In the male-dominated rap game, Detroit emcee DeJ Loaf resists the urge to be average at all costs.

Equal parts sass, street swag and raw ruggedness, the 25-year-old Loaf (real name Deja Trimble) ended any and all discussions of being a pretty-face novelty act from jump street with the vulgarly aggressive street anthem “Try Me,” in 2014.

The song earned her a contract with Columbia Records, the home of Beyonce and Pharrell, and recognition from Drake on social media. Even Detroit’s own Eminem needed her angelic, hypnotically high pitched tone on his song “Detroit vs. Everybody.”

Amid her initial rise in 2014, Loaf told Billboard, “It’s my music, it’s like real life. If you can relate to it, relate to it. Put your hands in the air, wave ’em side to side. Just understand that what I’m doing hasn’t been done and if it has, not in a long time. I just wanna be legendary.”

Notoriety and allegiance from her fans, known as “Lil Loafs,” have steadily grown since she was featured on Kid Ink’s radio-friendly smash hit “Be Real” (47 million views) and videos like “Me and You” (22 million views) and “Back Up” (33 million views). “Me U & Hennessy” and “We Winnin’” have also helped push her up the rap food chain by showing off her versatility and style.

Loaf has overcome her share of hardships. She was raised by her mother in the projects of east Detroit after her father was murdered when she was 4. Much of the pain is revealed in straightforward, blunt fashion. It’s clear that the former janitor and budding rap empress knows where she wants to go and demands to be taken seriously.

“Do I feel like I have to prove people wrong? I would say yeah, definitely. That’s what I say. I have a lot of people now who say, ‘She’s trash,’ ‘She’s not dope,’ ‘She’s the worst rapper ever,’” Loaf told Clash Music last October. “I’ve heard the craziest things, like ‘She’s bad for hip-hop,’ and it’s like, really? As much as I saw so many artists come and go, and I’m bad for hip-hop? These people are tough critics, you know what I’m saying? So I’m just ready to show them that I’m good for hip-hop. Good for music, period, not just hip-hop. I got it. I think I have a good ear for music.”

Loaf was named to XXL Magazine’s coveted 2015 Freshman Class and followed that up this year by being listed on Forbes’ “Hip-Hop Cash Prince(ess)” list. She is also up for best female hip-hop artist at this year’s BET Awards, where she is up against vets like Missy Elliott, Nicki Minaj, Remy Ma and Lil’ Kim.

As fans grow more and more interested in her relationship with Chicago rapper Lil Durk, the recently released videos “Chase Mine,” “Goals” and “Who Am I?” and the new mixtape “All Jokes Aside” seem to be the perfect precursor to her anticipated debut studio album.