Making The Album: "Nasti Muzik" Interview
Most people join a reality show in hopes to strike it rich and become famous, but when it comes to the case of Khia, she was already well known due to her hit song ‘My Neck, My Back (Lick It)’ providing her with over 800,000 copies sold on her debut album Thug Misses.
Her follow-up album, Gangstress didn’t duplicate the success of its predecessor, but she still proved to be an innovator by having the project released through her own imprint T.M.E. (Thug Misses Entertainment). Without another release in almost three years, most wrote her off, until she gained more headway by starring opposite of Janet Jackson for the song, ‘So Excited.’ What also furthered her road to redemption was appearing on the reality show Miss Rap Supreme on VH1.
Although her appearance was short-lived because of being disqualified by not abiding to the rules of a challenge, the wheels were already set in motion, and the woman that wanted men all over the world to “lick her crack” was back on the minds of many. Now with her third album Nasti Muzik, one can say that being ‘nasti’ does have its privileges.
What can people expect to hear from Nasti Muzik?
Well it’s a hot album; it ’s a blend of Hip-Hop and R&B. So it’s definitely nasty, and it’s just a hot and album…
How was the process during the time of making this record? Was it easy, or a little difficult to get back in the studio and create?
It was easy because I write and produce my own stuff. So all my music is already there for me to go into the studio and bring it to life. It’s really fun and easy, just being able to work with different musicians, and just having them come in and play live.
Right now the music industry is going through a slump. Do you ever worry about this project not performing well?
No because my fan base is pretty solid. Right now this is my third album, and I eat sleep and breathe music. So it’s basically my life…
I want to go back to where you briefly talked about producing. Is that something you’ve always been into?
Yes. I work with different producers, and when I make a beat, the concepts are already there. I’m hands-on when it comes to every album and every track. With Nasti Muzik, I did the whole album myself and it was kind of the same with Thug Misses and Gangstress. Everybody’s ideas get thrown around, so it was pretty hot.
A lot of people tend to throw female MC’s into a box where they say their material only circles around sexuality instead of other kinds of content/lyricism. What are your thoughts on that?
I’m more of a female performer, so I don’t really consider myself a “female rapper.” All of my music is real life experience, and they’re real stories that I put behind the melodies. So I don’t get into all the metaphors, and I don’t really consider myself to be an MC. So I really wouldn’t know, because all of my music is straight from the heart, and that’s why my fans can relate because it’s real. I don’t consider myself to be a female MC; I’m a musician.
How do you think this album differs from Thug Misses and Gangstress?
On this album I show growth. Thug Misses and Gangstress was real ‘hood and real street rather than it being real Hip-Hop. But now I feel good and I’m at peace, so I was able to get into the music and have fun creating a song instead of just going off like a “b*tch on a track” like I used to do.
So this album means the most to me because it showcases my talent, and not the controversy. When people hear Nasti Muzik they will see that I’m a real artist, and they’re going to respect that.
You also write an advice column in Hood Magazine. What kind of advice do you give out, and how did the opportunity come about?
I’m a very creative writer, and I write for a few publications. I do a lot of my own blogging, and Hood Magazine read some of the things I wrote and reached out to me. We worked it out to where I write a column for their magazine. It’s really fun interacting with the fans and just answering all the different kinds of questions. A lot of people value my opinion, and I always try to keep it humorous and funny. Hood [Magazine] really looked out on that, and it’s good.
Do you find that people are really receptive when it comes to your advice column?
Yes, yes, yes. I write a lot of blogs and stuff like that to promote myself, and let the fans know what’s going on. Because you have a lot of online publications that write things, and the fans don’t know what to believe. So I try to keep the fans updated and what’s going on through my writings. I write all the time, at least once a week.
How do you feel about Hip-Hop right now? Is it still a boy’s club, or are females becoming a lot more welcomed?
The thing about Hip-Hop is that there isn’t too many female MC’s that are out right now. Unless females try to come together, I think guys will always dominate…
Do you think you were treat fairly when you were on Miss Rap Supreme?
No not really. The show was a great experience and I had so much fun on the show, but I think there was a lot of intimidation in the house from the beginning. I was there to make my mark, and I think I did that. It did what it needed to do.
So those were the factors for you trying out for the show? Basically to get your name out there a little bit more?
Yeah. VH1 contacted me about the show and it was an opportunity for me to be on TV, and get some promotion. So much love to VH1 for that…
Have you gotten a positive reaction from people since being on the show?
Yes because being independent and not having any videos and not having the proper promotion that other artists have—it was cool that they put me up there with the Trina’s, the Foxy’s, and the Lil’ Kim’s. It’s good that they did that, and being an independent artist; that’s one for the underdogs. But I’m still an independent artist, and I’m doing a lot of the footwork myself. So for my fans to have an opportunity to see me and thought I was only about “My Neck, My Back” they can see that I’m still doing music.
So how does “Khia” remain relevant in the music business?
Just through my fans. I’m so thankful for the downloads, the Myspace’s, the Face Book’s, and the Black Planet’s. Where I’m able to make a song and put it up in less than 30 minutes, so the fans can hear it and support it. I will always be relevant, because I will always make music. I don’t need anybody to write or produce anything for me. If I write it in the shower, it’s going up in the morning. So I’m thankful for that, and I’m thankful for the fans that look and support my music, and pass it on. Because it’s been the fans and the streets that have been holding me down. I’ll always be in the streets, and music is the heartbeat of the streets, so that’s me.
http://www.sixshot.com/interviews/11675/
LEGEND!
I'll appreciate,thx in advance