Why She’s Proving to the World She’s not Just That Bitch From the "White Rapper Show"
By: Kyra Mitchell Lewis
When I started watching the “white Rapper Show” 6 out of the 10 contestants seemed whack in my opinion and only about 3 of them stood out to me as having the potential to be a “real” rapper. Persia, a dope hip-hop chick from Far Rockaway, NY automatically stood out as one of the shows top contenders. She had a hot sound and was killing things lyrically. Upon her arrival to “The White House” she was automatically labeled the “bitch” with attitude in the house. Now that the show is wrapped, Persia spoke with me candidly about her experience on the show from the infamous dildo argument with John Brown to the challenge that sent her to the hospital.
KM: What age were you when you starting rapping?
Persia: I started writing at the age of 8 and starting rapping in ‘05
KM: Who were you influenced by?
Persia: I was heavily influenced by old school Hip-Hop; M.O.P., Rakim, MC Lyte
Persia: I started writing at the age of 8 and starting rapping in ‘05
KM: Who were you influenced by?
Persia: I was heavily influenced by old school Hip-Hop; M.O.P., Rakim, MC Lyte
KM: How did you hear about The White Rapper Show?
Persia: I was just looking to get my music out to people to give me feedback. I was on Craigslist and saw the listing looking for white rappers and one of the requirements of course was to be a rapper and have personality. I wasn’t too sure about my MC skills, but I knew I had plenty of personality.
KM: What were your initial thoughts about the other MC’s?
Persia: I met Sham first and we clicked automatically and he introduced me to Sullee and we too hit it off. I’ll have to admit, I wasn’t to sure about some of the MC’s when I first got there.
KM: Okay, do you care to elaborate?
Persia: Yeah, when I met 100 Proof and G-Child, I wasn’t that sure about them at first, I was wondering if they were real MC’s.
Persia: I was just looking to get my music out to people to give me feedback. I was on Craigslist and saw the listing looking for white rappers and one of the requirements of course was to be a rapper and have personality. I wasn’t too sure about my MC skills, but I knew I had plenty of personality.
KM: What were your initial thoughts about the other MC’s?
Persia: I met Sham first and we clicked automatically and he introduced me to Sullee and we too hit it off. I’ll have to admit, I wasn’t to sure about some of the MC’s when I first got there.
KM: Okay, do you care to elaborate?
Persia: Yeah, when I met 100 Proof and G-Child, I wasn’t that sure about them at first, I was wondering if they were real MC’s.
KM: How did the beef between you can John Brown originate?
Persia: When we arrived at the house and everyone was kicking back getting to know each other and John Brown had a blank look on his face when people were asking him questions, it seemed like he was talking down to us like he was better than everyone else and I mistook his “serious” look as a blank stare. I think the thing that pushed me over the edge was when I heard him say he was an entity and not a rapper that pissed me off. I mean I felt like he was disrespecting hip-hop completely and I lost it on him, I can blame a lot of my actions on the fact that we all had been drinking that night J.
KM: Did anything change when you two started working together on a few of the challenges?
Persia: Well, I was kind of starting to gain some respect for him because we were on a team and we worked well together, but things all changed after the Hot 97 interview. I just lost all respect for him at that point.
KM: People appearing on reality shows often say the shows were heavily edited and may portray them in a different light. What are your thoughts on the shows editing?
Persia: Of course the show is edited in way that will achieve the highest ratings. It’s entertainment at the end of the day and no body would want to watch a bunch of boring people with no personality. As for me, I think the show portrayed me as the “bitchy” chick, but hey that is a part of me, but not all of me. What people didn’t see is that I took care of Sullee when he was sick and I cooked for the cast and crew all the time, but I didn’t have a problem with the editing of the show.
Persia: When we arrived at the house and everyone was kicking back getting to know each other and John Brown had a blank look on his face when people were asking him questions, it seemed like he was talking down to us like he was better than everyone else and I mistook his “serious” look as a blank stare. I think the thing that pushed me over the edge was when I heard him say he was an entity and not a rapper that pissed me off. I mean I felt like he was disrespecting hip-hop completely and I lost it on him, I can blame a lot of my actions on the fact that we all had been drinking that night J.
KM: Did anything change when you two started working together on a few of the challenges?
Persia: Well, I was kind of starting to gain some respect for him because we were on a team and we worked well together, but things all changed after the Hot 97 interview. I just lost all respect for him at that point.
KM: People appearing on reality shows often say the shows were heavily edited and may portray them in a different light. What are your thoughts on the shows editing?
Persia: Of course the show is edited in way that will achieve the highest ratings. It’s entertainment at the end of the day and no body would want to watch a bunch of boring people with no personality. As for me, I think the show portrayed me as the “bitchy” chick, but hey that is a part of me, but not all of me. What people didn’t see is that I took care of Sullee when he was sick and I cooked for the cast and crew all the time, but I didn’t have a problem with the editing of the show.
KM: Did you all interact with the artists that were featured on the show?
Persia: Some of the guests were in and out, but I got to talk to one of my favorites Saigon after the show, since I had been taken to the hospital that day he was on set after the Obstacle Course challenge.
KM: Speaking of the challenges, how did you feel about them?
Persia: I loved the first challenge when we walked the streets meeting our neighbors and free styling. Since I’m from the area, I felt right at home, I felt comfortable and didn’t feel like I had to try so hard. As for the other challenges, I thought some of them were time-fillers and a lot of them were for pure entertainment purposes. Some of the other rappers thought that some of them had nothing to do with hip-hop, but they didn’t really bother me.
KM: How would you summarize the whole experience?
Persia: I would say I had the roughest time of anyone else. I had the flu and food poison and those were the things people didn’t get to see, but at the end of it all, I wouldn’t change anything and I’d do it again if given the chance.
KM: What’s next for Persia?
Persia: I have a mix-tape dropping soon, I’m talking with people about potential TV shows and movies and I’m just meeting with label to discuss my CD; lots of great things to come from soon.
KM: I know you did some singing on the show on a couple of the tracks, will you be singing on your upcoming CD at all?
Persia: (Laughs) I wasn’t really too sure about my vocal skills.
KM: Really, I thought those tracks that you sang on were pretty dope.
Persia: Well, there may be a couple of tracks on the CD that I’m singing on.
KM: Last question, what are the challenges facing you as a white rapper?
Persia: I don’t feel like I’m challenged as a white rapper; I don’t feel like I have to prove myself, I don’t see color really, I just see myself as an MC.
KM: Persia, again thank you for taking the time out to speak with me and wish you nothing but success in the future.
The “White Rapper Show” was truly only a first step in what I’m sure will be a long-lasting career for Persia. After speaking with her, I didn’t see a “bitch”, I saw a New York girl who had serious love for this thing we call hip-hop.
Persia: Some of the guests were in and out, but I got to talk to one of my favorites Saigon after the show, since I had been taken to the hospital that day he was on set after the Obstacle Course challenge.
KM: Speaking of the challenges, how did you feel about them?
Persia: I loved the first challenge when we walked the streets meeting our neighbors and free styling. Since I’m from the area, I felt right at home, I felt comfortable and didn’t feel like I had to try so hard. As for the other challenges, I thought some of them were time-fillers and a lot of them were for pure entertainment purposes. Some of the other rappers thought that some of them had nothing to do with hip-hop, but they didn’t really bother me.
KM: How would you summarize the whole experience?
Persia: I would say I had the roughest time of anyone else. I had the flu and food poison and those were the things people didn’t get to see, but at the end of it all, I wouldn’t change anything and I’d do it again if given the chance.
KM: What’s next for Persia?
Persia: I have a mix-tape dropping soon, I’m talking with people about potential TV shows and movies and I’m just meeting with label to discuss my CD; lots of great things to come from soon.
KM: I know you did some singing on the show on a couple of the tracks, will you be singing on your upcoming CD at all?
Persia: (Laughs) I wasn’t really too sure about my vocal skills.
KM: Really, I thought those tracks that you sang on were pretty dope.
Persia: Well, there may be a couple of tracks on the CD that I’m singing on.
KM: Last question, what are the challenges facing you as a white rapper?
Persia: I don’t feel like I’m challenged as a white rapper; I don’t feel like I have to prove myself, I don’t see color really, I just see myself as an MC.
KM: Persia, again thank you for taking the time out to speak with me and wish you nothing but success in the future.
The “White Rapper Show” was truly only a first step in what I’m sure will be a long-lasting career for Persia. After speaking with her, I didn’t see a “bitch”, I saw a New York girl who had serious love for this thing we call hip-hop.
For more information on Persia, visit: www.myspace.com/persianyc
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