Enfnts Terribles

Miss Angel is back and better than ever. The Belgian rapper became a household name in the Belgian hiphopscene in 2019, when she performed at the biggest Belgian festivals and released her first EP. After a little break, she totally found herself as an artist and is ready to snatch all the wigs left and right. Based on our chat with ‘Ghetto Mami’ herself, we can only say… 2021 is going to be her year!

What does Ghetto Mami stand for?

It’s the best of both worlds. I’m very tomboyish, that’s the more ghetto side in me, more laid-back side, long nails, colors in my hair. But I’m also more Mami, a little more sophisticated, fancier. The two together is just Miss Angel.

Is there a difference between Miss Angel on stage and Miss Angel in video clips?

Yeah definitely, on stage I’m unstoppable, a beast. Truly, I’ve got a lot of energy to give. On the set of a music video as well, but it’s different. There you try to get more into the song, bring that vibe. But on stage, it’s just: “Fuck it, I’m about to perform and about to kill this shit.” So a beast, definitely.

You’re also a dancer, how does your dancing background impact your music?

It has a huge impact because I listen differently to music. Because I’m a dancer, I hear a lot of background sounds, that other people don’t notice straight away. In dance, you learn to focus on the beats, and that gives me more room to come with different flows. And I like to flow. So, I think it has helped me a lot. Also, when I’m writing, I quickly wonder what it would be like to do choreography on the song I’m making. I link those quickly, so it has a huge impact.

Icky with da Sticky, what’s that single about, and how is that portrayed in the video? 

It’s about everything: about money like we just all have to work because the pandemic shook our economy. So money but also friends, ‘cuz I’ve had a whole lot of friends come and go in my life: before the Miss Angel, and after the Miss Angel. So I sing: money comes, money goes, people come, people go, that’s just life. Like I need a breather, I have to go. Also because I feel that Belgium isn’t my main goal. I want to go international. It’s a combination of everything: being a woman, you gotta put yourself first, even though people will keep on testing you. Just take a breather and stay focused in chaos.

How that’s portrayed in the video is a bit unclear probably, because there’s no storyline. But I tried to create four moods: one where I’m the sniper: you know you’ve got to be ready, eyes on the prize. Then there’s one where I get kidnapped, that’s a reference to the song, where I sing: “what they want from me, stay away, I feel chained up sometimes.” Sometimes I feel like I give a lot but get nothing in return so that’s that chain. Then, there’s the boss ass bitch outfit, you know, you’re that bitch, never doubt yourself. That’s what I wanted to bring with the video.

Not a lot of Belgian artists have such an international star aura as you. How do you hope to cross borders with your music? 

By taking everything next level, just do international shit, that way international people will see you. In Belgium, it starts to come more and more, take Lous and The Yakuza, for instance, she has huge global potential, hands down, and I feel like I have that as well, but I just have to — you know, it’s hard knowing what people want or want to see. But I think if you bring your craft to the next level, it doesn’t have to be super expensive, but just make people notice your potential.

I want to keep on pushing, not specifically rebranding, but getting things to the next level. It will always be me, otherwise, it wouldn’t work, but just more sophisticated. Like now, my tracks aren’t tracks from the Zeeman, I go there too, I don’t give a fuck. But now I buy a bit more couture with a bit of velvet going on. It’s just that: take it up a notch. Like today, I saw it in the mirror: I’m wearing a basic tracksuit but it’s a look: I’ve got the glasses going on, the rings, the hoops, the lip gloss is popping. And I want to keep that going, it’s hard, of course, because sometimes you’re just tired and you want to chill. But if you want to be remembered, you got to make people remember you. I hope that will help me reach America, the UK, Canada, and all of the above.

Would you rather be underrated or overrated? Both have advantages and disadvantages. 

Of course, both have advantages and disadvantages. It’s an interesting question, I think I’m rather underrated because people will see your potential and will keep on rooting for you, because they’ll know you’re supposed to be up there. If I were overrated in my career of just two years, it wouldn’t be a good sign. I don’t know how you’d come back from that and stay interesting, you know what I mean? So, I’d rather be underrated with an entire gang behind me, rooting for me, because I’ll know I’m going to get there.

Miss Angel is wearing platform sneakers, corduroy jacket, corduroy trousers and puffer jacket from the latest collection of Tommy Jeans.

Photography by Ines Vansteenkiste-Muylle
Production, styling and creative direction by ENFNTS TERRIBLES Studio, Dries Vriesacker
Makeup and hair by Gladys Ferro
Interview and text by Maxim Meyer-Horn, assisted by Nelke Roose
Photography assistant: Syntyche Boda