Karrahbooo Breaks Silence: Inside Her New Mixtape and Fresh Start

For the past two years, Karrahbooo has existed in a state of professional limbo. Despite being one of the most compelling new voices to emerge from the Atlanta hip-hop scene, the artist found herself unable to release music, trapped by the complexities of a label deal that had stalled her momentum. Now, she is finally stepping back into the light with the release of her long-awaited debut mixtape, Not Da 2.

Karrahbooo, who first gained traction as a member of the Atlanta music collective Concrete Boys, founded by Lil Yachty, admits that the silence was difficult. “I would say it was only not changing so much because I wasn’t able to drop, so I really was stuck a little bit,” she reflects. The stagnation was compounded by a highly publicized falling out with Yachty in 2024, which turned their personal friendship into fodder for internet gossip.

A New Chapter of Independence

The narrative surrounding Karrahbooo’s hiatus often suggested she had run out of creative steam, but she is quick to correct the record. “For some reason, a lot of people don’t know I was in a deal with Yachty,” she explains. “We got into it, and I was just stuck in the deal for a very long time and I couldn’t release music. People just thought I wasn’t dropping because I couldn’t do it without him. But I was already doing it without him before he even got in the picture.”

Today, that chapter is closed. Karrahbooo has secured her independence, signing with Mercury Records and releasing Not Da 2 through her own imprint, NotTheTwo LLC. The reconciliation with Yachty has also been peaceful; the two have patched things up, with Yachty even appearing on the track “Patched It Up.”

Refining the Sound

Not Da 2 serves as a testament to her resilience. Much of the project was recorded during her two-year forced hiatus, capturing a period of frustration and growth. While her early work was defined by a muted, Detroit-influenced aesthetic, this new project leans into harder, more animated production. Working with producer Truebeatzz, she pushed for a more aggressive sound, moving away from the expectations others had for her.

“I was just angry and hurt a lot of the times,” she says of the recording process. “So I kind of sound angry. But I’m nice. I’m not that angry.”

Looking ahead, Karrahbooo is already setting her sights on a full-length album that will further explore her eclectic musical palette, which includes everything from R&B to alternative music. “My mixtape, OK, it’s good,” she says. “But I want my album to be great.”

Ultimately, the release of Not Da 2 is about reclaiming her narrative. “I hope people see that I don’t need anybody,” she says. “I could do it myself, and I did.”