South Florida Rapper Chelzzz Brings Original Beats, Sharp Verses, And A LGBTQ Voice For The Hip-Hop World With Her Latest Single ‘Poseidon’

28/09/2021 byUpcoming100 Staff

MIAMI, FL – Combining her empowering attitude, persistent work ethic, and straightforward songwriting, rapper Chelzzz emerged onto the Miami hip-hop scene 5 years ago and has established herself as both a successful independent rapper and musical entrepreneur.

Chelzzz, also known as Chelsea Henson, knew she wanted to make music early in life—growing up in Detroit, MI in what she describes as a musical household while becoming a rapping hype-woman before sports games in school. 

“Things kind of started off from there. I’ve always loved words. English has always been my favorite subject. I love writing in general and I’ve got a good imagination,” says Chelzzz. “So bringing stories to life is what I always really enjoyed doing and I think that’s kind of what music is all about, just kind of telling your own story and bringing that, shedding light on your own experiences, and it’s just always been my preferred outlet to express myself.”

That same storytelling and drive can still be seen in Chelzzz's music career today. The rapper began releasing music professionally in 2016 and put out her debut record Somewhere in Miami earlier this year, with two more records already written for a 2022 release. Somewhere in Miami describes Chelzzz’s experience relocating to the south, growing as an artist within Miami’s music scene, and her recent experience of going through a divorce with her partner of 7 years. The album introduces original beats influenced by sounds heard in the rapper's day-to-day life with a balance of sharp and catchy verses that are both fun and personable stories describing empowerment, sexuality, success, and individualism against all odds. Chelzzz hopes to help bring representation found in her songs to the LGBTQ community, as a lesbian rapper in a male-dominated industry. 

“I think a lot of that rejection from my own community came because I was rejecting myself,” she says. “And now I don’t receive that as much anymore, people kind of look at me, they look up to me, and it’s really cool and makes me feel good and positive about where I’m at now. Miami definitely opened more doors for me musically and just like a gay woman in general.”

COVID-19 saw a slow down for Chelzzz’s touring as well as her female-run brand C3. The company was booking shows in over 20 states with audiences ranging from 1,500 to 16,000 people pre-pandemic. Recently, Chelzzz has led her focus on producing conceptual, high-quality music videos. She has hope in finding new ways to promote music in the Miami scene while connecting with the versatile and vastly populated cultural hub of South Florida, and preparing for her SXSW performance next spring.

“More than anything, I wasn’t doing that to make money, I was doing that to not just make a name for myself, but make Miami, Broward, and West Palm this hub where everybody knows that this is where the artists come to connect,” she explains. “And these are the shows that we’re going to to make that happen. I wanted to be that one sole person to bring that to this area if nobody else could.”

Her latest single “Poseidon,” released in early September, continues to be influenced by her divorce and opens up a new side of vulnerability that Chelzzz says is a concept in her art she hadn’t shown to the world before, much like in the 7th track on Somewhere in Miami, “Show & Tell.” Chelzzz is aiming to become an advocate for openness, representation, and community through her songs, while the diversity of the Miami music scene has provided Chelzzz an outlet to spread her message worldwide that conveys a personal ethos: to unapologetically be yourself. 

“It’s a different side of myself, so I can’t speculate on what people will do or say or if they’ll like it or not, but I’m offering a lot more vulnerability with this one than I have in the past and I hope it resonates with people.”

You can listen to Chelzzz’s latest single “Poseidon,” along with the rest of her catalog, across all streaming platforms. Be sure to look out for her upcoming single “Monster” set to be released this October. 

Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
Spotify
Pandora
www.therealchelzzz.com
“Poseidon”