Mel V Chapo
Kinaya N. Robinson (professionally known as Mel V Chapo) is an American singer from Houston, Texas. Houston has produced some of the best names in hip-hop history, including UGK, Scarface, and Devin the Dude. Mel V was fascinated by music at a young age. Her early days in cyphers were the basis of her subsequent life in the music world. Freestyle sessions with the locals and jamming with peers allowed her to develop her style. Mel V is a popular artist within the dark plugg genre, a subculture of hip-hop. On June 27, 2024 she released her dark plugg EP Chapolations. Mel V's music draws similar comparisons to well-known artists such as Lazer Dim 700, Katie Got Bandz, and Chief Keef. In Chapolations, there were singles met with success in the underground, such as tracks like "Kawhi" and "Undertaker."
After the release of her EP, she was making an impact in the underground and even the mainstream. Publications such as The Fader, Pitchfork, and SOXO Radio wrote articles on her successes. Media outlets have said Mel V is one of the most dynamic up-and-coming artists. She released several singles before her debut album, Chaponomical. In 2024, she released songs such as "Tech", "ex, ex, ex" and "kunta chapo." "Simlish" was Al Chapo and Capcrunch's work for her first single in 2025. The track received positive reviews from fans and critics. As her popularity grew, A-list artists began noticing her success, such as Tyler, The Creator. Chaponomical was her second hit following her popular single "Seeing 20" from her aforementioned EP.