Sing. Smile. Soul.

Karima Scott

Photo by Travis Houze

STORY BY KAMESHIA JERAE HODGE, FNN EDITOR, ALUMNI BUREAU

Karima Danielle Scott, Friendship News Network Alumnus, is known for more than her natural look... she’s known for her natural vocals that have graced stages from Ras Lounge and the Electric Maid to Billie’s Black Bar in Harlem, NY – and most recently – at Koffee’s Lounge in northwest D.C. and with a band in Baltimore, MD.

Scott went to school for sociology, theatre, and women’s and gender studies, however, her first and last love has always been music. Even when persuing her undergraduate degree at George Mason University, she remained in the spotlight by singing at open mics, joining several performance arts organizations, and even recording and writing dozens of songs. Although she has yet to release an EP or album, Karima has gotten rave reviews from artists such as King Greatness, K-Prime, Omar the Saviour, Genous, and Tallahassee’s own DJ Spyda da Don.

When was the golden moment for D.C.’s shining star to find her brightness? According to an interview with WWS Magazine, “As a child, I remember my first official performance which was my sixth grade graduation, singing R. Kelly’s ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ with a graduating friend of mine… this was the first time my mother had really heard me, and saw the reaction that I got from people who heard me. From that moment, my mother pushed me to sing songs like ‘Amazing Grace’, ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’, ‘His Eye is On the Sparrow’, and other genres of music including reggae, R&B, jazz and pop. Despite the high volume in crime, child abuse, sex abuse and drug usage in my community, my mother helped me stay focused and keep intact with my God given talent. I started to write poetry that merged into songwriting.”

Her latest project, entitled Mahogany Blues, was the main focal point of a self-discovery and Black feminism epiphany that she had. Instead of depending on males in the mainstream and underground music scenes to define her role as an artist, she took music by the horns and set out to find her own producers, sound engineers, venues, and sound. One of her more popular singles “the Black Woman” – which was featured on EZ Street’s ‘Trending with EZ’ Radio Show – is the perfect personification of the beautiful new era of a love and appreciation for Black women that we must promote. Fortunately for us, a D.C. native and FNN and FCA alumnus has become the catalyst for this.

For more information about upcoming shows, new music, or photoshoot images, follow her on Twitter (@IamKarimaScott) and become like her “Songstress/Soul Artist: Karima Scott” page on Facebook.

Karima Scott was a 2007 graduate of Friendship Collegiate Academy, and 2011 graduate of 

George Mason University.

Kameisha Jerae Hodge was a 2007 graduate of Friendship Collegiate Academy, and 2012 graduate of Lafayette College.