After ruling 2025 with guest verses, YK Niece is ready for her close-up

It’s an impeccable run, leading Billboard to rank her as the fourth-hottest female rapper of 2025 (behind Doechii, GloRilla and Cardi B).

“I’m just grateful to be here,” YK Niece told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution via Zoom.

Credit: Handou

Credit: Handou

Now, she’s gearing up to pour that same energy into her solo career.

First on the list? Her debut headlining show at Buckhead Theatre on Thursday. BunnaB, YFN Lucci and Rob 49 will be among the show’s special guests.

Then, she’ll drop her highly anticipated debut album, followed by her first major tour (as a supporting act for YFN Lucci).

This time last year, YK Niece’s meteoric rise didn’t even seem like a possibility. Before “Whim Whamiee” dropped in February, she was working as a package handler for Pepsi. Rapping wasn’t on her radar at all.

But the artist, born Shanice Cameron, figured she’d try it after Pluto ( YK’s friend at the time) asked her to do ad-libs on the song. That request evolved into an entire verse, catapulting the song into a social media sensation and one of the breakout hits of last year.

“We was just having fun and drinking in the studio,” YK Niece recalled, sharing that she made her verse in one night.

YK Niece’s popularity hasn’t come without pitfalls. Shortly after the release of “Whim Whamiee,” public tensions between Pluto and YK Niece flared because of alleged booking issues, leading to them performing the song separately at shows (more on that later). Around the same time, her 5-year-old nephew died.

But YK Niece has an indomitable work ethic, even when dealing with circumstances that could’ve broken her. And she does it all with the humor and authenticity evoked in her lyrics.

“I’m the fun,” she said. “I’m the show. Like in my regular life, I’m the person that’s gonna make you laugh.”

Ahead of her first headlining show, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution talked to YK Niece about her relationship with fame, grief and building her own star power.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Q: How has the past year felt?

A: When I wake up in the morning, I still feel like I’m just going to work. I know my life has changed. You know how everyone has that moment of tears and realizing everything that’s happened to them, like that “you made it” moment? It hasn’t happened. That’s the moment I’m waiting on, so it might happen at my show.

Q: You met BunnaB when both of you attended Maynard Jackson High School. The friendship you all share feels like a sisterhood.

A: (In high school), I was really closed in, but I was, like, the cool person. Like, we knew each other and would speak to each other, but we weren’t the friends we are today. The music is what brought us closer. When I started hanging around her more, I knew this was the type of person that I need in my corner.

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com

Q: How does it feel to grow in the music industry along with her?

A: I love it. I hate that the world tries to pit female artists against each other, but I love what me and her got going on because it could never be any competition. It’s always “I’m happy for you,” and that’s what I love. People act like they happy for you, but they don’t be. With her, it’s genuine. I’m so big on that.

Q: You attended Columbus State University, where you studied nursing but later dropped out. Why?

A: The (COVID-19) pandemic. And I was trying to work, like, I gotta pay for this. I had to pay for all the tuition. I was paying four, five racks. I’m doing hair, I’m selling weed, like, I’m doing whatever I gotta do to get this. I just felt like if I’m doing all of this, it gotta be (for) something I’m driven by.

Q: So I’m assuming there wasn’t much money coming into your household when you were a kid?

A: My mom was the type of mother that made sure you didn’t see it. I lived a good life, like, the money was there, but it wasn’t like, oh, we had money. My mama did a good job and not let me see the hard life, but I knew what was happening.

Q: Is that what inspires your hustle?

A: Yeah, even with this music, it’s gonna be a time that I just want to be able to sit at home and my money’s still rolling in. I don’t want to be doing it for all my life. The hustle ain’t over. It’s just easier because I’m not struggling. I’m just hustling to get more.

Q: What made you want to be on “Whim Whamiee,” considering you’d never really rapped before?

A: I knew I had the personality. I just didn’t know I had the skill, but I knew I could do it. It just made me take note on what more can you do. You just gotta try.

Q: Did you know it would be a hit?

A: Not until I woke up one day and I got labels in my DM and my TikTok was going crazy. When we dropped it, it was only supposed to be for TikTok. I was like, we probably need to put this on Instagram, so once we put it there, the next day, we woke up and we got, like, half a million views. We got labels calling, we got over 1,000 comments, over 50,000 likes. It was just like, “Whoa. Hold on.”

Q: So things were kind of hitting you quickly?

A: Yeah, but I was ready. I didn’t know where the world was taking me. I was just ready to go.

Q: Yeah, you had quite the feature run immediately after.

A: This year, I’m working on my project. I gave them a feature run last year, but this year is all about me. I’ve been trying to lock in on my project. It’s done. I’m just doing extra work so I can have more options. But, yeah, it’s getting me where I need to be with being a solo artist, because I know I’m No. 1 right now. And what’s crazy is like, I’m No. 1 right now off features.

Credit: Handout

Credit: Handout

Q: What can you share about this new project?

A: I’m just gonna let the people know who I am and what type of delivery I can bring to you. I want them to know I can do different things, but I’m just trying to continue to do what I’m doing with the features, but for myself.

A: Was there any moment from last year that really stood out for you?

Q: My first performance at (Atlanta nightclub) Domaine right after “Whim Whamiee” dropped. I’ll always remember that because I quit that day. Like, I didn’t want to do rap no more. My nephew died, and it just made me not want to do it. And it was just, like, what am I going to do? When I woke up that day, I was telling myself that I’m not doing nothing. F--- the rap. I was just speaking in grief, but I had people around me telling me to keep going, you got to do this for him.

Q: How are you navigating fame now?

A: I’m just going with it. I mean, it could be overwhelming. Taking pictures with fans can be overbearing because I don’t want to do it all the time. I’m learning that when you’re famous, you’re always in the spotlight even when you don’t want to be. But I love it because I still get that inner itching like, “Oh you want a picture with me?”

Credit: Getty Images

Credit: Getty Images

Q: Last year, you made many guest appearances at major rap shows, including with NBA YoungBoy, where you reunited with Pluto on stage to perform “Whim Whamiee” amid ongoing beef. Where does your relationship with her stand today?

A: I don’t really want to talk about all of that because ain’t no relationship going on. But that was just a business choice.

Q: I understand. Given how you feel now, what would you tell yourself when “Whim Whamiee” was taking off?

A: Watch who you bring in your inner circle.

Q: What are you most looking forward to at your show?

A: It being a successful show. … I’m just ready to feel the vibe, feel the energy, feel the love.

IF YOU GO

YK Niece & Friends

8 p.m. Thursday. (only resale tickets are available) Buckhead Theatre. 3110 Roswell Road NE, Atlanta. 404-843-2825, thebuckheadtheatre.com.