23 Apr Sister Swans: G.L.A.M.-I-Rock
The landscape of young female emcees who are also musicians and producers has been looking very much like a barren wasteland of late. Enter Oakland native G.L.A.M.-I-Rock, a one-woman torchbearer for hip-hop at its essence, freaked for the future.
G.L.A.M.-I-Rock
For G.L.A.M. (as in Good Lyrics and Music), the love for and commitment to lyrics, substance, and musicianship are non-negotiable; hip-hop is literally in her blood. Her mother? multi-platinum rap shero Nic Nac. Her father? Legendary rapper and songwriter Dangerous Dame, who penned verses and hooks for Too $hort. Glam is also a child prodigy, a beatboxer and professional percussionist since the age of 12. Now 18, her pop-infused bangers rock the party and deliver a positive message, the way hip-hop is intended to. Her debut mixtape, New Curriculum, is coming this spring. You won’t find G.L.A.M. showing skin to get attention; she lets her lyrical and musical gifts handle that.
And the attention is pouring in. Akon had to give up the props when G.L.A.M. freestyled for him a couple years ago. She’s already got dance crews uploading routines choreographed to her underground smash “Turn Up The Bass”. And with co-signs from respected DJs like DJ Enuff and Mister Cee, she’s already at the head of the class. Remember you heard about her first here on the HY[e]B blog!
What are you working on right now?
Tracks, more music, more writing, getting the creative juices flowing!
What book(s) are you reading right now?
Put Your Dreams First: Handle Your [entertainment] Business of course.
Share something you do for work that’s harder than it looks.
Producing, brainstorming–the whole process really is a job. It’s always looked easy to me but once I got my equipment and tried to get a certain sound out, it never went my way. Then I took the time to work at it. Eventually it doesn’t feel like work, but something you do for fun.
Describe a moment of sweet vindication.
I was doing a collaboration at this studio in New York with another upcoming artist name Peia. We were the only two females in the studio. The rest were all dudes, playing THEIR music, recording THEIR songs; they were Peia’s people. She told them to listen to my music to play it in the studio, but they wouldn’t. Finally, after 30 minutes or so, she put on “New Curriculum” for them. All their mouths just dropped. It turned from me just being this random girl featuring on Peia’s song into..”how long you gon’ be here? We need to get you on this and this!” Good, good feeling.
Name two places you call home.
Oakland and New York.
Who are your influences?
Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, Erykah Badu, Pharrell, my Mother and my father.
We all need creative stimulation to be successful. What is your favorite creative food (museum, culture, film, travel)?
Change of scenery is always good for writing. I wrote to a sunrise at the beach once. Sometimes I don’t have to go somewhere; soon as I wake up I just write. Your thoughts and feelings are most honest in the morning.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Slim Jims and Sausage Egg McMuffins!
Where can readers to reach you and hear your music?
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