OHH Exclusive Interview: LADY TWIST

Lady Twist is probably the only out hip hop artist we will feature for an exclusive interview that does not yet have a CD of original non-mixtape material out. Yet, that doesn't stop her from being relevant and worth an Exclusive Interview. She was an out Lesbian rapper on Vh1 Ego Trip's Miss Rap Supreme. She wasn't playing a role, she was being herself. She also won the most votes of who should be interviewed next by the readers of OutHipHop.com. So here you have it. We think it's a great interview, but we're biased. Here it is:

So, what was the process to get on Miss Rap Supreme like?

First of all, I heard about it through a friend of mine on MySpace (shout out to Ms. Felony). I contacted Vh1 and they gave me a list of questions to answer and told me to send them a video audition; so I did. I took the camcorder on the block, to the studio, in the car etc. and just kept it 100 with them. Two months later they called and told me to pack my shit cuz I'm goin' to L.A. and the rest is history...

Were you out from the get go or was it don't ask don't tell style?

Honestly, once my mother found out and was cool with it I was like "fuck the world!". I was 15 then. At the same time I didn't just run around with a gay flag dangling from my ass either. My theory was if you ask me I'll tell you but otherwise I'm not going to volunteer that information. So yes, it was a don't ask don't tell style.

What was being on a reality show like?

The pressure was insane! Cameras everywhere; no privacy; a bunch of yelling and screaming women fighting for camera time...it was just too much. That shit literally drove me to drink. Sometimes I would go into the bathroom and sit on the toilet just to get a moment to myself cuz that was the only place the cameras weren't allowed to follow me. At the same time, it was a good experience. It was a lot of fun. Everybody was cool as hell! You guys didn't get to see it (because they've been so hell bent on exaggerating the drama) but we had some good times at the Fembassy. We laughed a lot, joked around a lot...we kicked it hard! But again, fun and laughter don't get ratings, drama does; so thats what y'all got to see.

Did being on the show help make any connections for a major label or distribution deal?

I've made some good contacts by way of the show and in my own city I'm known everywhere I go. So, this is definitely a stepping stone to my mainstream career. I've had my career mapped out for the longest but now that people know who I am its gonna be a lot easier. For example: there's a lot of local DJs that used to blow me off less than a year ago. I would approach them and they would play me to the left and probably threw my CDs away...but now these same DJs are kissing my ass and asking me for my CD. Imagine that! People ain't shit...

Did you know that there was a world of out Lesbian (and gay) rappers?

Honestly, no--I mean on a mainstream level that is. I can only imagine how many underground out rappers there are...shit, a year ago I was one of them.

Had you ever heard of any out LGBT rappers and if so, who?

Shit...unless Ellen dropped an album and I didn't know about it, no. lol Seriously though, I have theories about some of our mainstream artists but other than that, no.

What was the first rap or hip hop record you bought?

The first rap album I bought was "Creepin' on ah comeup" by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

How long have you been rapping?

I've been rapping since I was seven, so, 16 years.

What do you think about the state of hip hop and rap right now?

Man...honestly, I'm a little disappointed in Hip Hop right now. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of hip hop artists that I actually respect and kind of look up to like Ludacris, Eminem, The Game and Nas to name a few but for the most part it seems like all you need is a hot beat and/or a dance and you could sing your ABCs while gargling and have a #1 hit. I think that consumers need to realize that they have the right to reject retarded music. A lot of people may feel that the Soulja Boys of the industry is all the have to choose from so they just accept bullshit, when in actuality you have the power to change whats happening with the power of the dollar. Artists know that they don't have to talk about shit to sell records so they keep pumping out bullshit cuz they know that people are going to buy it. In this day and age, Hip Hop has the power to change the world and no one is stepping up to the plate. We as artists are not responsible for raising people's children but I do think that every once in a while we should use our power of influence to nudge people in the right direction. For example, if people love and respect a certain artist and that artist is an out crackhead with has his own room in jail...then what do you think the people who look up to him are gonna do? Now take me for example, people love me and like the music and I just graduated from college...so what do you think people are gonna want to do now? I could go on and on about this, just check out my YouTube videos on the topic...

We read in your MySpace bulletin that you were finishing the semester in College. What are you studying
for your degree in?

My degree is in Journalism. I graduated last week, praise the Lord! I'm so tired of school I could scream...but I knew I had to finish what I started.

Do you plan to stay in Chicago or move to LA or NYC?

You know, as much as I'd love to stay in Chi City, I'm planning to relocate when I get my money right. I need to move around and see different shit. I want to be a well-rounded and cultured MC and if Chicago is all I know then how can I reach the masses? My next move is likely going to be to ATL, I need to get a little Atlanta in my blood cuz thats where Hip Hop lives right now. Also, I'm planning to head back to LA for a while to kick it with Bree.

We read you had some collaborations you might be working on. Want to share with us who?

I've got a shitload of mixtape offers on the table...I'm always droppin' 16s on some of everybody's shit. Nothing that I care to officially announce just yet cuz the ink isn't dry. I've got a couple of producers throwing tracks my way too so, a LadyTwist LP is very likely in the next year or so. Just know that LadyTwist is about to be the female Lil' Wayne: on EVERYBODY'S shit!

What are your plans and goals, what's next for Lady Twist?

Well, right now I've been doing stand-up comedy. A lot of people have told me over the years that I should pursue that but I kind of blew it off. But when I went to LA and Bree and Cherry and even John Singleton swore by my comedic talent I made a decision while I was out there to look into it when I got home, and so I did. So far so good, people are feelin' it so I'm gonna run with it for a while. Not to mention, I do the voice of Shaquaiquai on my CDs...I was never trying to be funny with it, I just didn't feel like kissing anyone's ass to do the skits with me. I had NO idea how huge this was going to get.

Also I've got a double CD mixtape out right now "The Demotape 2" its available on CDbaby. com, 32+ tracks plus skits. Pure entertainment or your money back!

Later this year, I'm going to be releasing an e-book version of my novels "The morning after" and "The Silent Treatment". I've been working on these for quite some time but I caught a little writer's block and had to take a break, but now I'm back at it!

Long story short: I know it sounds like I'm all over the place but I'm not. I just find it really hard to believe that God blessed me with all this talent to sit up and amuse my damned self! If y'all wanna be entertained, educated, touched and flat-out amused all at the same time, then fuck wit' LadyTwist!

Any advice for aspiring MCs?

This is gonnna sound really cliche but, stick to your dreams. You have no idea how many people have told me prior to and even after Miss Rap Supreme that I won't make it...hateration is definitely a full-time job cuz these muthafuckas don't stop! I'm sayin' that to say, if I had listened to the people back in grammar school and high school that told me that I couldn't rap or that I wasn't good enough and blah blah blah...I never would have found myself on Vh1, real talk! Stick to what you wanna do and don't let some aimless nobody ass muthafucka snatch your dreams from you. As long as you live and no matter what you do, there will always be someone there to try to knock you off your square. DON'T LET THEM!! Do what I do, kill 'em off in a song and keep pushin', lol. Even crackheads have haters so you know no matter what you're into, somebody's gonna find a reason to knock it. Unfortunately, its just human nature for some people to be bitter and resentful...just keep that in mind. Fuck them. My theory is this: Misery loves company but my mama said I can't come outside today, shit.

Comments

[TFixx]

Damn, she sounds cool and intelligent as all hell! Way to go OHH for snagging that interview. HOTNESS! Much love to yal and Twist.
xo,
Fixx