Sandra Gives Rebelwav The Assist On The Venomous and Vibrant “Arise”

Emmanuel Daraloye

Rap music is capable of doing different things. Sometimes it may be to tackle the affairs of the world, in other situations it could be used to air out animosity between two rappers who might not like each other for different reasons. The best version, however, is rap music for the sake of it; where an artist completely dominates a track to showcase their skill and beat selection. It is sometimes frowned upon to use songwriters for rap music, with much of rap’s integrity being tied to the owner of the song writing their own lyrics. While that debate is ongoing, some rappers use songwriters not for their original ideas but rather to help refine the ideas they already have; in essence using them as an extension of themselves. Sandra acts as this extension for Rebelwav, who spends over 2 minutes doing kickflips over the beat that became “Arise”.

“Arise” is venomous, but not in a bad way. It’s venomous for its delivery, for the way the lyrics bounce off the boom bap beat. Rebelwav’s delivery has always been one of her strongest points but, combining with the lyrics, gives it an extra kick. Sandra takes the backseat to play the role of facilitator to good effect. She uses her pen to pass emotions of confidence that borders on braggadocio; a perfect blend for a punchy rap song. Channeling that energy, “Arise” becomes almost like an introductory track for listeners who may not have come across Rebelwav’s music before. Sandra steps into Rebel’s shoes and builds a cadence that matches her vibrant flow and delivery. Due to this songwriting style, the listener is hooked from the moment that Rebelwav starts rapping, keeping their ears glued to every word she says as she cuts through multiple words per minute in a show of lyrical mastery.

The word selection used by Sandra and Rebelwav also plays a role in how intense the verse sounds. “Get ready for the heat I bring” already alludes to Rebel’s fearless delivery. “Humans better be careful, I’m underground like the devil, you beef me, I never settle” alludes to Rebel’s cutthroat approach to life as she navigates the entertainment world, while laying simple punchlines like “Black and yellow like a bumblebee”. The array of words used to craft this verse shows a balance of intensity and good vocabulary usage, which automatically elevates what Rebelwav says despite her not fixating on a particular subject matter. Rebelwav’s delivery, coupled with Sandra’s deft penmanship makes this duo a great team who feed off each other’s energy to create great music.

It is refreshing to see that a woman can come with this level of intensity in a raps in a male-dominated industry. Through Sandra’s songwriting, we realize that this element is one of the most important differences between good rappers and great ones. They put together a convincing performance that keeps the listener wanting more.

Sandra’s pen skills cuts across different genres and subject matters. Ranging from intense to laidback, her pen has left a mark on the discography of many artists, and will certainly continue to do so as she emerges as one of the leaders of the new school of songwriters. It remains to be seen how many more genres she can influence, but Sandra always has a trick up her sleeve.