Mapei (rapper)

Jacqueline Mapei Cummings (born December 20, 1983), is an American rapper and singer, best known for her single "Don't Wait", which was released via Downtown Records in 2013. Her debut EP, The Cocoa Butter Diaries, was released in 2009 also via Downtown Records. Her debut album, Hey Hey, was released on September 23, 2014.

Mapei
Mapei at Way Out West in Sweden, 2014
Mapei at Way Out West in Sweden, 2014
Background information
Birth nameJacqueline Mapei Cummings
Born (1983-12-20) December 20, 1983
Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
OriginStockholm, Sweden
GenresIndie pop, hip hop, hip hop soul
Years active2009–present
LabelsDowntown

History

Early life

Mapei was born in Providence, Rhode Island, but moved before she turned ten years old.[1] She began splitting her time between America and Sweden after her Liberian mother and Swedish stepfather moved to Stockholm, living in Stockholm during the school year and returning to America for the summers.[2] She moved to Brooklyn at age eighteen, working as a bartender in a Swedish restaurant in New York's Chinatown neighborhood.[2] She stayed for three years, taking in the local scene for a period before deciding to return to Sweden and immerse herself in Stockholm's pop scene.[3]

The Cocoa Butter Diaries (2009–2012)

Mapei released her debut EP as a rapper on Downtown Records in 2009. After the release of The Cocoa Butter Diaries, Mapei began work on her debut album with French electronic duo Justice. However, she was not happy with the final result, and decided to scrap the record. After realizing that she was hitting a wall creatively, she came to the conclusion that she wanted to start singing, telling W: "I was just out there freestyling without writing any songs ... I needed to find some inspiration."[1] She spent the following years traveling, which led to extend stays in Tunisia, Portugal, and Brazil.[1] After a particularly inspiring stint in Brazil, she decided to return to Stockholm and began working with producer Magnus Lidehäll.[2]

"Don't Wait" and Hey Hey (2013–present)

"Don't Wait" premiered on the website of the magazine The Fader in October 2013.[4] The track went viral immediately, repeatedly reaching #1 on the Hype Machine charts.[5] It received universally positive reviews, with W declaring the song a "devilishly crafted piece of pop perfection" and Vogue praising it for possessing "catchy pop sensibility without falling into the trap of soft-edged lyricism."[1][6]

The song was remixed by a number of high-profile producers, including a very popular edit by Australian DJ Brynny, and others from Frankie Knuckles, Kingdom, and Giraffage.[2][7][8] A version featuring Chance the Rapper was released in March 2014.[9] A remix EP and a video for the original version of "Don't Wait" were released on April 1, 2014.[10] The song debuted on the Billboard Hot Dance Club chart in May 2014 at number 48.[11] The song also charted in UK's and Italy's Airplay Charts at number 173 and 88 respectively.

Mapei's released her second single "Change" on June 10, 2014, followed by "Believe" on August 18.[12][13] Her debut album Hey Hey was released September 23, 2014, and debuted at #29 on the Heatseeker chart.[14][15] Mapei performed "Don't Wait" on the Late Show with David Letterman on November 6, 2014.[16] She has cited Radiohead, Donna Summer, Irene Cara, Diana Ross, Missy Elliott, Brandy, Queens of the Stone Age, and Michael Jackson as influences.[5][17][18]

Her single "Million Ways to Live" was released in 2015.[19]

In 2019, she released her second album "Sensory Overload", with the Stockholm based record label Amuse. The album contains ten songs and was nominated for a Grammis, which is the Swedish equivalent of a Grammy Award.[20]

Discography

Albums
Year Album Peak positions
SWE
[21]		 US Heat
[15]
2014 Hey Hey 35 29
2019 Sensory Overload — —
2021 Lullabies[22]
(with Timbuktu)		 — —

EPs
  • 2009: The Cocoa Butter Diaries
  • 2014: Don't Wait EP

As lead artist
Year Single Peak chart positions Album
BEL
[23]		 NLD
[24]		 UK
[25]		 US Club
[26]
2013 "Don't Wait" 43 88 117 27 Hey Hey
2014 "Change" — — — —
"Believe" — — — —
Year Single Album
2018 "Feel About You"
(Silk City featuring Mapei)[27]		 Electricity[28]
2022 "Time"
(Swedish House Mafia featuring Mapei)		 Paradise Again
"Buffalo Stance"
(Neneh Cherry featuring Robyn and Mapei)		 The Versions

Appearances

Music videos
Title Year Director(s)
"Don't Wait" 2014 Dori Oskowitz[10]
"Change" 2014 Philippe Grenade & Jarret Egan

References
  1. Thale, Taea (November 21, 2013). "Don't Wait For Mapei". W Magazine. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  2. Brown, Jacob (February 26, 2014). "With a New Remix of Mapei's Hit Single "Don't Wait," the Countdown to Her Summer Release Begins". Vogue. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  3. "What's Next For Mapei, The Swedish Singer/Rapper Who Made One Of The Catchiest Indie Songs Of The Year". Pigeons & Planes. November 29, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  4. Zeichner, Naomi (October 3, 2013). "Stream: Mapei, "Don't Wait"". The Fader. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  5. Zafar, Aylin (November 27, 2013). "Meet Mapei, The Singer Out To Reinvent Modern Soul". BuzzFeed. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  6. Brown, Jacob (November 19, 2013). "Vogue Radio: Our Song-a-Day Playlist for Fall". Vogue. Archived from the original on February 27, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  7. Dixon, Floyd (April 23, 2014). "Mapei: Don't Wait Frankie Knuckles/Eric Kuppers Director's Cut Club Mix". Lazer Magazine. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  8. Beauchemin, Molly (November 5, 2013). "Mapei: "Don't Wait" / "Don't Wait" [Kingdom remix]". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  9. Ortiz, Edwin (March 11, 2014). "Mapei Grabs Chance The Rapper for the Remix of Her Sweeping Love Tune "Don't Wait"". Complex. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  10. Gordon, Jeremy (April 1, 2014). "Mapei Shares "Don't Wait" Video, Releases EP With Chance the Rapper Remix". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  11. Trust, Gary (May 12, 2014). "Chart Highlights: Trey Songz Tops Rhythmic Songs With 'Na Na'". Billboard. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  12. Hambro, Maya (June 11, 2014). "Mapei announces debut album Hey Hey, streams new track "Change"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  13. "Believe by Mapei on SoundCloud". SoundCloud. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  14. "New Mix: The New Pornographers, Mapei, Moon Hooch And More". NPR Music. June 10, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  15. "Heatseeker Albums: Oct 11, 2014". Billboard. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  16. Stern, Bradley (November 7, 2014). "Mapei Performs "Don't Wait" On 'Late Show With David Letterman': Watch". Idolator. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  17. Lamphier, Jason (February 11, 2014). "The Young and the Restless: Mapei". Out. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  18. Sheppard, Ferrari (June 10, 2014). "Interview: Mapei's Only Constant Is Change". The Fader. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  19. "Watch Mapei Empower in 'Million Ways to Live' / Ones To Watch". Ones To Watch. July 8, 2015. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  20. "2020 Archives – Grammisgalan". Grammis.se. December 10, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  21. "Mapei discography". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  22. "Lullabies by Timbuktu & Mapei on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  23. "Mapei – Don't Wait". Ultratop. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  24. Mapei discography, Dutchcharts.nl
  25. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 236. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  26. "Dance Club Songs: July 19, 2014". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  27. Daramola, Israel (July 20, 2018). "Silk City (Diplo & Mark Ronson) – "Feel About You"". Spin. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  28. "Silk City – Record Store Day". recordstoreday.co.uk. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
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