for the next steps in her ever-growing career.

“MAD” is a robust and emotionally charged song from her debut, SAMSON: THE ALBUM. It appears to delve into themes of anger, personal struggles, mental health, and the pressure and disillusionment that come with fame and public attention.

The song opens with a hook that sets the pace for the rest of the track. CHIKA talks about a “perpetual chip on my shoulder,” indicating a continuous feeling of resentment or grievance. She discusses the exhaustion of maintaining a façade (“fakin’ this shit like a poser”) and the fleeting nature of attention.

The lyric “A bottle of liquor make therapy quicker, might regret this sh*t when I’m older” implies self-medication and the potential long-term consequences of such coping mechanisms. This line indicates the struggle with mental health, forming this song's primary theme.

This verse further explores CHIKA’s internal conflicts and her feeling of being an outsider or a spectacle (“I been the example, put me on a poster”). She vividly describes her struggles with adversities, mental health, and the pressure of public scrutiny. A standout line in this verse is, “Bad girl, really mad girl on the low, make a sad girl get a bag off of no hope.” Here, CHIKA portrays how public figures are often expected to monetize their personal struggles and traumas.

In the second verse, CHIKA grapples with her internal conflicts and the demands of her public persona. She confronts the transactional nature of fame (“My ni**a, I been knew this sh*t was transactional”) and the pressure to present her trauma as entertainment (“Cause ‘'all be mistaking my trauma for drama and don’t give a f*** ‘less I sing about it”). Standout lines in this verse include “Someone give me an Oscar for illest actress,” which further emphasizes the pressure to perform and hide her true feelings, and “But what really count is how thick your cash is,” a critique of society's materialistic values.

The final chorus repeats the themes of resentment and struggle, but with a slight change: “My message is lost in the moment, blown up in my face, hand grenade, I’m a soldier.” This could signify that the pressure and scrutiny are intensifying.

“MAD” is a raw and honest exploration of personal struggle, the pitfalls of fame, and the expectation to monetize one's pain. It effectively uses vivid imagery and potent metaphors to convey a deep sense of frustration and disillusionment.