KITTY  (November 2008) | Interview By: Jonathan Hay

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Interview was done in September 2008

Questions Asked By: Jonathan Hay & Sabrina

Kitty Gave Dubcnn.com A Special Shoutout! Check That Here
 

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Kitty Interview
A Woman’s Touch (The Special Dubcnn Series)
By: Jonathan Hay & Sabrina
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Dubcnn: You were featured on Dubcnn earlier this year with your project, "The Green Mile: Session 1.” Did you accomplish what you set out to do with that venture?

Well actually the venture is not over, it really just got crackin' because it was just released in June. My goal with the mixtape is to create a buzz for my album coming January 2009. It definitely is attracting tons of attention and rave reviews so I would have to say so far it is working for me better than I could of hoped so I'm thankful to all who have supported.


Dubcnn: What was it like working with Daz Dillinger?

Daz in my opinion is a talented, cool mutha-fucka, he's always been down to earth, down to business, and down to have a good time with the music, he's my kind of dude. All in all it was great to finally work with him in the booth and watch how he can hop right in it without a pen or pad and spit a hot 16, it's certainly a privilege.


Dubcnn: Tell us about your Snoop experience…

That's my O.G. Big homie right there, not in the gang sense but on the music level. I've learned a lot over the years from him from how to count bars all the way to the importance of how to count points. I'm real grateful for all the game he was more than willing to spread down to me, hell if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be rappin', but when you have one the top entertainers in not just the country but the world telling you just from the first time that they met you, that you are better than 90% of the people that they come across, then I had to pay attention and take heed to that. He's been more than an experience, he's been a blessing.


Dubcnn: What are you working on right now?

Right now I just completed the recording of my sophomore album called the “Lyrical Gift”. I am also continuing to do shows up and down the coast and making my presence felt. That is my main focus, promoting the new album and live shows. In the meantime that is why I put the mixtape out there so the fans can have something to chew on until it's time to really eat, if you know what I mean.


Dubcnn: Where do you get your inspiration for your detail in fashion?

I have a a personal designer and her name is Chatney Edwards. The name of her clothing line is Baisi Designs. If you see me suited and booted, that is what I will be wearing. We work together to figure out what designs would fit what project or show.


Dubcnn: What is your favorite clothing designer?

Baisi Designs because its original and exclusive, so you know for a fact when you have something made no one anywhere has it, I love it. Nobody in this game is fuckin wit my fashion game.


Dubcnn: The Hip-Hop industry is extremely competitive, so how do other female emcees in the game treat you?

Although females are catty by nature, surprisingly enough in my case I actually get a lot of love from female emcees because in listening to my lyrics they realize that I'm more about unity and perpetuating female pride and perseverance than anything, regardless of how I paint the picture for you. I got love for my ladies but don't get it twisted if a problem arises I am more than ready to eat an MC up and that goes for the fellas too.


Dubcnn: Tell us about Fedha Entertainment?

Well, with rap being such a corporate product nowadays I wanted to make sure that I was always in control of my craft; meaning how, when, and why I use it. My craft is my soul and the only two I need in control of that is God and I. I am a true artist at heart so I thought to myself what better way to ensure that than to start my own entertainment and publishing company, so I created Fedha Entertainment, Fedha is Swahili for the word money so it makes sense to me.


Dubcnn: What made you want to be part of the Dubcnn “A Woman’s Touch” special feature?

Well I've been a huge fan of Dubcnn for many years now and you guys have shown me love, so when I saw there was gonna be a segment dedicated to just women giving up bars of shine I had to jump at the opportunity. I support and love ya'll at Dubcnn for life and to the fullest. I am also looking at contributing to the column by conducting my own interviews and editorials. I want to share that side of me also...you know a sista got gifts!


Dubcnn: Who do you think is the greatest female emcee of all time and why?

Wow that's a tough position to put me in. To be honest I really can't decide between MC Lyte and Queen Latifah because they were both so much harder than most dudes on the mic and they both existed at a time when they couldn't enter the game just on cute looks, you couldn't even get on the mic in their day unless you could spit period, point blank, bottom line, and they did it to the fullest like no other, so I hope you ain't mad but I gotta give it to them both.


Dubcnn: Give the readers here at Dubcnn.com your personal opinion on the current state out Hip-Hop and where you see it is headed in the years to come…

Like I was saying earlier Hip-Hop is a corporate product now, so you are consistently having to digest hits with no substance, meaning you have super hot beats with verbiage a 3 year could write. Most new artists either have no appreciation or don't even know the history of rap. They don't have knowledge of the countless legends that have paved the way for our existence. However, I believe that's my purpose to prove to Nas and the rest the world that Hip-Hop is not dead, you're about to witness the re-birth of her through me just like this country will be with Obama, “It's time for a change”.


Dubcnn: How are you prepared to reach the mainstream hip-hop audience in today's market with the majority of both the industry and the consumers carefully watching their money spent during these times of recession?

The thing about people is no matter what, they will always love something new. So when you're providing something new it's refreshing to serve as well as to receive and that's me and what I do. I'm giving the folks a different view and something they never had before. You gotta get ya street hustle on, no doubt, but the internet is so instrumental and necessary. You can reach the world with your music thru the net. Right now I can say I have a fan base in Japan, London, and a few other countries that I have never even been to. It’s all about the hustle and the grind. If you work hard, good things will come. Everything happens for a reason, I truly believe that and it's what keeps me going.


Dubcnn: Geographically speaking, describe what makes your local music scene significant and what it is that uniquely sets your metropolis apart from the others?

Actually San Diego hasn't had any major stars to crack the mainstream on a major level. We've only had a couple of San Diego natives really make any kind of name in hip hop, so San Diego hasn't been able to make the biggest imprint on the scene but I'm determined to change that along with my fellow Dago G'z. Dago has so much talent that has been and still is consistently overlooked. We have great performers and great recording talent. San Diego is so different from the rest because we have to battle the “soft” tag that we have right now as a city. All of our artists are so hungry and competitive; we want that hip hop light to shine on us real tough right about now. We are also very different because we are right by the border which makes our hip hop scene much more diverse than most. We have our Latino brothers and sisters makin' noise for Dago right now also. I feel if we have more unity we can get more shine. I got love for all Dago artists that have flow and swag but just like in the overall hip hop world we need to extinguish the wack.


Dubcnn: Why should people not want to miss out on an opportunity to check out a live Kitty performance?

Because it's live! I take you on a ride the whole way and before you know it you feel like you've known Kitty and my songs for years. I don't just rap my songs, I actually perform them. I am the epitome of an MC. If you slackin' on ya hip hop and don't know what MC means, look it up.


Dubcnn: Final thoughts for Dubcnn?

As always much love to the Dubcnn staff, shout out to my Fedha Entertainment folks, and make sure you download that Green Mile Mixtape. Stay tuned to Kitty on MySpace or Fedha Entertainment  for info on my sophomore album the “Lyrical Gift”. Props on the “Woman's Touch” series also because everything IS better with a woman's touch.