Marlanna Evans, born January 21, 1983, records as Rapsody. She started rapping at North Carolina State University, where she joined the collective H2O and its spinoff group Kooley High despite never having rapped before. Producer 9th Wonder heard one of her verses in 2004 and signed her to his It's a Wonderful World Music Group. The mixtapes Return of the B-Girl and Thank H.E.R. Now brought her work with DJ Premier, Mac Miller, Big Daddy Kane, Raekwon and Estelle. Her debut album The Idea of Beautiful arrived in 2012, and her verse on "Complexion (A Zulu Love)" from Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly raised her profile sharply. Laila's Wisdom was nominated for Best Rap Album at the Grammys, and Eve and Please Don't Cry followed to further acclaim.