If The Griselda clique brought the grit back into rap, then Buffalo’s East side’s Aitina Fareed-Cooke aka A.I. The Anomaly, is putting the conscience back into it. In an era of female rappers twerking it and rhyming about money, A.I The Anomaly is bringing back what is missing in the hip hop scene and that’s a healthy dose of sincerity, class, and integrity. Think Lauryn Hill meets Sista Souljah meets Queen Latifah. I sat down to the Buffalo, NY rapper to talk Buffalo, NY, female hip hop, and the what’s at stake for the arts—not only in the Buffalo area, but nationwide.