Noname (rapper)

Noname grew up in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. She was raised by her grandparents until she was in middle school. Her grandparents were entrepreneurs, as was her mother, who owned an Afrocentric Bookstore.{{Cite web |date=October 5, 2021 |title=Rapper Noname just opened an LA library dedicated to the Black experience. |url=https://lithub.com/rapper-noname-just-opened-an-la-library-dedicated-to-the-black-experience/ |access-date=May 5, 2023 |website=Literary Hub |language=en-US}} When she returned to live with her mother, she had a new sibling and she and her mother did not get along.

As a teenager, she listened to blues musicians Buddy Guy and Howlin' Wolf,{{cite web|last = Maule|first = A.|date = February 27, 2015|title = Rising Chicago rapper was reared on Buddy Guy, not Tupac| website=MSNBC |url = http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/rising-chicago-rapper-was-reared-buddy-guy-not-tupac|agency = MSNBC|access-date = November 1, 2019|df = mdy-all}} and spent time in her mother's bookstore.{{cite magazine|last=Brown|first=Raaziq|title=A Chicago poet finds her hip-hop voice|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=October 20, 2016}} She started writing poetry after taking a creative writing class in high school.Eoin Butler. (2016). JAMILA WOODS ft. NONAME vry blk. Dublin, Ireland: The Irish Times Ltd. As a teen, she spent time in the YOUMedia project, a space for young artists to create and network then based at the Harold Washington Library. There, she befriended local talents including Chance the Rapper. Experimental rapper LUCKI also attended the sessions. {{Cite web |last=Browne |first=Rembert |date=2016-10-27 |title=Spending Time With Noname, Chicago Rap's Next Big Thing |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/who-is-noname-chicago-rap-next-big-thing.html |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}

Noname's interest in poetry led her to compete in local open mics and slam poetry competitions; she took third place in Chicago's annual Louder Than a Bomb competition. Noname then started to freestyle rap with friends, collaborating with local Chicago artists including Chance the Rapper, Saba, and Mick Jenkins.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}

In 2013, she appeared on Chance the Rapper's second mixtape, Acid Rap, contributing a verse to the track "Lost" and singing the chorus.{{cite web |url=http://generaladmissionchicago.com/noname-gypsy-john-taylor-ellie-pritts-interview/ |title=Noname Gypsy |publisher=General Admission |date=September 26, 2014 |access-date=April 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325020146/http://generaladmissionchicago.com/noname-gypsy-john-taylor-ellie-pritts-interview/ |archive-date=March 25, 2015 |url-status=dead }} She later contributed a verse to the song "Finish Line/Drown" from Chance the Rapper's 2016 mixtape Coloring Book. In December 2016, she appeared with Chance the Rapper on Saturday Night Live.{{cite news|last=Swartz|first=Tracy|title=Chance the Rapper performs on final 'SNL' episode of 2016|work=Chicago Tribune|date=December 18, 2016|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-chance-the-rapper-snl-20161218-story.html}} She announced her first tour on November 13, 2016.{{cite news |last=JOYCE |date=November 14, 2016 |title=Noname Announces Her Very First Headlining Tour |url=https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/2016/11/noname-telefone-tour-2016 |access-date=August 14, 2023}}

In 2014, she was featured on Mick Jenkins's mixtape The Waters, contributing to the track "Comfortable".{{cite web|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/album-reviews/id.2329/title.mick-jenkins-the-water-s- |title=Mick Jenkins - The Water[s] |publisher=Hiphopdx|date=August 22, 2014 |access-date=April 7, 2015}} In 2015, she was featured on multiple tracks from Kirk Knight's album Late Knight Special.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} That year, she also featured on fellow Chicago rapper Ramaj Eroc's single "I Love You More".{{Cite web|date=July 19, 2015|title=Ramaj Eroc f. Noname Gypsy - "I Love You More"|url=https://hiphopdx.com/singles/id.31298/title.ramaj-eroc-f-noname-gypsy-i-love-you-more|access-date=October 9, 2020|website=HipHopDX}}

File:Noname (rapper) 2017 (portrait).jpg{{Main|Telefone (mixtape)}}

Noname first used the stage name "Noname Gypsy", which she chose as a teenager when she was transitioning from poetry to music, believing "gypsies were very nomadic, just not about staying in one space for a long time".{{Cite web|title=Noname, Sincerely|url=https://www.thefader.com/2016/09/15/noname-telefone-interview|access-date=July 31, 2020|website=The FADER|language=en}} In March 2016, she removed "Gypsy" from her stage name after learning of its racial connotation,{{Cite web|title=Noname Gypsy Changes Her "Racially Inappropriate" Name|url=https://www.thefader.com/2016/03/19/noname-gypsy-changes-her-racially-inappropriate-name|access-date=July 31, 2020|website=The FADER|language=en}} saying she had been unaware of its negative connotations and did not want to offend Romani people.{{cite tweet|user=noname|author=Noname|number=710921834955300864|date=March 18, 2016|title=When i first decided what my stage name would be I was unaware of how racially inappropriate and offensive it was to Romani people|access-date=September 25, 2017}} In a 2016 interview with The Fader, she explained her current stage name, following the change:

I try to exist without binding myself to labels. I’m not really into labels at all, even the way I dress; I usually don't wear anything with a name brand. For me, not having a name expands my creativity. I’m able to do anything. Noname could potentially be a nurse. Noname could be a screenwriter. I’m not limited to any one category of art or other existence, on a more existential level.{{Cite news|url=http://www.thefader.com/2016/09/15/noname-telefone-interview|title=Noname, Sincerely|work=The FADER|access-date=2017-10-14}}

Noname released her first mixtape, Telefone, on July 31, 2016, after three years of production.{{Cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/kot/ct-ott-0203-noname-20170131-column.html|title=Noname makes patience a virtue in her rise|last=Kot|first=Greg|work=chicagotribune.com|access-date=October 14, 2017}} Telefone publicized her new stage name through songs presented as open-ended telephone conversations.{{Cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22218-telefone/|title=Noname: Telefone Album Review {{!}} Pitchfork|website=pitchfork.com|access-date=January 5, 2017}} The album centers on important telephone conversations Noname has had. Her rap speaks of black women's pain and highlights the struggles of growing up in Chicago. The album was originally released as a free download on Bandcamp, and then on vinyl in September 2017.{{Cite web|url=http://modern-vinyl.com/2017/08/23/nonames-telefone-getting-first-pressing-through-vmp/|title=Noname's 'Telefone' getting first pressing through VMP|website=modern-vinyl.com|access-date=October 14, 2017}} Rolling Stone called it some of 2016's "most thought-provoking hip-hop."{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/review-nonames-telefone-is-truth-telling-rap-sunshine-w437610|title=Review: Noname's 'Telefone' Is Truth-Telling Hip-Hop Sunshine|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=October 14, 2017}} Stereogum wrote that Noname possessed "a potency and urgency in her complicated, spoken word-esque cadences and subdued delivery that escapes many of her more animated peers."{{Cite news|url=https://www.stereogum.com/featured/the-50-best-albums-of-2016/|title=50 Best Albums of 2016|date=December 1, 2016|work=Stereogum|access-date=October 14, 2017}} Consequence of Sound wrote that "the louder her music is played, the brighter her cadence glows, giving her lyrics a type of 3D craft that makes Telefone a diary of lessons too relevant to keep to yourself."{{Cite news|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2016/11/top-50-albums-of-2016/2/|title=Top 50 Albums of 2016|date=November 28, 2016|work=Consequence of Sound|access-date=October 14, 2017}}

In October 2016, Noname and fellow Chicago resident Saba collaborated to produce "Church/Liquor Store", a song that explores the Westside of Chicago, where liquor stores sit directly next to places of worship. Noname critiques the gentrification of the neighborhood and the erasure of crime believed to accompany it.{{Cite web|url=https://genius.com/10656190|title=They sold, they sold / They sold prison the way they pipeline|website=Genius|access-date=October 3, 2017}}

Noname performed a NPR Tiny Desk Concert in April 2017.{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/event/music/521650653/noname-tiny-desk-concert|title=Noname: Tiny Desk Concert|work=NPR.org|access-date=September 21, 2017}}

{{Main|Room 25}}

In August 2018, Noname announced that her second album, Room 25, would be released in fall 2018.{{Cite web|url=http://diymag.com/2018/08/08/no-name-new-album-room-25-release-date|title=Noname's new album 'Room 25' is out next month!|website=DIY|date=August 8, 2018 |access-date=August 18, 2018}} The album, which took about a month to record, chronicles the two years since the release of Telefone, during which she moved from Chicago to Los Angeles and had a short romantic relationship.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/noname-room-25-profile-724456/|title=Noname Is One of the Best Rappers Alive|last=Klinkenberg|first=Brendan|date=September 14, 2018|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=September 16, 2018}}

Noname compared her maturity on Room 25 to Telefone, saying "Telefone was a very PG record because I was very PG. I just hadn't had sex."{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2018/09/11/noname-room-25-interview|title=Here comes Noname|work=The Fader|last=Kameir|first=Rawiya|date=September 11, 2018|access-date=September 11, 2018}} Unlike Telefone, Room 25 was created due to a financial obligation. Noname said in an interview, "It came to a point where it was, like, I needed to make an album because I need to pay my rent. I could've done another Telefone tour, but I can't play those songs anymore. Like, I could, but I physically hate it because I've just been playing them for so long." Noname paid for the entire album herself using money from touring and guest appearances on Chance the Rapper projects.

The album was released on September 14, 2018. El Hunt of NME called the album "flawless" and "smartly constructed and laced with intricate subtlety." Rolling Stone said Noname was "One of the best rappers alive" and included her on a list of "Artists You Need to Know". Pitchfork designated Room 25 as "Best New Music" and wrote that it is "a transcendent coming-of-age tale built around cosmic jazz and neo-soul, delivered by a woman deeply invested in her interiority and that of the world around her." PopMatters said the album was "vintage neo-soul and future rap hand in hand; a soulful sanctuary for those turned off by the austerity of mainstream mumble rap". Noname performed a three-song medley of "Blaxploitation," "Prayer Song," and "Don't Forget About Me" from the album in her solo television debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on October 17, 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/watch-noname-perform-room-25-medley-on-colbert/|title=Watch Noname Perform Room 25 Medley on "Colbert"|last=Minsker|first=Evan|date=October 18, 2018|work=Pitchfork|access-date=October 18, 2018}}

On May 15, 2019, Noname announced that her upcoming second studio album would be titled Factory Baby.{{Cite web|date=May 15, 2019|title=Noname reveals the title of her new album: Factory Baby|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/05/noname-factory-baby-album-title/|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=Consequence of Sound|language=en-US}} She also formed the trio Ghetto Sage with Smino and Saba.{{cite web|last=Renshaw|first=D.|date=October 15, 2019|title=Noname, Saba, and Smino form supergroup Ghetto Sage|url=https://www.thefader.com/2019/10/15/ghetto-sage-saba-noname-smino|access-date=November 1, 2019|website=Fader}}

In 2020, she stated that her music career was on pause to focus on education and her book club.{{Cite web|last=Bloom|first=Madison|title=Watch Noname Talk About Her Book Club, Quarantine, More on Desus & Mero|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/watch-noname-talk-about-her-book-club-quarantine-more-on-desus-and-mero/|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=Pitchfork|date=July 23, 2020 |language=en-us}}

On June 18, 2020, two days after J. Cole had seemingly criticized her activism in his song "Snow on tha Bluff", Noname released the Madlib-produced "Song 33", in which she alluded to Cole and reflected on violence against black women, mainly the death of 19-year-old Black Lives Matter activist Oluwatoyin Salau.{{cite web|url=https://hypebeast.com/2020/6/chance-the-rapper-earl-sweatshirt-jean-grae-and-more-criticize-j-coles-snow-on-tha-bluff?amp=1|title=Chance The Rapper, Earl Sweatshirt, Jean Grae and More Criticize J. Cole's "Snow On Tha Bluff"|work=Hypebeast|last=Johnson|first=Patrick|date=June 18, 2020|access-date=June 21, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Noname Said What Needed to Be Said|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2020/06/noname-j-cole-response-essay|access-date=July 8, 2020|website=Complex|language=en}} She expressed regret at responding to Cole, saying that although she had tried to "use it as a moment to draw attention back to the issues" she cares about, she apologized "for any further distraction this caused." She did not take the song down, instead donating all proceeds to black mutual aid funds.{{Cite magazine |last=Lamarre |first=Carl |date=June 22, 2020 |title=Noname Apologizes For Releasing J. Cole-Aimed Track 'Song 33': 'I Didn't Have to Respond' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/noname-apologizes-after-releasing-song-33-9406611/ |access-date=April 21, 2022 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}

On August 7, 2020, Noname appeared on a remix to Anderson Paak's "Lockdown", along with JID and Jay Rock.{{Cite magazine|last=Martoccio|first=Angie|date=August 7, 2020|title=Anderson .Paak Enlists Noname for 'Lockdown' Remix|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/anderson-paak-noname-lockdown-remix-1041186/|access-date=August 8, 2020|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}} In February 2021, she revealed she had turned down an offer to be on the soundtrack for Judas and the Black Messiah after seeing the film, criticizing the film for not centering Fred Hampton's "radical communist politics".{{Cite web|title=Noname Passed on 'Judas and the Black Messiah' Soundtrack After Seeing the Film|url=https://www.complex.com/music/noname-passed-judas-and-the-black-messiah-soundtrack|access-date=June 3, 2021|website=Complex|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=The Hip-Hop Road to Socialism|url=https://jacobinmag.com/2021/05/socialist-hip-hop-tupac-biggie-jay-z-killer-mike-paris-coup-noname-immortal-technique-marxman-hasel|access-date=June 3, 2021|website=jacobinmag.com|language=en-US}}

In May 2021, Noname was one of more than 600 musicians who signed an open letter calling for a boycott of performances in Israel until they end the occupation of the Palestinian territories.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/noname-patti-smith-run-the-jewels-more-sign-musicians-for-palestine-initiative/|title=Noname, Patti Smith, Run the Jewels, More Sign Musicians for Palestine Initiative|website=Pitchfork|date=May 27, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2021/05/27/musicians-for-palestine-open-letter|title=Over 600 artists, including Noname and Questlove, sign open letter in support of Palestinian rights|website=The Fader|date=May 27, 2021}}

On December 5, 2021, Noname announced on Instagram that her album Factory Baby, originally due to be released in 2021, had been canceled and that she would be taking an indefinite hiatus from music.{{Cite web|date=December 6, 2021|title=Noname cancels upcoming album 'Factory Baby'|url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/noname-cancels-upcoming-album-factory-baby-3112458|access-date=December 8, 2021|website=NME|language=en}}

In March 2022, Pitchfork announced that Noname would be performing at the 2022 Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago that July.{{Cite web |date=March 8, 2022 |title=Pitchfork Music Festival 2022 Lineup and Dates Announced |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/pitchfork-music-festival-2022-lineup-and-dates-announced/ |access-date=April 24, 2022 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} The next day, she posted a photo of her home studio to Instagram with the caption "maybe 30 is too young to retire".{{cite web |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Alex |title=Noname Is Seemingly Back In The Studio After Announcing Her Retirement From Music |url=https://uproxx.com/music/noname-back-studio-retirement/ |website=Uproxx |publisher=Warner Music Group |access-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309182839/https://uproxx.com/music/noname-back-studio-retirement/ |archive-date=March 9, 2022 |date=March 9, 2022 |url-status=live}} The next month, she was announced as part of the 2022 Afropunk Festival lineup and said that she would be releasing an album after "play[ing] a few shows".{{Cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Aaron |date=April 20, 2022 |title=Noname Is Performing At Afropunk And Plans To Release Her Album After |url=https://uproxx.com/music/noname-performing-afropunk-releasing-album/ |access-date=April 24, 2022 |website=Uproxx |publisher=Warner Music Group |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424040508/https://uproxx.com/music/noname-performing-afropunk-releasing-album/ |archive-date=April 24, 2022 |url-status=live}}

In January 2023, the Coachella 2023 lineup was revealed, with Noname scheduled to perform at the festival.{{cite web |last1=Corcoran |first1=Nina |title=Coachella 2023 Full Lineup Announced |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/coachella-2023-full-lineup-announced/ |website=Pitchfork |publisher=Condé Nast |access-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230110201116/https://pitchfork.com/news/coachella-2023-full-lineup-announced/ |archive-date=January 10, 2023 |date=January 10, 2023 |url-status=live}} That April, she announced that her second studio album, titled Sundial, would release in July 2023.{{cite magazine |last1=Althea |first1=Legaspi |title=Noname Announces New Album 'Sundial' to Drop This Summer |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/noname-sundial-album-1234712045/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |access-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409220532/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/noname-sundial-album-1234712045/ |archive-date=April 9, 2023 |date=April 9, 2023 |url-status=live}}

On July 13, she announced that the lead single "Balloons" featuring Jay Electronica and Eryn Allen Kane would be released on July 21.{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Aaron |title=Noname Announced The Release Date For Her Next Single, 'Balloons' Featuring Jay Electronica |url=https://uproxx.com/music/noname-balloons-jay-electronica-release-date/ |website=Uproxx |publisher=Warner Music Group |access-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230714024808/https://uproxx.com/music/noname-balloons-jay-electronica-release-date/ |archive-date=July 14, 2023 |date=July 13, 2023 |url-status=live}} She received criticism for featuring Electronica, who has been accused of antisemitism due to his affiliation with Louis Farrakhan, an antisemitic black supremacist and the leader of the Nation of Islam, and his support for Kanye West in the midst of a series of antisemitic remarks made by West. In response, Noname posted a series of tweets defending Electronica and her decision to collaborate with him before suggesting that Sundial may not be released.{{cite web |last1=Helfand |first1=Raphael |title=Noname threatens to cancel album release after Jay Electronica backlash |url=https://www.thefader.com/2023/07/14/noname-threatens-to-cancel-album-release-after-jay-electronica-backlash |website=The Fader |access-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230714185241/https://www.thefader.com/2023/07/14/noname-threatens-to-cancel-album-release-after-jay-electronica-backlash |archive-date=July 14, 2023 |date=July 14, 2023 |url-status=live}} Two days later, she deleted her Twitter account.{{cite web |last1=Richards |first1=Will |title=Noname threatens to cancel new album release after criticism of Jay Electronica feature |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/noname-threatens-to-cancel-new-album-release-after-criticism-of-jay-electronica-feature-3469049 |website=NME |access-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719133334/https://www.nme.com/news/music/noname-threatens-to-cancel-new-album-release-after-criticism-of-jay-electronica-feature-3469049 |archive-date=July 19, 2023 |date=July 16, 2023 |url-status=live}}

Days after the controversy, Noname shared the album's tracklist and pushed the release date back to August 11, 2023, while deciding to no longer release "Balloons" as a single.{{cite magazine |last1=Conteh |first1=Mankaprr |title=Noname Reveals Tracklist for 'Sundial,' First Album in Five Years |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/noname-sundial-tracklist-1234792642/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |access-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720191919/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/noname-sundial-tracklist-1234792642/ |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |date=July 20, 2023 |url-status=live}} The album was released to positive reviews;{{Citation |title=Sundial by Noname |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/sundial/noname |access-date=2023-10-03 |language=en}} however, Electronica's verse, which was accused of antisemitism, was a source of continued controversy.{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Joe |title=Noname Says She Won't Apologize for Controversial Jay Electronica Verse: 'Your Disappointment Truly Means Absolutely Nothing to Me' |url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/backwoodsaltar/noname-will-not-apologize-jay-electronica-verse-sundial |access-date=2023-10-03 |website=Complex |language=en-us}} In an Instagram story, Noname refused to apologize for the inclusion of the verse, stating "I'm not going to apologize for a verse I didn't write" and that "your disappointment truly means absolutely nothing to me and I say that with love".{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Joe |title=Noname Says She Won't Apologize for Controversial Jay Electronica Verse: 'Your Disappointment Truly Means Absolutely Nothing to Me' |url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/backwoodsaltar/noname-will-not-apologize-jay-electronica-verse-sundial |access-date=2023-10-03 |website=Complex |language=en-us}}{{Cite news |last=Cunningham |first=Kyndall |date=2023-08-14 |title=Noname Refuses to Apologize for Jay Electronica's Antisemitic Verse on Her Album |language=en |work=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/noname-responds-to-jay-electronica-antisemitic-verse-backlash |access-date=2023-10-03}}

After the album's release, she held a block party in Chicago on August 17, 2023, where she performed along with Navy Blue and Alex Vaughn.{{cite web |last1=Minsker |first1=Evan |title=Noname Announces Sundial Block Party in Chicago |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/noname-announces-sundial-block-party-in-chicago/ |website=Pitchfork |publisher=Condé Nast |access-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804191507/https://pitchfork.com/news/noname-announces-sundial-block-party-in-chicago/ |archive-date=August 4, 2023 |date=August 1, 2023 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=2023-08-17 |title=Common joins Noname for back-to-school block party - CBS Chicago |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/common-noname-back-to-school-block-party-bronzeville/ |access-date=2023-10-03 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}

In July 2019, Noname created a book club. She came up with the idea after a fan commented on her post on X (formerly Twitter) that they were reading the same book as her, Jackson Rising, about Cooperation Jackson.{{Cite web|last=Ruiz|first=Matthew Ismael|title=Watch Noname Discuss Her Book Club on The Daily Show|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/watch-noname-discuss-her-book-club-on-the-daily-show/|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=Pitchfork|date=October 30, 2019 |language=en-us}}{{Cite web|last=Minsker|first=Evan|title=Noname Launches Book Club|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/noname-launches-book-club/|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=Pitchfork|date=July 24, 2019 |language=en-us}} The book club encourages support of locally owned bookstores, with her website providing a directory of bookstores owned by people of color. The club has also partnered with local libraries across the country to increase the circulation and accessibility of these books.{{Cite web |date=March 21, 2022 |title=Inside the Headquarters of Noname Book Club |url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/radical-hood-library-noname-book-club |access-date=June 13, 2023 |website=Teen Vogue |language=en-US}} Noname described the book club as "a little bit of a fuck you to Amazon, and kind of a fuck you to the FBI," referencing how the FBI's COINTELPRO program had targeted Black independent booksellers. The book club has partnerships with libraries in Oakland, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, where the libraries promote and help readers find the chosen books. It also hosts discussions on the literature and donates books to prisons, sending books to over 400 facilities as of 2023.{{Cite web|title='I Want Us To Dream A Little Bigger': Noname And Mariame Kaba On Art And Abolition|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/19/948005131/i-want-us-to-dream-a-little-bigger-noname-and-mariame-kaba-on-art-and-abolition|access-date=June 3, 2021|website=NPR.org|date=December 19, 2020 |language=en |last1=Madden |first1=Sidney }}{{Cite web |title=Prison Program — Noname Book Club |url=https://nonamebooks.com/Prison-Program |access-date=June 13, 2023 |website=nonamebooks.com |language=en}}

The book club chooses two books a month. The first two books chosen were Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire and We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby.{{Cite web|title=Reading For All The Homies: Rapper Noname Starts New Book Club|url=https://www.essence.com/culture/instaviral-rapper-noname-book-club/|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=Essence|language=en-US}} Celebrities sometimes choose a book, including Kehlani (choosing Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler) and Earl Sweatshirt (choosing Faces & Masks (Memory of Fire, Vol. 2) by Eduardo Galeano).{{Cite web|title=Noname's Book Club Comes to the Oakland Library|url=https://www.kqed.org/arts/13872617/nonames-book-club-comes-to-the-oakland-library|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=KQED|date=January 9, 2020 |language=en-us}} The book club aims to provide a "radical curated book list" and has been described by Vogue as focusing on "anti-capitalist and radical leftist literature".{{Cite web|last=Hess|first=Liam|title=The 10 Most Anticipated Albums of Summer 2021|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/10-most-anticipated-albums-of-summer-2021|access-date=June 3, 2021|website=Vogue|date=May 31, 2021 |language=en-US}}

In January 2020, Noname created "Library Card Registration Day" asking people to go to their local libraries on January 11 and register for a library card.{{Cite web|last=Bero|first=Tayo|title=Noname Is Fighting to Save Black Intellectual Spaces|url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/noname-book-club|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=Teen Vogue|date=January 17, 2020 |language=en-us}} She called the day "basically an 'F you' to major corporations who have privatized the way we consume goods and services," specifically referencing how her mother's bookstore had closed due to Amazon.{{Cite web|title=On Jan. 11, Rapper Noname Wants You To Register For A Library Card|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/01/10/795160972/library-card-registration-day-is-jan-11-for-nonames-book-club|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=NPR.org|language=en}} Noname also called for her followers to end their subscriptions with Amazon, tweeting that Amazon had "created a consumer model that is extremely addictive and removes human compassion. We don’t think about the workers who are underpaid and exploited. We just want our next-day delivery."

In March 2021, Noname revealed on her Instagram story that work on a physical headquarters for Noname Book Club had begun, which would act as a center for political education classes, book drives, a library, food drives, book club meet-ups, tent drives, free art shows, free movie screenings, and more.{{cite web |last1=Cowen |first1=Trace William |title=Noname's Book Club Headquarters to Provide Political Education Classes, Food Drives, and More |url=https://www.complex.com/music/noname-book-club-headquarters-to-provide-political-education-classes-food-drives-more |website=Complex |access-date=April 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302132232/https://www.complex.com/music/noname-book-club-headquarters-to-provide-political-education-classes-food-drives-more |archive-date=March 2, 2021 |language=en |date=March 2, 2021 |url-status=live}} In April 2021, Haymarket Books donated 180 titles to the book club's personal collection of reading material, which Noname called a "radical community library."{{Cite tweet|last=Warner|first=Fatimah|user=noname|number=1378010803182313480|date=April 2, 2021|title=so grateful for the folks over at @haymarketbooks for this amazing donation!! 180 different titles! can't thank you all enough for helping us build our radical community library. we have a long way to go but this is such a wonderful start 💚|url=https://twitter.com/noname/status/1378010803182313480|url-status=live|access-date=April 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210402154601/https://twitter.com/noname/status/1378010803182313480|archive-date=April 2, 2021|website=Twitter|language=en}}

Musically and stylistically, Noname has credited Avril Lavigne,{{cite web |last1=Herwees |first1=Tasbeeh |title=Exploring Avril Lavigne's Strange, Enduring Influence On Hip-Hop |url=https://nylon.com/articles/avril-lavigne-hip-hop-rap-influence |website=Nylon |date=July 18, 2018 |access-date=August 11, 2018|quote=Artist Noname, from Chicago, said there was a time where she listened to “nothing but Avril Lavigne.” }} Nina Simone, André 3000, and Missy Elliott as her influences. She cites the author Toni Morrison and poet Patricia Smith as notable influences on her writing style.{{Cite news|url=http://www.thefader.com/2016/09/15/noname-telefone-interview|title=Noname, Sincerely|work=The FADER|access-date=July 13, 2018}} Her most recent work revolves around themes of social injustices, inspired by anti-capitalist theories.{{Cite news|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/noname-rainforest/|title="Rainforest" by Noname Review|work=Pitchfork|access-date=March 1, 2021}}

In November 2019, Noname announced she was considering quitting music and expressed frustration with her predominantly white audience.{{Cite web|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/11/noname-may-quit-music-wont-perform-for-mostly-white-audiences/|title=Noname may quit music, says she won't perform for mostly white audiences|last=Graves|first=Wren|date=November 30, 2019|work=Consequence of Sound|access-date=December 21, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/noname-may-quit-music-dance-stage-white-people-2582267|title=Noname says she may quit music: "I don't want to dance on a stage for white people"|work=NME|access-date=March 10, 2020}} She went on to say that the demographics of her fanbase made her want to quit music: "I refuse to keep making music and putting it online for free for people who won’t support me. If y'all don't wanna leave the crib I feel it. I don't want to dance on a stage for white people."{{cite news|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/news/2019/11/noname-white-crowds-quit-rap/|title=Noname Won't Keep Performing for Predominantly White Crowds|work=XXL|access-date=March 10, 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.53638/title.noname-says-shes-no-longer-going-to-dance-on-a-stage-for-white-people|title=Noname Says She's No Longer Going To 'Dance On A Stage For White People'|work=HipHopDX|access-date=March 10, 2020}}

{{Reflist}}

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• {{Official website|https://www.nonamedimension.com/}}
• {{allmusic}}
• [https://nonamebooks.com/ Official Book Club website]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Noname}}

Category:1991 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American rappers

Category:African-American women rappers

Category:African-American poets

Category:American anti-capitalists

Category:American socialists

Category:American feminist musicians

Category:Illinois socialists

Category:Police abolitionists

Category:Prison abolitionists

Category:American prison reformers

Category:Rappers from Chicago

Category:21st-century American women rappers