Biography
Jane Chika Oranika is a rapper who rose to fame when her video “A Letter to Kanye Omari West” went viral in 2018, criticising West for his public support of Donald Trump and endorsement of political commentator Candace Owens. She released her debut single “No Squares” in April 2019 and has garnered support from the likes of Erykah Badu, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Naomi Campbell .
Chika grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, and started writing poetry, singing and rapping when she was in middle school, having also taught herself to play guitar in elementary school. Despite earning a place at Berklee College of Music, Chika turned down the offer and dropped out of college, moving to Brooklyn instead to pursue a career in music.
Since her debut single was released in 2019, which saw her booked for the Jimmy Kimmel show, Chika has used her platform to advocate for greater inclusivity within the male-dominated rap and hip-hop music scene.
In 2019, Chika featured in Calvin Klein ’s #MyCalvins campaign, telling Refinery29, “I think it opens up the floor for a conversation and dialogue regarding media representation and diversity. Bodies of different shapes and sizes shouldn’t be censored or hidden. […] This was a great move for Calvin Klein and the industry as a whole.”