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

Danger Music #THEFIELD

I saw a short film documentary on WSHH (WorldStarHipHop.com) a few weeks back entitled The Field: Chicago, a look at the relationship between the city’s rap scene and street violence epidemic. Okk!! Before I even dabble in this discussion of Chicago’s music scene, I first much say STOP whatever you are doing and check out this film. [The Field]. I have been paying close attention to Chicago rap for some time. I was first drawn there by two obvious reasons Kanye and Twista but as much as I love “Old” Kanye (Before he wasYezzus) and Twista is simply that a tongue twister of pure lyrical delights. Recent rappers and how they and the youth there tied into the violence arising from the Chicago inner city also caught my eye. After reading about the death of Chicago native rapper “Lil JOJO” and the rise of the “Almighty SO” I started to really pay attention to the music scene and the names being buzzed and generated from the area.Another one that caught my eye “Lil Mouse” is by far the best little trap rapper, that I've ever seen and even though I think it’s kind of sad how he can put together street life so good in his lyrics, his charisma is amazing and he be snappin for sure! I have also heard of Lil Durk and Lil Reese as well, but back to the documentary it shed a much needed light using a daily viewed platform like WSHH to help put a focus on the way the city is essentially in battle amongst youth and really how music and the artist that makes it affects the city. This was WSHH's directorial debut and my goodness they did a damn good job if you ask me. The “Chiraq” as they refer to it and please let me PAUSE for the cause and break down how this documentary was so beneficial. I love fashion, I love styling, I’m no master designer but I’m into that whole creativity with fabrics and textiles and being able to express those things through clothes and accessories.... Anyways, I love accessories and I saw a necklace that said “Chiraq” and I had always wondered what the hell is a “Chiraq” and I had never thought to look it up. Like the word “Thot” but that’s an entirely different story. To find out what Chiraq really was, it broke my heart to know that people are literally not even a block away from home and they are losing their life. Innocent bystanders are getting caught up in that lame game of Beef. Why we plotting on how to end the next man’s life. Don’t we all have Kid’s? Are we all not Black folk trying to make it in this crazy world? Crazy thing is we killing people we grew up with, we sending women who brought us in their homes when we had no homes to bury their child. I was not only enlightened further by the short Documentary but it gave insight in the minds of these teenagers and artist that have grown up in Chicago and have yet to fully leave. I was so sadden to see a few of the people that had been featured in the film hadn't survived long enough to see it completed but they explained that themselves in the film. I can remember a particular line from it being  "Niggas don't sell they gun, a nigga keep they gun, they know they gone need it." That line has stuck with me since viewing the film weeks ago. That was a sad and honest depiction of what is going on in a hood away from my hood but in reality its going on not just in Chicago it's going on everywhere. The only difference is Chicago death toll hit 500 in a months time versus how many murders my hood or the next hood may see in a month. I am so glad that WSHH took the time to shed light to the seriousness of the Chicago gang life and the artist that have endured their lives there. I don't want to say that " Drill Music" is the new gangsta rap but it's close enough on the spectrum for them both to be first cousins. I have featured a few videos from artist in that area and I hope if you have never heard of them that you check them out. 

--M$C 

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