Why is her name Princess Nokia? The story behind the fearless hip hop heroine
Destiny Nicole Frasqueri, better known by her stage name Princess Nokia, is an American rapper and passionate urban poet whose fiery feminist spirit and proud Afro-Latina heritage burns through in her music. She‘s an icon for the marginalized who rejects expectations and embraces the power of alter egos. The Princess Nokia persona lets her bare her soul. So how did this unlikely princess get her royal moniker?
From Spanish Harlem streets to hip hop royalty
Princess Nokia was born in 1992 and raised between the housing projects of Spanish Harlem and the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Growing up, she faced poverty, neglect, and the daily struggles of inner-city life. But the vibrant Latino culture also influenced her greatly. As she told The Guardian:
“My understanding of being a woman was free-spirited, powerful, relentless, unstoppable. And the Latina women I grew up around were exactly that."
Being immersed in the Spanish language and Mexican community gave Nokia an appreciation for her Hispanic roots. Later in life, she would embrace Spanish and Spanglish in her music as a way to connect to her identity.
Though just a girl, Nokia had an independent spirit and love of music. When she was 16, she discovered bands like The Smiths and Nirvana and starting writing her own angst-filled lyrics and poems. Hip hop spoke to her as a form of strength and rebellion. But she felt pulled between artistic passions and making ends meet.
Finding her voice as Princess Nokia
Nokia first released tracks on Myspace under alias Wavy Spice. But it was becoming Princess Nokia that allowed her to fully explore an alter ego. The name came from the cheap "Obamaphone" she qualified for as part of a government assistance program. As she told Dazed Digital:
“I thought they were hilarious. Because I‘m a princess and I‘m Nokia; it represented my urban lifestyle.”
‘Nokia‘ was one of the first songs featuring her Princess persona. Released in 2014, the video shows Nokia dancing carefree in the streets in a princess gown and shades with lyrics like:
“Keep my composure when they coming at me/ ‘Cause I know they just jealous and they want my phone”
Princess Nokia was fierce and unapologetic about her class and heritage – a royal rebel. Other early songs like ‘Brujas‘ and ‘Tomboy‘ played with gender norms and moved between English and Spanish. She was proud to embrace all sides of herself.
Her 2014 mixtape ‘Metallic Butterfly‘ fully introduced her new hip hop diva identity. The album cover features Nokia sitting pretty in a glitzy eye mask and boxing gloves, showing her readiness to fight for what she believes in.
Becoming an icon of female empowerment
As Princess Nokia, Destiny found confidence and pride in her roots. She refused to be boxed in by other‘s expectations. Her music and style evolved over the years, mixing emo, punk, and pop influences under her hip hop foundation.
But empowerment was always at the core of tracks like ‘G.O.A.T.‘ and ‘Balenciaga.‘ On "Sugar Honey Iced Tea" she proclaims:
“I‘m that bitch, been that bitch, still that bitch will forever be that bitch”
She became an icon by embracing her full self. Today Nokia is worshipped by young women and outsiders who see her as royalty by just being herself.
By the numbers: Princess Nokia‘s musical kingdom
Princess Nokia has expanded a musical empire and Queendom since adopting her regal moniker. Some statistics on her popularity:
- 6 studio albums released as Princess Nokia
- Over 2 million Spotify followers
- More than 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify
- Over 700k Instagram followers
- Over 300k TikTok followers
- Toured across US, Europe, Latin America, and Australia
She‘s collaborated with diverse artists like Teyana Taylor, Maliibu Miitch, and Toby Green and featured on songs with Calvin Harris and Funkmaster Flex.
In 2019, Nokia signed with Rough Trade records to help bring her music to new heights. She‘s proven that this Princess can rule the rap game by being uniquely herself.
A royal legacy of authenticity
Princess Nokia sends a powerful message just by embracing her true self so boldly through music. She shows that your origins and identity are valuable. She‘s owning her place among hip hop heroes and within the Latinx community.
As a fellow New Yorker, her narrative represents the promise and pain of the city. Her Taino heritage connects to the land‘s original inhabitants. And by boldly repping her Puerto Rican roots, she passes traditions to new generations.
Nokia admits she‘s still evolving as an artist and person. She‘s been criticized for past comments on cultural appropriation and had controversial concert moments. But part of being a queen is learning from your mistakes.
To me, Princess Nokia symbolizes fearless authenticity. By proudly wearing her crown, she gives others – especially young girls – permission to love all the pieces that make them who they are. Her kingdom may not be perfect, but it represents everything beautiful and flawed about the human spirit.