Last fall, up-and-comer Maiya The Don hopped in her "Telfy" to introduce the world to her braggadocious rap skills. The emerging Brooklyn rapper's buzz has only grown since then, as she's rubbed elbows with some of the biggest names in hip-hop, including Lil' Kim and Busta Rhymes. A personal shout-out from fellow rising star Coi Leray at the 2023 BET Awards only boasted Maiya's name, too, as well as her January collaboration with Flo Milli and Lola Brooke ("Conceited"). With an eager fan base and a mixtape on the way, Maiya's set on becoming one of the hottest rap artists of her generation, and she thanks hip-hop for giving her the platform.
What does hip-hop mean to you?
Oh, hip-hop is culture. Hip-hop is probably the biggest part of my life, especially right now, more than ever. I remember the first moment I heard a rap song and what that felt like, and how it's influenced me and how I talk and dress. It's the biggest part of culture.
"I'm just grateful for everybody's ability and willingness to explore and have fun with their music."
Do you remember the first rap song you heard?
Probably, 100 percent a Lil Wayne song. Like "A Milli" or something like that. I definitely know it was Lil Wayne because my uncle, who basically introduced me to rap, was obsessed with Lil Wayne and still is to this day.
What are you most grateful for in today's era of hip-hop?
I'm just grateful for everybody's ability and willingness to explore and have fun with their music. Being expressive and appreciative of all forms of hip-hop, because hip-hop doesn't sound like one thing. It's not one sound, it's like a blanket term for a whole collective of music. So I think people now are just really having fun and doing what they want, and I love it.
