The Future of Rap is Nontraditional: An Interview with Rosie Grant

Female rap has a long history alongside their male counterparts. In fact, they were there from the beginning. With groups like L’Trimm and stars like Roxanne Shante, there is not doubt that women are a part of the foundation of Hip Hop. If not in front of the camera, they we’re changing the landscape of music culture from behind the scenes.

            We spoke with Rosie Grant, former manager to a female rap act, and a current host for a Hip-Hop podcast titled She Got The Juice about the future of Hip Hop and how women will lead the charge.

 JH: Rosie thank you for joining me to talk about one of my favorite subjects.

RG: Thanks for having me, it’s one of my favorite subjects too.

JH: Let’s get into it, what does the future of Hip Hop look like for you and what role do you see female rappers playing in that?

RG: I think the future of hip hop belongs to female and queer rappers. As society changes, we move away from a traditional idea of what a star is, that is usually male and cis-hetero. Nontraditional rappers are working hard, bringing the spark back to hip hop that we seen in the 90s.

JH: Does it feel like a necessary change?

RG: Absolutely, it is a necessary change. While hip hop has gone global, its gotten boring. Women and femme rappers such as Lil Nas X, bring excitement and controversy to the seen but in a fun and playful way.

JH: Who are your favorite acts?

RG: I really love Meg The Stallion, she is so refreshing and special. Cardi B, and I like the City Girls too, but I will always and forever be a Missy Elliot fan.

JH: Man! I love Missy Elliott; she is the foundation.

RG: She is! In terms of Afrofuturism, which is an artform and genre of its own. Missy set the standard and the aesthetic of that.

JH: What’s one world of advice you want to give to those coming up behind you?

RG: Always be a helper. Always be willing to pitch In, that’s how you learn this business. Don’t let anyone take advantage of you, but you can’t learn the industry without starting on the ground floor with the artist in your local scene.

JH: Thank you so much for joining me today and giving me some good material.

RG: Thank you for having me!

Kanye, Kim & The Disconnect Between Black Men & Women

     In one aspect Kim and Kanye represent the future of America in a truly post racial society. Where we identify by our cultural heritage and not the color of our skin. The Kardashian-West children are biracial children born of African American and Armenian American decent. Their “variations of a skin tone” are a glimpse into a world free of hatred and preconceived connotations. During the ramp up of the 2016 New York Fashion Week, Yeezy Season 4 premiere, Kanye caught a lot of heat for doing a "multicultural women only" model call. Whether you feel the use of the word “multicultural” was a slight against Dark complexioned women or just a chance to observe our definitions of what holding multiple cultures at home mean, it got people talking. It is fair to note, that since its inception Yeezy Season has featured models of all shades. Even still with this fact, it’s safe to say Kanye West has a polarizing effect on pop culture.

Kanye West’s polarizing characteristic are synonymous with his career. His ultra-high confidence, political views and incomparable talent make it so. We’ve seen enough interview reactions and think pieces to start a small library. The lack of conversation seems to center around the nearly 5-year marriage of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian and what effect that has had on the community who loved Kanye first.

Kanye represents a legacy of artists who grew to popularity in the Black community and later became larger than life. Garnering fans from across the globe, he no longer belongs to just us. It is no longer ok for Kanye to make statements like “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people.” He has to represent all his fans, all their pain, and all their struggles. It is a burdensome position for any person to be in.  While the majority of his fans understand it, Black women have a hard time accepting this from Kanye.

His change in rhetoric can be greatly attributed to his marriage. Kanye has the golden touch, and many Black women feel that the man who said “And when he gets on he’ll leave your ass for a White girl” should’ve blessed someone other than Kim Kardashian with it. Kim’s rise to fame can easily be attributed to Black men. From the notorious Ray J co-starring sex tape, to Kanye West rolling out the red carpet into the world of fashion elites for her. Yes, Kim was a reality star with her own money and seasons of success before Kanye, but she was nowhere near being the pop culture icon we see today.

In 2012, after the couple became public, KUWTK aired an episode featuring Kim, Kanye, and stylist Renelou Padora throwing away the bulk of Kim’s closet. She reluctantly let go of her wardrobe and former style at the advice of Renelou and Kanye. He rebranded Kim into fashion royalty. Herein lies the problem. 

Kanye is singlehandedly responsible for the appropriation of the aesthetic and beauty of Black women from various backgrounds but primarily Black women in the hood. There has not been a single “hood Black girl” trend that the Kardashian’s haven’t adopted as their own. While Kanye has never publically addressed the appropriation issue, he has also never publically condemned it either. He is the direct connection into our world. Teyana’s starring role in the Fade music video is the first time we’ve seen Kanye center Black women in his art since his marriage to Kim. When Black women call Kanye West out, celebrities included, it is met with a sea of Black men rebutting against them, saying who he chooses to love or marry should not be our concern. That it is hateful and in opposition to a better future where racial identity doesn’t matter more than cultural identity.  

Black women want to see Black men condemn Kanye for abandoning Black women, but it’s not going to happen. Black women are the only ones who identify the issue. We are the only ones who see Kanye’s creative genius as an inequitable exchange for his actions or inaction. In the wake of racialized violence and widespread White Supremacist ideology, Kim Kardashian took to the internet to tell Black women and Black queer men, to “get over” the racist rhetoric of YouTube beauty guru Jeffree Star.  Adding another stat to an already extensive list of cultural missteps perpetuated by the Kardashian/Jenner clan. 

We want to believe that marriage is more important than politics, that art is more important than mistakes, and that two people with different cultural backgrounds can be united in the name of love. Through that union much will be sacrificed, but Kim has not sacrificed any part of her world or her message. In 2015, the couple took a highly publicized trip to Armenia, to bring attention to the Armenian genocide, which took place between 1914-1923 and took the lives of 1.5 million Armenians. Kim Kardashian-West even took out a full page ad in the New York Times to write about it. On the other hand, Kanye has been preaching a message of unity and coming together. He no longer speaks about the injustice of Black Americans but instead the benefits of multiculturalism, even going as far to meet with Donald Trump following a highly controversial Presidential win, to discuss these ideals.

In all honesty, I love Kanye West. His contributions to the art world are endless and its always exciting to see what he will create. But in recent years I’ve grown disenchanted with Kanye the person, the icon. He seems to be lost in the curse of Hollywood stardom, where fame is more sought after than integrity.  As a Black woman I don’t feel as loved as I once did by Kanye. The All Falls Down music video seems like a shell of both Kanye and Stacy Dash. It leaves me scratching my head and wondering how the same Kanye who promised Mr. Rainey that he was gonna marry his daughter, and who loved his mother more than any words could articulate, would be so far away from the man that told the truth about America post Katrina. I look at Kanye’s line on Gold Digger as a premonition of the future. The ultimate goal of Mr. West. I’m neither surprised nor offended by him and Kris Jenner’s dedication to Kim Kardashian’s manufactured identity. I can wish for the old Kanye, but he will never be that person again. It is selfish to hold him to a standard he can no longer meet. Instead I wish that future Kanye remembers his origins, that he was born to a Black woman who was arrested at a sit in at age 5, and whose blood he claimed destined him for greatness. Keep changing the world Kanye, but don’t forget about the ones you started with.

We Should All Love Raphael Saadiq a Little More

Those who know, been knew. I didn’t write this piece to say that there was a collective lack of love for the singer, songwriter, and producer Raphael Saadiq. Even if you’re not aware of who he is, I can guarantee, that somewhere through the years you’ve come to love his sound. This multi-instrumental musician has worked alongside many greats including Whitney Houston, Jay-Z, D’Angelo, Earth, Wind & Fire, and a plethora of other artist.

My Saturday mornings are often spent cleaning and cooking breakfast while reviewing new albums that dropped the previous week. It was a pleasant surprise to hear Saadiq’s familiar crooning on the opening track to Rick Ross’s new album “Rather You Than Me”.  His first solo album “Instant Vintage” is always in regular rotation, but it was refreshing to hear Ross include Saadiq in modern hip hop while still allowing him to flourish in his natural form.

In a time where everything retro is reborn into collective coolness, it seems odd that Raphael Saadiq seems to be missed in the collective praise of all things 90s. My childhood was highlighted by the soulfulness of Lucy Pearl. When the group inevitably went their separate ways I was distraught about all the amazing sounds we would never get from them again. One of my favorite remixes ever came from Ludacris, when he featured him  on the remake of “Splash Waterfalls”. It took the notoriously playful Ludacris track and flipped it into something that could create a vibe of lit candles and incense smoke wafting through the air. 

He has been nominated for 15 Grammys and has only won one for his work as a songwriter on Erykah Badu’s “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)”. Not only has he been socially ignored but the industry has slighted him time and time again. But Saadiq doesn’t care. His talent and style are recognizably authentic.  In step with many of the R&B soul artists of the 90s, he’s living a reclusive lifestyle. I found myself wondering if he was married. Curious to know who an artist with so much depth would share their life with, I went to Google only to find there was very little information on his personal life. A quality I find admirable in this time of selling less of your work and more of your lifestyle.

For me, Raphael Saadiq and his music represent a fading time and space. Where good music was about the lyrics, chords, arrangements, and emotion of a song. R&B today is lacking. Lacking love, lacking soul, lacking heart. We have all of this and more with Saadiq, his production style can make you dance all day or leave you yearning all night.

It’s still cool to feel something, hearing him on Ross’s “Apple of my Eye” made me feel a lot of things. Mainly nostalgia, but through reflection it transformed into appreciation, for an artist we should all show a little more love for.

Why "Shinin’" Said Everything We All Needed to Hear

This past Sunday (Feb. 12, 2017) we all witnessed one of the most stunning Beyoncé performances to date, at the 2017 Grammys. Beyoncé presented a 9 minute, beautifully intricate and visual performance that seemed to be an ode to motherhood and Black women. This performance being the first time many of us has seen her since the February 1st announcement that The Carters were having twins. Beyoncé’ received 9 nominations for her 5th album titled “Lemonade”. The album doubled as a film, a visual representation of each track, taking us through the stages following heartbreak to healing.

This year was a particularly interesting year for The Recording Academy, at the heels of national protest against our President, and last year’s outcry of “#OscarssoWhite” We all wanted to see if Beyoncé’s incredible album could snag the coveted Album of the Year recognition. While Beyoncé did win for Best Record, and Best Urban Contemporary Album, she lost out on AOTY to Adele’s 25. Adele in turn gave a tear jerking acceptance speech that proclaimed Beyoncé as the one deserving of the AOTY. Rihanna’s 8 nominations for Anti went unanswered, which Justin Tinsley proclaimed as her Magnum Opus, but I’ll save that topic for a different post.

Immediately following the end of the award broadcasting, Tidal, the Jay-Z owned music streaming service, released “Shinin” a DJ Khaled joint featuring Beyoncé and Jay-Z. As the up-tempo beat comes in and we hear DJ Khaled say “I worked my whole life for this one.” It was evident that we had another Carter classic.

  “Shinin', shinin', shinin', shinin', yeah
All of this winnin', I've been losin' my mind, yeah

Oh, hold on
Don't try to
Slow me down
Hold on
Don't try to
Slow me down"
 

The chorus holds all the love of this track for me, a poignant point following the alleged Grammy snub. The lyrics go on to say that, “We smilin’ for a whole nother reason, it’s all smiles through all four seasons” followed by a classic Jay verse where he joyously raps about the upcoming birth of his twins.

While the scathing think pieces roll out criticizing the institution of The Recording Academy, who has only awarded AOTY to 2 Black artists in the last 20 years, The Carters are back to business. The loss of this award has no effect on the reasons this family is smiling and will continue to smile. They’re blessed beyond even their own imaginations, and with two new lives coming into the world what’s another Grammy in a home that already houses 43 in total.

My Formal Apology to Migos

 In 2013 I was in my kitchen cooking dinner while my boyfriend played a collection of trap/drill music. It was a mixture of Chief Keef, Young Thug, and Migos. He was playing songs just to watch me roll my eyes. “They all sound the same to me, why would anybody listen to this.” Coming up in a household as the only child living among adults who ranged in age from 48 to 17, I heard a variety of what I believed is good ass music. From Ray Charles, to Maxwell, to Slick Rick, and N.W.A, I can’t deny that I’m a tad bit of a music snob. Born in 89, I experienced growing up during the golden age of Hip Hop. Like anybody who loves the lyricism of the 90s, I’ve had low tolerance for the new age rap that relies heavily on its producers and not so much on forming poignant thoughts through rhyme schemes and punchlines.

Well herein lies the problem, the original producers were DJs and everyone knows there would be no Hip Hop without the DJs. The original Emcees, spit catchy lyrics over familiar beats and the magic seemed to be in the simplicity of the rhymes. A lesson in Hip Hop history will make you less of music snob, but that wasn’t the turning point for me with Migos, and while I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve just recently caught the wave, I should’ve been a fan.

“Bad & Boujee” is Migos latest chart topping single. I wasn’t checking for the song until I seen a video posted of them doing a show in Nigeria (see below), the crowd was gassed up when the beat dropped and the infamous “Rain Drop, Drop Top” line came in full blast. Seeing how Hip Hop is still connecting cultures and continents gave me goosebumps. After watching the video a half dozen times, then playing “Bad & Boujee” 20 more times, I went through their catalog and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It made me regret my early dismissal of their sound, because it’s some of the best music to come out in the oversaturated rap era.

Young Rich Niggas is now in regular rotation and “Rich Than Famous” is not just a motto it’s a lifestyle. Seriously, listen to YRN and see if you can make it through the whole thing without bopping.  It’s inspiring to see 3 Black men carve a way for themselves without taking on the pitfalls of signing to a label. They represent a mindset that all Black creatives should be adopting, never taking no for an answer, going into business for yourself, and never forget the ones you started with.  

I’llI spend the first few months of the year familiarizing myself with Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset. And simultaneously trying to figure out which one is the “Beyoncé” of the group. I would like my readers and Migos to know, I apologize. 

Oh yeah, shout out to Donald Glover for helping catapult "Bad & Boujee" to become the #1 song in the country. Look what happens when we stick together.

The Real Reason I Love Jay Z

Most people who know me have always known me to be a Jay-Z fan. The reality is I was 6 when Reasonable Doubt dropped, and I was too busy loving Tupac, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill and Nas to really ever consider Jay. When the Nas & Jay-Z beef took a strong hold on Hip Hop culture, I was undeniably on the side of Nas. He made music that inspired me, songs that made me want to write stories in lyrical form. Nas influenced the poet in me. I didn't become a Jay-Z fan until my mom bought me The Black Album for Christmas in 2003. I was in the 8th grade and was having the first inklings of what I wanted life to look like for myself. The first single "Change Clothes" was a jam to two step too, not my favorite Hov song, but it made me interested enough to bump the album. The first song that took me from a passive fan to an active stan was 99 problems. 

8th grade was filled with beef, rumors, and sexual pressure and temptation. In my mind I had 99 problems but a "nigga" would never be one. I had the same boyfriend all the way through middle school and later into high school, so it resonated with me on the most basic bitch levels possible. Delving deeper into the album Lucifer became a favorite, much to my Christian grandma's chagrin, I couldn't get enough of his effortless flow. My love for the 9th Wonder produced "Threats" pushed me over the edge, I had to have anything and everything Jay ever spit on. 

What appealed to me about Hov, in his music was his undeniable desire to succeed. The story of Rockafella was secondary because like I said I was only 6 when Reasonable Doubt dropped. Jay-Z could rap with the confidence of a cocky businessman because he was a confident, cocky businessman. He laid the bricks to his own path while still maintaining his street aura.

The hood I grew up in was most likely 100x nicer than Sean Carter's. My hood had a lake in it. My hood was clean, but growing up it still had the same problems any hood had. Drugs, poverty, and desperation. My family had some money, we were better off than most families, and in my mind we were the ceiling. I met a girl who would later become my best friend in middle school and her family had long money, money I had never seen up close. I never envied her. Their wealth motivated me. Whenever people would tell her she was rich, she'd say "We're not rich, we're comfortable." A phrase probably passed down to her from her parents, and I wanted to know what that type of comfort felt like. I had everything I could want materially, but she had everything she could need financially. I wanted that for myself. At 13 memorizing Jay lines, I knew I could have it, cause he came from a bottom I didn't know and reached a top I had only recently become familiar with. 

There were days I wouldn't have gotten out of bed without Jay. "Some How Some Way" got me through losing my childhood home. "Song Cry" got me through my first heartbreak. "Heart of the City" was my anthem to my haters. "Say Hello" later became the song that cures my doubts as a young mom carrying too much on her shoulders to be responsible for the feelings of everyone around me. 

I love Jay because he brought out the best in me. He showed me that rising to the top is a matter of business and strategy, not of luck or circumstance. As a young Black woman there's parts of Jay's music that will never resonate in the way of someone who has lived a hardened street life. But the desire to win, to defy the odds, is universal.   

I enjoy the seasoned Jay. I enjoy the family Jay who takes his daughter to lunch, and kisses the ankles of his wife. We joke that Jay went from "Forever Macking" to "My Wife's Beyoncé, I brag different" but I believe this was the goal. Jay has shared so much of his world with us through his music, his desire for a better relationship with his father and his aspirations to be a father his own children could be proud of. Jay had the dream we all have, to provide comfortably for our families. I see Jay in me and in my struggle, and that's the real reason I love Jay. 

The Honesty of J. Cole

  When I first started writing this piece I wanted to write about the powerful performance J. Cole had on the Late Show with David Letterman. Cole was there to promote his 3rd album  2014 Forest Hill Drive. The song he performed was titled "Be Free" and was originally released following the Mike Brown tragedy. An emotionally vulnerable chant about the pain that Black Americans have been feeling for centuries. A statement of protest, the song isn't even featured on the album.

   Most mainstream artist would have released their hottest single as promotion on the legendary David Letterman show. They would have fallen in line with the rap persona that we have all become so comfortable with. The misogynistic, materialistic, violence glorifying, rap artist. In an era of Hip Hop where the image will get you more success than the truth, as we see with Iggy, Rick Ross, and many others, J. Cole's honesty has proven itself to be a breathe of fresh air. In an interview with the Angie Martinez on Power 105, J. Cole gives an insightful yet sickeningly truthful perspective on the ills of America. He shared his thoughts on racism, capitalism, and the present state of Hip Hop. Not since the days of Tupac Shakur have we seen a rapper in the mainstream spotlight speak so openly about the problems in America.

  I think that it's important to highlight that many hip hop artist before Cole have spoken out about the systematic problems America has placed on it's Black citizens and the plight of a capitalistic system on the human psyche. Artist like Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def), Michael Jackson, Common, Erykah Badu, and many more. Most of the truth seekers and truth speakers never make it to main stage. Due to the fact the music industry profits more off bubblegum pop than it does off of realness. I believe with this album and this message Cole has established his-self as a champion who will continue to carry the torch for conscious Hip Hop. The type of Hip Hop the culture was born out of. As a fan of the art I can appreciate J. Cole for staying honest when fraudulent behavior is worthy of a Grammy nomination.  

[Edit] J. Cole's first week sales topped out at 361,120 copies. Wow. In the words of legendary producer 9th Wonder "Never Ever Compromise"

Congrats to @JColeNC. Never, ever....compromise...#361k

— 9th Wonder (@9thWonderMusic) December 16, 2014