Emcee "Robbi" Defines Female Hip-Hop

(Song Playing Is "Suffocation" Featuring J9)

"Rapper Robbi looks like a china doll but don't let her appearance fool you - this girl is tough as nails." - Buzz Sports/Entertainment, December 2006

Challenging traditional South Asian and Muslim beliefs from childhood while confronting a competitive rap industry for over 10 years, Robbi is determined to make her mark in the music world from her home of Chicago. Not only has she overcome extreme cultural pressures, she has also challenged typical rap by bringing a unique electronic spin to the genre.

The petite East-Indian musician began writing songs as early as eight years old with the intention to rebel against her classroom bullies and condescending teachers, unaccustomed to sharing a classroom with someone of her heritage and religion. Transferring to a private Muslim school after her defiant behavior, Robbi's first performance was in a Mosque at the age of fifteen, when she recited an Islamic themed rap song. Her lyrical content remained focused on Islam until her sophomore year in college, though she still became known as the only hijab (a traditional Islamic scarf) wearing musician on campus.

Yet her popularity hardly faded after Robbi decided to stop wearing a hijab, soon becoming well respected amongst many communities after winning the international YellowFist Asian writing competition, and being featured on the cover of Ivy League university magazine A.A RockZine!. Soon after, it was actually Robbi's refusal of a multi-faceted yet sexually suggestive entertainment deal from a Hollywood film/music conglomerate when her uncompromising pride in her personality began to glow. Winning numerous rap battle competitions sponsored by educational organizations such as the Anti-Truth campaign, and ending each of her solo concerts by "freestyling" with the audience, also gained Robbi tremendous respect from the underground hip-hop scene. One of her most memorable performances was held at a local Chicago venue sharing the stage with global hip-hop luminary KRS-One, who commended Robbi on her vision.

Robbi's songs have been featured on many of the world's top urban radio stations such as Chicago's WGCI 107.5 FM, and she has also performed on several syndicated talk shows such as The Flabby Hoffman Show and The Chicago Rock Show. Her hit single "Suffocation" is receiving support from radio airwaves and local Chicago club scenes. Robbi is currently working with a Grammy certified producer on her debut album, and even stars in the upcoming That Asian Thing documentary, set to be screened across international film festivals in Spring 2007.

Robbi's L.P is expected to drop in early 2007.

Fresh female emcee brings new life to Hip Hop

When I as an editor search for new content I see alot of the same things....so when something or someone sticks out I will notice them 9 times out of 10. This proves uselful now beacuse I am aware of "Robbi", the cultural-diverse-female- hip-hop-emcee. She has spin to her records that even now I can't quite put my finger on, but I can say that I think she has something to powerful to ignore.

First of all there are not very many female emcee's to begin with, so that gives us a whole lot to work with right off the bat. The you have a female crossing cultural lines and really changing the way you view hip-hop. I have mad respect for a woman that can do what she wants even when there are major obstacles in her way.

So I wanted to dig deeper into the brain of Robbi and see what she was all about. I found that hip-hop is not dead, but growing in places that you might not expect. Mainstream hip hop is yes, dying. I say that with hopes that someone out there reading this knows that there are a few people out there keeping the heart pumping but the majority of the body is dead wieght.

This iced out, "I wanna [Chrysler] 300, so I can buy a grill to make it look like a Bentley" attitude, is weak now because hip hop needs a change. But you can't really effectivley say that rapping about those things is all wrong, because one of the foundations of rap and battle rap is boasting about oneself. But I think the cycle should return now to the day of KRS-ONE and Africa Bambata. Also hip-hop needs to change and gather new types listeners.

Robbi has done that with her hip-hoptronica sound that she eliqunelty pushes passed her lips and engineers to refelct current issues in almost everyones nieghborhod. It's real and you can sense that in the sound. It has emotion and feelings of a females her age. This is important becasue the male genre of hip hop is represented from kids younger than BOW-WOW to people still on thier mic who are in thier late 30's and maybe even early 40's. Hip hop needs all types od listeners and providers and if you love hip hop then you will love or at least resepect the new, different and unconventioal.

So read the below interview that I (Alkatraz) did with Robbi and learn what made this girl from the burbs want to become a voice in the hip hop world.

Alkatraz:

How long have been rhyming in front of a crowd?

Robbi:

Age 8

Alkatraz:

What do you listen to? What in the CD player right now?

Robbi:

Peaches, Punjabi Mc, Common, Visionary Underground

Alkatraz:

How does you family feel about what you do..as far as being an emcee and all?

Robbi:

They don't take it seriously, but I let that drive me to work harder.

Alkatraz:

What walls have you had to climb to get where you are?

Robbi:

Cultural pressures from the Indian community since its not traditional for an Indian women expressing herself freely in public. I've had to start booking my own shows to have more exposure in the scene and stop waiting to be booked. A huge wall I've climbed is the sexism from other male rappers who doubt me and make sexual degrading remarks. I've actually had a former WGCI host tell the crowd, "lets see her take off her shirt!" I've seen big fat men throw temper tantrums and cry after I battle them in a crowd, but I've had to do it to prove myself to the scene.

Alkatraz:

What do think of hip hop now? Nas says it's dead...is that true?

Robbi:

I don't think any genre can be dead. Just because the mainstream version of hiphop lowers intelligence and is completely wack doesn't mean the genre and lifestyle of hiphop is dead. Underground hiphop has a huge following and theres still real hiphop shows out there you just have to go out and find them instead of jumping to conclusions. The problem today is the labeling, people often mistake hip-hop for rap, so that's where the misunderstandings happen. Theres probably only 2-3 true hip-hop songs on the radio.

Alkatraz:

What are you feelings on Queen Latifah, mc lyte an other femal emcee's?

Robbi:

Queen Latifah inspired me a lot, I remember I was about 10 or 11 yrs old when I first heard her song "UNITY" she actually taught me that concept and definition before anyone else did. Mc Lyte.. the first female rapper to have a hit single.. shes still going strong right now, I don't know how she does it. I don't know any other female rapper that has more skill than her.

Alkatraz:

Do you write rhymes in advance or do you freestyle more?

Robbi:

I write rhymes in advance for songs, but then I end up freestyling more when I hear the instrumental later. Freestyling sets the mood of the song -its all about creating an image within a song, so when you hear it you feel it so bad u cant get it out of your head when you sleep at night.

Alkatraz:

What is the hip-hop scene like in Chicago?

Robbi:

Theres too many rappers and not enough supporters. Its extremely segregated in terms of location. You can have a fan-base in logan square or wrigleyville, and be dead to the world in the south side and vice versa. Some of the well-known rappers are wack, but their popular only because they've been around so long and their names are recognized. But the other amazing rappers, don't get the support they truly deserve because of those other wack rappers, they are immediately ignored on assumption. I go to a show and theres like 6-8 Mcs performing in one night and that's when u get a decent crowd. I don't see such an overwhelming lineup in any other scene in Chicago. I love the graff work as a form of art, but I think if Taggers would chill out, then we'd have more venues accepting to book hip-hop. There are some respectable hiphop shows out there - but you have to find them. My favorite hiphop shows in the city would have to be the college and loft settings.

(With Itchie Fingaz and Insight @ Garfield Conserv. Park County Fair.)

Alkatraz:

You speak two languages is that right? How does that help you?

Robbi:

I speak Urdu as well. Yeah, it helps me get along with the Indian community ofcourse. When I go to a desi (slang, for Indian) party and I say something small in Urdu, their like "hell yeah! And you rap too!" and get all excited. It gets me hugs.

Alkatraz:

Have you ever written a song with both languages in them?

Robbi:

Once, to be part of the soundtrack for an Indian film, "Kuch Ta Karo" which means, "do something". But there wasn't enough funding so it wasn't released officially.

(Click On The Picture To Go To Her MySpace)

Alkatraz:

Were you influence by east or west hip-hop?

Robbi:

East coast - I usually rap slower and to slower bpms like east coast style and I lean towards a more complex lyrical style with in-depth concept. But I am more of an alternative hiphop artist - so I have other influences besides just hiphop - like Depechemode, Sister Machine Gun, Esthero, etc

Alkatraz:

Where are you from? What is hip-hop like from there?

Robbi:

I'm not gonna front, I wasn't raised in the ghetto, I wasn't even raised in the city. I was born and raised in the nw burbs (later in my 20's I became more city) - The burbs in general don't have much going on in terms of hiphop - the rock scene is more prevalent in the nw burbs. Theres a more commercialized concept of hiphop in the burbs.

Alkatraz:

Do you "tour" with anyone or are you keeping it solo?

Robbi:

I'm not doing a tour anytime soon. I'm a solo artist I do shows with other rappers though.

Alkatraz:

Are you trying to get a record deal or would you preffer to be indie?

Robbi:

Tryna figure that out right now. We'll see what happens.

Alkatraz:

Anyhting else you would like to say, promote, etc?

Robbi:

Check out my electro alternative hiphop nights last Tuesday of Every Month at Cafe' Lura 3184 N. Milwaukee - The opening Night is on Feb 27th. Request "Suffocation" on fearlessradio.com and other college radio stations

(Click On Picture To Go To Her MySpace)