Rapsody has waited patiently for her time to shine. Through seven solo projects, she's grown as an MC, crafting her own style while developing her thesis in the rap game. True breakthroughs are commonly marked by a pivotal moment, and hers came when she provided the sole rap guest verse on the most talked-about album of 2015, Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly.

Flanked by her mentor and label head, producer 9th Wonder, as well as The Storm Troopers, Rapsody recently stopped by the Tiny Desk to perform three songs from her album Beauty And The Beast. With charismatic authority, as well as copious shoutouts to the many Howard University students in the room, her performance combined vigorous wordplay with introspective storytelling. In 2015, Rapsody had her big moment. This year, she's seizing it.

Beauty And The Beast is available now