Scent Of a Woman: Unladylike (Def Jam Signee's)

[Lunatic]

http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/1617/54/

Written by Justin Melo   
Thursday, 04 June 2009

As mentioned in the Miss Marianna interview feature, it is "Scent of a Woman" week on Raptalk.Net. To cap the series, we have a completed interview with Gunna and Tee, otherwise known as Unladylike. Recent Def Jam signings, Unladylike has been making a lot of noise with their in-house produced single, "Bartender." Securing a distribution deal through Def Jam Recordings, Unladylike puts out their debut album, "Certified" on June 9th 2009.

Enjoy...

 

 

Raptalk.Net: We’re right here with recent Def Jam signings Gunna and Tee, otherwise known as Unladylike. How are you girls doing?

Unladylike: We’re doing well! How are you?

Raptalk.Net: I’m doing well, thanks for taking the time to speak to us.

Unladylike: Thank you for having us.

Raptalk.Net: Start us off by telling us how life was like growing up in East St. Louis, Illinois.

Unladylike: This is Tee speaking and it was tough. Growing up on the east side of St. Louis, basically it was just a rough city. We had to stay focused and stay in school, get an education. We stayed busy by doing music.

Raptalk.Net: The two of you met in high school and since then, your style has been known to break some stereotypes that have really dominated the female genre of Hip-Hop for the last 15 years. That’s a pretty big goal you’ve set out to accomplish, to really change the way females are viewed in Hip-Hop. It’s really a change of direction for a collective of female MC’s. Tell us about that decision.

Unladylike: This Is Gunna. I was normally rapping by myself; I’ve been rapping since nine years old. I was originally doing my own thing, but when I met Tee in high school, I found out that Tee rapped. In high school, she [Tee] was more into basketball. When she started rapping and everybody saw us rapping together, everybody said that we sounded good together. We were just playing around; we weren’t serious at the time. Everybody said we sounded good together and once that happened and people thought we sounded good as a group, we began taking it serious.

Raptalk.Net: Ok. Do you girls feel you’re the Salt-N-Peppa? How do your styles compare and contrast?

Unladylike: Basically, nobody can really compare to Salt-N-Peppa, I think there amazing. I think we’re like the next in line to Salt-N-Peppa. It would be fair to call us a modern day Salt-N-Peppa. We have the same energetic energy on stage as Salt-N-Peppa. We bring fun into our music like Salt-N-Peppa did. There are a lot of similarities to Salt-N-Peppa.

Raptalk.Net: You’re talking about energy on stage and performing. Performing is kind of a lost of art in Hip-Hop today. Do you girls pride yourself off of bringing energy to your performances?

Unladylike: We definitely do. That’s what people notice about us. When they see us performing, nobody forgets us. Especially when we’re doing concerts, nobody will ever forget Unladylike because we put on a show. That’s one of the reasons we called ourselves Unladylike. When it comes to our performances, we are crazy. We’re not pretty, we don’t sit back on the stage looking all cute and stuff – but we are cute, but we perform like rock stars, as if it were our last chance at performing. We always give our best, 100%. That’s why we’re so eager and hungry. You see that in our performances.

Raptalk.Net: So as new and hungry artists, do you think those energetic performances is an important part of gaining a fan base?

Unladylike: That’s one of the important parts. You also have to have the music. The fans have to like your music before you get to that performing part. We definitely have the music and we definitely have the performances on point. Performing, that’s the main key right there. That’s what’s bringing us the money.

Raptalk.Net: Switching gears back to the music, you two caught your first big musical break in August of 2007 with super-producer Ty Fyffe in New York. Tell our readers how that went down.

Unladylike: We met up with Ty Fyffe; we got noticed in the Music Mega Star competition. We also met our manager Sita Lewis there. Sita put in the studio for eight months just recording songs and more songs, right out the bat. We just came up with songs. Ty Fyffe produced some of the songs and we also work with producers 3D and Manny Perez. They also produced songs on our album.

Raptalk.Net: How did your family owned record label Voicez land the Def Jam distribution deal?

Unladylike: Sita Lewis is our manager, she could explain that. It was already like that when we signed to Voicez. Sita Lewis found us and took us to her father; he’s been in the music industry for 35 years. He did a joint venture with Def Jam prior to us signing there. He loved us. He immediately called L.A. Reid and L.A. wanted to see them perform. He was ready to do the deal once he saw them perform. It was an immediate thing. Both parties loved us. We were put on a promo show for the next 30 days and we’ve been moving ever since.

Raptalk.Net: That plays well into my next question. What was it like to perform for L.A. Reid? Were you girls nervous or scared?

Unladylike: just the thought of it made us a little bit nervous. When we went in there, that went out the window. We just went it how we always do to perform. We took our shoes off, we were jumping off.

Raptalk.Net: As we mentioned, you’re signed to the family owned label, Voicez. What do you girls see as the main difference from working with a family owned label instead of a label filled with strangers telling you what to do? Do you think it gives you an advantage at all?

Unladylike: This is Tee. They treat us like family. It’s almost like we have more inside information on what’s going on with your project. Most labels you don’t really see your president. We’re fortunate enough to see our president…we go out to dinner, it’s like a big family.

Raptalk.Net: The debut album is titled “Certified.” Tell us about the meaning behind that.

Unladylike: It’s funny; we have a song called “Certified” on the album. When you listen to that song, it’s telling that we females are certified right now. The female lane is open. We’re certified because we’re the first group since Salt-N-Peppa. We’re certified because we’re the first female group signed to Def Jam, ever as far as Hip-Hop. We’re just certified. That’s out definition of certified. Actually, Mr. Lewis (Sita Lewis’ father) “he said, you know what? Certified! That’s gonna’ be the name of the album” and he jumped up and said that in his voice (laughs).

Raptalk.Net: Tell our readers about the first single, “Bartender” produced by 3D.

Unladylike: “Bartender”! 3D produced the beat with the help of Ty Fyffe. 3D came up with the hook and Ty Fyffe kind of re-arranged the hook around, made it sound better, shorter and simpler. When we heard the beat and we heard the hook, it was so catchy that it took us literally five minutes to write our verse. Right after we wrote our verses in five minutes, we laid the song down in the studio.

It’s basically like a phrase we use back home which is in the chorus, “scummy dummy.” It’s a funny phrase when we’re going out and having a good time at the bar, getting a little tipsy. Instead of tipsy, we say scummy dummy.

Raptalk.Net: Tell us about the music video.

Unladylike: The video is out now. It’s on MTV Jams, Demand, Youtube, MusicChoice and the rest of the internet. The video is out. Currently, we’re working on our second single, it’s out and it’s called “D’ough.”

Raptalk.Net: Tell us about shooting the video for “Bartender”, what was that process like?

Unladylike: It was an amazing experience. We started at 9AM and finished at 2AM. The time went by so fast because it was our first video, we really had fun. We shot it in our hometown of East St. Louis. Family and friends were there at Club Casino to support us. It was just a joyful moment because it was our first video. The time was flying. We really enjoyed ourselves. We shed a couple of tears and it was an amazing feeling.

Raptalk.Net: Ok. As you mentioned, 3D produced “Bartender.” You’re signed to a major label in Def Jam, tell us about using an in-house producer to do your first single instead of going to an industry heavyweight?

Unladylike: L.A. Reid fell in love with 3D. He loved his production. His production was so on point. 3D was in the room with us when we performed for L.A. Reid. L.A. Reid fell in love with his beats. 3D has been with us from the beginning of our journey to now. We’ve always been with him. He’s like the third member of the group. 3D is an up and coming super hot producer. L.A. doesn’t want to just use him for Unladylike; he had a vision to put 3D on more Def Jam releases.

Raptalk.Net: Does the album have a release date?

Unladylike: Right now the album is set to release June 2nd.

Raptalk.Net: “Certified”, in stores June 2nd for our readers. Tell us about the producers and guest appearances we can expect to hear on the album besides 3D?

Unladylike: We have another in-house producer named Manny Perez. He produced one of the songs on the album, and also co-produced a song with 3D and Ty Fyffe. Ty Fyffe has a couple of tracks that he produced on the album and he’s produced for 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes and many other amazing artists. 6’9 produced two joints on the album. Sinister is a good friend of ours from East St. Louis, he produced one of the joints on the album.

Features, we have a singer on there. 6’9 is on a song as well. We just really want to focus on us. We’re holding the fort down on this album.

Raptalk.Net: This is the debut album, what are your personal goals for this album? What do you wanna’ see it achieve?

Unladylike: We want it to go far. It’s gonna’ take time for the sales to come up. We want this album to be the best album. There hasn’t been female Hip-Hop in so long, so we want people to enjoy the album. It’s a blessing and this opportunity is also scary, because we know how the sales are right now. But I believe Unladylike is gonna’ make a difference and a change. It just takes time. It’s not gonna’ happen overnight, that would be a miracle if it does. We know it takes time. Will be satisfied if 1,000 people buy this album. At least 1,000 people are out there listening to us. Everything is still a blessing as far as sales.

Raptalk.Net: Unladylike is right here on Raptalk.Net with an exclusive interview. We’d like to thank you girls for your time, we really appreciate it. Do you have any last words or additional statements for the interview before I let you go?

Unladylike: Yes. Make sure you check out our MySpace, www.myspace.com/unladylike. Check out our Youtube page, www.youtube.com/unladylikeradio. Follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/unladylikemusic. Hit us up on Kyte TV at www.kyte.tv/unladylike. If anyone wants to know more on Unladylike and get the latest news on us, hit us up at www.defjam.com

[Mackin]

best Of Luck to these LAdies, but not my thing....

[Lunatic]

best Of Luck to these LAdies, but not my thing....

Thanks for checking it out!

[Moe]

why the name unladylike?

[Lunatic]

why the name unladylike?

because there is nothing lady like about their style..they have a passion for hip-hop, and aren't afraid to show it, even if it makes ppl say there "unladylike" or have 2 much attitude.

[OchoCinco]

up a song by them.

[Lunatic]

up a song by them.

first single..

[jeanmiche777]

heh.. Sorry but it's not really ''hip-hop''. At least not in my book. Sounds like any other mainstream joint.

[NiCc_FrUm_ThA_nO]

up a song by them.

first single..

I lasted :38 seconds. Terrible song.

[OchoCinco]

pretty catchy beat, first girl was impressive, nice flow. The second one not so much, could see it being a big song on BET n such tho. Its kinda nice to see something different like a girl rap duo tho, so like Mackin said, best of luck to em.

[Lunatic]

Thanks for all the comments y'all.

I have a relationship with Def Jam, so you'll be seeing me interviewing a lot of there artists.

[Moe]

why the name unladylike?

because there is nothing lady like about their style..they have a passion for hip-hop, and aren't afraid to show it, even if it makes ppl say there "unladylike" or have 2 much attitude.

so they smell bad too?

[Lunatic]

why the name unladylike?

because there is nothing lady like about their style..they have a passion for hip-hop, and aren't afraid to show it, even if it makes ppl say there "unladylike" or have 2 much attitude.

so they smell bad too?

haha nope...their cute 2, as they stated

[Moe]

why the name unladylike?

because there is nothing lady like about their style..they have a passion for hip-hop, and aren't afraid to show it, even if it makes ppl say there "unladylike" or have 2 much attitude.

so they smell bad too?

haha nope...their cute 2, as they stated

so they called themselves cute? so they are lady like.