Flyana Boss are the February cover story stars for Blavity.

There is a certain aesthetic archetype associated with the rising class of femcees. Thigh-grazing bundles, figure-flaunting garbs, and undeniably beat faces can be used as a descriptor for any number of female rappers, past and present.

Now, to be clear, these looks EAT. But as conversations surrounding personal style heat up, we must acknowledge the girls who not only step outside of the confines of baddie culture but achieve quantifiable success while doing so.

In the short time they’ve been on the scene, rap-duo Flyana Boss, composed of Folayan and Bobbi LaNea, has become a case study on the enduring cool of individuality.

When their viral single, You Wish, took off on TikTok, many were captivated by their punchy metaphors and visually exciting use of a fisheye lens. But I found myself particularly enraptured by their style, which juxtaposes so much of what I’ve become accustomed to seeing when a new rap act debuts.

In particular, it was the elf ears worn by Folayan that gave me pause in the best way possible. This fun, fanciful addition to her look is an undeniable indicator of prevailing selfhood and certainly challenges the status quo in terms of aesthetics.

Their fashion sense as a whole actually deviates from expected norms surrounding Black women in hip-hop, as their go-to styles consist largely of oversized graphic t-shirts and cargo pants.

In lieu of the bundles we’ve grown accustomed to seeing (which, again, EAT), the Musicians Institute alumnus consistently rock flowing braids, often manipulated into fun styles that remind us that at its core, beauty should be a creative means of expression.

When they do dabble in wigs, fans can almost always expect some out-of-the-box colors to be at play, likely with more than one hue at a time.

Their style reminds me of circa 2011 VMA era Nicki Minaj but in a way that feels more approachable for their fan base. It’s distinct enough to set them apart but imitateable enough that their fans feel included rather than alienated by their cool factor.

Beyond the innovative baseline of their catchy tunes, seeing them thrive while staying true to themselves aesthetically is not only fun to watch, it’s also super inspiring.

So much can be said about our sex-sells culture. And while this is not a platform to bash risquè outfit choices, because there are many artists who genuinely find freedom of expression in these looks, the existence of Flyana Boss serves as a reminder that there is more than one avenue to building a fanbase or achieving wide-reaching successes.