It takes a certain amount of fearlessness to be an artist, and as their name suggests, rap duo Aint Afraid is up for the challenge. Composed of identical twin sisters who perform under the stage-names Straingth and WiZdumb, the group is known for its blend of pop, hip-hop, and R&B. Born in Baltimore and raised in Detroit, the sisters have been singing together since they were two years old, destined to share the spotlight. 

As young, aspiring emcees looking for inspiration on how to unite their American and Muslim identities, the sisters realized that there was a void to fill, and the opportunity was theirs for the taking. Aint Afraid made their official debut as recording artists in June 2020 and have already garnered millions of streams. Their top hit, “LBP” (Little Bo Peep), is a powerful anthem that encourages women to use their voices and rejects the muslima status quo. Their first album dropped in the spring of 2021 and reflects similar themes of family, spirituality, and perseverance. 

In addition to performing, Aint Afraid dedicates much of their time to advocacy, teaching the youth to value and celebrate their faith through song, poetry, and other artistic outlets. These two inseparable sisters are making history as the first hijabi artists to perform at various venues and events across the country, reveling in every opportunity to bring their self-proclaimed “double dose of dopeness” to the stage.

You can check out their latest projects on Creatively here.

What is the first creative project you remember? 

When we were 16, our little sister had a book appreciation week at school, and at the end of the week all the kids had to draw their favorite storybook on a paper vest and wear it in a parade. Our little sister’s favorite book at the time was “Cat in The Hat.” We were so excited when she asked for our help. We went to an art supply store and grabbed streamers, ribbons, glitter of all kinds, and crafted the best red and white striped vest out of a paper bag and crafts. To top it all off, we made her a very long red and white top hat to match. Her hat was so big, the school decided she should be at the end of the parade as the big finale! 

Describe your aesthetic in three words. 

Bold, unique, undefined. 

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?

The most fulfilling collaboration thus far was when we got to work alongside Dell XPS and Yara Shahidi for the Youniverse project. Our core mission as Aint Afraid is to encourage people all over the world to be their unapologetic selves and to feel confident expressing who they are. So, to work on a campaign whose focus echoes our mission means the world.  

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself?

We were working with Instagram to showcase creativity with two objectives, euphoria and uniqueness. For the uniqueness portion, we wanted to show how we strive to grow, and we decided to represent that with roses. We covered a crew neck and a hijab entirely with foam shaped roses. Creating these pieces was testing, tiring, and very fun. At times we thought we wouldn’t be able to execute it right, but with determination and patience, ya girls accomplished it! This project taught us that we are capable of anything we put our minds to. It echoes the saying, “If we can see it, we can achieve it.” It’s cheesy, but so true. 

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with, or something you’re taught?

Creativity can be both. We believe creativity is unique to everyone and can be enhanced, evolved, or elevated by being taught. And being taught can look all kinds of ways: taking classes, learning from other people’s work, and just experiencing life. 

What’s the last dream you had?

The last dream one of us had was about both of us and our mom being chosen to save the world with these magical bracelets and we were being chased by villains of the bad bracelets. It was wild. But it could definitely be an incredible movie. 

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

We hope people write that Aint Afraid was exactly that: unafraid to stand out, stand apart, and stand up.

Peace and love and Thank you for reading. Sincerely – Ya girls – Aint Afraid 

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