Originally posted Friday, June 22, 2018 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Cancer-stricken Kennesaw resident and rapper Sharaya J fended off a strong challenge from "Rap Game" alum Lil Bri during the third week of "The Four."
Sharaya J is in the midst of chemo treatment for breast cancer and flying each week back to Atlanta from Los Angeles. It's not helping her voice, which sounds a bit rough. But her illness has not dimmed her fire on stage. She performed her own version of a Migos song.
Lil Bri, who is from Houston and is 14, came in third during the fourth season of "The Rap Game" earlier this year. Atlanta's Street Bud won that season. She came across on the show as mature beyond her years with a strong female attitude.
She has grown up since taping that show and her performance of a Lil Kim song Thursday was rock solid, full of intensity and charisma.
After Sharaya J won her challenge last week, she woke up with no voice.
A doctor said her chemo treatments are impacting her voice. He recommended she not do the group sing but she did it anyway. “I fought too hard to sit on the bench,” she said.
While she certainly may be getting some sympathy votes from the audience, she is earning her place on “The Four.”
The judges gave both rappers props. Meghan Trainor preferred LIl Bri's song choice but liked Sharaya J's bars more. Sean "Diddy" Combs noted how hoarse Sharaya was but she "pushed through." DJ Khaled called them both "amazing Queens." He liked the way Sharaya J "flipped the song and defended your title. Now Lil Bri: I can't front. You came out and whipped it down."
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