The rise and reign of rap is perhaps the biggest and most inspiring aspect of modern music. From simple “Get Downs” in basements and dance offs on street corners, rap has become the most popular genre on the face of the planet! The sheer number of rap stars the genre has generated is immense, forever evolving, and revolving. The rap game is fierce and “competitive” just does not sum up the nature of the business when it comes to being a star or wannabe. When you add being a woman on top of that the stakes become astronomical.
Enter 2017 and the rap world of Dreezy!
Strong, independent, and determined Dreezy is the future of female rap in an industry determined to overlook, undermine, and underestimate her every step of the way.
It seems like forever ago when we first bobbed our heads to Dreezy’s hit single, Body, and now the stars are within her reach. In a candid conversation with Kontrol Magazine she goes on to discuss her goals for 2017, hopes, dreams, and what it means to be a female rapper. “It [2017] has started off great…I messed up with my resolution, it was to stop smoking, but I did slow down, shout out to that [she laughs]. I have been working out. The year came in and I said I wanted to work out and have been doing that like every day and I’m seeing the results from that. I said I’m just gonna take care of my hair and hygiene and focus more on me and my music…” Interestingly she described 2016, on a scale of one to ten as a four or five! “Last year was so bittersweet for me. I dropped my first album and that was good. I had like four singles on the radio and that was good, but I lost my best friend last year and that was one of the worst times. So yeah it was real bittersweet, a lot of ups and downs—real weird. [In 2017] I feel rejuvenated, I lost my friend at the beginning of last year so we had our plans and resolutions and it was New Years and we were celebrating. It all happened the day after and I feel like I got set back. This year I feel like it’s my second shot to make everything good I just had to recoup. No excuses.”
Talented and resourceful, Dreezy cites two rap stars, Lil Wayne and J. Cole as her top influences. This is definitely reflected in her catchy, but earthy lyrics. She truly has the words of a girl who knows of the streets, and proudly lets you know she can endure anything. Unlike most of us, Dreezy actually got to meet Lil Wayne! “I hate telling people the story about how I first met Wayne [she laughs], but that’s my favorite rapper of all time so like meeting him let me know that my dreams was really coming true. J. Cole is another one of my favorite rappers he’s somebody who I came listening to. I even have his lyrics tatted on me…I’m not a diehard fan, but he just said some real shit. The quote is ‘…dream like you never seen obstacles…” She goes onto discuss up and coming rappers and their disrespect of those who influenced her. As you may recall, in January rapper, Kodak Black (in a black skully, Dumb Donald-like mask, albeit) bashed Wayne during an interview with The Breakfast Club. “I just feel like this generation don’t have no respect for the OGs you feel me? That’s a big problem. Even in life there are people who have been on this earth and been doing it way before you came around and you gotta show them respect. Like my daddy, he done put in so much work in his life and teaches me and I have to respect that…I never wanna be that person who can’t take knowledge or know it all…I been here before I’m up on game. If you trying to be in rapping and be one of the best rappers, Wayne is one of those people you have to respect period…I think a lot of stuff just be for publicity and trolling, but at the same time you gotta have limits with that shit.”
You can catch the rest of Dreezy’s amazing interview in Kontrol Magazine’s 8th Anniversary Issue, Women In Music, in Barnes & Noble nationwide this summer!
Written By: Michael “Hey Mikey” Fanning
