Nova Rockafeller

Last updated

Nova Rockafeller
Birth nameNova Leigh Paholek
Also known asElle Dirty D, [1] epdMC [1]
Born (1988-07-22) 22 July 1988 (age 35)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • music video director
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2006–present
Labels
Website novarockafeller.com

Nova Leigh Paholek (born 22 July 1988), known professionally as Nova Rockafeller, is a Canadian independent rapper, singer, songwriter, and music video director.

Contents

Early life

Rockafeller was born in Edmonton, [4] and raised in Jamaica; [2] living there from the ages of 9 to 14 [5] after her family started a water sports business. [1] She also briefly lived in Toronto and New York City. [6] [7] As a teen, she dropped out of high school and began rapping during a difficult period of her life split between sleeping at the Edmonton Youth Emergency Shelter and living in a series of group homes. [4] She was inspired to start rapping after exploring the online battle rap forums by her then boyfriend. [6]

Career

Rockafeller grew up surrounded by music as her father and her brother, Terry Paholek, were heavily involved with the Edmonton music scene and had their own home studio. [4] She began rapping at the age of 15 when she was living in a group home. [8] [4] The moniker 'Nova Rockafeller' was given to her one night during a party with other rappers, who decided she needed a new name. [6]

In 2011, Rockafeller released her debut album Insufficient Funds, which chronicled six months of her life. [6] In 2012, Rockafeller had her song 'call me (BAT MAN) 347-574-7192' posted on the front of The Pirate Bay during its period as 'The Promo Bay'; the song was available as a free download. [9]

Mercury Records took notice of her, so Rockafeller moved to New York and signed with them. [10] The label would later become Island Records, and, in turn Def Jam. [4] Her relationship with Def Jam ended when the company dropped her without warning after three and a half years. She found out when her landlord said that the company would no longer pay her rent. [8] Prior to the label dropping her, Rockafeller had been working on an album named Accidentally Gangster, [7] which was cancelled.[ citation needed ]

In 2015, during her time with Def Jam, Rockafeller began to break out into the mainstream with her single "Made in Gold", which reached the Top 20 on Sirius Top Hits. [3] The single was featured in teen comedy film The Duff. [4] [11] Her music has also been featured on Siesta Keys, Dancing with the Stars, and Bad Girls Club. [3] That year, she toured with Set it Off and All Time Low, [3] [12] as well as performed at SXSW, [13] Riot Fest, [14] [15] and the Gathering of the Juggalos. [16] Since her appearance at the Gathering, Rockafeller has been associated with the Insane Clown Posse and the Juggalo movement. [17] She also performed at Violent J's first solo charity tour with Lil Eazy-E. [18]

In 2021, Rockafeller released "Hey You", her first solo single in over 2 years to tease her newest album Scared of Heights. [8] The video received over 250 thousand views within a single day. [19] [ self-published source? ]

Side projects

In 2012, Rockafeller launched her line of jewellery 'Toys on Chains'. [20] [7]

Personal life

Relationships

In 2017, Rockafeller began dating Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald. Together, they started the band GFBF and began writing music. [21] When MacDonald wrote 'Dear Rappers' and gained prominence, Rockafeller poured herself into supporting him. She shot and directed all of his music videos after 2017,[ citation needed ] created his website and was featured on most of his albums, and helped him navigate the music industry away from the pitfalls she experienced. [8]

Influences

Rockafeller has cited some of her influences as Good Charlotte, Blink-182, [12] Fugees, A Tribe Called Quest, Damian Marley, Weezer, Busta Rhymes, Outkast, Bright Eyes, Nirvana, Die Antwoord, and Meg Myers. [1]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected details
TitleAlbum details
Insufficient Funds
  • Released: 21 September 2011 [7]
  • Labels: Self-released
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Scared of Heights
As Far as the Stars(with Tom MacDonald and Brandon Hart)
  • Released: 9 April 2021
  • Labels: Self-released
  • Formats: CD

Singles

With Tom MacDonald

With Violent J

With The Wikid One

With Rp Jesus

With Thrashole

With D-LinQuint

With Rachel Geek

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Mangum, Sekia (8 April 2015). "Island girl Nova Rockafeller will rock the house at The Pool After Dark Friday". Atlantic City Weekly.
  2. 1 2 3 MANGUM, SEKIA (13 April 2015). "Celebrity Sightings: Female rapper Nova Rockafeller spotted at The Pool". Press of Atlantic City.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Romaker, Ian (28 December 2018). "Strong sentiments against the man: Nova Palohek and Tom MacDonald [GFBF]".
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Nova Rockafeller: from the streets of Edmonton to a record label". CBC. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  5. ↑ Nova Rockafeller – Shabooty Interview Series. YouTube . Archived from the original on 9 December 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : Nova Rockafeller – Videointerview with GermanRhymes.de (english). YouTube .
  7. 1 2 3 4 "HIP HOP: Nova Rockafeller is sexy and she knows it". GIG CITY. 11 January 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Why I quit rapping". NOVA ROCKAFELLER. 6 January 2021.
  9. ↑ "Nova Rockafeller on Pirate Bay | Faygoluvers". 10 March 2013.
  10. ↑ "Being an Independent rapper vs. a Major label artist". NOVA ROCKAFELLER. 9 May 2020.
  11. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : YAH Chats with Soundtrack Artist Nova Rockafeller at THE DUFF Premiere. YouTube .
  12. 1 2 "After touring with All Time Low, Set It Off, Nova Rockafeller premieres new tracks". Alternative Press . 23 December 2015.
  13. ↑ "SXSW Music List No. 9". www.austinchronicle.com.
  14. ↑ "Riot Fest Toronto 2015 Lineup Announced Featuring Wu-Tang Clan, Drive Like Jehu, and Rancid -". 1 June 2015.
  15. ↑ Exclaim [ dead link ]
  16. ↑ "What's It Like to Be a Female Rapper at Gathering of the Juggalos?". LA Weekly. 28 July 2015.
  17. ↑ Seife, Ethan de. "What I'm Watching: The 2015 'Gathering of the Juggalos' Infomercial". Seven Days.
  18. ↑ "Violent J • Nova Rockafeller • Lil Eazy-E • Ghetto Blast • rap, hip-hop • Dj Stigmata at Launchpad, Albuquerque". alibi.
  19. ↑ Rockafeller, Nova [@NovaRockafeller] (9 January 2021). "Woke up to 250k views on my new music video – "Hey You" 😎 https://t.co/UgoDWSfvcB https://t.co/wXX0S2r5oR" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021– via Twitter.
  20. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : TOYS ON CHAINS by NOVA ROCKAFELLER. YouTube .
  21. ↑ Nyanchama, Venic (24 June 2020). "Tom MacDonald: Bio and net worth in 2020". Tuko.co.ke – Kenya news.

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