A singer, rapper, and songwriter who achieved social media fame with her upfront narrative twist on Ella Mai's "Boo'd Up," Inayah made her commercial recorded debut in 2018 and has since issued her first album, S.O.L.A.R. (2019).
The East Houston native developed her storytelling writing style from absorbing the gospel, blues, and R&B records her mother played, and eventually got into hip-hop. From Johnnie Taylor to 504 Boyz, most of Inayah's formative inspirations were distinctly Southern. She had been working as a writer at a jingle company for several years when her version of "Boo'd Up" went viral on Instagram, reposted by the likes of Tiffany Haddish, Maxwell, and Jamie Foxx. Another fan was rapper Trick Daddy, who put Inayah in touch with soul legend Betty Wright, another one of her mother's favorites. Wright herself had become a fan and mentored Inayah in the music industry. After Inayah struck a distribution deal with Empire, she released her first singles in 2018 and 2019, and during the latter year also issued S.O.L.A.R. ("storytelling over lyrics and rhymes"), featuring production from Micah Powell, Cassius Jay, and tha Aristocrats.
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