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My Interview with Rap Superstar, T-SPAZZ.

04/10/19

By Taylor Cathey.

T-SPAZZ is a multi-talented female rapper that embodies her craft and pushes to make a change in the culture of hip-hop, music and business. During our interview she reveals the in-depth truth that no one wants to talk about in the music industry.

A truth that can’t go on being ignored.

It’s been known for years that in the world of Rap and Hip-Hop, the accolades for male and female artists are not held on the same level. A female artist is looked up to because of what she physically looks like, to the clothes she wears, and to the drama that surrounds her personal life, but her talent and story is overlooked in the media. For the male side of Rap and Hip-hop, it is easier for them to be noticed because they are the leading force when it comes to making music, their shown more respect, and held on a higher pedestal.

While the female artists are used as a marketing tool to attract attention but not for their music, the respect that should be required from the beginning has to be earned at a cost, and they are exploited.

In my opinion, the most important part about a female artists that should be focused on is her substance, creativity, and the person she is, vs, who is she as a Woman, and what makes her a Dope Artists in the music industry, and lastly, the impact her music provides to its audience should be celebrated. It takes a certain type of female to bring this personality and drive to the table. T-SPAZZ came into music with these types of qualities and has not folded.

In every one of her songs your meeting another side of her, the sultry, the angry, the hardcore, or the sweet T-SPAZZ, this I found very interesting. She started off as Miss Trina, the gospel artist, this grew her moral background. Than we have T-SPAZZ.

She aims to set a new standard in this industry that is forever changing within music.

The way she comes into her craft is true commitment.

Her story can only be described as a Lifetime movie that is filled with nothing but lessons. it got me thinking some women accept the situations they are in because they believe there is nothing better else out in the world for them, I took that notion with me when she came into my studio to talk about her rise to fame story, once she came on the mic, my goal was to get to know the woman she really is and what built her into a star.

T-Spazz tells me before the world came to know her as a Rap Superstar, she was born Katrina Benson of Southeast D.C. Katrina was a loving little girl with a strong love for her family, but her life was not without hardship, her parents divorced when she was very young due to her father’s drug abuse. He was mostly in and out of her life, this led Katrina to deal with self-esteem issues that made her believe that she wasn’t good enough.

By the time she turned 19 years old she has faced Depression, Alcohol Abuse, and an incident involving Domestic Violence that put her life in danger. When Katrina became 20 the belief of being worthless was taking its toll on her, she was a single mom raising four children on her own and battling with alcohol abuse. What saved Katrina from continuing a life of drugs and alcohol was her grandmother, who would call her every day and pray for her.

It was then Katrina realized she was broken and decided to herself help. The guidance from her grandmother opened the door for her into becoming Katrina Benson the motivational speaker and life coach.

T-SPAZZ IS WHOLE OTHER STORY.

T-Spazz couldn’t be birthed until Katrina Benson came into her purpose. So now Katrina Benson, I had now moved to the point of where I am in a stronger place and am able to stand. I dived sea deep into my spiritual beliefs and that kept me grounded, disciplined, and had older women around me guiding me through. That was working very well for me, but I started to go deep, deep into things and

I lost myself. It got to the point I was doing ministry and god had nothing to do with it. So, what happened I was growing spiritually and everything as time was going on, I’m feeling stronger and everything, then I started doing Gospel Rap under the name Miss Trina. I don’t have too much music on the airwaves for Miss. Trina, but I do have YouTube videos for everyone to view. I jumped into doing Gospel Rap, for it being new in my face and everything it was very Pure. It was Innocent, it was Worship and meaningful, I was doing it for God. Because I am very gifted in writing and lyricism, I was good at it. I was able to really rap, and I became popular very quickly. Like almost every gospel rapper in my area wanted to work with me. Before I knew it, I was doing 5 shows a month, so I was always being booked for things and it got to the point where I started feeling like a superstar.

After that It was no longer about me using it to serve god, it was WOW! I got this! I’m good, by this time I’m married, I got 4 kids, me and my husband have a child together. Because I felt like I’m doing Gospel, the key word is gospel, that means God likes it, so this is first. Once again, I dived head first into it and I made that my god, even though I put God in my lyrics, he was far from it. I wasn’t doing gospel rap anymore to please him, I was doing it now as something to prove I got lyrics, just to prove I could do it.

One day I was sitting outside of my house, yam know feeling good about myself, feeling high and mighty. As I was sitting there, I prayed and I said, “God could you bless me with this money” and I heard No. So, I said no, what am I doing wrong? Because in my mind I’m doing Gospel rap, I’m doing shows all the time, so I’m doing what you want me to do, right? I couldn’t understand why he said no, then he says, “your Marriage is out of order.”

I was like WOAH! That’s that serious to you?! No one ever told me that, so then again, I thought ministry was important than home. In that moment I found out I was out of order. Completely out of order.

But I didn’t know how to fix my marriage, so I had to prayed to God “Show me how to be a Wife”, because I didn’t know how to be a wife. I’m thankful that my husband stuck by me through the transition. The lord really shut me up, for three years I could not come up with a lyric, not even with a line. It’s like he took the gift from me.

By that time, I was working on my household, and then people come ask me to do I do music anymore? I would no, not no more. Home was my priority.

There was this one night I have a dream, now in this dream I was working with someone I know named Avery. I was working with him in the dream and he was recording me on my music. This young man I didn’t know he was in that field. So, when I woke up out of the dream, I said wow the lord is releasing me to do music again. After that I got in touch with his mom, I said I told her about the dream that I was working with her son making music. She gave me Avery's phone number, I called him up and I was happy he makes and records music. I meet up with him and we start recording together, and we did an album. It really didn’t go too far, we put it up on SoundCloud underneath Miss Trina-the Rapper, it has over 7 songs on there.

About three months after that, a friend of mine named Rik Torchia, he’s a gospel rapper in DC, hooked me up with a producer named Dazzu. When Dazzu and I got together he took me from the level I was at, to whole other level in professionalism, ahead of the whole class and everything. We started working together, I did a gospel track with him and another artist. And that's when it came to me, “Trina do the music how it’s given to you. Do the music how it's laid and written down. Stop trying to create music to please people. Do it how it’s given to you. Do it how it’s in you. It’s not about who say that’s right, that’s right! No more people pleasing Trina. That’s a big thing with you no more people pleasing. Do real music that's real from you. No more faking, no more pretending, GET FOR REAL. “

After I had that thought, I started investing in myself, all those fans I connected with, the people, I took the advice and started putting music out there and everything.

During the journey, the advice given to T-Spazz would also help her with making more important decisions in her career. For being a gospel rapper, a believer, she had boundaries that she has naturally set for herself and what she won’t do in the music industry. Because it’s just not her. T-Spazz has turned down features on certain songs and stuff like that because she can’t attach to everything. Whatever she does, she must keep the integrity, and keep the respect her brand holds, “Because I am not just T-Spazz, I’m also the motivational speaker and life coach.” So, I got to be careful what I attach myself to. It’s not hard because It’s not in me to do those things, ya know ride around with the tinted windows and shoot up somebody's neighborhood because I just wouldn't do that. It’s not what I represent.”

How did you come with the name TSPAZZ?

I was formally known as Ms. Trina when I was doing gospel rap. When I switched from gospel to just doing regular rap, I guess coming from out of the box and adjusting to the open, I got that name when I was on the line with Dazzu my producer at the time. I was working with at the time and another artist named Richard Ware, I told them I wanted a new name they were throwing out ideas, I threw out some ideas. That’s when Dazzu said “What about T-SPAZZ?”

At first, I was like No! I’m like no, that didn’t sound appealing to. So, we started going over other names and then about three days go by and I called them back. I said, “You know what I’m going to use T-SPAZZ”. After that I asked them why did you use the name T-SPAZZ? He said “T for Trina and the SPAZZ because when you rap you be spazzing out. “I’m like Oh ok!

What do you think makes you stand out from another artist in the field of Rap?

I am a Hip-hop fanatic. I study the arts. I have been listening to Hip hop since I was maybe 9 years old back when Yo-Yo, Salt-N-Pepa, Heavy-D and Da Boys, COOL MOD, I would sit by the radio, wait until certain songs come on so I could push record really quick and when I would record the songs I would learn from each track so I could recite & perform these songs. Like I told you I was very good at rapping, so I started to study the art of Lyricism, so I am a great lyricist, which is one of the things that makes me stand out. The second one is that I’m a female that makes me stand out, the third is one is I am my own artist in my own right. I don’t try to imitate Nicki Minaj, I don’t try to imitate Cardi-B, I don’t look to others to try and take from them I am creating my own brand, my own name and uniqueness.

Fourth, I am paving my own lane which would make me stand out from everyone else, also my rap voice is different. One of the other things that I can do is play with my vocal tones in my raps.

It’s almost like I have multiple personalities in one. I can be whatever I want to be on the track and when I hear the beat, I let the beat pick what part of me I’m going to bring to the beat. For instance every beat is different, if I could give you guys an example, say I’m doing the most feminine, girly girl song, like I did in my song “BABY-SITTER”, in one of the verses I’m like “SWEET-PEA IS WHAT YOU SMELL, BATH AND BODY WORKS, LOTION, AND MY GIRLS WALK IN THE ROOM WE MOVE SLOW MOTION.” I am reciting from a more feminine kind of tone. There was another song that I did called “HOOD” with an artist named OSKER D,

my verse started off with “STRAIGHT FACTS FROM THIS SOUTHSIDE WITH MY LIL COUSIN MADE FOX FIVE, MY NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBORS SON DIED, DROPPED MY HEAD WHEN HIS MOM CRIED, THEM GOONS DON’T CARE THEY BRAINS FRIED”

That’s just a little sample.

So, I can be whatever I want to be on tracks and whatever the topic of the song I get. I try to bring whatever format is needed to bring that topic forth. That also can be coming from me loving the Arts, and I think that’s what makes me stand out the most.

Who are some of your musical influences in the industry of Hip Hop and Rap?

One of the artists in Hip-hop music that I like is Missy Elliot. I like her because she created her own lane, she didn’t come out doing what most artists in the industry was doing. She created her own style and her brand, like everything is unique with her and I love her boldness to step out and say, “I’m not doing what everybody else is doing”. Because I have seen some people come into this industry and eventually the industry changes. You come into the music industry with a vision, but as time goes on that vision starts to become distorted when money is involved.

First off you forget to have fun, and then you become a marketing tool, when the money should be a bonus. That’s what some of these artists forget about. Like no disrespect money is cool, but when you let it run your life you steer away from the message you originally had. Look at some of the greatest rappers of today, half of their music doesn’t even sound right today, so most of the time were bobbing our heads to mumble rap, and it’s all around one focus Money, Cars, Half-naked women. The 90’s taught us about true messages, the early 2000’s were all about the realness, come 2010-2011 it all went downhill.

The industry got lost in the swag of it and that's where it went wrong and for the women involved, were not even lifting each other up anymore. We’re seeing artist today that are bright and talented don’t get the chance and are put to the side. Or they are put out to the world, but they are not doing music they want to do, instead they are forced to perform the music this industry wants them to make. It’s not their chosen field. That is where it all comes down to the depression, the distorted facts. We need to stop putting in the idea in young girls’ heads that the only way you can become successful in this industry is if you throw on a bikini, twerk, and then BOOM! You are a bonified super-star.

How do you think the Hip Hop Industry treats female artists? Is it harder for the women to get the respect that they deserve than men?

I think the women are exploited and devalued in how the industry promotes them.

I think it depends on the team that is behind you, because sometimes some teams will let you push your artistry and it also depends on the deal you make. But for some it looks like this industry exploits the women by calling them an out of their names, the guys make songs disrespecting the women and talking about explicit acts with them, stuff like that. Yet when they talk about their voice, the industry upholds them with respect and it’s almost like a hidden agenda being pushed into the music. It's very scary, it’s almost like music is used to push agendas, to push this way of thinking, or masses that are used to make people accept a way thinking that is okay.

When I was growing up the guys were wearing baggy jeans, now I’m seeing men from wearing those to tight jeans, dresses and things like that. If you put a certain artist that people look up to in these things at an impressionable age, they will start to adapt to those types of messages in the words because it’s cool. If we were in the 90’s and we saw a clip of today we’d be like “HOLD UP! I WOULD NEVER DO THAT!” because it would look you know out of order to us. Now in this day and in age we are in and the way things are, it’s like whatever agenda the industry wants to push, they push it. Whether a young artist has talent or not, if he’s got a great fan base and you follow him and look up to him, he is a great tool to use to push whatever we want to push on them.

So if we want to put the agenda of Drug Abuse in certain communities, okay, well when you do your video you have to do XYZ, or when you write a song make sure it talks of this thing, that thing, this thing, because that is what’s in. I guess it’s kind of like the artists only hears about the money and the accolade, so it’s like okay I’ll do this, it’s nothing I’ll just go ahead and do this song. In my opinion I think it’s got to get to the point that maybe, I guess greed is all the way at the top of it, so when greed is involved the industry will push Sex, Drug Abuse, whatever message that can bring in more sales and things like that, but it is definitely a whole other world. Even with me doing shows and things like that when I travel, and I see other artists I see so much going it’s like WOW. I remember a time when music would take you to a place, it would give you a visual, it would make you feel good. Like Will Smith’s “SUMMERTIME” you’d want to play it at a cookout, it gave you emotions of happiness. Now the music talks about “I WANNA GET HIGH AND DRUNK! DO XYZ AND DO NOTHING WITH MYSELF.”

The music is becoming a downer, but I do think it depends on the team behind them and who is pushing them, and I guess if you want to stay relevant sometimes people think that they have to sell-out. For instance, if I could use someone as an example I would say, I do like his music though, Tank. When he first came out, he had the song “Maybe I Deserve It”, it was like Oh my goodness! Oh, my goodness! Because it was so real, it was a song that everyone could relate to. You know finally a man saying he deserves this and all that, but for him to be relevant to this new generation of R&B fanbase he had to switch up his entire style up. I’ve seen a lot of things like that evolving with the times and you cross your fingers to pray that it goes in a good place.

How does music influence you?

I believe in creating positive music or doing real music, just real, like even if you’re not talking about “You know I was at the playground on the swing and doing this” but just real music. I do believe that could become a trend again, but it’s going to take someone to do it and not fear being different and just really go for it. But then I’m a mom, so when I see the rappers that my children listen to, looking up from a mother perspective they going to think I’m old enough to be their mom. Ha-ha. But I do believe that whole thing can change, and positive music could become in again.

It takes a strong person to step outside of the expectations that are set for urban music artists. The power of that industry it can take somebody's soul, like you know who I support for getting out? Lauryn Hill. Because I knew they was coming for her. Back then I thought Lauryn was crazy for leaving, now years later looking at what's going on in music, I salute her for getting out while she still could, and I still listen to her music.

T-SPAZZ and I got onto a discussion about Kanye West’s transformation.

I know you must have met a lot of different artists, who else have you met?

So, I’ve met a lot of artist, sometimes I converse with famous people, a couple of them I talk to on Instagram. It’s amazing how many will reply to you if you leave them a message or respond to comments on their pictures.

But I have met a lot of people involved in PR, I’ve met some bloggers, a few radio show hosts, and in internet radio show hosting, people who have been in the industry for a while and have paved the way for certain artists, like people behind the scenes. I have had help from people who are industry connected, just help other people hear about me, so I have people behind the scenes supporting me. You what know the funny thing is?

The support isn't coming from me so much being a great artist, but because I am great person. It’s amazing how much character can open doors for you. Just being a good person. I found that to be opening doors for me, communication, talking to people, building relationships, it really worked for me.

Before you came into Music Industry what did you know about it and what did you learn after you came in?

Before I came into the rap game, I just knew about it by all the things I saw on television, YouTube videos, I really didn’t know much about it. All I saw was the good side of it for the most part and you’re a good artist, you are driving a Ferrari, and you on MTV CRIBS. At that point I associated artistry with success, “Oh you’re a Rapper! You’re a Singer”, then you become this successful person, but once I got into it all of it, I saw that all of that the glitz and glamour a lot of time it’s not even real and started to learn a lot about life behind being a rapper.

I began to get deep into it and thinking about concepts for music videos and stuff like that, people would tell me “Oh you can rent your car from this place! Oh, you can rent house from this place” This blew my mind. “So, people don’t actually own all of this stuff”, they said, “No some people rent this stuff for the videos “and I did now know that. I remember I was about do one video and the person, who was the videographer said “Go to the bank and take out about 500$ of your own money, get 400 in ones and two of the hundreds put it at the top of the bottom of the stacks.” I’m like all of this is just fake mirrors, it’s not even real? So, people thinking they’re going to start rapping and become rich when neither of this isn’t real.

After that I went to a seminar, shout out to one of my friends her name is Vee and another one my other friends are Quenelle Holder aka Coach Q CEO of PR Medium Agency. The seminar I went to that they hosted was called “OH SO YOU THINK YOU THINK CAN RAP?” One of the people there was the attorney his name is Bob Filastee. He worked with the late rapper XXXTENTACION and is also the attorney for TEKASHI69. At the discussion, all these artists were there giving speeches about the music industry, and he was one of the people that spoke. Filastee said “Never do a 360 deal”, and I had never heard of a 360-deal before.

He went into talk about it and how you go into this deal for a certain amount of money, but don’t really get this money like it’s not really yours and how you spend forever trying to pay these people back. The artists he has worked with that did million-dollar deals and then the fees would come out it and they would be left with 5,000$, he would get phone calls from them 3 weeks later and all the money would be gone. Their broke. Filastee told us that happens so much in this industry, when new artists get signed to these deals and they get that money, they blow it so fast, and end up spending their entire careers trying to pay it all back. So here we are watching all these concerts thinking you know their rich, successful and happy, but really, they probably don’t even see the money that they make, because they must pay back all of it. This really showed me wow, all of this is just Smoke and Mirrors.

It also let me know “Trina if you’re going to go into this industry don’t go into it for the money. You got to do artistry because you wanna do artistry. You got to do music because you love your music. “ Don’t go in it thinking you going to get rich like this because it’s a business like anything else, and if somebody gives you a loan like a home, like a car note, you know it comes with a lot of stipulations you might end up paying back more than what it was even worth. Just know going into it, go into it because you love the Artistry.

If you go into for that you’re going into because you love it and to express yourself, you won’t be so quick to sell out for the dollar, and when you feel you have done enough then you back out.

It’s all about choices, if you go into this to get rich your willing to walk through any door to keep your name relevant.

I was surprised that there is a workshop like this and how come it’s not offered before the contract signing?

If that workshop T-SPAZZ mentioned was around today there would a lot of rappers that would be still be around pursuing music and living good. Because we have lost of a great entertainer to the dark side of fame.

What do you want the world to know about you as an Artist, and as a Woman?

What I would want the world to know is that I am not afraid to be vulnerable in front of you guys, I am not afraid to share my story and to be myself I don’t fear that.

Whether you listen to my songs, you read a book I write, come to a seminar I host, an interview I do, I am unafraid, and I want the world to know I am comfortable with being me. And that they do can be comfortable being themselves. So, if they did be afraid, even if it takes hearing me speak on stage or in my music and how comfortable I am, maybe it will increase another person’s Courage.

To step out and be who they really are, like the real them and if the person finds out that the real them has issues that they don’t like, then guess what? You got the power and authority to work on that and change it, but until you see the real you, you’re not going to like it. So, take the courage to be who you really are, just take off the mask, remove the pretending and remove what everybody thinks you should be. Let me tell you if you create from a real place, your music will be very relatable.

I think that’s why Cardi-B took off, I don’t think it’s so much of her rap skills, I think she’s a real person with a real story. I think to myself finally another female rap artist that is relatable. Because I think Nicki Minaj can give off a superficial image that a lot of women can’t just get to.

You know her body is like wow! How do you get a body like that? You know it’s like not even an achievable goal, so it’s easy for people to idolize her than to relate with her. With Cardi-B coming out with being so unapologetic and honest with who she is it made her relatable and it probably boosted her fan base. Like when she first came out her fanbase was quadrupled to what Nicki’s was, because she came out so real and so raw, people were like Woah! I can relate to her.

For her to not be ashamed of where she came from it gives people hope that even if it isn’t music, it’s just hopes that where I am, I don’t have to be here, I can go for what I want. I know she’s climbing up the ladder so eventually they’re going to try to push her back down the industry line. But I think we need more relatable female artists like that, there’s so many artists that give off this image, “I’M HERE TO GET RICH!”” RICH PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS RAPPING! THIS AIN’T NEW TO ME!” like were just painting these illustrations that aren’t real, but once you get behind the scenes, you’ll really see that this stuff isn’t real.

What is your advice for women who want to go into the music industry and how can they survive it?

This is my advice, in the music industry there's a lot that comes with it. It’s a lot of Drug abuse, there's a lot of alcohol abuse that goes on, including people doing stuff to move up in the industry, so that's why I am careful not to sell sex. I saw a lot of young ladies who wanted to get out there and sell it, you know they like the image, they give off the vibe that whatever it takes to get there she’ll do it.

if I had a conversation with a young lady like that, I’d let her know that what you are doing a lot of women are doing, you wanna get in this to show your talent and let it uphold you. Because if you come in that way, you might get doors open for you but you will always have this reputation of this is what you did to get ahead, this how you got here, and this why doors were open to you. Your talent won’t be respected and when they can no longer get what is expected from you, they’ll get rid of you like you never existed.

What I would let young ladies know who are interested in pursuing a career as a music artist is learned to say no, set boundaries, and do not put your boundaries down for no price tag. No price tags. A Lot of people in the industry in positions to get you to the next level feel like they have a powerful position, if your told “if you want to get to this level you need to do XYZ to get there” This is not only for the women but men too, men do things to get ahead too in the music industry, so I ask are you willing to do this?

Because that is asked, how bad do you want it? Like are you willing to do some stuff to get there, and at that point it’s no longer about art, because once a person allows themselves to go through certain things in order to be recognized, their art doesn’t matter, they’re now a full-fledged puppet and will do whatever they are told because they lost their identity.

These producers could care less about your creative control because they know you will do whatever to get up there and so many have done this, that's why they succumb to drug abuse to just get on stage and perform. The things that people are willing to risk it can destroy you. I know a couple of artists that are not up there, their what you call C-listers basically they are known enough, I have heard them say things such as their never home.

They can’t do what they want to do anymore, their life is no longer their own anymore. Once it gets to that point the fun is gone, it’s a regular job and the control is gone, there’s no more input you got to do what they tell you. It’s no more fun. So, you must be comfortable with saying No, I’m not willing to do that and if you get the door shut in your face at least you walk away with your dignity.

And do you mentor Women who want to be rappers and singers at all?

Not yet, but that is something I want to go into. I want to go into Artist Development and work with artists that is interested in going into the industry.

I have some connections but I’m going to finish getting to know more things about the industry, and then I’m probably going to start, I don't know how I’m going to do it but I will begin an artist development seminar and maybe get some clients, but I would love to mentor young ladies who are going into music, but once they sign the deal at that point all I can really do with them is be a motivator and an encourager.

Because I can’t get them out of that deal, but if I can talk to them before signing the contract I can help. It’s a harsh place over there it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. The shows that I have went to, it’s almost like the women are expected to exploit themselves, like if you cover yourself up a label is put on you. You must be YOUNG MA or something like that, because if you’re not and you are feminine, you are expected to exploit yourself. No, it shouldn’t have to be like this, no woman should take that.

How would you describe your music?

I would describe it as transparent, fearless, can be motivating, inspirational, and something you want to listen to at bar fests. Just music that makes sense and things like that. My music can paint pictures, it can paint a story, it can show you my vulnerable side, strong side, I share a lot of my truth in my music and each song is different, all my songs are unique & different.

I have no two songs that sound the same, they are all unique. I haven’t created an album yet as T-SPAZZ I’m still releasing singles, but once I get ready to make a T-SPAZZ album you will see everything I am talking about. I just want it to be something for a person to play the first song to the last song. An album that you can every song on there.

I was a fan of Mary J. Blige when she first came out, like her first six albums were amazing and I loved them because it was so her, it was her truth. I could listen to every song on her album because each of them related to things that I could relate to in my own life. She is a very relatable artist. I look at my music as very relatable music, not just for women but for males too.

Males must respect it; you know they must respect it. After shows I’ve had promoters come up to me saying “WOW! Your good” like I’m not painting a sexual image or exploiting myself. I let my talent speak for myself, so to get that type of feedback from guys who hear music all day long that’s pretty good.

I did a show at a popular radio show called where I lived at, and there were so many guys. Like I’m talking over 27 guys that were performing. I got up there and I performed my rap and the then the host said, “How can you let this woman come in here & out rock all of all?” so that was huge right there! But it never gets to my head, sometimes at shows I would shut down and I saw how that can happen. I’m very careful to not get big headed and things like that, so I don’t go back to that place.

There was a very big lesson in that.

How has your music impacted your fans?

My fans were taken by surprise to go from Miss Trina to T-SPAZZ, and it also took my old fans by surprise too. Some of them didn’t follow me into the T-SPAZZ version, and they didn’t like it. So, they said you know I’m not following T-SPAZZ, I don't like where she’s going with her music and some just fell off. After that I grabbed a whole new fan base, so it did exactly what I wanted it to do, it took me out of the box. Because I was living inside of a box, I didn’t have many fans when I was Miss Trina, not as many fans that T-SPAZZ has.

Once I started walking & living in my truth and writing what I wanted to write, doing the music I wanted to do without contradicting my faith and my belief. Soon after people started gravitating towards me because it was real music. Some of these people send me their music and ask for me to listen to it and review it to get feedback. I remember doing that, so I make sure I do that. It opened me up to the youth and they are accepting of me, I know I am not their age.

I don’t know who the first person was to start Hip hop, which I need to learn because I do love this industry. But who wrote the rules on how to give respect? Whether you are feminine or tough it should not be separate sets of getting respect. Just like the men we deserve the same effort that is given to them.

What is your last Advice for women that are going into the Music Industry and where can we listen to your music?

You can find my music on all media streaming sites under my name T with a “-” SPAZZ, you can google or go to your music streaming site, I have music on SOUNDCLOUD underneath my name too and check out my music videos on YouTube. You can also find me on Facebook and Instagram under the same name.

My last advice I would like to give to a young lady that’s ready to go into music industry is this.

Let your talent pave the way for you, you don’t have to sleep with no one to get there, you don’t have to allow yourself to be disrespected, you don’t have to walk around naked and you don’t have to get plastic surgery, inject yourself with things to get where you want to be in this business.

Don’t follow the hype and believe what you see all around you. Let your talent speak for you, because the one thing about that industry is if you don’t stand up for yourself, they’re going to run all over you. They’re not just going to let you go to let you go they will destroy your brand before they let you out to make sure you’ll never make money again.

Don't play their games. There’s a lot of known sharks over there and a lot of people caught up in greed.

If you go over there, remember you use your talent and if you get to one of those doors where you feel like you must lose yourself, it's best to walk away. I mean look at Lauryn Hill, every time you hear about her you think of that album. Even though it was years ago when you think about her album you think about how it made you feel.

It still holds that importance after all this time, if she kept on going and allowed the industry to shape her, Lauryn would have lost her substance.

At least you will always have your brand and be respected. Just know that every producer, videographer, and blogger all of them not in love with you, some them wanna tell you those things to get you in bed, you don’t wanna end up sleeping with everybody in the industry and none them don’t want to work with you. Do you all your paperwork and make sure you get all your royalties. Because even if you do leave the music industry, you’ll still get paid. You got to believe god got you.

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Everyone becomes famous in their own way in the industry. Missy Elliott started off in a girl group, then she went off on her own and she was writing music for P. Diddy and she is still hot to this day because she did not steer away from her message.

So did Aaliyah and god rest her soul because she brought such positivity to R&B, Hip Hop music and the industry.

When she came into music, she didn’t lose sight of her message that “I don’t do this to be respected as an artist.” Forget about the whole history of R. Kelly being married to her, yes, he was there for her in the beginning as a mentor, but he did not make her who she is, and he did not create her legacy.

Aaliyah did that. It was saddening that her life was cut short at the age of 22, but people still remember the talent she brought as an entertainer. That is what deserves to be remembered about Aaliyah. And whether you are dead or alive, that is a legacy and that should be respected. Just like with Left-Eye, Aaliyah, Missy, Lil Kim Nicki, and Cardi. These females made a name for themselves in this industry, they had help but regardless they made their names known and did it their own way.

Neither one of them was deterred when someone said they couldn’t do it, some did to lose the message, but that is not the message for every woman who is a singer.

For T-Spazz she is about everything that comes with the right side of the Hip-hop industry, the positivity it affects, the people, the experiences, real life stuff. It was so beautiful to hear that her grandmother is her guardian angel. Stories like this make me feel that there is hope out here for us black women, we can go beyond and above what we have been through. Especially with what we deal with today in this world.

We have society putting us down for this and that, my answer is how about you investigate our story and see how we got here. See what we have gone through, see what this woman can do.

Since the interview here are a few updates from hip-hop artist TSpazz**

Recently TSpazz has released her new album “Spazzology”. “We are receiving great reviews and feedback. The number of downloads is growing on a daily basis. The inspiration behind this album was my life experiences which include my struggles with depression and battling suicidal thoughts. I also wanted to challenge myself as an artist lyrically and improve my rhyming abilities.” -TSpazz

That's what Rap and Hip Hop needs to be about again.

This has been Chronicles of She,

Have a Blessed Day! — with Katrina Benson.

#women #hiphop #music #article

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