Four years after her worldwide smash, the explicit "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)", Khia returns to the rap game with her sophomore LP, Gangstress. Since her last outing in the hip hop industry, rumors have been abound as to the Philly rapper’s whereabouts – some had her locked up in jail, others dead. But, as HHDX found out, the mother of two is well and truly alive, and has been keeping herself busy on tour across the globe and in the studio, working on her latest album. Still going strong on the indie route, Khia spoke to HHDX about music, porn and being the Queen of the South… Don't forget to check Khia's diss track towards Trina! Click Here! What have you been up to since Thug Misses? Why did it take you so long to come out with another album? I’ve been on the road, touring. Just as big as it was here in the States, Thug Misses was huge overseas, in Japan, Africa, Greece and Brazil… So I do a lot of touring overseas, in the UK and Europe. It’s definitely been all work and all love just to be able to tour and be able to have a song that has stuck and had the impact that "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" and the album Thug Misses did. The fans [have been] overwhelming, so I guess I really have been busy. I’m just able to get back and really get in the studio to get everything prepared for the new album, so I’ve been working hard, and that’s a good thing. Now, Gangstress is like my baby, and I’m excited about it! You don’t have any features on your new LP, was there any reason for this? No, I don’t do features; I didn’t do features on my first album, and I don’t feel I need them. You know, I think a lot of artists piggy back off of features and you get an album and it’s full of features… I just don’t feel that I need that on my album. I like to showcase my talent on my own and I just really think that hip hop has gone feature crazy, and I don’t agree with that. Your new single, "Snatch Da Kat Back", is kind of a ladies’ anthem again, like "My Neck, My Back" was… Yeah, again! Well, I just felt that every woman in the world has wanted to snatch her cat back from somebody, and I chose that single because I knew a lot of women would be able to relate. It’s definitely a ‘respect me’ track for the ladies, you know, it’s like if a guy’s not respecting you, messing with other women, or just not treating you right, then you just gotta snatch ya cat back! It is another anthem and you know, the guys gotta straighten up for the ladies! Continued on page 2 » You worked with Janet Jackson on "So Excited" for her album. How did that come about? I’m a fan of Janet, but her camp called me, and they wanted me to do the song that’s gonna be on her album, so I’m not promoting it with mine, but it was definitely a pleasure working with her. I’m a huge fan of hers, and I had no problems doing the track; I know everyone’s gonna love it. I’m praying it’s the second single! You’ve got a book coming out at Christmas called Gangsta Love – what made you turn into an author? Well I’m a creative writer, that’s what I do. I write plays and scripts, and I write all of my own music, so it’s definitely a hobby for me; I love writing stories and books and plays, and Gangsta Love is kinda my life story. If you’re a fan, it definitely shows where my music comes from and how I deal with relationships and just gangster stuff really. I was using the mug shots for my album cover, so you know, I think people will definitely be able to relate to my book. It’s straight through hood life, but it’s a love story too; you’re gonna enjoy it. You’ve criticized other female rappers before for using ghostwriters write their lyrics. How do you feel about that now? That’s a good question, because I’m kinda against artists who do that. A lot of people are like, ‘Oh, you don’t respect other female artists’, but I’m like, it’s because a lot of female artists out don’t write all their songs themselves – you can tell that they have ghostwriters; other females can’t relate ‘cos it’s too hardcore, for a man it’s pleasing to the ears. I’ve been in this industry; I know what goes on. As an artist, a writer and song composer, I’m kinda against it, especially when you act like you write your own stuff when you know that you don’t. I’m against that; I’m not respecting them with that crap and their style and their deliverance. It’s just totally different when you know that they’re writing their stuff and there’s a creativity that you can identify with them. A lot of female artists out there, they don’t have their own identity. The image you have at the moment has been described as ‘porn for hip hop’ – is that kind of an alter ego for yourself? Hmm… it’s not really like porn… Just everything I talk about is real, and is from life experiences. I think talking about relationships and sex and guys is something women can kinda relate to, and my music is sexually explicit, but it’s just me being real, raw and uncut. People have come up to me and said, ‘You’re like the porn of hip hop; we love "My Neck, My Back", it’s so graphic, so real!’ It’s not just my music, anything that I rap or write about is real because it’s me. I wouldn’t really call it porn, it’s just female aggression in the topics that I’m talking about, whether it’s jealousy, lies or sex, you know, those are just some of the things women go through. Sex is a key issue when talking about men, but it’s definitely not just that. Continued on page 3 » Due to your image, you’ve been treated quite harshly by the media. What do you have to say to these critics? I’m not real good with all of this industry stuff. I’m just real and hands on with my business. I’m independent, so definitely, I don’t have people who go any pay for radio and pay for four or five videos and pay for me to be on the cover of every magazine. Those artists who have that are still not really selling records so to me, being independent and selling 800,000 copies my first time, doing my own writing, in control of my own projects, my own masters, publishing, copyright… A lot of artists don’t have this much control over their project and they want the fame and the TV time and the exposure, but they’re broke and they’re not in control of the situation. I’m independent and handle my business, manage myself, do all of my own touring, booking, promotion… everything is coming through me, so I’m really happy with that. I don’t care being labeled a one hit wonder, ‘cos "My Neck, My Back" is a classic and I’m not really concerned with the TV or the videos or being in the spotlight. I’m on the road touring and my fanbase is solid, so I’m definitely making my money selling independently and not having the big budget stuff means I don’t owe anybody. You call yourself the Queen of the South – do you see any competition from anyone else? No, never! I call myself the Queen of the South because I am an independent female artist and I came out by myself. A lot of female artists out there came out piggybacking off a man’s label; they’re always the first lady of this, the first lady of that. You have Trina with Slip-N-Slide, Lil’ Kim with Biggie, and Foxy/Jay-Z, Remy/Fat Joe… Every single female has come out under a label and used that as a crutch. They had ghostwriters, they had the men to kind of introduce them; I never had that. I came out by myself, I didn’t have a major label, and I didn’t have a guy to say this is Khia, the first lady of… So I call myself the Queen because I moved mountains by myself; I’ve carried the weight, and I might not have the promotion, but I’m making things happen by myself. I call that a Queen move, and my accomplishments are a Queen status, so I’m claiming to be the Queen of the South because it is what it is! Is there anyone else in the rap game that you admire? I just love Cee-Lo, Cee-Lo Green. I just love Cee-Lo to death, and he’s so talented and so underrated here in the United States. I love Andre 3000< and a lot of the guys! Lil’ Wayne, T.I., E-40, you know, I’m a huge fan of B.G. and Cash Money and No Limit, but no females…! Continued on page 4 » I just think that because they don’t have their own identities, I can’t relate to them. Either they’re too hard, or they’re carrying guns, or I’ma suck your dick and I’ma do this and do that, I’m gonna hold it down for you… It’s just like, you ain’t doing that out here girl, I can’t relate to all that. It’s fake and just not real for me; I’m not reppin’ that and I’m just not a fan of that kinda music. How do your kids feel about their mum being a rap star? Oh, they love it! My babies are teenagers, 14 and 15; they’re big. They come on the road with me sometimes and they just really excited for me, seeing mommy’s dreams come true. To see me on TV, they really appreciate the drive and the struggle that I had, so for it to be unfolding in front of their eyes, it’s just a blessing for them to see that experience. They happy for me, they’re like my biggest fans! Where do you see yourself in five years? I wanna do some acting, some real, hood stuff. I’m hoping I can maybe bring one of my books to life. I definitely wanna write some scripts and do some movies and producing, so I’m just tryna do my music and write my books. I’m just trying to keep it real and get deals through my writing. Finally, do you have a message for your fans? Oh, it’s all about the fans for me! Much love to my fans, and if it wasn’t for my fans, I wouldn’t be here. The Gangstress album is dedicated to them; it’s more of what they asked for and it’s just for them. hiphopdx.com----source

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