Sassy and fearless are the words that come to one’s mind the minute they meet the young upcoming female rapper Atang Marks. Tackling a genre which is mostly dominated by males, one would think the 25-year-old would be intimidated and not be able to stand her ground. However, she has thus far proven to be a force to reckon with as she continues to defy the odds and prove that hip hop is a genre that can also be done by ladies.
Famously known as Layara Marks in the entertainment industry, she is one artist who is determined to make and leave a mark where ever she goes. Blessed with a prowess lyrical ability, her ability to multi task is just a drop and reflection of her many talents. “I do a combination of poetic rap and singing, I am also a dancer, song writer, script writer, actress and model,” she said.
She explained that singing has always been her true love from a young age as she used to find joy in it as opposed to playing with other kids. This love for music drove the then young Marks into considering a career in music when she grew up. “I was that kid who was always fascinated with music, I loved it as it expressed feelings of people. This just looked beautiful to me so as years went by, I started writing my own music,” she said.
Although she pointed out that making music is hard work, she acknowledged that after all the work is done and when everything comes together, one however has a sense of belonging in society. “Making music is part of us giving back to the community as we express our deepest concerns through it. We are able to spread messages that may reach many people in a short period of time and in a fast way,” she said.
Marks has featured on tracks with prominent artists including the likes of BK Proctor, Flocater, Jt Specialboy and Mel B. “Working with these talented men made me grow as an artist as I was able to learn all the secrets of making it big as a hip hop artist,” she said.
Asked why she chose to be a rapper, she explained that she grew up spending most of her time on her own. “I remember I became independent at the age of 17 and I basically was an angry little girl always wondering how my life would have been had my parents never separated. I was raised by my grandmother and I was mostly contained with anger because I didn’t get to spend enough time with my parents,” she said.
She explained that listening to a lot of hip hop and rock music became a resort in order for her to keep out of trouble. “Despite being unhappy, living with my grandma taught me so much of self-discipline and dependence,” she said.
She continued that she defines rap music as poetry with rhythm and melody. So it was last year that she started taking rap seriously and worked very hard on her content and the flow. This is when the young lady recorded her first song.
She has now sailed on her own and is paddling towards success. With over 20 tracks recorded, she is ready to take the industry by storm.
“My first single, Where Is Love, was well received by my fans. In the song I challenge the society’s mentality, and, rather, put it poetically that hate is the absence of love,” she said.
Her other single, the Antidote which has recently hit the air waves looks like it is going to be another hit considering the attention it has been getting. Layara Marks plans to release a solo ep album titled The Anchor this year and the album will give the world the taste of what’s to come on her future projects. Apart from music, Marks holds a degree from University of Botswana.
