Ahead of her performance at Sound of Boston’s Listen Local show, Boston-based Palestinian rapper Neemz discusses lane-switching and world-building.
Neemz has hung out with Tyler, The Creator, modeled for Nike and Converse, and has even been featured in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts—but she still doesn’t feel like she’s made it. With the release of her first album in November of 2021, the multi-creative artist claims she is just scratching the surface.
“For this to be just the start is super surreal,” Neemz admits over the phone. “All these big cosigns are telling me to keep on going.” Those first cosigns appeared back in 2019 when she was featured in a “Gender-Bending Fashion” exhibit at the MFA in Boston. From there, her modeling career began to snowball, landing her campaigns and fashion shows with major brands like Bodega, KidSuper, and New Balance.
Modeling opened doors to the possibilities of her creative expression. Expanding her artistic arsenal into photography, fashion, and creative directing, Neemz began to hone the vision that she would eventually set to music. “I think they’re all coexisting together,” Neemz says of her different creative pursuits. “I feel like the more that I’m able to do and create and do the things I love is the best thing that I can do for myself right now.”
Despite the variety of projects on her plate, she is a firm believer in giving her full force to everything she takes on. It’s part of the reason Neemz felt such a connection to Tyler, The Creator when she met him as part of the Converse All Star Campaign in 2021.
“If you always limit yourself to how people perceive you, then what’s the point of doing your art,” she says. “That’s why I was so geeked out when I met Tyler because I was like you are a nerd just like me and you really care.”
Neemz brings this same unabashed exuberance and laser-focus drive to her music, which simmers as a blend between Hip-Hop and R&B. On her first single “Runnin’ Thru The City,” which she dropped in June of 2020, Neemz brings unhurried confidence to lyrics about cruising at her own pace: “I’m feeling fine / the stars align / no wasting time / go touch the sky.” Fully formed from the get-go, Neemz seems to have long-range vision beyond her years and a deep appreciation for the right timing.
For Neemz, this timing meant releasing one single after the next, holding off on a full-length project until she felt it was ready, “I want to have a moment where each single that I drop leads to the next like it’s a chapter-by-chapter process.” Given her passion for virtual artistry, it’s also no surprise that each track Neemz released was accompanied by collections of visuals on social media and music videos that Neemz directed herself.
In the video for “Lifethativebeenlivin”, Neemz gives listeners a peek into her saturated dreamscape, complete with sharp contrasts: pink skies and yellow planes, dramatic black gowns and a backyard pool filled with dead leaves. It’s as if she’s infused the familiar landscape of her Boston childhood with adult magic—one can picture this is what Neemz imagines when she bikes around an empty Massachusetts field.
“I just really love storytelling so everything is super intentional,” she says. “But like sonically and lyrically, they’re all kind of all going in the same direction.” Despite the distinct and thematic visuals of each release, Neemz never drops the common thread—and never misses a beat—culminating in her 2021 album release It’s Above Me. By the time the album arrived, Neemz had built up a dedicated following of listeners who followed her colorful cookie crumbs from one track to the next.
Born in Malden, a lot of Neemz’s support comes from the Boston community as well as her Palestinian roots. “Being from the city has been a blessing because Boston’s on the rise,” Neemz says. “We’re building the culture that we want to see and I think that’s beautiful.” Alongside building up the Boston scene, Neemz is also building something for herself and her own community, “ I’m really trying to open doors for people who are Palestinian. My foundation is representing people who are misrepresented constantly in the media.”
Belief in a bigger cause is what drives Neemz, but she’s determined to do it her own way. She wants her music to speak for itself—the honesty and authenticity in her lyrics will tell her story, not labels or stereotypes. While being from Boston and from Palestine are ingrained in the fabric of the art she makes, it is not what defines her.
Pushing limits to the side, Neemz is intent on taking up multiple lanes on her road to success. She encompasses this mindset in her newest track, “SoRrY iN aDvAnCe!”, which was released in June. Neemz promises more music is on the way, but in the meantime, local fans can get their fix at her upcoming performance. While she’s previously opened for artists like Rico Nasty, IDK, and Big Freedia, performing with other local artists in the city that raised her is gratifying in a different way.
“I’m really excited because I feel like I haven’t had that chance to be alongside the upcoming artists from the city,” she says. “This is a great moment for me to see what’s around and also to support.”
Bringing her expansive artistic vision to the live stage, Neemz will no doubt show up in full force and perform with her heart on her sleeve. As she says, “It’s your art and it’s your world.” Spectators can simply sit back and watch, eyes aglow with the brilliance of Neemz’s orbit.
Neemz will appear alongside Ava Sophia and Lilah! at our Listen Local show. The show is July 14th at Starlight Square.