Let's Chat It Up With Femcee Bates About The Femcee Nation
H.D. Campbell
1) Where do I begin? You are a
reporter/rapper/songwriter/producer. How
do you keep it all together?
Don’t forget that I have a full-time job and I’m still
not done with attaining my music degree. Yeah, music isn’t paying me yet. I
struggle with time all the time. Luckily, something in my brain organizes all
of this. I also filter out things that aren’t necessities and in my free time I
make sure I’m doing something productive. Sometimes I take on a task based on
its importance. My hands are full, but at the moment it’s necessary. I’m not
getting any younger- no sleep for the dream-chaser.
2) We’ll start with your love for music. At what age did it begin and what influenced
it?
My love for music came at an early age. My mama told me
that when I was just a few months old, I was trying to sing “Ooh Baby, Baby,”
by Smokey Robinson. My mother and father are a huge reason why I love music. My
mother has eight siblings, and almost every weekend they would come over our
house and gather in what they called “The Damn Basement.” All night long they
sang and danced to oldies. My parents had a large music collection. My big
sisters loved hip-hop. I grew up on EPMD, KRS-One, Twista, Bone Thugs, Da Brat,
NWA. 2Pac, Fiend, Eminem and my big brother heavily influenced my rap style. I
was in the school choir from 6th grade to my senior year. My
high-school choir director was no joke. Everything had to be perfect.
3) How did it transition into doing it professionally? What was your first project?
I started writing raps with my cousin Nikki. I still
remember my first rap to this day. Then, I went to school and all the dudes
would be free-styling in the cafeteria. I joined in with them and really liked
the feeling it gave me. Plus, there was a girl that I could not stand who got all
props for being the hardest female in the school. I couldn’t let her have that
title. I got picked on by the “in crowd” my first three years in high-school.
Rapping was a way for me to feel bigger than I was and it also gave me the
confidence I lacked. Once I graduated I
started making beats on some bootleg program I haven’t seen since. My brother
and I formed a squad called Xplicit the summer after I graduated. The seven of
us were some of the best lyricists I’ve heard to this day. Our first song was called
“Caught in the Breeze.”
Eventually we grew apart. I was a solo artist from 2004 to
2012, when I hooked up with Pulse of the City Music Group. My homegirl Notes
had been working with True on a few projects. Soon after I was introduced to
him, the seven of us (D. Redd, True, Notes, Mbz, Saudi Izreal, TegaTega and,
myself) formed H.A.R.D Asylum. The reason I went ahead and joined was because
there was so much talent. It reminded me of Xplicit in some ways. Everyone has
their own unique sound and inspire me to be better. True makes majority of the beats. I haven’t
heard anybody make beats like his. He has his own sound.
4) What are your projects up to your latest?
My first project was Xplicit
Pimpin’ (2002). My brother Smurf and I dropped a duo album, all of which I
produced, called Lethal Legends
(2006). My first solo mixtape was Normageddon
(2007). It was followed by Hidden
Archives (2008). Before I knew it, I was buried in music. By 2008 I had
already recorded about 150 songs. Once I got my own recording equipment, my
little brother from another mother , Yhung Moe and I, dropped City Art (2011), all of which I
produced. In 2012 I gave the streets the Wonderful
Mixtape. This was my last solo project. Once I linked with POTCMG, True
already had a mixtape in the works called The
Front. During the recording of the The
Front is when H.A.R.D Asylum was birthed. Right now, H.A.R.D Asylum is
putting the finishing touches on The
Committed, due to drop this spring. In the meantime, I’m working on my next
solo project, The Great DeBates. Hopefully it’ll be out before the end of the
summer.
5) I’ve seen you rip up the stage and I’ve
seen your TMA win. You bring a lot of
presence to the stage. Where does all that energy come from?
I was in show choir, concert choir and small ensembles. I
also had a thing for writing and delivering speeches. I was never afraid of the
stage or being under the public microscope. I’ve done so many shows, battles and
the like. During the summer that I linked with POTCMG, I was in an 8-week long competition
hosted by Studio 618 called “Show Em’ What You Got.” This helped me grow as a
performer. I thought I had everything on lock before this competition, but
seeing myself on camera and facing criticism allowed me to correct my flaws. I
realized how comfortable I had gotten. There were four finalists in this
completion, one being Feva Femmedon. She
brought so much energy. I had to step my game up. Plus, I have a very personal
connection with my music; that passion comes out on stage.
6) At what point did you join PulseOfTheCity
Music Group as producer?
True is the main producer in POTCMG. So far, I’ve only
contributed two or three beats for The
Committed. I’m more of and artist than a producer for POTCMG. I still make
tracks though- a few per week. It feels good to not have to do it all, plus I
like different sounds, they make me think and write different things.
7) Please tell me your brainchild behind
BATESBEATS PRODUCTIONS.
Bates Beats is the name I use for any production,
composition or arrangement I put together. At one point, I got tired of my own
tracks. That’s what led me to major in music and learn the ins and outs of what
the music is doing. I wanted to be able to make different sounds come out of my
head. I’m proud the major I chose. Not many hip-hop producers have knowledge in
music theory.
8) Now you are both making music and writing
about it for Inbox Music & DVD as a reporter/columnist. At what point did you want to write about
music?
Honestly, I never wanted to write about music. I got into
journalism writing a column called Wake
Up for the college newspaper. I wrote about community issues, politics,
racial issues and other controversial topics that I thought needed to be spoken
about. I love educating people of the unknown and revealing hidden truths. I
get a rise from giving a rise, if that makes sense. Originally, I was supposed
to write a few columns, but the owner of the mag asked if I would write cover
stories and artist reviews. I used the knowledge I had acquired from writing
for the school newspaper to write the cover stories and features, and used the
knowledge I learned from theory and engineering to write the artist reviews. My
daddy always said I should focus on writing. He was so proud to see my first
column in the school newspaper.
9) How long have you been writing for them?
I started writing for Inbox Magazine and DVD summer 2013.
10) Tell me about the Femcees and how did they
get started?
Femcee Nation Organization Inc. is a company that four
other femcees and I started. Molyric, Mz. Tigga, and I were talking about how
femcees could take over the hip-hop industry at a recording session for the STL
femcee cipher hosted by Sadie B. It started from an idea. Molyric overheard
Tigga and I talking about it and before we walked out, Molyric had an outline
printed out. My homegirl/vocalist Notes joined us, then,
rapper/vocalist/instrumentalist Queen Rhodium took to the idea as well. We
launched a rough-draft of the website, www.femceecity.com
and started working toward unifying female artists. Our mission is to close the
gender gap by promoting unity and providing a home for women, primarily in the
entertainment industry. Women are often overlooked and not taken seriously. FNO
provides femcees with resources. Everything is for femcees, by femcees. Since
the game won’t have us, I think it’s fair to make this “separate but equal.”
11) How long have you guys been performing?
The founders of FNO are all separate entities when it
comes to performances and making music. I’ve been performing for over a decade.
The other founders have as well.
12) Let’s talk about your current project. What is it and what can we expect from it?
The Committed
by H.A.R.D Asylum drops this spring. If
you’re looking for bars, this is where to find them. The Great DeBates will hopefully be out this summer. The context of
The Great DeBates is controversial,
addressing various political and social issues. It’s different from my other
project because I usually talk about my life. This time I’m talking about
problems that plague our communities.
13) Do you have anything new in the works (shows,
projects, etc.)?
I’m working on a few videos and doing a lot of collabs.
I won a “Hot 16” competition which earned me a feature with Young Buck. I’m
waiting to get the finished product. My biggest project is the montage I’ve
arranged that features 21 different female rappers, singers and spoken-word
artists. I have so much going on right now but I have to let things pan out
before I let the cats out the bag. My main focus is building on FNO and making
good music with my squad. I can’t wait til Slumfest comes around this summer.
That’s one of the dopest showcases in the Lou. It’s always a pleasure to be a
part of.
14) How can we get to know you, your music, see
your columns or just to see your updates?
The best way to
get to know me is to talk to me, read my articles in Inbox Magazine or listen
to my music. I’m not shy at expressing my feelings. The most intimate parts of
me are in my music. What I say on Facebook is what I want the world to hear, so
if someone wants to know what project/show I’m working on, it’ll be there. I
use Facebook as a means to an end. I try not to put my personal life (the
little bit that I have) out there. Subscribe to Inbox Magazine at www.inboxmag.mobi. The Front can be found
on www.datpiff.com, and to hear more music
search for ‘yahomegirlbates’ on Soundcloud. H.A.R.D Asylum’s Slumfest Hiphop Award nominated
video “Tha Inauguration” is on Youtube. Subscribe to ‘Potcmusicgroup.’
15) Do you have any final words or messages for
your fans?
One of the realest things I live by is paying attention
to the company you keep. If people bring negativity, get rid of them. If they
bring positive vibes, keep them close. It’s crazy that the people we hang
around can make or break us. I stay focused because I don’t deal with certain
types of people. Once you find your circle, you might just find peace-of-mind
and be able to get more accomplished. God’s
blessings are waiting for us, but some of us will never get them because the
people we are around aren’t meant to share them with us.
You can follow us on Twitter at @idavisionaire
