There’s a certain kind of confidence you only get from testing your work in real rooms, in front of real people—not algorithms. With iF’s new single, that confidence is immediately audible. i.F—short for Imaginary Friend (and sometimes written online as iF where punctuation gets weird)—has never been interested in passive listening. She’s interested in motion.
A Buffalo-based rapper with a club-first mentality, i.F operates at the intersection of hip-hop, alternative energy, fandom, and performance. “100 Degrees” doesn’t feel like a casual drop—it sounds like an artist who understands how music is supposed to land in a room full of bodies.
Tagline: i.F is where music, movement, cosplay, and culture collide—built for the club, the camera, and the community.
Table of Contents
A Sound (and Artist) Built for Motion
Sonically, iF’s new single leans into up-tempo, New York drill–adjacent energy without letting the genre define it completely. The beat moves fast, the bounce is undeniable, and i.F’s delivery carries the confidence of someone who actually performs—often. This isn’t playlist filler; it’s music designed for physical response.
Like much of her catalog, “100 Degrees” is made to dance to. The rhythm feels almost choreographic, which is why anticipation is already building for the eventual music video and full dance reveal. The song already feels like it has a routine baked in—we’re just waiting to see it on screen. As she puts it herself, it’s time to get active… or get actiF.
Forged in Community: Buffalo, Hidden Village, and Real Rooms
The response to iF’s new single makes more sense when you understand where it was sharpened. Before the track hit streaming platforms, i.F was already refining her presence in Buffalo’s creative spaces, performing in front of real crowds that react in real time.
She’s been featured or headlined at multiple events with Hidden Village, appearing at no fewer than three parties while also capturing live performance content along the way. Hidden Village (https://wearehiddenvillage.com/) functions less like a venue and more like a cultural proving ground, tied directly into Buffalo’s Black geek and underground creative ecosystem—something Blerd has explored before here:
https://blerd.com/black-geek-culture-buffalo-dolls-world-blerdmas/
More Than a Solo Act: Co-Signs and Creative Circles
What helps iF’s new single land with added weight is that it isn’t arriving in isolation. i.F also appears on CSaint’s album EARF on the track “How Y’all Mad,” aligning her with one of Buffalo’s more uncompromising and visible voices.
That feature places her firmly inside an active creative circle rather than on the outside looking in. EARF is a project rooted in intent and pressure, and Blerd previously broke it down track by track here:
https://blerd.com/csaint-roasted-track-by-track-blerd-beats-x-earf/
Performance, Persona, and Play
Part of why iF’s new single feels fully realized is because the artist behind it is anything but one-dimensional. i.F is a big personality who understands that performance doesn’t end when the song does—it evolves. She can give fun, goofy, or unapologetically sexy with little more than a wardrobe change and a wig swap.
That versatility extends directly into cosplay, where she’s built a recognizable online presence. She’ll give you everything from The Lorax energy, to commanding Storm presence, to what she’s arguably most known for online: her spot-on takes on Tina Belcher. It’s playful, intentional, and rooted in fandom rather than irony.
Outside the booth, she’s also a hairstylist and content creator, folding beauty directly into her creative ecosystem through interviews with fellow creators while doing their hair—turning conversation into something relaxed, intimate, and community-driven. (And yes, there’s an interview on the way worth keeping an eye out for.)
Why She’s Still Under the Radar (For Now)
Ultimately, iF’s new single feels less like a breakout attempt and more like a checkpoint. i.F is independent, Buffalo-rooted, and focused on building something durable rather than chasing viral shortcuts. That approach usually means slower visibility—but stronger foundations.
Artists who come up this way tend to stick.
Where to Listen and Tap In
Stream “100 Degrees” now:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1lReH70CtitWZumvWx7P6a
- Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/i-f/1708811377
For everything else—music, content, cosplay, and upcoming drops—hit i.F’s Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/imaginary.friend
Final Take
i.F is balancing music, movement, fandom, beauty, live events, and content all at once—and instead of diluting her focus, it’s sharpening it. With Buffalo as her base, Hidden Village as a proving ground, and collaborators like CSaint already in her orbit, she’s positioning herself smartly.
Don’t just watch.
Get actiF.
