Title: “Post Traumatic”
Artist: Kara Romero
Release Date: February 4, 2023
Recorded: Basement Studios, Brooklyn, New York
Genre(s): Rap, Hip-Hop, RnB
Length: 74:13 (Standard Edition) / 84:51 (Deluxe Edition)
Label: Just Record / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Producer(s): Kara Romero, Orion, Nevaeh Martinez, Cory Dionne

“Post-Traumatic” is the sophomore studio album from Spanish-American rap and hip-hop artist ‘Kara Romero’, it marks a seven year gap since the release of her number one debut album “Do I Have Your Attention Now?” (2016) which despite it’s chart success, received little critical support within the music industry. She followed this up less than a year later with the release of her debut E.P “Raising Hell” (2017) which peaked at number three on the album charts but again garnered very little mainstream response. This coincided with an unexpected three-year break during which Kara stepped away from the music industry as a whole, in an attempt to deal with some personal issues. This would be confirmed by Kara as she made her return to the music industry three years later with the release of her second E.P, the autobiographical “The Therapy Sessions (Vol. I)” (2020) which delved into the personal issues that she explored during her own therapy sessions during her break from the industry. This period saw Kara gain more critical success within the music industry, seeing her pick up the “Best Female Artist” at the FCA VII in 2020 and saw her trajectory within the industry hierarchy increase as she started to become one of the more well-known names around the music world at a time where productivity in the industry was at an all-time low.

The first single released from her sophomore album was “Signpost” which saw it’s debut in June 2022 and saw Kara pick up her first ever number one single in her career, she unexpectedly followed this up swiftly with the release of a remixed version of the same track featuring her friend and ‘Orion’ member ‘Brayton “Bellows” Carter only fifteen days later, that track peaked at number five and continued to establish her as a major name within the music industry. A month later in July 2022 she delivered a powerful female anthem in the form of “When Will We Get Our Flowers” which was another critical and commercial success, seeing Kara pick up her second number one single in as many months. This begun a period of productivity in which she continued to work on the album and drop singles from that same record simultaneously.
Marking the most productive period of her career, she began to finally find her place within the music industry. She returned a couple of months later in October 2022 with her third official single from the upcoming album titled “Hit List” which followed her upward trajectory again, peaking at number two on the singles chart. Her relentless form throughout 2022 would continue one final time on the final day of the year, December 31 when she delivered the single “DTF” which featured fellow rapper ‘Younghood’, again the track continuing the momentum, once more peaking at number two on the singles chart and closing out 2022 in a strong position as potentially the most productive artist of that year. 2023 started in similar fashion as Kara released “Twenty-Four Seven” (feat. Drew Westbrook) as her fifth official single from her upcoming album, the track entered the charts at number one just one week before the release of the highly anticipated sophomore album.

The recording process for “Post-Traumatic” initially began in 2020 at the same time she released her “The Therapy Sessions” E.P but with the world going into lockdown due to the global pandemic, it halted the progress of the initial planning for the album. It wasn’t until January 2022 that Kara finally got into the studio to begin the recording process for the album fully. With the release of the album, it will mark the end of her two-album contract at ‘Just Record’, but Kara has stated on numerous occasions over the past year that she hopes to re-sign to the label, despite obvious interest from other record labels. She has stated that she owes a lot to the label for sticking with her over the years and would prefer to repay that faith by continuing to work under their banner. However, Kara is also signed to ‘Dahlhouse Entertainment’ who manage the artist, their connections within the music industry offer up the freedom for Kara to explore many different potential avenues in terms of future label representations. Although it has always been highly likely that Kara will remain with ‘Just Record’, due to the relationship between the label and artist being so incredibly strong.

Kara serves as executive producer for the first time in her career on “Post-Traumatic”, having co-produced her debut album alongside TJ Cousins, she decided to step into a full control position on the production side of things this time around and opted to work alongside Nevaeh Martinez with whom she had worked with previously on her 2017 track “Bulletproof Barbie”, as well as being a highly successful record producer, she shares a close friendship with Kara and runs the record label ‘FREEDOM’. She has also enlisted the production talents of ‘Cory Dionne’ who continues to establish himself as one of the most sought-after record producers in the industry right now, marking the first time that the two have worked together. And the final piece of the puzzle comes from all three members of ‘Orion’, the popular hip-hop trio are long time friends of Kara’s and produced her 2020 E.P “The Therapy Sessions (Vol. I)” as well as production on their own 2022 self-titled debut album which became a major hit in its own right.
The album was recorded entirely at ‘Basement Studios’ in Brooklyn, New York which is the recording studio that Kara has used exclusively since her debut single back in 2012, over the past three years it’s believed that Kara has become a part-owner of the recording studio which was under threat of being sold. The album will be released on February 4, 2023 in a number of different formats which includes limited edition vinyl, CD, Digital Download and via all major streaming platforms through ‘Just Record’.

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Background & Recording

The record was conceived on the back of ‘The Therapy Sessions’ E.P in 2020 and see’s a number of themes throughout the album that follow on from the overall tone and lyrical content from the 2020 E.P. This came after a period of absence from the music industry spotlight of around three years in which Kara went into self-reflective mode, firstly entering rehab for a short period of time and then eventually taking regular therapy sessions. Both of which clearly influence the lyrical content of the album and it’s main theme’s of introspection and personal growth. Although not specifically chronological in terms of storytelling, the album does see a structure within the lyrical content in which we see the album’s first few tracks show Kara at her lowest point in terms of her own addictions and emotional issues, references to drug use, depression and suicidal thoughts during those early tracks on the album, but as we progress through the album we see the change in direction as she works on her own issues whether via rehab or therapy, continues to battle her demons but see’s the growth in her mental status as she starts to find her way back. Although never fully ridding herself of her addictions, the album shows that the growth into a less destructive mind-set and lifestyle that the singer has referenced many times in recent years.

The album sticks to the three primary genre’s that Kara is now mostly associated with in Hip-Hop, Rap and RnB. The main instrumentations in use throughout the record are piano and drums, with various other in-house studio techniques used to achieve specific sounds. While the lyrical content is primarily focused on emotions, directly from aspects of love and mental health as an umbrella term which also lends itself to feelings of lust, endearment, depression and liberation, with many references to sex, drugs and alcohol.
“Post-Traumatic” is driven by emotive piano backdrops, hip-hop drum and bass elements, and lo-fi computer programmed beats. Vague elements of pop can be found throughout primarily in the songs choruses and structures but in terms of sound, it tends to veer away from typical pop music. Lyrics drenched in Kara’s emotional struggles and sexual liberation see a change in pace from the work featured on her debut album which at times feels like an entirely different artist at the helm. The record also see’s Kara collaborating with a number of contemporaries for the first time in her career with the record seeing guest spots from Lotus, Marina Balan, Younghood and Drew Westbrook on the standard release of the album. As well as Brayton “Bellows” Carter, Jay-C and Stephanie Fierce on the deluxe edition of the album.

In terms of collaborations, Kara discussed the importance to open herself up to outside ideas, “In the past it wasn’t something I particularly considered, but at that time in my career I don’t think I had a lot of people so open to hopping on a track. I think the stuff from my debut album was always pretty directionless, I didn’t fall into one particular category at that time. Now, with a specific identity it’s easier to reach out to people and ask them if they’d be up for working on some shit together. I consider all the people that I’ve worked with on this record to be the best at what they do. Lotus can bury any motherfucker lyrically, she’s not to be fucked with in my view. Marina is low-key underrated, she can sucker you in with that pretty voice on her RnB shit and just leave you shellshocked with her rap shit, we fuck with each other on a very real level, she’s chill as fuck too. Younghood is that shit for me, right now. He’s someone that you just vibe with immediately, he’s got that personality that makes you wanna be around him and he can run circles around anybody he steps up to and Drew is legit, he’ll fuck with you and deliver what he needs to deliver, but he moves on to the next pretty quick, he doesn’t seem to rest on past glory, for real.
This process has definitely opened my eyes to working with the best and learning from the best, I think that’s how you raise your level if you’re putting yourself around these people that are at the top of their game. There’s so many other people out there that I wanna hit up, but that’s gonna have to wait for a different project now.”

The albums recording sessions took place at Basement Studios in Brooklyn, New York with Kara serving as executive producer of the record, essentially overseeing every aspect of the album from top to bottom, working alongside a production team that was led by Nevaeh Martinez, Cory Dionne and Orion. The sessions generally consisted of Kara working primarily alongside long-time collaborator and friend Ignacio Santos on the composition of music first, lyrics second and third was the vocals. The entire process was done on a track by track basis, creating the structure of each song and laying down a basic demo for each song in which they reportedly had around thirty-two potential tracks to choose from. They would then whittle down those thirty-two tracks to the best fifteen to twenty and begin working on refining them.
Once Kara and Ignacio Santos had the bulk of songs chosen for the album, this is when they brought in the record producers for the album in order to perfect the songs and refine them, they would re-record the basic demo audio in the studio and begin mixing and producing the record to get it into the final product that we hear today on the record.

Kara discussed working with her production team ahead of the albums release, “Nevaeh was the most important person to get on board for this record, for me. We had became close back in 2017 when she produced a track for me and quickly connected with each other. She was the embodiment of what someone who has their shit together should be, has always carried herself with dignity and respect and has always been professional when she needs to be and human when she needs to be. She has an incredible ear for this business as proven by the success she’s had as a record producer and label executive. It was important for me to have her be part of this record as a sounding board.
I felt like having someone like Neveah who could look at things on a broader level meant that I needed people to come in who could get into the technical of the music and having Orion occasionally come in on the back of their debut album meant that they gave me a judgement and ideas from a very current act in the industry and finally Cory coming in as this crazy musical genius, he’s someone I had no previous relationship with so I knew his opinion wouldn’t have any level of bias. He’s a multi-instrumentalist, he’s a programming wizard in terms of modern record producing and he’s someone that knows exactly what is needed to make a modern sounding record right now. All of them are fundamental in the process of getting this record out.”

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Tracklisting;

01. “Post-Traumatic” (3:46)
02. “Manic” (4:18)
03. “It’s Not You, It’s Me” (4:44)
04. “Pills” (4:38)
05. “Fixing Myself” (4:27)
06. “Bad Company” (feat. Lotus, Marina Balan) (4:57)
07. “(Real Ones) Ride With Me” (4:37)
08. “Hit Me Up” (3:25)
09. “DTF” (feat. Younghood) (4:17)
10. “Easy Access” (5:27)
11. “Medicate Me” (3:49)
12. “Signpost” (4:26)
13. “Dynamite” (3:28)
14. “Grow Up” (3:42)
15. “DL” (3:19)
16. “Twenty-Four Seven” (feat. Drew Westbrook) (4:53)
17. “When Will We Get Our Flowers” (5:03)
18. “Hit List” (4:17)

[Bonus Tracks]
19. “Are We One” (feat. Jay C, Stephanie Fierce) (5:39)
20. “Signpost” (feat. Bellows) (5:39)

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Singles;

“Signpost” (June 11, 2022) [#1]
“Signpost” (feat. Bellows) (June 26, 2022) [#5]
“When Will We Get Our Flowers” (July 16, 2022) [#1]
“Hit List” (October 29, 2022) [#2]
“DTF” (feat. Younghood) (December 31, 2022) [#2]
“Twenty-Four Seven” (feat. Drew Westbrook) (January 22, 2023) [#1]

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Credits & Personnel;

CREDITS

Produced by Kara Romero, Orion, Nevaeh Martinez, Cory Dionne
Engineered by Augustine Francis
Recorded at Basement Studios, Brooklyn, New York, USA

Production Manager: Ignacio Santos
Mixing: Augustine Francis, Kara Romero, Brayton Carter

PERSONNEL

Kara Romero – vocals, lyrics, composition, executive production, mixing
Younghood – vocals, lyrics, production (*track 09)
Jay-C – vocals, lyrics, production (*track 19)
Stephanie Fierce – vocals (*track 19)
Drew Westbrook – vocals, lyrics, production (*track 16)
Lotus – vocals, lyrics (*track 06)

Brayton “Bellows” Carter – vocals, lyrics, production, mixing (*track 20)
Ignacio Santos – piano, bass, composition, production management
Augustine Francis – drums, percussion, programming, mixing
Rebecca Lowell – photography, art direction
Jadyn Ghalen – production
Jamal Ghalen - production
Nevaeh Martinez - production
Cory Dionne - production

Title: “Manic”
Genre(s): RnB
Length: 4:18
Label: Just Record / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Songwriter(s): Kara Romero
Producer(s): Kara Romero, Cory Dionne

“Manic” is a song by Kara Romero, taken from her 2023 album “Post-Traumatic”. The second track from the album, see’s Kara continue to put her deepest thoughts and internal fears out to the forefront, talking about the thoughts that envelop her mind, she references manic behaviour and the drugs required to counteract that behaviour whether prescribed or recreational. She sings about searching for love but only ending up with heartbreak, being attracted to the wrong type of guy and dealing with the aftermath or some potentially questionable decisions. It appears to be in keeping with her self-analysing and introspective lyrical output that has dominated her career over recent years, there are a lot of familiar tropes in this track that will continue throughout the album as it appears that the direction of the album as a whole will read almost like an open diary.

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Song Description;

The song begins with soft piano tones and a faint backing beat, which dictates the slower pace of this track, it’s clear early on that this one has much more of an RnB influence even more evident when Kara begins by singing on this track, something that she’s done less and less of in recent years as she’s moved more into the hip-hop and rap style of vocal delivery, she sings in a soft and melodic way, delivering what is a beautifully delicate RnB tone, “In my head, they say this shit is all in my head/My fucked up thoughts got me thinking that I'd rather be dead/At least that's what they said/But I can't let it go/It keeps coming back around/I search for a fix in all the wrong places/Look for love/Only find heart-breaking.” which delivers the message pretty clear from the very beginning of the track, it’s introspective and emotional at its very center.

As we arrive at the second verse, the music continues in the same pattern but with a slightly increased pace, piano tones and soft backing beats seem to be the order of the day on the track but the backing beat appears to be highlighted a little more as we arrive at the second verse. Kara switches her vocal delivery up slightly, pushing into a more urgent delivery with a slight feeling of aggression underlying the lyrics, “I don't even know why I attempt it/I've seen my heart break even before I've learn to mend it/Maybe I'm looking at the wrong type of guy/But I ain't destined for a fucking nine to five suit and tie/Wanna guy I can fuck around wit/Light one up and we pound it/Whiskey shots and we down it/Tattoos on his knuckles, run em' all over my body/Wrap em' round my neck/Get a little naughty/You know that kink shit gets me feeling horny/But I feel like shit/When they don't call me.” and the end of that second verse seems to lead back into the more emotive tones and the slower pace, seemingly playing with the idea of the songs title, as the contrast between soft and tender delivery in the opening verse and fast and more aggressive in the second verse, seem to suggest a manic nature.

We arrive at the songs chorus, it’s relatively straightforward, repetitive and catchy as she repeats it, “I wish I could just go insane/Take away all the pain/Drugs work and I'm glad they came/I'm on that manic shit again/I wish I could just go insane/Take away all the pain/Drugs work and I'm glad they came/I'm on that manic shit again”, this is followed by a repetition of the opening verse once more, but we’re given one final refrain, “I don't even know why I fucking try/I'm always drawn to the wrong kind of guy/And it seems that he's/Always drawn to me/Guess they can figure out the weak/Just wanna fuck/And feel something real/Something I can fucking keep/Just for me.” before the songs chorus comes back in briefly in order to close out the track.

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“Manic”

“In my head, they say this shit is all in my head
My fucked up thoughts got me thinking that I'd rather be dead
At least that's what they said
But I can't let it go
It keeps coming back around
I search for a fix in all the wrong places
Look for love
Only find heart-breaking

I don't even know why I attempt it
I've seen my heart break even before I've learn to mend it
Maybe I'm looking at the wrong type of guy
But I ain't destined for a fucking nine to five suit and tie
Wanna guy I can fuck around wit
Light one up and we pound it
Whiskey shots and we down it
Tattoos on his knuckles, run em' all over my body
Wrap em' round my neck
Get a little naughty
You know that kink shit gets me feeling horny
But I feel like shit
When they don't call me

I wish I could just go insane
Take away all the pain
Drugs work and I'm glad they came
I'm on that manic shit again

I wish I could just go insane
Take away all the pain
Drugs work and I'm glad they came
I'm on that manic shit again

In my head, they say this shit is all in my head
My fucked up thoughts got me thinking that I'd rather be dead
At least that's what they said
But I can't let it go
It keeps coming back around
I search for a fix in all the wrong places
Look for love
Only find heart-breaking

I don't even know why I fucking try
I'm always drawn to the wrong kind of guy
And it seems that he's
Always drawn to me
Guess they can figure out the weak
Just wanna fuck
And feel something real
Something I can fucking keep
Just for me

I wish I could just go insane
Take away all the pain
Drugs work and I'm glad they came
I'm on that manic shit again

I wish I could just go insane
Take away all the pain
Drugs work and I'm glad they came
I'm on that manic shit again”

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Sound Alike;

Nicki Minaj – “Save Me”

Title: “Pills”
Genre(s): Hip-Hop, Rap
Length: 4:38
Label: Just Record / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Songwriter(s): Kara Romero
Producer(s): Kara Romero, Nevaeh Martinez

”It’s Not You, It’s Me” is a song by Kara Romero, taken from her 2023 album “Post-Traumatic”. The next track see’s almost a continuation of the recovery from the previous track, the idea that even once you’ve been to rehab and gotten yourself clean, there will be times when you crave those vices again and with the fourth track of the record, it seems to shine a light on that idea and wanting those same things that you have previously tried hard to erase from your own lifestyle. It’s a showcase of how difficult it can be to truly stick to your program and follows the own internal thoughts and feelings of desperation that Kara herself has felt in the past, having gotten clean and ending up back on that same path again later down the line.

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Song Description;

The song begins with the muffled sound of a nightclub, almost like you’re standing in the bathroom of a club and you can’t quite fully hear the music and the crowd through the walls. It’s a drum beat and the sound of some form of bass that makes up the musical backdrop in the song as Kara opens the song up with its chorus, her voice crystal clear and assertive sounding, “I think I need some pills to numb the pain/Just so I can fade away again/I’ve been getting high again lately/But I need something stronger to medicate me/Everything’s piling up again/I need some pills to numb the pain.” and it paints the picture of somebody barely clinging onto their own sobriety. The idea continues as she delivers the opening verse of the drum beat, “I’ve grown tired of fuckin’ cause I don’t even feel a thing/Ridin’ on that dick just feels so meaningless/Pleasure so brief that I ain’t needin’ it/Even getting’ head ain’t got me screaming and shit/I think I’m falling/I don’t need you calling/This pussy ain’t open/I just ain’t coping/Need something stronger/Than all the shit we’ve been smoking’.” and it’s pacing seems to fit in with the tone of the tracks lyrics.

The beat continues at a similar pace as we arrive at the next verse, it’s a continuation of what was indicated in the first verse as she makes the connection between normal things that should bring pleasure and happiness not being enough to provide that and needing something more which only the drugs could provide her, “Yeah, I know that this is a fight that I’ve been in before/Repetitive cycles become such a chore/I’m on my downer/I need something more/Xannies and Molly is all I’m looking for/Yeah, I don’t know when the fuck I’m gonna die/But I can’t take this manic shit/And all the fixes that are so fuckin’ quick/Numbers in my phone to hit up when I need the dick/Even more numbers when I need a hit.” as she makes reference to how easy it would be for her to find temporary pleasure just by calling a number in her phone and how much easier it is to get in contact with a dealer that could help her get more long term effects just as easy.

She shows an element of self-awareness during the songs hook as she raps “It’s unhealthy/But fuck it helps me/Yeah, I know it’s unhealthy/But it fuckin’ helps me/It’s unhealthy/But fuck knows, it helps me/Yeah, I know that it’s unhealthy/But that shit fuckin’ helps me.” and the songs chorus comes in once again before she moves onto another verse, again adding more elements to the picture, “I’ve been poppin’ pills for a real long fuckin’ time/Throwing em’ back so god damn quick it’s like they weren’t even mine/And all my friends like to do it too/Used to think I didn’t get as fucked up as them/But I guess I fuckin’ do/Mixing drinks with the pills just to experience something real/Near death experience at will/I’ve seen that bright light so many fuckin times now/Feels like I’m edging closer/Each time that I fuckin’ break down/I don’t really know what’s waiting up there/But I feel like I’m getting closer/With every fuckin’ step.” which establishes just how dangerous her addiction has become in the past.

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“Pills”

“I think I need some pills to numb the pain
Just so I can fade away again
I’ve been getting high again lately
But I need something stronger to medicate me
Everything’s piling up again
I need some pills to numb the pain

I’ve grown tired of fuckin’ cause I don’t even feel a thing
Ridin’ on that dick just feels so meaningless
Pleasure so brief that I ain’t needin’ it
Even getting’ head ain’t got me screaming and shit
I think I’m falling
I don’t need you calling
This pussy ain’t open
I just ain’t coping
Need something stronger
Than all the shit we’ve been smoking’

Yeah, I know that this is a fight that I’ve been in before
Repetitive cycles become such a chore
I’m on my downer
I need something more
Xannies and Molly is all I’m looking for
Yeah, I don’t know when the fuck I’m gonna die
But I can’t take this manic shit
And all the fixes that are so fuckin’ quick
Numbers in my phone to hit up when I need the dick
Even more numbers when I need a hit

It’s unhealthy
But fuck it helps me
Yeah, I know it’s unhealthy
But it fuckin’ helps me

It’s unhealthy
But fuck knows, it helps me
Yeah, I know that it’s unhealthy
But that shit fuckin’ helps me

I think I need some pills to numb the pain
Just so I can fade away again
I’ve been getting high again lately
But I need something stronger to medicate me
Everything’s piling up again
I need some pills to numb the pain

I’ve been poppin’ pills for a real long fuckin’ time
Throwing em’ back so god damn quick it’s like they weren’t even mine
And all my friends like to do it too
Used to think I didn’t get as fucked up as them
But I guess I fuckin’ do
Mixing drinks with the pills just to experience something real
Near death experience at will
I’ve seen that bright light so many fuckin times now
Feels like I’m edging closer
Each time that I fuckin’ break down
I don’t really know what’s waiting up there
But I feel like I’m getting closer
With every fuckin’ step

I think I need some pills to numb the pain
Just so I can fade away again
I’ve been getting high again lately
But I need something stronger to medicate me
Everything’s piling up again
I need some pills to numb the pain

It’s unhealthy
But fuck it helps me
Yeah, I know it’s unhealthy
But it fuckin’ helps me

It’s unhealthy
But fuck knows, it helps me
Yeah, I know that it’s unhealthy
But that shit fuckin’ helps me”

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Sound Alike;

Young M.A. – “Sober Thoughts”

Title: “Bad Company” (feat. Lotus, Marina Balan)
Genre(s): Hip-Hop, Rap
Length: 4:57
Label: Just Record / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Songwriter(s): Kara Romero, Lotus, Marina Balan
Producer(s): Kara Romero, Nevaeh Martinez

”Bad Company” (feat. Lotus, Marina Balan) is a song by Kara Romero, taken from her 2023 album “Post-Traumatic”. The first collaboration track arriving on the album is the all-female collaboration between Kara Romero, Lotus and Marina Balan. It sees the momentum shift as it’s a brash and confident track where the three women basically deliver a female-power track. It’s lyrics are confrontational at times and at other times are playful and tongue in cheek as the three women appear to show incredible chemistry on the track together. With each of them bringing something different to the table, Kara delivering the opening verse, rapping about how the girls have taken over in the power struggle. Lotus raps about taking the vacant throne and not having to rely on a man to give her what she needs and Marina delivering a powerful verse to state that the landscape is changing.

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Song Description;

The song begins with keyboard tones and a low-fi hip-hop beat for a couple of seconds before they’re quickly joined by snares and a rhythmic back beat which adds a little energy to the track, Kara delivers the intro, “2022, keep betting on me/Relentless stage/We still here/I’m just tryna be somebody that’s influential/On my life, I’mma go when it’s crunch time/Run it up, yeah/I’mma safe bet for ya’ll/Run it up, yeah/Run it up.” which signals the energy and confident tone of the song before Kara immediately steps into the opening verse, “Yeah, you all know ain’t nobody thought it would be like this/In a world where we now running this shit/Female empowerment/Living rent free inside of your heads/In the driver’s seat cause we’re now controlling/Where the fuck this is going/We’re making the biggest moves/Independent as fuck/So suck your own dick dude/We know where the power rankings lie now/Pussy so good it gets you high now/Got em’ fighting/Just to get close to it/Hoping for a glimpse/It’s on its own A list/And how does it feel to know that we run this shit/Yeah, how does it feel/To know my ladies run this shit/Lotus on the track/It’s been a while since we’ve heard from my baddest bitch/She gonna run it up/Cause that girl does magic shit.” which leads us perfectly into the second verse.

Lotus steps into the song, jumping immediately on the beat with a rapid-fire relentless energy, delivering her words thick and fast “Kara called me, had to answer/Take no shit, take no pampers/We at the foot spa, getting pampered/Twinkle on my toes like a dancer/I'm independent, I had a different vision/I saw that I could make a way, gave myself permission/Don't ask me where I been, we on a different mission/And if they try to write me out, you know the truth is missing/Greatest, no alphas and no betas/Ya’ll see them getting lazy while the ladies make the paper?/Prince never came to save her so the Queen seized the throne/If you can’t ask him for favours, tell that man leave you alone/They think my labour cheap that's why I don't come out the house/Try to tell me coochie free then go pay for it in Laos/Family wonder when I'll find a spouse/Married to the bounce, I'm out.” and it’s a confident and brash delivery that brings the energy to the track in a very real way.

The songs chorus arrives as the trio deliver their vocals together, “You know it's bad company/We go hard/Women in the lead/We the motherfucking pussy squad/You know it's bad company/We go hard/Women in the lead/We the motherfucking pussy squad.” with their vocals together in harmony, it creates this beautifully messy energy as they all have very different tones to each other, but it works as a contrast.
Marina steps up to deliver her verse in the song, her beautifully powerful RnB voice always shines through even when she delivers a rap verse and it’s that combination here that we receive, “We change the rules like the inaugural sermon/Rules don’t apply to me, they only worsen/The human condition, us being oppressed/Time for a leader, we'll take on the burden/Ahead of the pack, ahead of the rest/The alpha-male don’t like it? Then he better contest/Challenge us all you want, and we'll sure accept/Cause the more we defeat, we earn more respect/No balls but I'll still always bet/I’m a risky bitch, I'll go for the whole set/Cause it's all or nothing and that's how life works/Ready to blow this shit off the lid, like we’re the fireworks/And you don't even see us, you fucking narcissists.” she lets the music play through for a few moments before you can hear her take a breath before going in for one final run, “I ain’t finished here, gotta teach em’ a big lesson/Bitch double crossed me once, and now he's in a deep depression/We play with our own rules cause this here's our game/Get out of the spotlight cause this here's our fame/I've been a nuisance but now I'm a threat, wanna bump wit' we?/You’re a nuisance to me so now you can meet my bad company.” which is followed by the songs chorus once more as it finishes.

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“Bad Company” (feat. Lotus, Marina Balan)

(Kara)
“2022, keep betting on me
Relentless stage
We still here
I’m just tryna be somebody that’s influential
On my life, I’mma go when it’s crunch time
Run it up, yeah
I’mma safe bet for ya’ll
Run it up, yeah
Run it up

(Kara)
Yeah, you all know ain’t nobody thought it would be like this
In a world where we now running this shit
Female empowerment
Living rent free inside of your heads
In the driver’s seat cause we’re now controlling
Where the fuck this is going
We’re making the biggest moves
Independent as fuck
So suck your own dick dude
We know where the power rankings lie now
Pussy so good it gets you high now
Got em’ fighting
Just to get close to it
Hoping for a glimpse
It’s on its own A list
And how does it feel to know that we run this shit
Yeah, how does it feel
To know my ladies run this shit
Lotus on the track
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from my baddest bitch
She gonna run it up
Cause that girl does magic shit

(Lotus)
Kara called me, had to answer
Take no shit, take no pampers
We at the foot spa, getting pampered
Twinkle on my toes like a dancer
I'm independent, I had a different vision
I saw that I could make a way, gave myself permission
Don't ask me where I been, we on a different mission
And if they try to write me out, you know the truth is missing
Greatest, no alphas and no betas
Ya’ll see them getting lazy while the ladies make the paper?
Prince never came to save her so the Queen seized the throne
If you can’t ask him for favours, tell that man leave you alone
They think my labour cheap that's why I don't come out the house
Try to tell me coochie free then go pay for it in Laos
Family wonder when I'll find a spouse
Married to the bounce, I'm out

You know it's bad company
We go hard
Women in the lead
We the motherfucking pussy squad

You know it's bad company
We go hard
Women in the lead
We the motherfucking pussy squad

(Marina)
We change the rules like the inaugural sermon
Rules don’t apply to me, they only worsen
The human condition, us being oppressed
Time for a leader, we'll take on the burden
Ahead of the pack, ahead of the rest
The alpha-male don’t like it? Then he better contest
Challenge us all you want, and we'll sure accept
Cause the more we defeat, we earn more respect
No balls but I'll still always bet
I’m a risky bitch, I'll go for the whole set
Cause it's all or nothing and that's how life works
Ready to blow this shit off the lid, like we’re the fireworks
And you don't even see us, you fucking narcissists
I ain’t finished here, gotta teach em’ a big lesson
Bitch double crossed me once, and now he's in a deep depression
We play with our own rules cause this here's our game
Get out of the spotlight cause this here's our fame
I've been a nuisance but now I'm a threat, wanna bump wit' we?
You’re a nuisance to me so now you can meet my bad company

You know it's bad company
We go hard
Women in the lead
We the motherfucking pussy squad

You know it's bad company
We go hard
Women in the lead
We the motherfucking pussy squad”

---

Sound Alike;

Saweetie – “Back to the Streets” (feat. Jhene Aiko)

Title: “Hit Me Up”
Genre(s): Hip-Hop, Rap
Length: 3:25
Label: Just Record / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Songwriter(s): Kara Romero
Producer(s): Kara Romero, Brayton Carter, Jadyn Ghalen, Jamal Ghalen

”Hit Me Up” is a song by Kara Romero, taken from her 2023 album “Post-Traumatic”. This track is a pretty simplistic one, about a general friendship/relationship in which both people are with each other just hang out and get a little messed up. During the songs verse, it references a night out in which one of them gets messed up and the other picks them up and takes care of them. It seems like the song is essentially just showing the underlying care that a seemingly vapid relationship can have at its core. It comes across as more of a pop track than a rap or hip-hop track. It could potentially be seen as a prologue to previous track “(Real Ones) Ride With Me”, showing loyalty and care to a friend throughout it as it’s main selling point.

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Song Description;

The track starts off with a fairly straight forward mainstream rap beat, with elements of pop and slight electronica that give the song it’s immediate energy, Kara delivers the opening to the song “Yeah, when you’re lonely you always hit me up/Blowin’ up my phone/Like it’s enough/Come on over let’s hit a blunt/No time for talking/Let’s fuck it up.”, it’s quick and relatively straightforward lyrics make the song easily accessible to the casual listener although it’s likely to not be a favourite for die-hards. Kara quickly follows up the opening with the songs hook “I do these things over and over/Only call me when you’re high/Wouldn’t recognize you if you were sober/I do these things over and over/Only call me when you’re high/Wouldn’t recognize you if you were sober.” which brings to a close the introductory part of the song.

As we arrive at the first verse, the song begins to take it’s storytelling aspect, Kara delivering her vocal over the sort of pop beat that you’d expect to hear in the clubs mentioned in the verse, “You pour your heart out in the voicemail’s that you keep sending to me/Can barely hear your voice over the sound of the beats/The club sounds alive but you’re fucked up outta your mind/Club sounds alive but you’re fucked up outta your mind/But I hope you know, when I hang up the call/That I’ll pick you up from the curb tonight/I know it hurts in the morning when you have to swallow your pride/But I’ll give you somewhere to sleep it off at night/Cause life fucks us sometimes/Yeah, life fucks us all sometimes.” and is quickly followed up by the songs hook again.

The second verse comes into play towards the end of the track, it’s a short song and feels even more brief than the three and a half-minute run time as Kara continues with the rest of the story, “You’re not making much sense and you’re slurring your speech/Just keep talking bout’ how your thoughts are keeping you from your sleep/We’ll share Coffee and Cigarette’s on my balcony/The cold air will sober you up/Man, it kills me to see that you’re still this fucked up/Kills me to see that you’re still this fucked up.” which highlights the general idea of the song, being one about a friendship based in looking out for each other when it’s needed. We’re give the songs quasi-chorus and it’s hook one more time before beat stops dead and the song comes to it’s end.

---

“Hit Me Up”

“Yeah, when you’re lonely you always hit me up
Blowin’ up my phone
Like it’s enough
Come on over let’s hit a blunt
No time for talking
Let’s fuck it up

I do these things over and over
Only call me when you’re high
Wouldn’t recognize you if you were sober
I do these things over and over
Only call me when you’re high
Wouldn’t recognize you if you were sober

You pour your heart out in the voicemail’s that you keep sending to me
Can barely hear your voice over the sound of the beats
The club sounds alive but you’re fucked up outta your mind
Club sounds alive but you’re fucked up outta your mind
But I hope you know, when I hang up the call
That I’ll pick you up from the curb tonight
I know it hurts in the morning when you have to swallow your pride
But I’ll give you somewhere to sleep it off at night
Cause life fucks us sometimes
Yeah, life fucks us all sometimes

I do these things over and over
Only call me when you’re high
Wouldn’t recognize you if you were sober
I do these things over and over
Only call me when you’re high
Wouldn’t recognize you if you were sober

You’re not making much sense and you’re slurring your speech
Just keep talking bout’ how your thoughts are keeping you from your sleep
We’ll share Coffee and Cigarette’s on my balcony
The cold air will sober you up
Man, it kills me to see that you’re still this fucked up
Kills me to see that you’re still this fucked up

Yeah, when you’re lonely you always hit me up
Blowin’ up my phone
Like it’s enough
Come on over let’s hit a blunt
No time for talking
Let’s fuck it up

I do these things over and over
Only call me when you’re high
Wouldn’t recognize you if you were sober
I do these things over and over
Only call me when you’re high
Wouldn’t recognize you if you were sober”

---

Sound Alike;

LightSkinKeisha – “Ride Good” (feat. B. Smyth)

Title: “Easy Access”
Genre(s): Hip-Hop, Rap, RnB
Length: 5:27
Label: Just Record / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Songwriter(s): Kara Romero
Producer(s): Kara Romero, Cory Dionne

”Easy Access” is a song by Kara Romero, taken from her 2023 album “Post-Traumatic”. The track deals with some of the internal issues that Kara has had in her head throughout her life with the song specifically making reference to Kara’s career as she references dealing with fame at sixteen years old and being expected to be able to handle everything that comes with that in the opening verse, references to her own drug issues and how the industry in general works at it's very worst. While the second part of the song see’s Kara embracing all of her flaws and finally feeling free enough to be exactly who she wants to be in this world and doing everything that she wants to do. It’s a track that litters the darkest moments of her life throughout without it ever being a hugely depressing track as it’s done in a way that makes the listener go on the same self-discovery journey that Kara seemingly goes on in the song.

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Song Description;

The track begins immediately with a rapid-fire vocal delivery from Kara alongside an energetic trap beat, it has an instantaneous energy which belies the lyrical content at the beginning of the track but makes more sense later on, as Kara delivers the intro, “Honestly, I've spent too much of my life searching for answers/Answers that I just may never find/Constantly being pulled in different directions, like I'm on some manic shit that I can't figure out/Being young and in the spotlight can fuck a person up pretty damn bad/Doing everything I can to try to keep the shit that I do behind closed doors out of view from all those prying eyes/Trying to always be perfect in the eyes of the public/There comes a time when you finally grow up and just say fuck this/It's my time to shine/My past is my fucking past/My own future is mine.”

It's quickly followed by the first verse which tells a little more of the story, with the pacing of the vocal delivery on that energetic trap beat which seems to work well in terms of the overall tone and energy of the track musically, but again it contrasts with the songs lyrics at this stage, “I'm the next big thing, pushed out onstage being made to sing/Can barely speak my own name/At sixteen years old, expected to deal with this fame/Thrust into a life that's so full of excess/Told to keep away from it all when it's on easy access/Tryna keep my head straight/Tryna figure out these mixed messages/Doesn't matter what they say, can't keep me from stressin'/Rehab on speed dial/Got my dealer on redial/Gotta increase my profile/Live out this lifestyle/Repetitive cycle, call me the newest disciple/Guaranteed to go viral/This life is a spiral.” and it’s quickly followed by the songs hook and chorus combination that seems to just emphasize the tone of the songs opening section even further, “That shit got me fucked up/Living full of guilt/Always getting what I want/Never what I need.” which just highlights the idea of a young artist not given the support needed to keep control of her own mental and physical wellbeing. She delivers the chorus which proves this theory further, “They shoulda known better/Couldn't deal with the pressure/Learnt to own the person that I've become/No longer hiding/No longer on the run.” which hints at the next section of the song.

A brief break where the beat is allowed to move on its own, before Kara jumps back in with even more energy than the first section of the song, this time she raps about how she’s taking back the control and the narrative and owning all of her flaws and vices and embracing them going forward, “I've been the next big thing, but managed to shed that skin/Now I'm owning all my vices and every single sin/I'm determining my excesses forever/Sippin' Cristal, Cocaine addict/Lay me down, stretch me out, embracing the habit/White line fever/Everything feels sweeter/Let us take it deeper/Got me driving this pussy down, hands on your chest/I'm feeling this private party's about to get blessed/I can feel my ecstasy coming quick/You got me flowing/Perfect combo of tight and thick/When I'm riding on top, you know it's about to get lit.” which shows the eventual transition into someone taking back control of their own life and enjoying the thrills that this world can bring them. The songs hook and chorus returns once more before the song comes to an end.

---

“Easy Access”

"Honestly, I've spent too much of my life searching for answers
Answers that I just may never find
Constantly being pulled in different directions, like I'm on some manic shit that I can't figure out
Being young and in the spotlight can fuck a person up pretty damn bad
Doing everything I can to try to keep the shit that I do behind closed doors out of view from all those prying eyes
Trying to always be perfect in the eyes of the public
There comes a time when you finally grow up and just say fuck this
It's my time to shine
My past is my fucking past
My own future is mine

I'm the next big thing, pushed out onstage being made to sing
Can barely speak my own name
At sixteen years old, expected to deal with this fame
Thrust into a life that's so full of excess
Told to keep away from it all when it's on easy access
Tryna keep my head straight
Tryna figure out these mixed messages
Doesn't matter what they say, can't keep me from stressin'
Rehab on speed dial
Got my dealer on redial
Gotta increase my profile
Live out this lifestyle
Repetitive cycle, call me the newest disciple
Guaranteed to go viral
This life is a spiral

That shit got me fucked up
Living full of guilt
Always getting what I want
Never what I need

They shoulda known better
Couldn't deal with the pressure
Learnt to own the person that I've become
No longer hiding
No longer on the run

That shit got me fucked up
Living full of guilt
Always getting what I want
Never what I need

I've been the next big thing, but managed to shed that skin
Now I'm owning all my vices and every single sin
I'm determining my excesses forever
Sippin' Cristal, Cocaine addict
Lay me down, stretch me out, embracing the habit
White line fever
Everything feels sweeter
Let us take it deeper
Got me driving this pussy down, hands on your chest
I'm feeling this private party's about to get blessed
I can feel my ecstasy coming quick
You got me flowing
Perfect combo of tight and thick
When I'm riding on top, you know it's about to get lit

That shit got me fucked up
Living full of guilt
Always getting what I want
Never what I need

They shoulda known better
Couldn't deal with the pressure
Learnt to own the person that I've become
No longer hiding
No longer on the run”

---

Sound Alike;

Jhene Aiko – “Maniac”

Title: “Signpost”
Genre(s): Rap, RnB
Length: 4:26
Label: Just Record / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Songwriter(s): Kara Romero, Brayton Carter
Producer(s): Kara Romero, Brayton Carter, Jadyn Ghalen, Jamal Ghalen

”Signpost” is a song by Kara Romero, taken from her 2023 album “Post-Traumatic”. The track centre’s around love and the complexity of modern dating and issues with labels and understanding where both stand, something that seems to be more evident in today’s modern dating scope. The emotions of confusion and anger are at the forefront of the track and the psychological aspect is one that is not only shown on this track but is more prevalent in the work from her album.

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Song Description;

The song begins with a repeated dreamwave-esque keyboard sound with a soft drumming beat heard faintly in the background, it’s not long before the opening lyrics are delivered by Kara in a smooth RnB vocal style which allows her to really give the theme and feeling of the song from the very outset as she sings over the RnB tinged music, “I know we never liked to label things/But all the signs seemed to indicate that we were something/I kinda thought we were good/Thought we were just trying to avoid the word love/Just so shit wouldn’t get complicated/We fucked almost every night that you were in my home.” which immediately give the tone of the track, despite her softly spoken delivery it’s clear that there’s an anger and frustration coming from the lyrical content as she sings about an understanding of both people not wanting to put a label on the relationship at the risk of ruining a good thing, despite all the evidence pointing clearly to the fact that they were indeed something.

The music continues in a similar vein as we progress to the chorus early on, the speed of the backing music has increased slightly as she switches up tone slightly to deliver another RnB tinged vocal delivery but this time with a little more assertiveness and anger in the tone, giving the feeling that we’re hearing her side of the argument, “Don’t even try to tell me that I should have seen the signs/When there wasn’t a single signpost/Don’t try to tell me that I should have read the signs/There wasn’t a single signpost/I guess I was the one/That was played the most.” and this gives us the very message of the track, drenched in confusion and skirting around the idea of saying what you truly feel, leaving one person comfortable and the other confused in a situation. The tone shift in vocal delivery matches the lyrical content as we delve deeper into the breakdown of a relationship.

The pace switches up completely as the chorus ends, the modern day RnB tone of the backing music fades out and we’re given a very beat heavy sound, drums and a bass highlighting this section of the track and as the music changes the vocal delivery does so too as Kara moves into full assertiveness as she jumps on the beat and delivers a rap verse that highlights the frustration and anger that lingers beyond the surface, “For all intents and purposes, we were together/You can try to manipulate the situation/Keep saying we ain’t had that conversation/But actions speak louder/Everybody could fucking see it/We were exclusive in every fucking way/You were with me almost every god damn day/It’s just something we didn’t wanna say/Because we’ve seen how once it’s said you ain’t ever truly get that magic back/You can call me naïve/But I won’t take that personal attack/You can come around here/Trying to make amends/But I won’t fall for that bullshit/Just so we can fuck again.” and it’s clear that the tender RnB vocal style is linked to the idea of her trying to understand and rationalise the hurt that she feels and the rap vocal delivery is her allowing herself to be angry.

The music switches back as we return to the songs chorus, “Don’t even try to tell me that I should have seen the signs/When there wasn’t a single signpost/Don’t try to tell me that I should have read the signs/There wasn’t a single signpost/I guess I was the one/That was played the most.” but this time is accompanied by a bridge which continues in that softer RnB delivery but with the lyrical content continuing in the assertive nature of the rap verse as she sings, “I’ve seen this shit happen before/But didn’t think I’d be the one to fall for it/Didn’t think that was your MO/But I should have fucking known it/Shouldn’t have been so trustin’.” we’re given the songs chorus once more before we move into the final section of the song.

The track switches tone again as we head into another rap verse, the softness making way for the drum heavy and faster paced verse as Kara moves into rap mode once more, “But you know me enough to know that once you’re out/You ain’t ever getting back in/I can be stubborn as fuck when I need to be/I know you keep calling me to talk/To try to smooth this shit over/But I can’t tolerate you loving me, when you’re fuckin’ wit another/It hurts inside/But I’ll keep my emotions undercover/Give me a moment to hurt/And then I’ll get over this/I’m strong enough to move past this shit/I take it as a lesson/To help me grow stronger.” and the internal calmness at accepting that she’s essentially done now, and that she’s said what she needed to say and let out whatever anger was needed to be let out is followed by one final return to the RnB vibe as she sings the songs chorus once more to play it out.

---

“Signpost”

“I know we never liked to label things
But all the signs seemed to indicate that we were something
I kinda thought we were good
Thought we were just trying to avoid the word love
Just so shit wouldn’t get complicated
We fucked almost every night that you were in my home

Don’t even try to tell me that I should have seen the signs
When there wasn’t a single signpost
Don’t try to tell me that I should have read the signs
There wasn’t a single signpost
I guess I was the one
That was played the most

For all intents and purposes, we were together
You can try to manipulate the situation
Keep saying we ain’t had that conversation
But actions speak louder
Everybody could fucking see it
We were exclusive in every fucking way
You were with me almost every god damn day
It’s just something we didn’t wanna say
Because we’ve seen how once it’s said you ain’t ever truly get that magic back
You can call me naïve
But I won’t take that personal attack
You can come around here
Trying to make amends
But I won’t fall for that bullshit
Just so we can fuck again

Don’t even try to tell me that I should have seen the signs
When there wasn’t a single signpost
Don’t try to tell me that I should have read the signs
There wasn’t a single signpost
I guess I was the one
That was played the most

I’ve seen this shit happen before
But didn’t think I’d be the one to fall for it
Didn’t think that was your MO
But I should have fucking known it
Shouldn’t have been so trustin’

Don’t even try to tell me that I should have seen the signs
When there wasn’t a single signpost
Don’t try to tell me that I should have read the signs
There wasn’t a single signpost
I guess I was the one
That was played the most

But you know me enough to know that once you’re out
You ain’t ever getting back in
I can be stubborn as fuck when I need to be
I know you keep calling me to talk
To try to smooth this shit over
But I can’t tolerate you loving me, when you’re fuckin’ wit another
It hurts inside
But I’ll keep my emotions undercover
Give me a moment to hurt
And then I’ll get over this
I’m strong enough to move past this shit
I take it as a lesson
To help me grow stronger

Don’t even try to tell me that I should have seen the signs
When there wasn’t a single signpost
Don’t try to tell me that I should have read the signs
There wasn’t a single signpost
I guess I was the one
That was played the most”

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Sound Alike;

Kehlani – “Serial Lover”

Title: “Grow Up”
Genre(s): RnB
Length: 3:42
Label: Just Record / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Songwriter(s): Kara Romero
Producer(s): Kara Romero, Nevaeh Martinez

”Dynamite” is a song by Kara Romero, taken from her 2023 album “Post-Traumatic”. The track seems to be drenched in a feeling of nostalgia and melancholia, Kara making reference to how everything was supposed to be figured out when you grow older but the reality is that things become even more complicated and difficult as you grow older. It also makes reference to the creative droughts that Kara has experienced in her career as well as the fact that she used to take every drug but now only smokes weed and how she feels like she wants to be a major player in the music industry and write stuff that has some sort of emotional depth and meaning to someone. It’s a track more based in an RnB sound rather than the hip-hop and rap sound to the majority of the record, but it seems to slot in easily with the album as a whole.

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Song Description;

The song begins with soft piano tones, slight electronic effect adding in the studio afterwards but at its core it’s primarily a RnB piano ballad, it’s made even more clear as Kara sings in her RnB vocal style, it’s slower paced and more thoughtful, moving away from the rapid-fire hip-hop and rap style as she delivers the opening verse of the song, “They say when you grow up/This will all make perfect sense someday/You’ll figure it out when you’re older/Yeah, that’s what they say/I’m not a kid, but I’m still young enough/I’ve seen enough of this world to know that I’ve gotta be tough/It hurts because it gets lonely/I’ve already said goodbye to the old me/And all these friends I have don’t even know me/They say when you grow up/This will all make perfect sense someday/You’ll figure it out when you’re older/Yeah, that’s what they say.” and it puts the general theme of the song to the audience from the very beginning, knowing that this is going to be more of an emotional journey on this track.

Kara continues to sing over the piano sounds, creating the idea in your head of a full-fledged RnB ballad album from Kara having some very real potential if this track is anything to go by, “Never thought this is how it’d go when I got here/Thought I’d be in a fucking different headspace with no fear/Thought I’d surround myself with good people/But none of them are still here/They get out when the goings good/Maybe they saw something that I just couldn’t/And I find myself/All alone again/No support system/No one to call in on/Thoughts rushing constantly/Paranoid, I can’t fucking barely sleep/Knowing even my closest friends/Have been sleeping on me.” which adds to the emotion and the weight of the song as she sings about friendships that fall away as you grow older and start to grow apart.
She then moves into the songs chorus which drives the idea of the songs theme home even further, “They say when you grow up/This will all make perfect sense someday/You’ll figure it out when you’re older/Yeah, that’s what they say/They say when you grow up/This will all make perfect sense someday/You’ll figure it out when you’re older/Yeah, that’s what they say.”

We then move into the final verse of the song, the last chance to stick the landing on this emotional journey, the piano keys echoing for seconds after the note has been played, adding to the emotive weight even further as she delivers her final salvo, “See internally I’ve felt myself changing for the past year or so/I don’t rely on the unhealthy shit that I did before/It gave me too many distractions from the matter at hand/A five year creative drought/I hope ya’ll understand/I get a little lost sometimes/Can’t quite locate the right way that is up/Get a little overwhelmed in my mind/Fucked up little thoughts/Used to take every fucking drug/Now I’m just hitting blunts/Surrounding myself with people that help raise me up/I wanna be more than what I’ve been before/I wanna be a creative force/I wanna write about shit that means something/I want a seat at that table/And this is the first time/In the longest time/That I fucking feel able.” as she addresses the feelings that she’d had about never truly being talented enough to surround herself with her peers in the music industry. The songs chorus comes in once more before the song comes to an end.

---

“Grow Up”

“They say when you grow up
This will all make perfect sense someday
You’ll figure it out when you’re older
Yeah, that’s what they say
I’m not a kid, but I’m still young enough
I’ve seen enough of this world to know that I’ve gotta be tough
It hurts because it gets lonely
I’ve already said goodbye to the old me
And all these friends I have don’t even know me
They say when you grow up
This will all make perfect sense someday
You’ll figure it out when you’re older
Yeah, that’s what they say

Never thought this is how it’d go when I got here
Thought I’d be in a fucking different headspace with no fear
Thought I’d surround myself with good people
But none of them are still here
They get out when the goings good
Maybe they saw something that I just couldn’t
And I find myself
All alone again
No support system
No one to call in on
Thoughts rushing constantly
Paranoid, I can’t fucking barely sleep
Knowing even my closest friends
Have been sleeping on me

They say when you grow up
This will all make perfect sense someday
You’ll figure it out when you’re older
Yeah, that’s what they say

They say when you grow up
This will all make perfect sense someday
You’ll figure it out when you’re older
Yeah, that’s what they say

See internally I’ve felt myself changing for the past year or so
I don’t rely on the unhealthy shit that I did before
It gave me too many distractions from the matter at hand
A five year creative drought
I hope ya’ll understand
I get a little lost sometimes
Can’t quite locate the right way that is up
Get a little overwhelmed in my mind
Fucked up little thoughts
Used to take every fucking drug
Now I’m just hitting blunts
Surrounding myself with people that help raise me up
I wanna be more than what I’ve been before
I wanna be a creative force
I wanna write about shit that means something
I want a seat at that table
And this is the first time
In the longest time
That I fucking feel able

They say when you grow up
This will all make perfect sense someday
You’ll figure it out when you’re older
Yeah, that’s what they say

They say when you grow up
This will all make perfect sense someday
You’ll figure it out when you’re older
Yeah, that’s what they say”

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Sound Alike;

Kiana Ledé – “Get In The Way”

Title: “Twenty-Four Seven” (feat. Drew Westbrook)
Genre(s): Hip-Hop, Rap, RnB
Length: 4:53
Label: Just Record / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Songwriter(s): Kara Romero, Drew Westbrook
Producer(s): Kara Romero, Drew Westbrook, Brayton Carter, Jadyn Ghalen, Jamal Ghalen

”Twenty-Four Seven” (feat. Drew Westbrook) is a song by Kara Romero, taken from her 2023 album “Post-Traumatic”. The track see’s Kara and Drew Westbrook team up with a track about complete passion, it’s just a song that centres on two people that are completely into each other in a very physical way. Referencing how they like to fight because it gives them the passion for each other and how they like to express themselves when it comes to sex. Drew making reference to how he likes to take charge, not being able to resist and Kara referencing how his confidence and attitude turns her on and that she likes when things get a little heated between them.

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Song Description;

The song begins with a soft dreamy rnb influenced piano sound, with a rhythmic drumming backbeat to set the slower pace of the track from the very beginning as Kara opens up the track with a slow paced, sensual RnB vocal delivery, “It’s like every time we fight, we always seem to fuck better/It’s good to know the passion’s still there/Baby you know that I’ll let ya/It hasn’t always been so easy for us/But we make it through/Always had our share of fights, turning out the bedroom lights/No talking or fist throwing/We always throw it down in bed/Your tongue does the apologizing/Making up and giving head/We’re both just as fucked up as each other/I think we fuck so rough/Cause we like our names screamed back at us/Feed the ego/It’s never enough.” as she sings about the passion within a relationship, her use of her slower and more sensual singing vocal style working well with the theme of the song and the backing music throughout the song, a switch up from her regular rap delivery style.

As the second verse arrives, Drew immediately steps into the track effortlessly, again focussing on the RnB vocal delivery style but as Drew delivers his verse, it’s slightly more faster paced as he picks up where Kara left off, “It's like every time we fight, it's just to make up/Go to sleep mad, grind on me when you wake up/When you act up I know what you really want/Throw you on the bed, fold you up like a croissant/I'm a rich, fit nigga, 8 pack, 8 figures/And if she a figure 8, I gotta keep her in the picture/Always talking trash, I just can't get too mad/Cus when I smack that, I know it got that bounce back.” again focussing on the fallout of a relationship and the eventual make-up, which highlights the tracks entire theme. Towards the end of Drew’s opening verse, the pace of the music increases slightly in anticipation of the tracks chorus.
As the chorus arrives, Kara steps up to the microphone and delivers it, fast paced and assertive which is in keeping with her recognizable rap delivery style which gives the track a brief change of pace, “I love your fuckin’ body/It’s so fuckin’ godly/Feels like heaven/I want you 24/7/I love your fuckin’ body/It’s so fuckin’ godly/Feels like heaven/I want you 24/7.” which gives the song it’s immediate accessibility point, providing a catchy chorus that is crafted to be the sort of chorus to get stuck in the listeners head all day long.

The music slows back down to the pace heard in the opening verse, again the smooth piano sound and soft drumming backbeat providing the entire rhythm of the song in it’s RnB style, Kara adapting her vocal delivery once more to her RnB delivery, “Yeah, I think I prefer you when you’ve got an attitude/You get so cocky, make me wanna fuck you/I’ll take passion over all that safe shit/You can try to be romantic but I just wanna take it/Yeah, I just want it all/Live a life so full/That when we crash and burn/We fucking explode/And babe I know how much you’re into me/Cause I can handle myself/Just like you fuckin’ need/But I like to have help/And you give everything you have to me/And when we come together/We do it so passionately/And when we come together/We do it so passionately.” which continues the theme of the song, it’s vivid imagery being the recent chosen style of Kara’s music.

Which leads to Drew making one final appearance on the track and having the final verse of the song, he almost immediately jumps onto the beat as Kara finishes her verse but the music increases in intensity to match with his sudden fast-paced delivery for the final verse, “If you ain’t gon let me off the hook, please, don't give me that look/Next time you raise your voice I’mma have you screaming 'Brooks/I’mma take you back to class but ain't no timeouts for that ass/Bout to rule ya with my ruler, deep strokes until you pass out/I foam at the mouth, that booty looking round/Them titties never droop, that pussy never drought/You know I go nuts, it's true what they say about them crazies/Keep acting like a child and Ima fill you with some babies.” This is followed by Kara delivering the songs chorus one final time before the music fades out to it’s end.

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“Twenty Four Seven” (feat. Drew Westbrook)

(Kara)
“It’s like every time we fight, we always seem to fuck better
It’s good to know the passion’s still there
Baby you know that I’ll let ya
It hasn’t always been so easy for us
But we make it through
Always had our share of fights, turning out the bedroom lights
No talking or fist throwing
We always throw it down in bed
Your tongue does the apologizing
Making up and giving head
We’re both just as fucked up as each other
I think we fuck so rough
Cause we like our names screamed back at us
Feed the ego
It’s never enough

(Drew)
It's like every time we fight, it's just to make up
Go to sleep mad, grind on me when you wake up
When you act up I know what you really want
Throw you on the bed, fold you up like a croissant
I'm a rich, fit nigga, 8 pack, 8 figures
And if she a figure 8, I gotta keep her in the picture
Always talking trash, I just can't get too mad
Cus when I smack that, I know it got that bounce back

I love your fuckin’ body
It’s so fuckin’ godly
Feels like heaven
I want you 24/7
I love your fuckin’ body
It’s so fuckin’ godly
Feels like heaven
I want you 24/7

(Kara)
Yeah, I think I prefer you when you’ve got an attitude
You get so cocky, make me wanna fuck you
I’ll take passion over all that safe shit
You can try to be romantic but I just wanna take it
Yeah, I just want it all
Live a life so full
That when we crash and burn
We fucking explode
And babe I know how much you’re into me
Cause I can handle myself
Just like you fuckin’ need
But I like to have help
And you give everything you have to me
And when we come together
We do it so passionately
And when we come together
We do it so passionately

(Drew)
If you ain’t gon let me off the hook, please, don't give me that look
Next time you raise your voice I’mma have you screaming 'Brooks
I’mma take you back to class but ain't no timeouts for that ass
Bout to rule ya with my ruler, deep strokes until you pass out
I foam at the mouth, that booty looking round
Them titties never droop, that pussy never drought
You know I go nuts, it's true what they say about them crazies
Keep acting like a child and Ima fill you with some babies

I love your fuckin’ body
It’s so fuckin’ godly
Feels like heaven
I want you 24/7
I love your fuckin’ body
It’s so fuckin’ godly
Feels like heaven
I want you 24/7”

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Sound Alike;

Summer Walker – “Girls Need Love” (feat. Drake)

Title: “Hit List”
Genre(s): Hip-Hop, Rap, RnB
Length: 4:17
Label: Just Record / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Songwriter(s): Kara Romero
Producer(s): Kara Romero, Nevaeh Martinez, Cory Dionne

”Hit List” is a song by Kara Romero, taken from her 2023 album “Post-Traumatic”. The track see’s Kara move completely into her full liberation mode as she compares herself to an assassin, crafting her own booty call list and comparing it to an assassins hit list as the general metaphor for the entire song. The track see’s Kara at her most free. She talks about enjoying being on her own and not getting attached to people. Using her own booty call list in order to satisfy whatever needs she has at any given time.

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Song Description;

The song begins with a soft acoustic guitar sound, it’s being played in a Spanish style with fingerpicking and using the base of the guitar to provide the beat to the song also, it’s relatively slow-paced, giving a relaxed vibe as Kara delivers her opening lyrics, “I'm always good on my own, fuck it's all I've ever known/Got em' all tryna change me, catching feels/Talkin' bout love/But I'm not all about that/I've sometimes stumbled and fallen for the concept/But I'm on a new wave, on some new shit/This bitch is just out here building up her motherfuckin' hit list.” which immediately gives the topic and theme of the song from it’s opening verse. She quickly follows this up with the hook, “I like to leave em' needing me/I like to leave em' on their knees/I like to leave em' begging please/I like to leave em' needing me.”

The acoustic guitar continues to play but is a little quicker as we arrive at the songs chorus, “They seem to get this twisted/I'm like an assassin working unassisted/I'm just out here adding names and numbers to my hit list/They seem to get this twisted/I'm like an assassin working unassisted/I'm just out here adding names and numbers to my hit list.” it’s catchy chorus and adds to the relative playfulness of the song and it’s slightly tongue in cheek nature. She immediately follows this up with another verse which goes into a little more vivid detail, “They think they got me figured for a short bitch/Five feet and two inches, think they've gotta go easy with it/Crazy bitch likes the physical shit/Wanna be thrown around and stretched out, get real lit/Just know I ain't gonna break/Baby, I can handle it/By the end of the session, sweat drippin', we connectin'/It's always round two I'm expecting/Stamina gotta be on full max, no disrespectin'/Hoppin' off and on, changing it up like it's an Olympic routine we're perfecting/It's perfect how it is, don't risk it/No feelings involved, legit/Just go with it.” which again drives home the topic of the song before the songs hook and chorus come back into play before the song comes to an end.

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“Hit List”

“I'm always good on my own, fuck it's all I've ever known
Got em' all tryna change me, catching feels
Talkin' bout love
But I'm not all about that
I've sometimes stumbled and fallen for the concept
But I'm on a new wave, on some new shit
This bitch is just out here building up her motherfuckin' hit list

I like to leave em' needing me
I like to leave em' on their knees
I like to leave em' begging please
I like to leave em' needing me

They seem to get this twisted
I'm like an assassin working unassisted
I'm just out here adding names and numbers to my hit list
They seem to get this twisted
I'm like an assassin working unassisted
I'm just out here adding names and numbers to my hit list

They think they got me figured for a short bitch
Five feet and two inches, think they've gotta go easy with it
Crazy bitch likes the physical shit
Wanna be thrown around and stretched out, get real lit
Just know I ain't gonna break
Baby, I can handle it
By the end of the session, sweat drippin', we connectin'
It's always round two I'm expecting
Stamina gotta be on full max, no disrespectin'
Hoppin' off and on, changing it up like it's an Olympic routine we're perfecting
It's perfect how it is, don't risk it
No feelings involved, legit
Just go with it

I like to leave em' needing me
I like to leave em' on their knees
I like to leave em' begging please
I like to leave em' needing me

They seem to get this twisted
I'm like an assassin working unassisted
I'm just out here adding names and numbers to my hit list
They seem to get this twisted
I'm like an assassin working unassisted
I'm just out here adding names and numbers to my hit list”

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Sound Alike;

Jessie Reyez – “Body Count”