1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:04,480 Speaker 1: You're listening from Waiting on Reparations. It's a production of 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: my Heart Radio. Yeah, I'm waiting for my reparations. I 3 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: need my ship. Dope knife Arriet p y'all know what 4 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: TeV it is. She hit the lay up, I might 5 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: toss the meaniss. Y'all want the flavor, then, don't trip. 6 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: Just think of this this episode. You're gonna acknowledge what 7 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: it means celebrated father this day and now it's how 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: much to the Queen's clean the teeth in the respect? 9 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 1: Don't forget bout me an ex rod dig a note 10 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: name if you want to see him flex If you're 11 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: planning to stay Kathy and the Layer be our guest 12 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: waiting on reparation, start handing me my check yet. Yeah, 13 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: it's like this and like that dope knife fall lay 14 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: but my mama coming back. Of course it's a different 15 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 1: color and fly. I'm Tai's more for excellence because my 16 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: chromosomes got a second accident. And I don't think it's 17 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: an accident that happens. I'm the best the rest and 18 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 1: happen to have all this extra estrogen. Who she kind 19 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,279 Speaker 1: of feminine? She must be psycho. You're kind of right though, 20 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: I'm maybe it's private. I'm taking my off to wa 21 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: Ron makes Ron making take some pot host because the 22 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: monument ape the Faith in the Rock boy Man, even 23 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: where the episode Wescovery Christ has started, I'm deadly obscured. 24 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: But I'm sure you heard of miss Hank to the art, 25 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 1: Tak to the e R the eons where I put 26 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:18,279 Speaker 1: every beat that at beyond y know what's good people, 27 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: which is dope nighte Lingua franca. And we are waiting 28 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: on reparations up. So how are you doing? Yo? Um? 29 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: I went through an ordeal yesterday. What happened? Yeah? So 30 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: the long background is that in the wake of a 31 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 1: lot of the gun violence that I've been referencing um 32 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: in the show, just kind of talking about what's been 33 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: going on in the neighborhood, a lot of people have 34 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 1: been stepping up to like sort of form organizations or 35 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: launch programs for the youth. Because some of the people 36 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: who have involved in the shootings, either as suspects or victims, 37 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: have been very young, the youngest fifteen years old, and 38 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: so a lot of people are stepping up for the 39 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: young people, trying to, you know, get them involved in 40 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: leisure services activity from the government or launched their own 41 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: like tutoring programs and getting kids jobs, etcetera. And so 42 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: this one group and we're working with UM Save the 43 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: Youth had the idea of purchasing a city bus to 44 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 1: transport kids around to different activities in town and then 45 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: have us like a mobile portable, UM hangout spot, like 46 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:22,679 Speaker 1: put some PlayStations in there, just posted up on the 47 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 1: block and have a spot kids can come hang out 48 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: and instead of like we're down the streets by themselves. 49 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: So UM, we bought the city bus, uh like two 50 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 1: weeks ago, and UM the plan had been that, uh, 51 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: my partner Paul and this dude Donald, this this other 52 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: guy that rolls with him, we're gonna go down and 53 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: pick it up yesterday. So they had plane tickets. They 54 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:46,959 Speaker 1: drove them to the airport at like six o'clock in 55 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 1: the morning and they missed their flights. So we were like, well, 56 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 1: we're already an hour and a half. It's only another 57 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 1: four hours to Florida where the buses. So we just 58 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:02,959 Speaker 1: drove down and got it and then in um we 59 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: got it picked it up, drove it back. It was 60 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: like a tropical rain storm, but other than that was fine. Um, 61 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:12,079 Speaker 1: so we got to make it. The bus broke down 62 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: and Magan and so we hung out and makan for 63 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: like four hours trying to figure out what to do 64 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:21,920 Speaker 1: around what time was that that was around we had 65 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: to make around We're megan for like four hours. Finally 66 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: decided to get it towed back to Athens at like midnight, 67 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: and so we got back here. I got everything wrapped up, 68 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: including I had to like go to it and find 69 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: an a t M to pay the toe trunk person 70 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: at like four o'clock this morning. So we got like 71 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: four So I was in the in the car or 72 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: otherwise dealing with like bus stuff for twenty two hours yesterday. 73 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: For the love of the children. For the love of 74 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: the children. You know, I really believe about this project. 75 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: I think it's a great idea. Um. I just definitely 76 00:03:58,000 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: did not intend, you know, like I had a whole 77 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: day planned yesterday and then it was like, well, nope, 78 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: I am driving to Florida. I guess. So that has 79 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 1: been my That has been my saga. And that is 80 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: how I mean. I even I want to be like, well, 81 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: you know, at least everything got taken care of in 82 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: the end, and that's a hell of an ordeal though. Yeah, 83 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: we gotta get the alternator tuned up, I guess on 84 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: the bus so that I can be mobile again, or like, 85 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 1: you know, there's there's a there were many things that 86 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: were still left to be done in the bus anyway, 87 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: like you know, getting it wraps with something cool, and 88 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: like we were planning on converting it to like biofuels 89 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: so we can get like restaurant donation grease to like 90 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: fuel it so it would be cheaper to fuel and 91 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:42,920 Speaker 1: like teach kids about sustainability all this stuff. So now 92 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: that's just one extra thing on the list. But unfortunately 93 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: had a little bad news in the family. Uncle of 94 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,919 Speaker 1: mine and Liberia had passed away. Yeah, I mean apparently, 95 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:57,160 Speaker 1: you know, there's a new strain of COVID that's going 96 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 1: around in Liberia that's causing some damage. They're like as 97 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: a matter of fact, of happy in a couple of 98 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 1: African countries. Just to you know, words of the people 99 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: out there. You know what I'm saying, not to push anything, 100 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: but you know you should go and get vaccinated because 101 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 1: that's like literally the reason why is the stuff mutating 102 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: and changing and new strains and stuff like that. Yeah, 103 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: and it's it's truly a privilege to have the opportunity 104 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: to get vaccinated. There's so many like people in other 105 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: parts of the world they're like hoping that they could 106 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 1: get vaccinated and show you right, yeah, who don't even 107 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 1: have vaccines available and like, yeah, cases are up in 108 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:31,840 Speaker 1: a lot of parts of Africa. I've heard. Well, I'm 109 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: very sorry for your loss. Yeah, it's it's it's sad, 110 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: but it's you know, it's life. Um, But let's get 111 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: into some more positive things because we have a pretty 112 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,840 Speaker 1: jam packed episode for you guys today. We're going to 113 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: be talking about women in hip hop the impact they 114 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: have and to talk about that, we're gonna be chatting 115 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: with author of the book God Saved the Queen, which 116 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 1: is a fantastic, fantastic book by the way, I really 117 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: recommend it. Yeah, that God Saved the Queen's The Essential 118 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: History of Women in Hip Hop, author Kathy and Ley, 119 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 1: And we're going to have her on a little bit. 120 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: But before we do, you know, I was the one 121 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: who was primarily on this interview. Unfortunately the ride didn't 122 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: get a chance to be there, which I really wish. 123 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:21,040 Speaker 1: I mean, it was just a matter of like a 124 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 1: you know, circumstances scheduling and stuff. But it's like I 125 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: felt definitely kind of like, you know, man, I would 126 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: have loved to hear the two of you guys go 127 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: back and forth on this topic. But at the end 128 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: of the day, I think we had a pretty good 129 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 1: conversation that you guys are about to hear. But what 130 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 1: are some of your thoughts Mariah about? Like, first of all, 131 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: just like the trajectory that women have had hip hop, 132 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 1: both on the mic and behind it, you know what 133 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: I'm saying, And how's that changed or evolved in just 134 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: even your time of like being in the game, let 135 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 1: alone like the history of the whole thing. Yeah, well, 136 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: I mean I feel like I was somewhat of a 137 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:58,119 Speaker 1: late bloomer with my own hip hop career just because 138 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:02,279 Speaker 1: of like the way that women are treated in the industry. 139 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: Like I grew up feeling like I didn't have any 140 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 1: hip like female hip hop role models, despite you know, 141 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: kind of listening to folks like ms elliott Um. But 142 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: I think it's because of like the prominence or lack 143 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: thereof that like female hip hop artists have tended to 144 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: hold within the mainstream industry, like who who um labels 145 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: elevate and like you know who was seen as like 146 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: the main stars, etcetera. So despite the fact that there 147 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: have always been always been really robust representation within hip 148 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: hop culture for women since its inception, I think when 149 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: that sort of like gets filtered through, like the corporate 150 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: music landscape, a lot of it gets filtered out. And so, um, 151 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: it wasn't until I got older that I, um, you know, 152 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: started making using myself. But it's interesting, like the double 153 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: edged sword of you know, even still like being a 154 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 1: female hip hop artist. And I'm sure there's an of 155 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: other like identity intersections where people are like you wrap, 156 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: like what in addition to being female, like which I 157 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: think is the main thing when people find out a 158 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: wrap and like, you know, never mend me like what. 159 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: But you know, we we had our battle rap episode recently, 160 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 1: and a lot of that, you know, being a part 161 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 1: of that culture, um, just being subjected to and just 162 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: like an easy target of a lot of misogynists attacks 163 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: and good and you could say in good fun or whatever, 164 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: but being pretty much the only the only female battle 165 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 1: rapper in the scene when I was doing my thing, 166 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 1: um and experienced just a lot of life just had 167 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: a good tough skin around, like my gender identity with 168 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:47,559 Speaker 1: that regard um and oh but otherwise just interpersonally in 169 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 1: the scene doing with a lot of misogyny, like uh, 170 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: just like I guess there's assumption like you trying to 171 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: hit on me and stuff like that where it's just 172 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: like I want you to I want your respect as 173 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 1: an artist. I like want you did respect my music. Um, 174 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: I don't want to feel pressured like look a certain 175 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 1: way in order to like get your attention on stage. 176 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: I just want to be quiet, am And so some 177 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:08,559 Speaker 1: considerations that I think male artists don't always face. But 178 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: on the flip side, um, I think that the novelty 179 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: of being like one of the only female rappers pretty 180 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:20,199 Speaker 1: even the battle rap scene and happens and back in 181 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:24,439 Speaker 1: two sixteen to seventeen, it was actually like a boon, 182 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: like it had the reverse effect of what I experienced 183 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: as a kid with regards to like the female media 184 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: blackout was in the music industry where it was like, oh, snap, 185 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:37,199 Speaker 1: let's book that girl. Um, Like, I feel like I 186 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 1: got more opportunities than like the male artists, of whom 187 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 1: there were so many they were almost impossible to differentiate like, oh, 188 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: there's like so many dudes out here, but let's get 189 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,959 Speaker 1: that one girl, you know, to play the show, to 190 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 1: do this thing, etcetera. So to and to a to 191 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 1: an extent, it was actually a benefit to me um 192 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: as well. So it's just a mixed bag, honestly, UM 193 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 1: And I try to be really a about the I guess, 194 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:03,679 Speaker 1: like I don't want to call it privilege, but like 195 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 1: the some of the ease with which I was able 196 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:11,199 Speaker 1: to like get opportunities because of my gender, because like 197 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: I don't want I don't. I just think it's dangerous 198 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 1: to always construe gender as like a like a form 199 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: of oppression necessarily worth like in some instances, actually it 200 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: benefited me, And like I want to be very real 201 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:27,559 Speaker 1: about that, um where even though perhaps interpersonally in the 202 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: scene and otherwise I had to put up about ship 203 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: from people that just like didn't perspect women on the 204 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: artists who side of things. So do you think that 205 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: some of the advantages that you feel that you got, 206 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: do you think that was a circumstance of the time 207 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: period that you're in and that you're active in, Like 208 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,199 Speaker 1: do you think? And I think so too, Yeah, Like 209 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:48,839 Speaker 1: if you were like the only female rapper in the 210 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 1: battle scene in Athens in Like, do you think those 211 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: advantages still would have existed in that same way? No, No, 212 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 1: I don't. I mean because I think I think today. 213 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 1: I mean, like I haven't looked at the numbers. This 214 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: is tobally anecdotal, but from my experience of hip hop music, 215 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: it does seem like there are a lot more prominent 216 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: female hip hop artists today than there were when I 217 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 1: was growing up. Um, like more than I can count 218 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: on one hand. You know, we got like Nicki Minaj, 219 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:21,560 Speaker 1: one of the best sellers um in the industry, Megan Stallion. Yeah, 220 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 1: like there's so many and there and and genre blending 221 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:26,640 Speaker 1: to folks that sort of bringing some people like Beyonce 222 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,599 Speaker 1: and their delivery in their music. It's increasingly popular for 223 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:33,559 Speaker 1: her to like take on like a hip hop like 224 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: a rappers affect and some of her songs because it's 225 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: like being normalized that like being a woman that raps 226 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 1: is cool. I think we're talking about that Beyonce thing before. 227 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 1: I still say beyonceonp I don't know write your lyrics. 228 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: I hope it's her because goddamn, sometimes it's like whoa, 229 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: that's nasty, lord a mercy Jesus Christ. Yeah, and so yeah, 230 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 1: I mean I think I like to believe that girls 231 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: growing up today, Um though though representations of women in 232 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 1: hip hop are still highly sexualized, um, there's at least 233 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 1: a great representation in general. So there's like a little 234 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 1: girl growing up today could be like, oh, I could 235 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: be a rapper, because like they see the music videos 236 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 1: they here, they watch the YouTube, you know, they see 237 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 1: they see women doing this thing. Whereas when I was 238 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: growing up, it was like, look at Missy Elliott flailing 239 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: around in some trash bags on MTV and I can't 240 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 1: say the rain, you know, like, and that was and 241 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:28,439 Speaker 1: that was effectively it in terms of my exposure to 242 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 1: women in hip hop. Yeah, I mean little Kim was 243 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 1: definitely well Kim, yeah, Kim ground Like it was all 244 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 1: three of them were like around the same you know 245 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 1: what I mean, the same time period. So like, because 246 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,199 Speaker 1: I remember back then being a little bit older than you, like, 247 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 1: Missy was like the breath of fresh air. Yeah you 248 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying, because because you know, Little Kim 249 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 1: kind of came out the gate with the hyper sexuality thing. 250 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: And then obviously when something is popular, you have a 251 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: bunch of you know, like people like that kind of imitate, 252 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:02,880 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying. So it kind of seemed 253 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: like that was a saturation. So by the time Miss 254 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: Elliott came around, it was like, Yeah, I'm just doing 255 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: like these crazy wild videos and I'm in the trash 256 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: bag and yeah wild out and ship. It was like, 257 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: oh man, that's cool. It's like quirky and weird and 258 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:16,199 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. It was like an alternative. 259 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: But how do you how do you do? Do you 260 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,559 Speaker 1: feel any kind of way, like the same way that 261 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,199 Speaker 1: certain images are proliferated throughout hip hop, Like you know 262 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,680 Speaker 1: sometimes when we talk about like the glorification of gang 263 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 1: life and gang imagery and stuff like that, do you 264 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:35,559 Speaker 1: think that kind of that same sort of thing is 265 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: happening might be happening on any level with like in 266 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: the mainstream with female artists, like the proliferation of Yeah, 267 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: I do think so. I think that, Um, there's like 268 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: a there's this there's a sense of like to be 269 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 1: hard in this industry. There's like a couple of different ways, 270 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: like got a lot of money, I'll fuck you up. 271 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,599 Speaker 1: I like, you know, a bang I'm like abstrapped or 272 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 1: like like I get it in and like I might 273 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:04,199 Speaker 1: not own that in terms of like female rappers. It's 274 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 1: like I'm gonna tell you omahara, bitch, because like I'm 275 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:08,959 Speaker 1: gonna get into some pretty graphic detail about like what 276 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:10,839 Speaker 1: it's about to go down when the lights go off 277 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: kind of thing. Like I do think that is a 278 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 1: very predominant Um, it's it's it's a trope of the 279 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 1: lyrics and the music videos. Um. But then but like 280 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 1: you know, we have people like Princess Nokia that like 281 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 1: you're also owning like female representation in a very um 282 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: just ut like outside the box way of like what 283 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 1: your body can be like and like owning that, and 284 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: it's owning different what you wear. You know, it's like 285 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: different kind of stuff like that. Um, I think that 286 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 1: we are, even if even if it's mostly within the underground, 287 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 1: just like expanding notions of femininity within hip hop of 288 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: recent and I think it's good. It's good. I mean 289 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 1: it might take a while to trickle into the mainstream, 290 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: and depending on how you find mainstream, someone like Princess 291 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 1: Nokia is highly popular, but um, you know, we're getting 292 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: broadening the horizon. I think I think that we're getting 293 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: towards like novel forms of storytelling, um and different like 294 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 1: in visual representations, different ways women can look in hip hop. 295 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: But it's ultimately a battle against like what capital rewards. 296 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 1: Like I think that we do see a lot of 297 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 1: sexualized imagery and like lyricism among women because like, that's 298 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:23,560 Speaker 1: what we'll get you on. That's what will gives you 299 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 1: you know, uh play you know, uh universal music will 300 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 1: drop that Sony was going to drop that, you know, 301 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: no doubt. It's the reason that you see, you know, 302 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 1: the violent imagery and the gun imagery. It's with the 303 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:39,560 Speaker 1: It's with the market demands, you know what I means 304 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: with the market rewards. So that's what the market's going 305 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 1: to get. So we are going to take a little 306 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 1: break and then we get back. We're gonna have Kathy 307 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: Andelay and we're gonna talk to her about women in 308 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: hip hop and her book, God Save the Queen's. So 309 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 1: today we are adding with author of the book God 310 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 1: Save the Queen's, the Essential History of Women in Hip Hop, 311 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: Kathy Anderley, how are you doing, Hey, how's it going? 312 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: I'm good. I really need to invest in like a soundboard. 313 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 1: So when I introduced people like that, I can like 314 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 1: press like the audience sounds like yeah, like welcome you 315 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: to the show. Right. So the first thing that I 316 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 1: want to ask is I always like to ask people 317 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:28,800 Speaker 1: because it interests me, how did you get into hip hop? 318 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 1: Hip hop as as just like a fan? Just from 319 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: you know, you know what, what what was it about 320 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: hip hop? Pat your interest to get into as a fan? Um? 321 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: You know, I'm an eighties baby, and when I kind 322 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 1: of left the fog of the boy band era and 323 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: I'm talking new kids on the block, not Backstreet boys, 324 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: because I'm that old. I think that I would say 325 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: that I would mark you know nine that that that 326 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:06,680 Speaker 1: period of time. The first video that I think I've 327 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: really just gravitated towards was a Lady's First and it 328 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 1: was one of those things where I was like, wait, 329 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 1: what's happening here? Right? And I was only like ten 330 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 1: years old. But then it was in two with TLC 331 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 1: Ain'to Proud to beg and you know, there was there 332 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 1: were so many other songs and videos in between. But 333 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: when I can say that I went from hip hop 334 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: fan to hip hop head, I would say it was 335 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:40,359 Speaker 1: during that period of time and it's it's a it's 336 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 1: a funny introduction because you know, like at Proud to 337 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 1: Beg literally set the tone for my entire style up 338 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 1: until Fujie Law, which then changed it all up again. 339 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:55,640 Speaker 1: And you know, I was a Fujies fan between two 340 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 1: um boot for whatever reason, Booth Bop was like, I 341 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: was like, Wow, this is a great song, and you know, 342 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:05,400 Speaker 1: because I was a distract to fancause a Lauren Hill. 343 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 1: But I think like I went through these little periods 344 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 1: of time where like if you start with it was 345 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: from like Ladies First and Browns to Beg Fougi Law 346 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 1: and then like no Time by Little Kim, Like I 347 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 1: have very specific moments and there's the guys are in 348 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 1: between two. But you know we're we're here to talk 349 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:26,640 Speaker 1: about the ladies, so I um, you know, keeping it topical, 350 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:31,159 Speaker 1: but that was definitely I would say Ladies first. So 351 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 1: because so if Ladies First was like, you're the thing 352 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: that made you go from just being a fan to 353 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 1: like being ahead, then is it is it fair to 354 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:46,120 Speaker 1: say that like strong female oriented hip hop was kind 355 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 1: of like the thing that opened your eyes to like 356 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 1: what with the possibilities of what could be done with 357 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:55,360 Speaker 1: the genre. It was more, yes, but it was also 358 00:18:55,400 --> 00:19:00,919 Speaker 1: a relatability factor because you know it it was aspirational 359 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 1: at that point where it's like, oh, I could be 360 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 1: that cool one day, right, And I think that that 361 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:08,680 Speaker 1: was that was one of the things that also because 362 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: if you're thinking about that time period too, I was 363 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:14,159 Speaker 1: like a big fan of a different world and everything 364 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:17,200 Speaker 1: that was going on the whole, like Flower Child era 365 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 1: of hip hop, Like there was sayah and it was 366 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 1: a vibe and it was it was different. It was 367 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: fundamentally different from what I, as a kid had been 368 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:34,959 Speaker 1: listening to. And I think what, you know, I grew 369 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 1: up in a single parent household with my mom, so 370 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 1: I was always drawn to strong female leads and I 371 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 1: was I was, you know, raising only child, so to 372 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: be to see that in other women, even as a kid, 373 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:52,680 Speaker 1: it just it was representative of my mother. It was 374 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 1: representative who I wanted to grow into, you know. And 375 00:19:57,280 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 1: I can say I wasn't having like these really deep 376 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: thoughts as like a ten year old, but I know 377 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 1: throughout yeah, throughout over the years. What what always piqued 378 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 1: my interest in the way of um of hip hop 379 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 1: has always been what has connected to connected with me 380 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 1: based upon my own values and and and the women 381 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 1: around me and the woman I wanted to become. So then, okay, 382 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: so now going from being like a hip hop head 383 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 1: to actually being someone who is involved with like, you know, 384 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 1: the whether you want to say hip hop industry or 385 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,200 Speaker 1: hip hop culture. You're like you know, and you've been 386 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: ingrained and involved in it for twenty years plus. So 387 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: what was it that made you then make that transition? Well, 388 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:42,440 Speaker 1: as a kid, I UM, I might have written on 389 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 1: a few walls that might have been my person my 390 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: my first introduction to them, to the elements UM, but 391 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 1: you know, I as far as working in hip hop 392 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,200 Speaker 1: as a teenager, I UM, I worked at a court 393 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: store and my section was the hip hop section because 394 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 1: of course, right it was actually a hip hop and 395 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: electronic which was really funny because the two beats that 396 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 1: I would write about, um became hip hop and electronic 397 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 1: music because I just it was just cataloging and constantly 398 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,440 Speaker 1: knowing what these states and reading liner notes. It just 399 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: became a fascination. And then from there I went and 400 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: I worked in places like fat beats and and and 401 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 1: things like that. But you know, I when I was 402 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:36,880 Speaker 1: nineteen eighteen, nineteen nineteen, yeah, nineteen, I started handing out 403 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 1: flyers for the Roots and UM promoting their Black Lily 404 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: concert series while I'm from Jersey, but Black Lily was 405 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 1: also at the Wetlands and uh in New York and 406 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 1: UM they were they were pushing, you know, Black Lily 407 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 1: into nine. So I was like handing out flyers and 408 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: doing all this stuff. And that's when you know, things 409 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:03,640 Speaker 1: fall apart. Happened. They want the Grammy, all these things, 410 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 1: and I like literally hopped on at that point, and 411 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:13,160 Speaker 1: it became clear to me that in some way, shape 412 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:17,440 Speaker 1: or form, I wanted to become part of beyond you know, 413 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:19,920 Speaker 1: the culture of hip hop, the industry of hip hop 414 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: right and contribute in some way. I knew I couldn't wrap. 415 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 1: I certainly couldn't break UM, so I UM and I 416 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:31,639 Speaker 1: really tried and failed. When I was at Fat Beats 417 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 1: to DJ, I could do a little something, but I'm 418 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:36,760 Speaker 1: not going to sit there and you know, put any 419 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 1: put put a d J in front of my name 420 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 1: unless it's DJ Tanner. But but I I during that 421 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,200 Speaker 1: period of times, who was when I got started in writing, 422 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 1: and there were so many people who were part of 423 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:54,719 Speaker 1: the roots okay player message boards who were magazine editors 424 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: and writers and did all that kind of stuff. And 425 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:00,399 Speaker 1: you know, I was a writer. I always wrote as 426 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,800 Speaker 1: a little kid. I always you know, journals, and I 427 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 1: was a writer. And I was like, well, wait a minute, 428 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: do you remember what your first like story was. I do. 429 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 1: I covered, Um, you remember when the graffiti writers were, um, 430 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: we're tagging on trucker cups. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. My 431 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 1: first story was a little right up about how that 432 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:28,199 Speaker 1: was like returning to fashion. I had a friend who 433 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:30,920 Speaker 1: did that too for him. Yeah, he made some good 434 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:35,040 Speaker 1: money doing that. We're based in Georgia. I live in Savannah, Georgia. 435 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 1: My co host lives in Athens. Wow. Okay, yeah that 436 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: was like that was hot. Like you would go through 437 00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:44,359 Speaker 1: soho and it's like all the like old school um 438 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: graffiti writers were like, you know, tagging up on hats 439 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 1: and stuff. And I remember, um, I had one that um, 440 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 1: this one particular writer and the knack he tagged my 441 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 1: old tag name on it, and I thought that that. 442 00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 1: I thought that was like the coolest thing. And they 443 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:04,120 Speaker 1: used as the image for my for my article. Yeah. 444 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: So then from there on, you just it just started. 445 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 1: I just kept going from there and that was my 446 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 1: first print article. But I actually entered in a really 447 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:16,920 Speaker 1: weird period of time for for journalism in general, because 448 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:23,680 Speaker 1: I realized that I could pursue journalism at a time 449 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: where the Internet was kind of like figuring itself out 450 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: and we had a lot of those like were they 451 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 1: live journals back then? It was something there was there 452 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: was something was going on that was like kind of like, 453 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 1: you know, the predecessor to blogs. And I used the 454 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 1: Okay player message boards. There was a section called the 455 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: lesson and um I used that section to sit and 456 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 1: write my own little wanna be op eds and stuff, 457 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: and it just you know, it kind of continued from 458 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:54,720 Speaker 1: there until I, I mean, I feel helped something like 459 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,640 Speaker 1: that helps you develop like a writing voice there, right, absolutely, 460 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:02,479 Speaker 1: And I think that was the biggest, the weirdest thing too, 461 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:04,680 Speaker 1: when you when you were at certain magazines who want 462 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 1: to eliminate voice from pieces because there's like this uniform 463 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 1: voice that was that like a is that like a 464 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 1: thing where they try to take like the uniqueness out 465 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,680 Speaker 1: of the writing styles and stuff depending on the section 466 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 1: of the magazine. When you're getting started out there's there's 467 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: the front of book, you know, the fob that's got 468 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:28,639 Speaker 1: one voice, you know, and then you go to the 469 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: middle where you get more of the features, and then 470 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:35,160 Speaker 1: towards the end is where reviews typically I'm judging. I'm 471 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: going by the source and double Exile for for speaking 472 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 1: in hip hop. Um oh, I didn't mention that at 473 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 1: the beginning that you've written for the source Double Xel, 474 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: rolling Stone, Guardian et Centric. So okay, so you know, 475 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:57,880 Speaker 1: we got the first writing assignment and it's been going 476 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:02,200 Speaker 1: since then, so obviously we're skipping a bunch. But when 477 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:04,440 Speaker 1: we get to the point of you're sitting down to 478 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:08,360 Speaker 1: write God Save the Queens? What what has it inspired 479 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 1: you to? Like? Because I mean when you whenever anybody 480 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 1: takes an endeavor like that, you know, something with something 481 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 1: like that, I'm I'm kind of talking about it from 482 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:20,359 Speaker 1: a sort of artist, you know, perspective. So it's like you, 483 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 1: as the artist you're about to partake in creating a book, like, 484 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: what is it that made you feel like, hey, this 485 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,120 Speaker 1: is something that I need to do and now, well, 486 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 1: originally I wanted to do it in two thousand nine ish, 487 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 1: it had been in the works for like a long time. Yeah, 488 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 1: but publishers just weren't feeling it, like they didn't know 489 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:41,480 Speaker 1: because I kind of wanted to do it during the 490 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: time period where there was a lull in that one 491 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:48,119 Speaker 1: female hip hop artist, right, like the the one that 492 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 1: everybody always talks about, the one, And when I was 493 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:53,920 Speaker 1: thinking about this book, it was like one of those 494 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 1: things where there was no current person who was like 495 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: at the top, right, So this is like you said, like, 496 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 1: oh nine, Yeah, this was like literally minutes before Nicki 497 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:07,920 Speaker 1: Minaj Blue, like you know, two thousand and eight, she 498 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 1: was doing her thing on the mixtape circuit. But you know, 499 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: two thousand nine was like the year right that it 500 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 1: led into. And yeah, I was like I was like 501 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:21,679 Speaker 1: just too late at that point, and I think, um, 502 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:27,200 Speaker 1: I put it on hold. And over the years, I 503 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:31,200 Speaker 1: covered you know, um women in hip hop as my 504 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 1: primary beat, like just constantly trying to bring new, um, 505 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:38,320 Speaker 1: new female hip hop artists to the surface while still 506 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:41,639 Speaker 1: you know, um giving flowers to all the legends and 507 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 1: and that kind of continuous coverage. And then you know, 508 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 1: an artist came to me and wanted me to do 509 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:54,560 Speaker 1: her book and it did n't materialize, and then you know, 510 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: I had an agent by then, and he was like, 511 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:58,600 Speaker 1: you know, is there like a thing you've been kind 512 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 1: of sitting on. I was like, well, you know, I've 513 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:03,840 Speaker 1: been sitting on this idea of a book on women 514 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 1: and hip hop. He's like, that's the book, Like create 515 00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:08,680 Speaker 1: the first one so the rest can like they could 516 00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: be broken up into individuals, like there's no there's no 517 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:15,879 Speaker 1: Bible so to speak. Right, So that's really where it 518 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:19,120 Speaker 1: came back around. So when you say that, you were 519 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 1: kind of put you know, trying to see what was 520 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,240 Speaker 1: up with it back then, and we said, like, publishers 521 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:28,040 Speaker 1: weren't failing at yeah because it was because it was 522 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:30,200 Speaker 1: about women in hip hop. No, I think it was 523 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:33,440 Speaker 1: because they didn't they didn't know how to create the story. 524 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 1: So there's a book called Girls Like Us that um 525 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 1: talks about Carol King, Johnny Mitchell, and Carly Simon, right, 526 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 1: and it's like three representative women in that like folk rock, 527 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 1: singer songwriter genre. And I was asked to think of three, right, 528 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 1: three women in hip hop, and that could have so 529 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: you could say Queen Latifa, Lauren Hill, and Little Kim 530 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 1: Let's say, right, But then you've left out mc light 531 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 1: and Salt and Peppa and Roxan Shontay you know, um, 532 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: and so then you could say Rock Sandschnte, Salt and 533 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 1: Peppa and Queen Latifa. But then you've left out MC light, 534 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 1: You've left out Money Love, Foxy Brown. So and then 535 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 1: there was like this thing where it could be like, okay, 536 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 1: so representatives, right, so you could go beginning, middle, and 537 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:33,880 Speaker 1: then who was the last, like who was the looking ahead? 538 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 1: And in theory, that could have been at that point 539 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: Nicki Minaj. But there, you know, at that point, there 540 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 1: was also just we didn't know, we didn't know it 541 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 1: was to come, We didn't know any of it. So 542 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,320 Speaker 1: I think, you know that was that was the biggest struggle. 543 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: And yeah, I think it might have a lot to 544 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 1: do with women in hip hop. It it could have 545 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 1: to do with women in general. It could do black women, 546 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 1: Like there's there's so many different reasons why publishers act 547 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 1: the way they act, and I'm just I'm glad that 548 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 1: it finally happened. But in putting a book together and 549 00:30:11,040 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 1: you take a look back and now you've got four 550 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 1: decades of coverage that you have to be responsible for 551 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: accurately covering that became it was like, oh, what did 552 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 1: I sign up for? But I mean, do you how 553 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 1: do you think it's been received? I mean, people really 554 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:31,160 Speaker 1: like it. It's so funny because I'm just gonna say it, 555 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: there's always like a random white dude who will pull 556 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 1: some like female rapper out of obscurity, like you forgot 557 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:41,800 Speaker 1: about and I'm just like, it's all it's always that 558 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 1: dude that will try to like we don't don't forget 559 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:50,080 Speaker 1: you know, so and so had bars and it's just like, alright, cool, 560 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:53,760 Speaker 1: Like if you wrote a history on hip hop in general, 561 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 1: did how's your how's your ski? Low? Chapter? Going? Yeah, 562 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 1: Like I was just about to I was going to 563 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:02,440 Speaker 1: make that same analogy. It's like I kind of look 564 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:05,400 Speaker 1: at it, as you know, hip hop is like a 565 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: history book that has its chapters, and it's like it 566 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 1: doesn't it's not somebody not being in that history book 567 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:17,680 Speaker 1: isn't a denigration to their art or their contribution, no 568 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: more than it is for like you personally to not 569 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 1: be in a like actual classroom history book, you know 570 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:24,640 Speaker 1: what I mean? And like shout out of Skilo because 571 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: you know, I too wish I was a little bit 572 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 1: taller but like but it's like but it's like honestly, like, 573 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 1: don't come to me and asked me my Silky Fine 574 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 1: wasn't in the book. Yeah, you know, like you know, 575 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 1: a shout out of Stilky Fine too, because Romeo and 576 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 1: Juliet was a jam. But I you know, there's I 577 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:46,080 Speaker 1: had a whole chapter that had to get cut from 578 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 1: the book where you know, I was carrying on about 579 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:52,160 Speaker 1: conscious daughters and nonchalant and even Nana Cherry you know. 580 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 1: Um so that kind of it just put a hard pause, 581 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 1: um like looking for that kind of feedback because it 582 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:04,960 Speaker 1: was only and it was only going to make it 583 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:10,800 Speaker 1: a matter of just like trying to like prove that 584 00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:16,400 Speaker 1: they like you don't have to know every single female 585 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 1: rapper in history to make a good history book about 586 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:23,760 Speaker 1: female rappers. Yeah, I mean I used to. One of 587 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 1: the things I used to do is like I would 588 00:32:25,280 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 1: go into record stories, into the hip hop section and 589 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 1: just like I spend like an hour, two hours just 590 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: looking at the sheer volume of stuff that has been 591 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:38,880 Speaker 1: released through time. I mean, there's so many cats that 592 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 1: dropped one album or two albums like twenty years ago 593 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 1: that you know, unless you discover it for yourself personally, 594 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 1: it kind of will be lost in time, so you 595 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:50,400 Speaker 1: can't really I don't know how you can have that 596 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:53,600 Speaker 1: expectation that if somebody's making like an essential guide, it's 597 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:55,880 Speaker 1: like got the word essential in it for a reason. 598 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 1: You know, you can't have everything right, it's just in 599 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 1: you know, even there are there are a lot of um, 600 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 1: you know, female mcs that should all have mentioned, like 601 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 1: you know, Miss Melody, and like I tried, I tried, 602 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:20,200 Speaker 1: I tried, but it was you know, and I made 603 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:22,720 Speaker 1: sure that if there wasn't a whole chapter or something 604 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: like that, then at least there was a mention to 605 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: kind of just be like, you know this, this happened, 606 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:38,120 Speaker 1: you know, but it's it's hard or what do you 607 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:42,800 Speaker 1: think of the evolution of female rep as the years 608 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:49,440 Speaker 1: of progress? I think that it's been I hate saying 609 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:52,680 Speaker 1: that because I'm on some like I'm on some you know, 610 00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:55,920 Speaker 1: dogmatic hip hop ships. I'm you know, I'm looking at 611 00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:58,800 Speaker 1: people as mcs and I hate putting the word female 612 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:02,800 Speaker 1: before the word see. As long as you can, I 613 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:08,200 Speaker 1: think we're good. Um. I think that it's very much 614 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:10,240 Speaker 1: in line with what's going on in hip hop in general. 615 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:15,319 Speaker 1: You know, you have you have your artists who, um 616 00:34:15,560 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 1: remain closer to the core of hip hop culture. You 617 00:34:18,680 --> 00:34:21,480 Speaker 1: have your artists who are categorically pop music because hip 618 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:25,799 Speaker 1: hop is now the dominant genre, so it's pop anyway, right. Um. 619 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:31,480 Speaker 1: You have the artists to who mess with other genres 620 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:34,320 Speaker 1: and incorporate that into their their sound style. You know, 621 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:37,280 Speaker 1: you have you know, conscious artists, you have sex positive artists. 622 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:39,440 Speaker 1: Sometimes you have a conscious sex positive artist. I mean, 623 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:42,600 Speaker 1: I it's just very much in line with what's going on. 624 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:44,839 Speaker 1: You know, there's there's a lot of there's a lot 625 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 1: of everything. Because now we are given the luxury of 626 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,320 Speaker 1: having multiple women in the space, um, where it's not 627 00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:57,760 Speaker 1: necessarily pointing it out like wow, look at all the ladies, 628 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:02,040 Speaker 1: Like it's not that's it's we around you know. Maybe 629 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:06,520 Speaker 1: like about two years ago, that was like the cool observation. Right, 630 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:11,359 Speaker 1: it's not an observation anymore. Now women are just women winning. Yeah. 631 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 1: So who would you say is like or amongst some 632 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 1: of your favorite contemporary female hip hop artists. Well, see, 633 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:25,280 Speaker 1: my contemporary for me is still some of the legends 634 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:27,239 Speaker 1: who are like still doing it like I'm doing it. 635 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 1: I mean that that counts. I mean when I say contemporary, 636 00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:31,440 Speaker 1: I just mean people who are still doing it. I 637 00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:34,239 Speaker 1: don't mean somebody who's new, right, I mean I I 638 00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 1: love Little Kim like like up and down, you know, 639 00:35:38,160 --> 00:35:41,080 Speaker 1: and I do, And I love Nicki minaj To Um, 640 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:46,560 Speaker 1: but I love Meg i Um. I love Rhapsody with 641 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:49,080 Speaker 1: all my heart and soul. Shout out to my sister Rhapsody. 642 00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:57,680 Speaker 1: I there's It's funny because there's so many women now 643 00:35:58,560 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 1: that cater to different parts of my personality and I 644 00:36:03,719 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 1: love I love that we have that option again, like 645 00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:09,799 Speaker 1: all this like diversity, Like I love No Name. Um, 646 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:13,480 Speaker 1: I love cash to Hall Drezy my girl. Shout out 647 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:16,240 Speaker 1: to Drezy and shout out to cash to. We've covered 648 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:19,880 Speaker 1: no Name like a lot of no no Um. I 649 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:22,799 Speaker 1: love Lotto too, but Lotto she's dope too, Like I think, 650 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:28,440 Speaker 1: like there's just there's a there's just I can listen now, 651 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:32,560 Speaker 1: I can listen with a different ear, even Ruby Rose, 652 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:37,319 Speaker 1: like I like it's you can you listen and you're like, oh, 653 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:44,360 Speaker 1: you can hear the history and sometimes we don't. We 654 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:46,840 Speaker 1: don't think automatically when you listen to this, when you 655 00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:51,759 Speaker 1: send the city girls, right I hear Trina, I hear 656 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:55,600 Speaker 1: Kim right, and I think that it's cool too. It's 657 00:36:55,640 --> 00:36:59,600 Speaker 1: cool that that's happening, you know. And the thing that 658 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:02,760 Speaker 1: was also a really cool is in um Cardian Meg's 659 00:37:02,920 --> 00:37:06,759 Speaker 1: wop video just all the other um women in hip 660 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 1: hop that they had in there, like Suki Hana was 661 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:11,320 Speaker 1: in there, like there's it's just cool. Like what's happening 662 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:14,400 Speaker 1: right now is just dope. But I'm just I'm happy. 663 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:17,799 Speaker 1: I'm I'm happy that I can even hear a couple 664 00:37:17,840 --> 00:37:20,520 Speaker 1: of songs and be like okay, like and be put 665 00:37:20,640 --> 00:37:23,200 Speaker 1: on in ways that I might not have been. Like 666 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:27,239 Speaker 1: I that silhouette challenge is literally the way that I 667 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:31,880 Speaker 1: heard a Doja Cat song. Yeah, you know, and I 668 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:35,200 Speaker 1: don't you know, I know that there's a couple of 669 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:37,680 Speaker 1: other Doja Cat songs I've heard in the past, you know, 670 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:42,120 Speaker 1: um there's like the say so right, But when I 671 00:37:42,200 --> 00:37:44,080 Speaker 1: heard her rapping on that, I was like, oh, that's 672 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:47,040 Speaker 1: kind of like a left eye flow, you know. You know, 673 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:49,120 Speaker 1: I was going to ask you about that because I 674 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:53,520 Speaker 1: think the left eye is truly underrated for how dope 675 00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:57,000 Speaker 1: she was as a rapper. Left eye is everywhere, Like 676 00:37:57,360 --> 00:37:59,640 Speaker 1: I when I hear Cardi B, I hear Left Eye, 677 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:03,600 Speaker 1: where that's I guess I never I never thought about 678 00:38:03,800 --> 00:38:06,480 Speaker 1: the Left Eye CARDIV comparison. Left is one of my 679 00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:10,600 Speaker 1: favorite UM female in season history, and nobody gives her 680 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:16,239 Speaker 1: the credit she deserves because she was That's exactly what 681 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:18,200 Speaker 1: I was gonna say. It's because you know it has 682 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:21,240 Speaker 1: that It's I mean, it's just when people think of TLC, 683 00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:23,560 Speaker 1: they just they think of it as like an R 684 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:26,160 Speaker 1: and B or a pop group. So you know, people 685 00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:28,920 Speaker 1: forget that just about every song, like Left Eye had 686 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:32,439 Speaker 1: at least twelve bars. I mean, I did a piece 687 00:38:32,560 --> 00:38:36,239 Speaker 1: years back that TLC was the female public Enemy. Oh 688 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:39,879 Speaker 1: that's where a Left Eye was a combination of Chuck 689 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:45,400 Speaker 1: They and Flavor Flave. Okay, yeah, that that's that's that's baby. 690 00:38:45,440 --> 00:38:51,480 Speaker 1: Baby Baby ruined our dreams of TLC being just a 691 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:54,120 Speaker 1: rap group with Left Eye at the forefront with the 692 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:57,640 Speaker 1: bars and Chilian Tea bas singing in the back. Is 693 00:38:57,680 --> 00:39:00,080 Speaker 1: that what it was supposed to be? Well, Left I 694 00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:02,759 Speaker 1: was UM. Tebows and Left I were the first two 695 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:05,239 Speaker 1: members right UM and then there was a third girl 696 00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:08,920 Speaker 1: named Crystal, and I didn't work out with Crystal, so 697 00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:12,840 Speaker 1: It's the reason why Chili her real name is Rosanda. 698 00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:16,920 Speaker 1: It's the reason why her first name it doesn't have 699 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:21,560 Speaker 1: the same letter like Tien t Bas Lisa, left Eye, Chili, Crystal. 700 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:25,279 Speaker 1: You know. But it was it was like, you know, 701 00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:27,879 Speaker 1: that's why Rosonda, like you know, she joined the Fold later. 702 00:39:29,800 --> 00:39:31,880 Speaker 1: That's why I did. I had no I like, I 703 00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:34,320 Speaker 1: didn't even know that that was because now that I 704 00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:36,560 Speaker 1: think about it, I just think about how dope that 705 00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:39,080 Speaker 1: would be and somebody should try to do that, like 706 00:39:40,040 --> 00:39:43,719 Speaker 1: a group like that. But where the rappers the lead man? 707 00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:47,920 Speaker 1: You know, Um, the Fujis have four members originally, um, 708 00:39:49,520 --> 00:39:52,759 Speaker 1: a fourth girl named Marcy. No, I didn't know, but yeah, 709 00:39:52,840 --> 00:39:56,399 Speaker 1: and then Marcy left and then it just became white 710 00:39:56,719 --> 00:40:00,880 Speaker 1: and Lauren. Oh man, did she before they blew up? 711 00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:06,000 Speaker 1: I mean, do you remember Marcy? I hope she's well, 712 00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:10,080 Speaker 1: you know, but yeah, yeah, Marcy might have actually been 713 00:40:10,120 --> 00:40:16,320 Speaker 1: there before Lauren because Lauren's brother, Molani, he was the 714 00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:19,680 Speaker 1: one who I think brought her because he knew Whack 715 00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:22,239 Speaker 1: left and Proz. I think that's how the story went. 716 00:40:22,719 --> 00:40:24,920 Speaker 1: I heard something about a con was supposed to be 717 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:27,759 Speaker 1: a member, but he got locked up. Thus locked up 718 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:30,560 Speaker 1: so he wasn't there or something like that. I mean, anyway, 719 00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:34,520 Speaker 1: that would have been a cool group. That really would 720 00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:37,960 Speaker 1: have been like a supergroup in hindsight. Um, so do 721 00:40:38,080 --> 00:40:41,200 Speaker 1: you do you see us being at a point where 722 00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:46,000 Speaker 1: maybe like four or five years down the line, maybe 723 00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:51,440 Speaker 1: you know, the dominant most popular form of rap is 724 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:55,279 Speaker 1: you know, female rap, and that there's like that's like 725 00:40:55,400 --> 00:41:00,120 Speaker 1: the the game, that's been the game, but people are 726 00:41:00,200 --> 00:41:02,439 Speaker 1: just afraid to say it. So it's in five years 727 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:04,200 Speaker 1: from now, maybe they'll be the most will litill be 728 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:08,960 Speaker 1: more comfortable? Right? Women have have tapped into every single 729 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:12,840 Speaker 1: part of you know, hip hop society. I mean, for 730 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:16,120 Speaker 1: god's sakes, find me a male rapper who has a 731 00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:19,080 Speaker 1: piece of political history like the Sister Soldier moment. They 732 00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:21,759 Speaker 1: don't have that. You know, we women have hip hop 733 00:41:21,800 --> 00:41:26,560 Speaker 1: have tapped into every single aspect of everything. And in 734 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:30,160 Speaker 1: this even this year, the most controversy because you know, 735 00:41:30,280 --> 00:41:37,359 Speaker 1: hip hop causes controversy, but what's the most controversy wop? Literally? Right? 736 00:41:38,280 --> 00:41:41,919 Speaker 1: You know, so no women women are at the top, 737 00:41:42,120 --> 00:41:46,239 Speaker 1: like that's it's it's a because most of the dudes, like, um, 738 00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:49,880 Speaker 1: a lot of the men are are singing now I'm 739 00:41:49,920 --> 00:41:54,080 Speaker 1: calling it wrap. You know. So if we're talking about 740 00:41:54,160 --> 00:41:57,960 Speaker 1: someone who's just literally straight spitting, it's women. It's not men, 741 00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:01,919 Speaker 1: because when women do the same meaning thing, they become 742 00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:10,120 Speaker 1: an R and B artist. Lauren Hill, I mean, I 743 00:42:10,200 --> 00:42:12,200 Speaker 1: gave her two chapters in my book. She's the only 744 00:42:12,280 --> 00:42:15,040 Speaker 1: artist outside of Roxyne Shante that has two chapters in 745 00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:19,239 Speaker 1: my book. You know, Lauren Lauren Hill. For me, I 746 00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:21,400 Speaker 1: became a Lauren Hill fan. I had a I have 747 00:42:21,480 --> 00:42:24,800 Speaker 1: a very specific story of why I even how I 748 00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:30,719 Speaker 1: came to no Lauren Hill's music. Um. So one of 749 00:42:30,800 --> 00:42:34,880 Speaker 1: my friends when I was growing up and in grammar school, 750 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:37,920 Speaker 1: I was like seventh grade, eighth grade. It was like 751 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:41,680 Speaker 1: it was right before Sister Act two, so it sustract. 752 00:42:41,760 --> 00:42:45,719 Speaker 1: He was like nine two. So we're talking so um, 753 00:42:46,120 --> 00:42:52,040 Speaker 1: a friend of mine, his cousin with somebody in the 754 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:55,000 Speaker 1: Grand Puba's squad, Like, I want to maybe dj Alamo, 755 00:42:55,160 --> 00:43:00,239 Speaker 1: somebody like somebody in that um collective an He said 756 00:43:00,280 --> 00:43:03,640 Speaker 1: to me, he was like, you know there's um there's 757 00:43:03,640 --> 00:43:07,320 Speaker 1: a female wrapper, a rapper coming out of New Jersey 758 00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:10,680 Speaker 1: and they call her l And I was like really 759 00:43:11,320 --> 00:43:14,359 Speaker 1: because I was just getting into you know, hip hop 760 00:43:14,440 --> 00:43:16,560 Speaker 1: at that that time, it was like I was one 761 00:43:16,640 --> 00:43:20,160 Speaker 1: to two years off Ladies first. It was before actually 762 00:43:20,200 --> 00:43:24,759 Speaker 1: before TLC because TELC was ninety two, and um he 763 00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:26,880 Speaker 1: was like yeah, he's like and she's really good and 764 00:43:27,160 --> 00:43:31,040 Speaker 1: I have this like tape and you know, and played 765 00:43:31,080 --> 00:43:33,680 Speaker 1: me some rough and it was when Lauren was doing 766 00:43:33,760 --> 00:43:37,120 Speaker 1: that you know that that bouf bab like that like 767 00:43:37,200 --> 00:43:39,440 Speaker 1: that kind of like that weird like you know, like 768 00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:43,680 Speaker 1: when why like why Cleff wasn't instructing her cadence And 769 00:43:43,840 --> 00:43:47,160 Speaker 1: I was like, but um, but it was it was 770 00:43:47,400 --> 00:43:50,040 Speaker 1: that kind of but I was still like, oh, like 771 00:43:50,320 --> 00:43:56,239 Speaker 1: cool right and then um, his like I was just 772 00:43:56,320 --> 00:43:59,680 Speaker 1: always keeping up with what was going on with Lauren Hill, 773 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:01,880 Speaker 1: with the Lady they call l Which is really funny 774 00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:04,680 Speaker 1: because if you listen to the Ladies in the House, 775 00:44:05,239 --> 00:44:09,359 Speaker 1: um big cap song at the end when they're doing 776 00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:14,240 Speaker 1: the the role call and it was like Bahamadia unique 777 00:44:14,800 --> 00:44:17,120 Speaker 1: and it was and they go through each other precise 778 00:44:17,480 --> 00:44:20,080 Speaker 1: and they're like and the lady they call L and 779 00:44:20,160 --> 00:44:22,040 Speaker 1: like they that's what they literally call her. And that's 780 00:44:22,080 --> 00:44:24,480 Speaker 1: how I came. That's how I was introduced to her. 781 00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:29,080 Speaker 1: The Lady they call L right, and then you know, 782 00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:30,920 Speaker 1: since she was he was like, yeah, she's going to 783 00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:33,200 Speaker 1: be in a movie. And I was a Sister Act fan. 784 00:44:33,320 --> 00:44:35,080 Speaker 1: We were we were in Catholic school, so I was 785 00:44:35,080 --> 00:44:38,520 Speaker 1: a Distract fan and then you know, I um for 786 00:44:38,640 --> 00:44:41,200 Speaker 1: some of our younger listeners. Lauren Hill was in Sister 787 00:44:41,320 --> 00:44:43,200 Speaker 1: Act too. It was way before your time, don't worry 788 00:44:43,200 --> 00:44:46,919 Speaker 1: about it. So they're scene in Distract Too where Lauren 789 00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:49,439 Speaker 1: Hill comes out into the playground like I got the flow. 790 00:44:49,520 --> 00:44:51,880 Speaker 1: I got the flow, and then she you know the 791 00:44:52,160 --> 00:44:54,560 Speaker 1: here I go on the microphone about to wreck it right, 792 00:44:54,600 --> 00:44:57,840 Speaker 1: and it was like I know that whole do you 793 00:44:57,880 --> 00:45:01,759 Speaker 1: want to hear? It was crazy. So there's a part 794 00:45:01,840 --> 00:45:03,600 Speaker 1: where she goes but if Bi Bopara's want to rocket 795 00:45:03,719 --> 00:45:07,200 Speaker 1: kicks some monk or some miles. It's because of that 796 00:45:07,600 --> 00:45:11,520 Speaker 1: verse that I started listening to Thelonious Monk. Lauren Hell 797 00:45:11,600 --> 00:45:16,800 Speaker 1: put me onto every other artist anything that Lauren Hill mentioned. 798 00:45:17,000 --> 00:45:20,200 Speaker 1: I listened to, Um, I'll be Nina Simone and defecating 799 00:45:20,239 --> 00:45:23,520 Speaker 1: on your microphone. I started listening to Nina Simone. But 800 00:45:23,600 --> 00:45:28,480 Speaker 1: it's because Lauren read so much and listen to so 801 00:45:28,680 --> 00:45:32,560 Speaker 1: much and learned about so much. So when you listen 802 00:45:32,640 --> 00:45:36,640 Speaker 1: to the lyrics, they almost sound like they're contradicting each other, 803 00:45:37,640 --> 00:45:40,800 Speaker 1: but Lauren makes the through line the cathic thank you 804 00:45:40,880 --> 00:45:42,759 Speaker 1: for talking with me. UM, what do you what? What 805 00:45:42,840 --> 00:45:44,960 Speaker 1: do you have coming up or going on right now? 806 00:45:45,760 --> 00:45:49,600 Speaker 1: It's funny you should say that I'm holding So I 807 00:45:49,719 --> 00:45:52,239 Speaker 1: have moll My book God Saved the Queen's is out 808 00:45:52,320 --> 00:45:58,600 Speaker 1: now on paperback UM and then on August. Uh, baby 809 00:45:58,640 --> 00:46:03,520 Speaker 1: Girl better known as Aliyah, I can't show that in that. Yeah, 810 00:46:03,600 --> 00:46:05,719 Speaker 1: it's coming out in August seventeen. It's on the life 811 00:46:05,760 --> 00:46:11,719 Speaker 1: of Aliyah and UM. I actually in November have UM 812 00:46:12,080 --> 00:46:16,080 Speaker 1: an oracle card deck that I designed with the amazing 813 00:46:16,160 --> 00:46:19,200 Speaker 1: Monica Hanna. Now and it's the Hip Hop Queen's Oracle Deck, 814 00:46:19,239 --> 00:46:22,160 Speaker 1: where I've taken the women from God Save the Queen's 815 00:46:22,640 --> 00:46:25,440 Speaker 1: as well as UM other prominent like hip hop adjacent 816 00:46:25,480 --> 00:46:28,560 Speaker 1: women like Mary J. Blige, you know, UM another artist 817 00:46:28,800 --> 00:46:31,320 Speaker 1: Aliyah and UM we made an oracle card deck and 818 00:46:31,360 --> 00:46:33,560 Speaker 1: I wrote the guide book so that you can pull 819 00:46:33,640 --> 00:46:36,000 Speaker 1: a card and based on the attributes of the artists 820 00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:38,879 Speaker 1: in their career, like you can get like your your 821 00:46:38,920 --> 00:46:41,600 Speaker 1: intention for the day. And then I have another big, 822 00:46:41,719 --> 00:46:44,480 Speaker 1: major project that um is going to be announced soon. 823 00:46:44,840 --> 00:46:48,880 Speaker 1: But um, where can people find you? Um, I'm across 824 00:46:48,920 --> 00:46:51,640 Speaker 1: all social media platforms at CAT three thousand k A 825 00:46:51,719 --> 00:46:57,000 Speaker 1: t H three zero zero zero. Yeah, thank you for 826 00:46:57,120 --> 00:47:00,920 Speaker 1: talking with Thanks for having me. Oh yeah, this has 827 00:47:01,120 --> 00:47:06,399 Speaker 1: been really dope. So that is it for us this week. 828 00:47:06,719 --> 00:47:09,600 Speaker 1: We will be back next week and it will I 829 00:47:09,719 --> 00:47:12,120 Speaker 1: have a feeling next week is probably gonna be pretty 830 00:47:12,239 --> 00:47:16,640 Speaker 1: pretty heavy whatever. Whatever, it's been a long time. We 831 00:47:16,680 --> 00:47:18,719 Speaker 1: shouldn't have left you without a deb beat the step 832 00:47:18,760 --> 00:47:26,839 Speaker 1: two Hey yo, Joe, drop that yeah on, I don't 833 00:47:26,880 --> 00:47:33,479 Speaker 1: even know what y'all. Uh wait, no reparation. We wain't 834 00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:40,560 Speaker 1: no reparation, yeo. This this is flex beat. See you 835 00:47:40,680 --> 00:47:43,359 Speaker 1: next week. Listen to the rats first, don't just leave. 836 00:47:43,480 --> 00:47:45,520 Speaker 1: Thank you for tuning it. Can't wait to do again. 837 00:47:45,680 --> 00:47:47,839 Speaker 1: That was a proven when freestyle of use of pen. 838 00:47:48,000 --> 00:47:50,560 Speaker 1: I go from Frodo to Green Street, who again? African 839 00:47:50,600 --> 00:47:53,120 Speaker 1: and Toto please don't fool with him. Cops on my tail, 840 00:47:53,200 --> 00:47:55,040 Speaker 1: but I think that I'm losing them in its record 841 00:47:55,120 --> 00:47:57,879 Speaker 1: heat outside, so I use a swim. Oh, I think 842 00:47:57,920 --> 00:48:00,200 Speaker 1: it's in my reach. That's what I'm doing. I'm see 843 00:48:00,239 --> 00:48:02,040 Speaker 1: you on next week. I'm gonna end this ship. I 844 00:48:02,120 --> 00:48:04,400 Speaker 1: don't even have to speak. Take my black ass right 845 00:48:04,480 --> 00:48:11,640 Speaker 1: to Savannah Beach peace. I'm dope. Night. We are Waiting 846 00:48:11,719 --> 00:48:17,719 Speaker 1: on Reparations. See you next week. Listen to Waiting on 847 00:48:17,840 --> 00:48:21,239 Speaker 1: Reparations on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or 848 00:48:21,280 --> 00:48:22,600 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts