Biography
Backxwash is the stage name of Ashanti Mutinta, a Zambian-Canadian rapper and producer based in Montreal. Born in Lusaka, Zambia, on October 4, 1991, she began making beats in FL Studio as a teenager and moved to British Columbia at seventeen to study computer science before settling in Montreal.[7] She grew up with church, Sunday school, and televised sermons, and today follows the traditions of her Tumbuka ancestors.[1]
Her sound mixes rap with metal, industrial, and horrorcore, often built on sampled sermons, choirs, and classic rock.[2] Her second album, God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It (2020), won the Polaris Music Prize, making her the first Black trans woman to receive it.[4]
References
- Backxwash (Wikipedia) — Birth and early life
- Bandcamp Daily interview — Upbringing, spirituality, and production
- God Has Nothing to Do with This Leave Him Out of It (Wikipedia) — Album and sound
- Backxwash wins the 2020 Polaris Prize (Complex) — Polaris win