Kaliii is a Billboard Top 40 charting rapper who is best known for her songs “Area Codes” and “MMM MMM.” Signed to Atlantic Records, she has built a solid fan base by utilizing social media and collaborating with artists such as Latto, MoneyBagg Yo, BIA, and others.
The rapper shared her proudest music achievements.
What inspired your Billboard Top 40 charting song, “Area Codes”?
I just wanted to have the summer song. … I was going through it a little bit, and I needed a song that was going to make me feel like I’m up and outside, and the girls can relate to what I’m talking about. If you don’t have h— now you will probably have h— in the future. It’s a manifestation.
What do you want to say to social media users who compared Ludacris’ 2001 song “Area Codes” to yours?
I was getting a lot of backlash from people saying I knew what the song was, but I didn’t. I was born in 2000 and I’m sure [there are] plenty of people [who don’t] know every song that came out when they were born. I feel like it depends on the type of household you grew up in. That’s not the song that my home played. I never said I didn’t know who Ludacris was and it was no disrespect toward him. He’s “a great” and everybody knows his music, I just didn’t know “Area Codes,” but I did find out when I was about to shoot my video. That’s when I saw the video and listened to the song, and I was like, “Oh my god, great minds think alike. We both have h— in different area codes,” but I never thought it would become a thing where it’s like, “Oh, she’s lying. She heard the song.” I’m very humble and I love Ludacris. I know the song now and I’m very open to having a conversation with Luda. I’m very open to doing a collaboration, remix or anything. That [would] be legendary and y’all just got me closer to a conversation.
Are any projects on the way?
I got another tape coming out called Toxic Girls Need Love Too. It’s a play off of my album, Toxic Chocolate. It’ll be out before the summer’s over, and it’s just the phases I’ve been going through lately. I’ve been healing and working [on] me.
What is one of your biggest music achievements?
I’m on Billboard. Your girl is Top 40 on Billboard, that’s crazy. I’ve continued to climb up, so for me that’s big. At first, it was [the] XXL‘s 2022 Freshman cover. I love my XXL family, but that’s what got me here. I’m happy as h—. I’m on Billboard and more collaborations are happening, so I’m excited about that.
Are there any other artists in the industry that you want to collaborate with?
Yeah, me and Ice Spice. We need to get in the studio, the people want it.
