Rapsody recruits D’Angelo and GZA and samples the Wu-Tang Clan rapper’s classic 1995 solo single “Liquid Swords” on her new song “Ibtihaj.”
The rapper also unveiled the new video for “Ibtihaj,” an ode to fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, the first American to wear a hijab while competing for the United States at the Olympics.
On “Ibtihaj,” D’Angelo delivers a woozy take on the famed “Liquid Swords” chorus, while GZA himself appears in the video to revisit the song and contribute a fresh verse to 9th Wonder’s RZA-sampling beat. Mary J. Blige and rap great Roxanne Shante also make cameo appearances in the video.
Rapsody, who was nominated for the Best Rap Album Grammy for her 2017 LP Laila’s Wisdom, will next release Eve on August 23rd. Each song on the album features the rapper paying tribute to “a legendary black female, helping shed light on the people that have served as inspirations for Rapsody through the years.”
“The stories behind the songs on Eve are inspiring, and I wanted to do my part in celebrating these women in the best way I know how,” Rapsody said in a statement. “I want to not only help tell these stories but help further each woman’s legacy and spark curiosity in people to learn more about them.”