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The key to surviving in the music industry (or any industry) is persistence until perseverance. Los Angeles-based singer Safia Mafia is a true reflection of that sentiment. Influenced as a kid by every genre you can think of (yes, even country), she began singing in the choir. As she grew older and began honing her musical talents, she started recording music and working with local producers in Oakland. The music scene in the Bay Area has always been storied but more recently, the success of upstarts such as Kehlani, Kamaiyah, Saweetie, and more have garnered a lot of industry interest in artists from Oakland and surrounding areas.

After moving to Los Angeles in 2008, Safia ended up sleeping on friend’s couches while chasing her big dream. Not letting couch-surfing limit her, she hustled, networked, and created with artists and producers in the LA scene as much as she could. Fast forward to 2016, she turned her tragedy into triumph and dropped her first EP, Pure (What her name, Safia, means in English). Evolving musically and expanding her song-making prowess, Safia released Innermission in 2017, a step forward for her in song-writing, concepts, and experimentation.    

Ending last year with a bang, Safia released the infectious song "Weed & Wine" which is a collaboration with fellow Bay Area native Guapdad 4000. Laid back but catchy, the song details a very relatable "it's complicated" situation with an "I know I shouldn't  but I will" person. Despite the frustrating nature of the relationship, the song is great and light-hearted and sets up Safia for a big year. We're excited to premiere the video for "Weed & Wine" today. Speaking to us exclusively about the video, Safia said:

The 'Weed & Wine' video is a bright, colorful tour through a sh*tty 'on again, off again' relationship, complete with a cheating boyfriend and a group of homegirls there to help you shake him off and have a good time. Guapdad definitely added an element of back-handed charm to the song, which definitely shined through visually. I wanted the visuals to mirror the lighthearted energy of the music, and I think our dynamic really helped us make that happen.

In other exciting news, Safia is set to drop her new project, Love Kills, on February 1st. In the meantime, watch the exclusive premiere of the visual for "Weed & Wine" featuring Guapdad 4000 below.