Technically, Oakland can no longer claim the hyperactive rapper Chippy Nonstop, who now lives in Brooklyn, but the Bay’s hyphy sound is all over her latest EP, Finally Verified. Chippy (aka Chhavi Nanda) has been compared to M.I.A., but she’s more closely aligned with fellow Internet rapper Kitty, who guests on the track “Bubblegum.”
On Finally Verified, the 21-year-old Chippy bottles her “nonstop” energy into music that captures her wide-eyed lust for life. It’s not exactly wholesome — there are plenty of references to oral sex, twerking, and getting crunk — but it’s infectiously positive, and void of materialism and patriarchal notions of sexuality.
“Pimpin Season” opens with a bouncing staccato beat and synth line, over which Chippy giggles and utters the word “booty,” but as soon as she starts rapping over an 808 kick, it’s clear her flow has progressed since her lazy, deadpan delivery on tracks like “Money Dance.” There’s a nod to dancehall on “Bang Bang,” on which Chippy seduces a papi amid chaotic sirens and buzzing beats. The EP’s standout track, “Bubblegum,” pairs a glitchy Middle Eastern-style melody with a banging electro-trap beat. It’s aided by the fact that Chippy and Kitty sound like two besties rapping in front of a mirror, getting hyped to go out for the night. Producer Felix Snow goes more minimal on “Ether,” letting Chippy’s quick flow take center stage, while “Geeked Up Off This Cake” explodes with frenetic synths and throttling bass.
On the chilled-out closer, “Number One,” Chippy attempts to prove she’s capable of more than party raps, but her love coos come off as whiny and grating. With a little time, she’ll get there. (self-released)
