Nadia Nakai - Def Jam Africa

Nadia Nakai

NADIA NAKAI

2019 BIOGRAPHY

Nadia Nakai is a South African Hip Hop recording artist who grew up in Johannesburg. After attending high school in Kenya, she completed a degree in marketing communications and media studies at Monash university. Her family and heritage dates back in Zimbabwe where her origins lie.

After graduation, Nadia decided to explore the television industry and feature on SABC1, Battle Stations (season 1 – 3). She presented and anchored the daily show – Daily Planet on PRTV and attended various events (SAMA’s; Metro FM awards; MTV EMAs in Spain; MTV awards) where she interviewed a-list guests.

Then decided to focus on her music career, she signed to Family Tree Media (2016 – current).

After signing with Family Tree Media, Nadia released her debut single with the

label “Money Back”. This single was well received and went on to aid as a

soundtrack for numerous shows/ adverts such MTV Base and S.A’s ETV soap-

Rhythm City. Nadia followed up the single with the release of her EP: “Bragga”

which debuted at number 2 on the iTunes hip hop chart.

In 2017 Nadia Nakai released HIT SINGLE “Naaa Meaan” featuring Cassper

Nyovest which placed her as the first female hip hop artist to clock over 1M views

on Youtube in South Africa. The music video was nominated for best video SAMA

(2018) She followed up with the club sensation “Yass Chic” in 2018.

Nadia’s efforts earned her a Best Female nomination at the SA Hip Hop

Awards (2017) and Best Collaboration nominations at both the SA Hip Hop

Awards (2017) and Metro FM Awards (2017) for featuring on Gemini Major’s

“RaggaRagga”, the pair performed the single at both award ceremonies

respectively. SAMA (2016), She was amongst the “Do like I do remix”

features and won best remix.

“What comes hard to me is being vulnerable, writing songs that hit home

and are relatable. I want women to see themselves in the stories I tell, and I

want to speak on different subjects, from a woman’s perspective. When you

listen to my music it should feel like it’s you are embodying me” says Nadia.

From club bangers to spitting heavy bars, the 17 track album celebrates

Nadia’s versatility and flexes her pen.

“TOP TEN, I’M NOT 10, I’M TOP 1”

In 2018 Nadia collaborated with The Fashion Group who houses Sportscene

and released the NadiaNakaixRedbat collection. The clothes sold out in one

month country wide. Typical to her relentless drive and winning spirit, Nadia

Nakai is determined to break new boundaries locally and internationally.

Her collaboration with the fashion house earned her the cover of

Cosmopolitan and Man Mag (where she was featured as the 3rd

black female celebrity after Beyonce and Bonang Matheba. June 2019-

Rapper and songwriter, Nadia Nakai was named the new ambassador

of Reebok at the Mesh Club in Rosebank on Wednesday night. Bragga

joins rapper AKA as the face of Reebok South Africa. The company

says Nakai and her attitude embody what it means to be bold,

colourful and courageous; an ethos which Reebok believes is closely

aligned to theirs.

As part of her owned content, Nadia Nakai launched Bossing up with

Bragga- a docci series, where she takes you behind the scenes of her life.

The doccie-series shows you what it takes to be Bragga, the stress,

accomplishments, breathtaking moments as well as the funny moments.

The first few episode of the doccie-series include appearances of names

like Cassper Nyovest at Fill Up, Pearl Thusi, Major League, Davido just

to name a few.

Her eclectic, yet un-apologetic fashion sense has dubbed her as a fashion icon not only on her catapulting social media platforms, but also in landed covers: Glamor (1st black female rapper on the cover); Club X, Hype Magazine, Candiland Trend report & The Plug.

Accolades

1 x Times winner for The SA HIPHOP AWARDS 2019 2 x

Times winner for The AFRIMAS 2019

Brand Ambassodor: Courvoisier; Reebok; Sportscene; SHELL V- Power

2 x Nominee for the AFRIMMA(African MuzikMagazine Awards) 2017

AFIMAA 2018 (4 Nominations): Best Southern Hip Hop SASA(South

African Sports Awards) 2018 :Best Dressed Sowetan Live: Mzansi’s

sexiest: top 12 finalist

1x Nominee for SAMA 2018 : Best Music Video 1 x

Nominee for Metro FM Awards 2017

1 x Nominee for SA Hiphop awards 2016-2017

Headliner: Fill Up; Castle Lite Unlocks; SXSW 2020; Ivyson Tour