Rapsody released her debut album, The Idea of Beautiful, in August (click here to buy it), on 9th Wonder’s Jamla Records. For those who have been fortunate enough to hear it, it has been widely regarded as one of the best albums of the year. We had the opportunity to sit down recently with the talented MC and Chop It Up. She talked about a number of things, including how a trip to Africa changed her life and shaped the sound of her album, her code of culture over everything, why she considers herself an MC–not a female MC, her idea of what’s beautiful and much more. This is part 1. Stay tuned for part 2. Check out the video below. Related: Rapsody rhymes in The Backroom on 106 & Park (Video)

Get the drop on Rapsody’s lyrical game over at Rap Genius.