Niambi Ra is no stranger to the spotlight. Throughout 2025, the artist starred as the lead in the musical The Book of Mormon, a milestone in her career that led to her performing the National Anthem at a New York Liberty game this past July. On the artist’s brand new debut studio album, Stellar Nebula, she directs her creative focus towards music as she fuses soul, R&B, and hip-hop seamlessly.
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After the dusty boom-bap drums of Simmer It Down, Ra takes the front stage as she harmonizes over the beat before rapping in an almost Missy Elliott-esque way. The track is soulful as it takes the listener through a blend of genres, serving as a showcase of Ra’s range. Meanwhile, Design is a more straightforward track, following a cyclic verse–chorus structure as she raps and sings on the track. Thematically, Ra spends most of Stellar Nebula dealing with all-too familiar emotions such as mixed signals and complicated feelings, yet she does it in a way that sounds natural and human.
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The biggest selling point of Stellar Nebula is Ra’s incorporation of a live band. Backed by her ensemble, The Blackstarz, Ra makes sure to add as much life as she can into the music. On Satellite, Ra lets her ensemble take the stage, with The Blackstarz almost having a jam session of sorts towards the back end of the track. Meanwhile, Flowers sees the upcoming artist rap over a lo-fi boom-bap beat based around a central loop with guest Le’Asha accompanying her on the track. As you dive deeper into the project, Stellar Nebula reveals itself to be surprisingly rewarding. Although the project is not revolutionary, hearing the classic sounds of jazz-rap, soul, and R&B in such a lively manner, thanks to Niambi Ra and her ensemble, evokes a sense of warmth.
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Stellar Nebula also houses the two previously released singles, Friday and Mary. On the former, Ra goes full-on inspirational, rapping about how one can change the worst of days into a source of joy through their intentions. It’s clear why the track was chosen as a single, as it demonstrates how Ra uses her influences to the fullest without ever sounding overly derivative.

The record has hints of Missy Elliot, Mary J. Blige, and the jazz-rap of the 90s, but none of it sounds tired or uninteresting. On the other hand, Mary is the odd one out in the tracklist, serving as a celebration of Marijuana and the stoner lifestyle in a sea of far more interesting song ideas.
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On her debut solo album, Niambi Ra journeys through R&B, soul, and jazz-rap. Stellar Nebula is a showcase of the upcoming artist’s talents, hinting at a creative voice still taking shape and offering glimpses of promise while leaving room for growth in future releases.

Order Stellar Nebula by Niambi Ra HERE