The musical act and founder of FOR THE GWORLS AND SIREN — ASANNI ARMON — has released her debut solo project that collapses boundaries between performance, storytelling, and music.

Conceived entirely by rapper and For The Gworls founder, Asanni Armon, SHAPESHIFTER: RIM NEBULA  is a multidimensional love story: it features performances from DJ FREEDEM (Underground Plant Trade, MTV), a storyline that catapults listeners into the brightest parts of space, and captivating music that will ensure for a canorous journey the entirety of the way.

SHAPESHIFTER: RIM NEBULA is a rap tale that lives in the realms of magic, mysticism, Afrofuturism and astrophysics. Set in the actual Rim Nebula NGC6188 — or the Fighting Dragons of Ara — ASANNI ARMON and DJ FREEDEM present a new body of work before a stadium audience.

According to Astrophysicists, The Rim Nebula is a “star-forming nebula, and is sculpted by the massive young stars that have recently formed there. It is ultimately where the last batch of stars is made and become supernovae.’ ASANNI ARMON and DJ FREEDEM’s performance in this nebula is important — if they get through the set and captivate the stadium the entire time, Asanni’s starpower will be cemented, and she will be catapulted to a new status of notoriety. 

Think: the old school Apollo, but there’s no competition. Wink. 

DJ FREEDEM’s presence is an homage to the history of mixtapes, where a well-known DJ would introduce and co-sign an upcoming artist they strongly believe in. “I’ve always had a deep love for all things space and astronomy, but growing up, life got in the way, and I had to focus on other things. Really diving into my artistry and honing my craft brought me back to one of my original first loves. As I was crafting this project, I wanted to do a lot of inner child work around diving into my first passions (music and space). I also wanted to show that I approach music with a deep study, fascination, and appreciation. So, I knew I wanted my first project to be hosted by a DJ, and I knew it had to be FREEDEM because I deeply respect him, and he’s from the South like me. And it's an homage to Black artists like Left-Eye, who already did the work of bridging the gap between rap and space,” ASANNI ARMON notes. “I wanted this project to be everything that makes me, me — Atlanta, Black, queer, hood, intergalactic, rapper with a deep appreciation for rap.” 

FREEDEM not only serves as host of the project — he acts on the interludes that he produced himself. “Asanni approached me about hosting a rap project in space that still sounded southern and hood, and while it was ambitious, I immediately started getting ideas about how I could help in bridging those worlds. I really believe in her skill and her vision, so it was an easy process.” Along with the project’s executive producer and SIREN’s co-founder Sergio Rivera, the three interspersed the sounds of planets, atmospheric ambient noise, meteor showers, crowd roars, and a host of other sonic images in every track and interlude. “I do nothing without intention, so if I was going to have listeners believe we are in a stadium in a nebula, then we really needed to take it there. For example, one song might have the sound of Jupiter at a particular frequency that undergirds the melody, while another might have Uranus,” notes ARMON. They’re strategically blended in based on the song, but they’re there. That’s what my music is made for — intentional listening.”

SHAPESHIFTER: RIM NEBULA starts off with REIGN,” where SIREN labelmate Demi Vee joins Armon as they both demonstrate how effortless it is to mark one’s territory when you are as talented as they are.

The album immediately moves into what Asanni deems the “Conquest” part of the project, where she takes her braggadocious lyrics a step further and takes direct aim at critics and naysayers who have leveraged attacks against her in recent years. She notes, “Music and the work I do is very important to me. Having been somewhat in the public eye the last few years because of my philanthropic work and my music with SIREN, I’ve gotten flack from people who have tried to box me in, or believe I should only focus on one or the other. Because I’m an artist, I vowed to address things in the art — not on the internet.” A clear standout is “DEAD DEMAGOGUE,” where she raps ferociously over a sinister beat that samples Chopin’s “March Funebre” to forebode her opponents' inevitable demise. “My favorite WWE wrestler growing up was The Undertaker. When I watched, he was a winner. It took several people and underhanded attacks to even level the playing field with him. So when I was writing this part of the project, I kept him in mind. And I told WHATSGOOD and s.e.r (the producers) my frame of reference, and they just took it from there. The result is a masterpiece: 200 BPMs of me taking back the respect always due to me.” 

SHAPESHIFTER: RIM NEBULA then takes a lighthearted turn where Armon leans into audaciously sexual, free-spirited lyrics for a joyful, but still highly energetic reprieve from the entrance of the project. “I think what makes me a great rapper — and all rappers that have been deemed “great” actually great — is the ability to be multi-faceted. I love to be out on the scene. I love partying. And music that makes you move has always been a huge part of hip-hop. So, I had to make sure if the quest was to prove I’m the Universe’s next rap superstar, then it was imperative to show I can conquer rap from all sides,” she notes. Standouts in the section include “PULL UP,” a sultry, synth-heavy mid-tempo recap of a steamy night out with a date inspired by Akon and Snoop Dogg’s “I Wanna Love You,” and “ALL NIGHT,” a high-energy, Ibiza-reminiscent song about living in a perpetual partyworld. The section iconically demonstrates that Armon cannot be placed in any box — clever lyrics and strong beats need not be sacrificed for high-spirited fun. “I still wanted the project to feel fun. Even in heavier moments, there’s still a lot of light. But when we really get those really high-energy, fun moments, the light is all-immersive. We have to live in those moments and cherish them.”

S:RN slows down for a reflective section where Armon discusses family trauma, loss, and endings over intoxicating beats. In “PARADOX,” Armon revels in revelations about a recent breakup over intricate 808s, drums, and horns, and ends it with "M.O.M.,” a slightly-less up-tempo track reminiscent of late 2010s Internet Money-era + Don Toliver songs with lyrics that nod back to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. “I experienced a lot of loss over the last 5 years of my life — from my mother’s passing, to friendships expiring, to career path changes. I wanted to speak on not only the anger I felt — and still feel —  but also to growth. I wanted to also talk about where I can admit my imperfections, where I can now say “I miss this person. I wanted it to feel this way. In terms of the “concert,”  this is the ‘tearjerker’ part of the show.”

The project concludes on a victorious, celebratory note. “This is the part of your favorite artist’s show where the end is nearing, and all of the instrumentation sounds bigger, confetti is everywhere, and they’re in the last run and giving it their all. This is what I wanted it to sound and feel like,” ARMON notes. A standout track here is "CLEAR” — A strident declaration by ARMON that she is the best rapper alive. Reminiscent of Nicki Minaj’s “Pink Friday” opener “I’m The Best,” the song boasts bold lyrics over triumphant horns and strings that immediately entrap listeners on what will be a magical journey for their ears. Rapped over a triumphant beat seemingly taken from the final credits of a superhero movie, the rapper addresses naysayers and critics who have shut out Black trans musicians from rap — a genre that has historically ignored its queer and trans contributors. Armon notes, “to me, it was important to let it be known that I’m not simply here because I stand out because of how I look or because I’m Black and transgender; I stand out because of my skill; because I am who I say I am — the best. Rap is a sport, and like with all sports, everyone should be focused on believing they’re the best, honing their skill, and proving that they are indeed what they say they are.” The entire section feels like it calls back to the intro — that Armon is “CLEAR”(ly) here to stay. The final tracks are filled with choirs, enchanting horns, and meteor showers, as if we are watching a Queen’s procession through her Kingdom. SHAPESHIFTER ends with the stadium in uproar and a robotic deconstruction of the concluding song — BIG LIFE. “It was fitting — this life I’ve built is uniquely mine; I’ve persevered; I’ve thrived; I am here to see another day. And I’m the star I believe myself to be. I welcome people to feel the same way about their own lives and journeys, and to celebrate me as they should themselves,” notes Armon. 

ASANNI ARMON has positioned herself as not just a musician or the Black queer and trans representation that is so desperately needed in this current rap and entertainment climate, but also as an avant-garde, brave artist that can take us to the deepest, brightest depths of space. In a time when THE US government is making a concerted effort to erase transgender people at every level, this project is not only timely, but also extremely important, pertinent, and will be groundbreaking.  She invites us to celebrate ourselves while we celebrate her stardom, and by the end of SHAPESHIFTER: RIM NEBULA, you will do just that.