Nova Rockafeller
Birth nameNova Leigh Paholek
Also known asElle Dirty D,[1] epdMC[1]
Born (1988-07-22) July 22, 1988
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • music video director
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2009–present
Labels
Websitenovarockafeller.com

Nova Leigh Paholek (born July 22, 1988), known professionally as Nova Rockafeller, is a Canadian independent rapper, singer, songwriter, and music video director.

Early life

Rockafeller was born in Edmonton,[4] but raised in Jamaica;[2] living there from the ages of 9 to 14[5] after her family started a water sports business.[1] She also briefly lived in Toronto and New York City.[6][7] As a teen, she dropped out of high school and began rapping during a difficult period of her life split between sleeping at the Edmonton Youth Emergency Shelter and living in a series of group homes.[4] She was inspired to start rapping after exploring the online battle rap forums by her then boyfriend.[6]

Career

Rockafeller grew up surrounded by music as her father and her brother, Terry Paholek, were heavily involved with the Edmonton music scene and had their own home studio.[4] She began rapping at the age of 15 when she was living in a group home.[8][4] The moniker 'Nova Rockafeller' was given to her one night during a party with other rappers, who decided she needed a new name.[6]

In 2011, Rockafeller released her debut album Insufficient Funds, which chronicled six months of her life.[6] In 2012, Rockafeller had her song 'call me (BAT MAN) 347-574-7192' posted on the front of The Pirate Bay during its period as 'The Promo Bay'; the song was available as a free download.[9]

Mercury Records took notice of her, so Rockafeller moved to New York and signed with them.[10] The label would later become Island Records, and, in turn Def Jam.[4] Her relationship with Def Jam ended when the company dropped her without warning after three and a half years. She found out when her landlord said that the company would no longer pay her rent.[8] Prior to the label dropping her, Rockafeller had been working on an album named Accidentally Gangster,[7] which was cancelled.

In 2015, during her time with Def Jam, Rockafeller began to break out into the mainstream with her single "Made in Gold", which reached the Top 20 on Sirius Top Hits.[3] The single was featured in teen comedy film The Duff.[4][11] Her music has also been featured on Siesta Keys, Dancing with the Stars, and Bad Girls Club.[3] That year, she toured with Set it Off and All Time Low,[3][12] as well as performed at SXSW,[13] Riot Fest,[14][15] and the Gathering of the Juggalos.[16] Since her appearance at the Gathering, Rockafeller has been associated with the Insane Clown Posse and the Juggalo movement.[17] She also performed at Violent J's first solo charity tour with Lil Eazy-E.[18]

In 2021, Rockafeller released "Hey You", her first solo single in over 2 years to tease her newest album Scared of Heights.[8] The video received over 250 thousand views within a single day.[19]

Side projects

In 2012, Rockafeller launched her line of jewellery 'Toys on Chains'.[20][7]

Personal life

Relationships

In 2017, Rockafeller began dating Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald. Together, they started the band GFBF and began writing music.[21] When MacDonald wrote 'Dear Rappers' and became famous, Rockafeller poured herself into supporting him. She shot and directed all of his music videos after 2017, created his website, co-wrote hooks, was featured on most of his albums, and helped him navigate the music industry away from the pitfalls she experienced.[8]

Influences

Rockafeller has cited some of her influences as Good Charlotte, Blink-182,[12] Fugees, A Tribe Called Quest, Damian Marley, Weezer, Busta Rhymes, Outkast, Bright Eyes, Nirvana, Die Antwoord, and Meg Myers.[1]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected details
Title Album details
Insufficient Funds
  • Released: September 21, 2011[7]
  • Labels: Self-released
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Scared of Heights
As Far as the Stars (with Tom MacDonald and Brandon Hart)
  • Released: April 9, 2021
  • Labels: Self-released
  • Formats: CD

Extended plays

List of EPs, with selected details
Title Details
Ampt

Singles

  • "1990s" (2014)
  • "Made in Gold" (2015)
  • "MI YARD" (2016)
  • "Wishing Well" (2018)
  • "Jesus on My Neck" (2018)
  • "Genghis Khan" (2018)
  • "Hey You" (2021)
  • "Did Your Best" (2021)

With Tom MacDonald

  • "Sober" (2020), with Madchild, ft. Nova Rockafeller
  • "Bad News" (2020), with Madchild, ft. Nova Rockafeller
  • "Gang Gang" (2021)
  • "No Good Bastards" (2021), with Nova Rockafeller & Brandon Hart
  • "Church" (2021), with Brandon Hart ft. Nova Rockafeller
  • "Heart Emojis" (2021), with Brandon Hart ft. Nova Rockafeller
  • "In God We Trust" (2022), with Adam Calhoun, Struggle Jennings, & Nova Rockafeller
  • "Chrome" (2023), with Adam Calhoun & Nova Rockafeller

With Violent J

With The Wikid One

  • "Find Me" (2017), ft. Nova Rockafeller

With Rp Jesus

  • "Pillz" (2017), ft. GFBF, Nova Rockafeller & Tom MacDonald

With Thrashole

  • "You Want Her" (2018), ft. Blimes, The Buttress & Nova Rockafeller

With D-LinQuint

  • "Superstar" (2019), ft. Nova Rockafeller, Y.I.C & Jay P

With Rachel Geek

  • "Come Talk to Me" (2020), ft. Nova Rockafeller

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Weekly, RAY SCHWEIBERT, Atlantic City (April 8, 2015). "Island girl Nova Rockafeller will rock the house at The Pool After Dark Friday". Atlantic City Weekly.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. 1 2 3 MANGUM, SEKIA (April 13, 2015). "Celebrity Sightings: Female rapper Nova Rockafeller spotted at The Pool". Press of Atlantic City.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Romaker, Ian (December 28, 2018). "Strong sentiments against the man: Nova Palohek and Tom MacDonald [GFBF]".
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Nova Rockafeller: from the streets of Edmonton to a record label". CBC. March 18, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  5. ↑ Nova Rockafeller – Shabooty Interview Series. YouTube. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Nova Rockafeller – Videointerview with GermanRhymes.de (english). YouTube.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "HIP HOP: Nova Rockafeller is sexy and she knows it". GIG CITY. January 11, 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Why I quit rapping". NOVA ROCKAFELLER. January 6, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Nova Rockafeller on Pirate Bay | Faygoluvers". March 10, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Being an Independent rapper vs. a Major label artist". NOVA ROCKAFELLER. May 9, 2020.
  11. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: YAH Chats with Soundtrack Artist Nova Rockafeller at THE DUFF Premiere. YouTube.
  12. 1 2 "After touring with All Time Low, Set It Off, Nova Rockafeller premieres new tracks". Alternative Press. December 23, 2015.
  13. ↑ "SXSW Music List No. 9". www.austinchronicle.com.
  14. ↑ "Riot Fest Toronto 2015 Lineup Announced Featuring Wu-Tang Clan, Drive Like Jehu, and Rancid -". June 1, 2015.
  15. ↑ Exclaim
  16. ↑ "What's It Like to Be a Female Rapper at Gathering of the Juggalos?". LA Weekly. July 28, 2015.
  17. ↑ Seife, Ethan de. "What I'm Watching: The 2015 'Gathering of the Juggalos' Infomercial". Seven Days.
  18. ↑ "Violent J • Nova Rockafeller • Lil Eazy-E • Ghetto Blast • rap, hip-hop • Dj Stigmata at Launchpad, Albuquerque". alibi.
  19. ↑ Rockafeller, Nova [@NovaRockafeller] (January 9, 2021). "Woke up to 250k views on my new music video – "Hey You" 😎 https://t.co/UgoDWSfvcB https://t.co/wXX0S2r5oR" (Tweet). Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021 – via Twitter.
  20. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: TOYS ON CHAINS by NOVA ROCKAFELLER. YouTube.
  21. ↑ Nyanchama, Venic (June 24, 2020). "Tom MacDonald: Bio and net worth in 2020". Tuko.co.ke – Kenya news.
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