SpotLight Artist|Brattnae Rapptress

"I never met true love until I met music"

--Brattnae

Born in Chicago,Illinois in the Englewood area. Brattnae has always been determined. Bratt uses her imagination and life experiences to write her music even though she is really quiet, her mind has so much built up where it is really easy for her to write music. Being a target of bullies started something much more. "I was the type of girl that got bullied. Why I really dont know but now I look back and realize why." Brattnae went on to further elaborate that she wasn't really good at anything except receiving good grades, especially in English. " I was an awesome writer and still am." Brattnae started writing music at a young age and had always had a passion for rhyming words and performing but never knew that she would one day rap. When she first began rapping it was something she used to escape reality. "It was just me rhyming words and writing out lyrics of industry songs. As I got older I realized it had become an addiction and a passion. It made me feel good."  Being the only child for so long deeply impacted her personality. At the age of 13 is when she really started getting involved with music. Brattnae would type the "Do or Die" lyrics on her computer and repeat them multiple times until it was memorized. At this same age is when Brattnae dreamed of recording her own music and doing features but she knew she had to go to a studio. Even though she had grown up with a father who was a former musician himself that had stopped pursuing his dreams Brattnae thought maybe he would have tried to help her  pursue hers but instead it was the complete opposite. Her mother, who isn't a fan of rap music wasn't supportive either so it was so hard for her to actually do what she loved.  When Brattnae was 17 she was finally able to really pursue her dreams. Her mother had  recently moved back  to Chicago and upon graduating Brattnae, who was  preparing for college had started working a summer job. This job finally allowed her access to fund her dreams of recording in a studio. "When I turned 17 I started paying for my own studio time.I would catch the CTA to the studio." When she initially started recording it made her feel weird. She recalls being nervous and shy but those feelings quickly wore off. She made her first song which was  called " Metaphorically Speaking" Brattnae described the song as "Lyrically hot and very hip hoppy"  She started writing to actual beats that she had found on sound click. She would record it and then upload it to YouTube. Though it may sound easy she admits those years were tough and challenging. "But I wouldn't trade those days for nothing in the world." She went off to college after that initial work but had no idea what she want to be and after just one semester  she realized being two hours away from home with no car, money, and family that she no longer wanted to be there. Bratt went back home, found a full time job and enrolled into community college full time. She was still able to record when she wanted. From that continuous work came her song "Another Girl" which got numerous plays on Power 92.3. When she turned 20 she actually got to do an interview at 92.3 and drop her song "Gucci" she also started performing at clubs and bars.In 2015 she dropped her first mixtape #RapCrush, which dropped on Valentine's Day that year and is available on iTunes, Amazon, and Spinrilla. "That mixtape was special to me. I made it because I wanted to express the term "love" to my listeners with nice mellow tracks such as "Tonight" "Ride Out" and "For Her". After dropping her first mixtape she followed up with #CrazyCuteCool which is available on SpinrillaMost of her early songs like Brattysheez, Another Girl, and Gucci have all be played on the radio. In present times Brattnae is just working on her catalog, doing more videos, new mix tapes and more promotional avenues. She is also embracing modeling and working on an online Talk show. She is also interested in writing for artist. She is focused on the music, especially the business side, her new mixtape #50ShadesofPink slated to drop later this year and growing her fan base. Being a female rapper is just the tip of the iceberg but you guys will have to keep an eye out for Brattnae as she continues to grind for her craft. I hope to see growth and a lot of empowering songs from her. Check Out some of her content below and be sure to connect with her.

--M$C

Q & A with Brattnae

[M$C]: Which female artist influences you?

[Brattnae]: I can say Trina, Lil' Kim and definitely Missy Elliot. Missy Elliot influenced my music a lot as a child she was who I listened to the most . She's so creative and cool her music was just different .

[M$C]: How has being bullying shaped your music?

[Brattnae]: Bullying shaped my music because as a child I never understood why kids didn't like me or why they used to talk about me . It hurt and it made me feel like I had no worth in the world especially when I was a pre teen and a teenager. When I started writing music it made me feel worthy and actually good it brought light to my world and the bullying only made me go harder with my music. Now I see why I was bullied. You know they saw something in me that they was envious of.

[M$C]: I saw you want to write for artist? Any particular artist?

[Brattnae]: I would love to write for a singer. I can sing but not really good. I can't do high notes so I would love to write for someone who could sing . As far as artist no one in particular just independent artist who have problems with writing.

[M$C]:Which lane of rapping for a femcee do you ride? The sexual or the aggressive?

[Brattnae]: I think I'm still stuck on the sexual side as a female artist I'm not the aggressive type but I'm trying to get in the middle when I could be hardcore and still sexy at the same time.

Content|Videos

Connect W/ Brattnae Rapptress

BrattnaeRapptress.com

Hulkshare.com/brattyyychick

Soundcloud.com/Brattnae

Facebook.com/Brattnae

Twitter;Brattnae

Instagram brattnae_rapptress

#Rapcrush - EP

iTunes https://itun.es/us/gPfTab

Why you Should Rock with Rell [SpotLight Artist]

Lyricist, pioneer, veteran and entrepreneur are all words that can describe 

New Jersey's Rell Rock….

    

   Sherrall Lovett A.K.A Rell Rock was born and raised in Camden, New Jersey. She began rapping at the age of 11 and dropped her first major distributed album in 2004 at the age of 14, the self-entitled album: "I'm The Truth”. She has always had her finger on Hip Hop’s pulse and credits traveling and living all over the country as a teen for her being in tune with her love for Hip Hop. She became one of the youngest rappers to release music independently on her own label Zock Rock Records. From Philly to New Jersey, Rell Rock has created a reputation of being one of the most prolific and well respected female Hip Hop artists to bless the mic. Even years after her debut release, Rell Rock has consistently found ways to reinvent herself musically, which is apparent on her mixtape. “Black Diamond” She has also used the time to expand her resume and gain new fans. In October 2012, Rell Rock released her critically acclaimed sophomore indie release “Love and Hip Hop” which featured the hit singles “Superstar” and “2-Step”. Rell Rock’s highly anticipated 3rd project “Black Diamond” was recently released exclusively on DatPiff  in September of last year. It features smash radio single “Jersey”: which was produced by Roc Nation Philly platinum producer Jahlil Beats. Rell Rock’s latest project, “Black Diamond: VVS Edition” features all new music including the single “Survive” featuring Saigon which dropped a couple days ago on 2/15/2014.  Rell Rock is here to give balance in the world of Hip Hop music keeping the true elements of lyrics, storytelling, and entertaining, but also providing inspiration and information to her community. She writes her own music and is not afraid to set herself apart from the “norm” expected in Hip Hop especially for women. Through her music, Rell Rock will prove emphatically that she has the ability to take clever words and translate them into powerful songs. After years of being courted by major record labels, Rell Rock decided to take her dreams in her own hands, and continue releasing music on her own independent record label. She has created a blueprint for the new era of female rappers and hip hop in general.

.   

[Q & A]:

[M$C]: How did you come up with Rell Rock as your name?
[RELL ROCK]: My nickname growing up was Relly, so Rell was the first part, and the Rock part comes from my first album I did when I was 14 years old, I would “rock” the mic so to speak. Lol. Another factor was the first professional female rapper was named Sha Rock (From Funky Four + 1 who were signed to SugarHill Reocrds in 1977) way before my time, but I believe in knowing the history of hip hop is important for us as the new generation. That gave me inspiration as a female to know we play a vital role in the foundation of Hip Hop. Almost 3 decades later, I have own my own independent label, own all my masters, releasing my 4^th project this spring and it feels good to try and pioneer a new movement for us female emcees/rappers.
[M$C]: Do you think it’s harder being a female in the Hip Hop scene in this era versus when Lauryn Hill or Queen Latifah stepped up as female emcees in theirs?

      [RELL ROCK]: I think the women who laid the foundation definitely had it harder to be noticed in a male dominant culture/music. During the era of Lauryn Hill and Queen Latifah Hip Hop had more voices and styles then. You had the gangsta rap, the political element, the fun records, and the lyrical based emcees. When Gangsta rap got introduced and became profitable more than the other types of hip hop, people like Lil Kim and Foxy Brown (who I salute all day) started the trend of sexual based female rappers. I have love for Nicki Minaj, she def is a real emcee, but with the emergence of a lot of female rappers now on the indie scene, its going to open up and provide that variety again, and also show we don't have to be sexual based to sell records or gain fans. We all have different voices and points of views, just like the male emcees and rappers. Its looking good for us now though, we are on our way!

[M$C]: Do you have a movement and if so what is it?
[RELL ROCK]: My clique is the N.E.R.D. Gang (New Era Rap Draft) consisting of the new emcees and artist that speak from the hood with intelligence and let the younger ones coming up to know that being smart is cool and doesn't make you weak. We are all from the hood and get respect from it, but we are not endorsing the elements that destroy the community. Right now members are based in different parts of New Jersey, but we def plan on expanding worldwide.
[M$C]:  I see you used a lot of artist interview samples for your mixtape “Black Diamond” are those particular artist inspiration or people you look up to? 
[RELL ROCK]:  I did that to make the listener actually get in the them of the music and the song coming. Def these are all artist that are worthy of respect, from Lauryn Hill, Redman and Rah Digga, pioneers of the New Jersey hip hop movement, KRS One, Martin Luther King, Floyd Mayweather, Will Smith, Jay Z, 50Cent,to Tupac. All had a real voice in our community and will forever be in the history books of ones to admirer and learn more about. 

DOWNLOAD: Black Diamond on  Datpiff.com 
http://www.datpiff.com/Rell-Rock-Black-Diamond-mixtape.515502.html

SINGLE OFF OF "BLACK DIAMOND"

SINGLE OFF OF " BLACK DIAMOND: VVS EDITION"

[VIDEO]: HELLO LOVE (F.U. LOVE) FREESTYLE

CONNECT WITH RELL ROCK:
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.rellrockmusic.com/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/rellrockmusic
SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/rellrock
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/rellrock
AUDIOMACK: http://www.audiomack.com/album/rell-rock/black-diamond
TUMBLR: http://www.rellrockmusic.tumblr.com/