New music from Princess Nokia has been a rarity in 2022. In March, she dropped the piercing “No Effort,” hitting back at anyone who dares doubt her steez. That’s been it so far, but there’s a reason for this. It’s because Nokia is about to make her film debut in the Daughter Of The Sea, directed by Alexis Garcia and filmed in Puerto Rico. In the film, Nokia plays the starring role of Yanise, who returns to Puerto Rico from New York following her grandfather’s death and has a vision that leads to a spiritual awakening. It’s a role that the Afro-Boricua rapper from Harlem was born to play and it illustrates the deep connection she forged as of late with her Puerto Rican roots.
Now on “Diva,” Princes Nokia’s second track of the year, she’s showcasing her Puerto Rican heritage and the Taíno culture in full force. The beat sounds like it was forged on the Caribbean Seaside, as Nokia raps about powerful women in music who have laid the groundwork for her to walk on, singing: “I feel like Beyoncé, I feel like Shakira, lemonade, I’m juicy, hips don’t lie, Selena. Britney, Christina, rest in peace, Aaliyah. I feel like a goddess, I feel like a diva.” All the while a trumpet bellows, and a tropical guitar strums over breezy a thump.
The video, directed by Robot MoonJuice, was filmed in Puerto Rico. The rapper and activist is among the townspeople before coming into a lively house party that ends with a drum circle and dance-off.
Watch the video for “Diva” above.