Princess Nokia on her latest track is quite the tour de force, declaring herself ‘So clean, no effort’ and this MO carries through her music. Returning to her Harlem roots, Princess Nokia struts in a ball park among the Stunt Guyz BMX crew and dancers in different coloured North Face puffer jackets, which sort of make them look like streetwear power rangers from TikTok.

The song No Effort is a full range contemporary RNB melody that comes with a bags of infectious energy. Vocally comparable to Niki Minaj when rapping, when singing, her vocals are equally impressive. The production, the telephone and whistles underneath the melody, give the track a populated feel, like the studio was carried around in a briefcase around Harlem. It’s a dance beat, with impressive bass that really carries it.

Her lyrics and production are professional with a certain casual feel to it. This is her production: ‘Get a threesome going, cos you know that’s what I like.’ Princess Nokia is herself, in complete control over herself. Salacious and risqué but brash, she is Princess fucking Nokia and nobody should forget that. Declaring herself above any other ‘bitches’ that would try and bring her down, she is above and beyond her contemporaries. 

With the video my only quibble would be that she sings ‘ponytail, ripped jeans no effort’ in jeans that are decidedly not ripped but really, who cares? Her backup dancers use the park space to the best levels. Evoking the early 2000’s with some closeups of her in the crowd, making it seem like it’s made of paparazzi shots with the help of some effects. It’s a video from around 2006 with a sound of 2022. The fusion is flawless.

With Princess Nokia coming off a collab with ASHNIKKO and going to perform set to perform at Coachella this year, 5 years since her debut, Princess Nokia is proving that she still has it and is set to continue producing catchy and brash bangers.

WORDS: Peter Wellman

PICS: Daniela Spector