THEHIPHOPDIVA.COM spoke with Rasheeda about what she’s bringing to hip hop and who influenced her. Here’s what she had to say.
HHD: You’ve been classified as the queen of crunk. Talk to us a little bit about what you consider crunk music to be and how you feel your music and musical style ties into it.
R: My musical style really got tied into it, like, from the first album with the crunk songs that I did do. To me crunk is just energetic club music. No matter what the mood is, when that song come on you gone get up. That’s just really what crunk music is to me. The title queen of crunk, that’s just something that was given to me. It doesn’t define who I am but I take it. They noticed that one part amongst all of the different things that I bring to the table.
HHD: Who are your favorite rappers and why?
R: Biggie, Pac, and Kanye West. Back in the day I liked, and it was still kinda before me, Rakim. Snoop, especialy his first. Dr. Dre early stuff. I like great rappers. Scarface and Outkast. Andre 3000 is really dope. Biggie when he would rhyme he painted pictures for you. Pac painted pictures too. All of them bring something different which make all of them individually something special.
HHD: Who would you consider the top three most influential female rappers and why?
R: Lauryn Hill, definitely. She came in and just made a lane and rode it. I’m talkin bout with the top down and the foot all the way on the gas. She did the damn thang. Lil Kim came in and just put it down doing her thing totally. I would have to say between a Foxy and a Missy. I like what Missy brought and continues to bring on a writing level. Foxy came in and made a name for herself and stamped it too. I was also influenced by Salt ‘N Pepa, MC Lyte. I can’t count them out.
HHD: I read that you say “Certified Hot Chick” is like a manual for women. What are you talking about on this album that women can relate to?
R: I say a manual for men and women, to be honest, because as far as women are concerned I’m touching on subjects that I know for a fact that other women have gone through. When I play the songs for my girlfriends they be jumping up and be like, ‘Girl, I’m telling you. I been through that same thang.’ I have a record like “Thing For You” when you have a good thing and you know it you gotta hold on and vice versa he has to as well. I have other records like “Better Off Alone”, you’re in a relationship with somebody and it’s just not healthy. Even though that’s what you want. You want this man but it ain’t healthy. You done put the good and the bad on the table and at the end of the day as much as it hurts me I’m better off alone. Then I got records like “Compliment” for men and women. The fellas can listen to it and see where we coming from. Then I got a bunch more other thangs going on. I can’t tell you everythang.
HHD: What do you think is needed right now in order for female rappers to have a strong presence in hip hop?
R: I think what’s needed is somebody who comes in and lays it down confident and sexy. Fly who can tangle with the fellas. Who can go hard when they need to go hard. Who can go sexy when it’s time to be sexy. Who can represent and stay consistent. That’s the problem that we have as females — staying consistent and getting out here and doing the shit to make it happen. You gotta put out great music. But you also gotta put in that work. You gotta grind. Women rule the world. We need somebody to stand to the forefront and say women rule the world and I’m one of the leaders. I’m saying everything that the women been wanting to say to ya’ll.
HHD: It seems like with every album you drop you always have a whole lot of hot singles. Very few people, whether they sing or rap, are able to do that. What’s your formula for putting your album together? Do you go into it saying I want to have as many singles as I can get? Or does it just come out that way in the end with the way you put it together?
R: Thank you, I appreciate that. I don’t go in with this big, long drawn out plan. It don’t work like that. My records depend on what’s going on with me at that time. I can’t put it all together as a plan because what I’m talking about that day may not be what’s going on in my head and my life at that point. I just go in and I do music according to how I feel and what feels good to me. The thing I think about the most is making sure my point comes across the way I want it to come across.
HHD: What do you feel right now you’re bringing to hip hop and more specifically what you’re bringing to hip hop as a female rapper?
R: Well I consider myself to be more than just a rapper. I can perform my little booty off. I got a little singing going on, on this album. I entertain. I make sure I spend a lot of time doing that. My initial thought and mindset is to bring that sexy, confident, classy, bossy, fly chick. That around the way hood but oh so fabulously fly chick who can come in and just do the damn thang. I want to bring something that can’t be lived without.
HHD: What’s your definition of a hip hop diva?
R: My definition of a hip hop diva is a strong leader, fly, don’t give a damn, do you, ain’t scared of no damn body, independent, sexy, bad bitch.
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