Published: Thursday - May 18, 2006
Words by Michael Cooper
Shawnna (Photo: Def Jam)
Being the daughter of a famous musician has its perks. There's no doubt about it. Shawnna, the child of legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy, grew up amongst the stars and was exposed to music at a very early age. Her parents strived to provide a better life for her though, one that didn't involve the ups and downs of the music industry.
College, an ordinary career, and easy living could have been Shawnna's choice, but music was in her blood. Even though her dad was a blues player, Shawnna got sucked into the hip-hop culture during her high school days.
Shawnna admits that sometimes females have to use sex in order to sell records, but that's just how the game is. With her family backing her 100%, she is prepared to take her talents to a whole new level. She doesn't want to be the next Kim or Missy though. She just wants to be herself no matter what that leads to.
With a hot new single in "Gettin' Some" and a new album called Block Party on its way, Shawnna chopped it up with BallerStatus about the album, sex in music, and what it was like growing up in a house with Grammy Awards all over the wall.
BallerStatus.com: You've been living in Chi-town?
Shawnna: Yep, born and raised there.
BallerStatus.com: Do you feel that Chicago and Atlanta are the two main hip-hop scenes right now, as apposed to New York and L.A. back in the day?
Shawnna: Yes, I would say so, yes. In all honesty, yes. And that's a good thing because we sat back, with no hate and supported, and we learned and developed. Now it's our turn.
BallerStatus.com: That's what I like to hear. You're Buddy Guy's daughter and I actually just got off the phone with Matisyahu as part of the pre-Bonnaroo teleconference. And Buddy is going to be at the Bonnaroo festival this year.
Shawnna: Oh yeah! That's what's up. He isn't stopping.
BallerStatus.com: I'm really looking forward to catching his set there. So, what was it like growing up as his daughter?
Shawnna: Coming up like that was great because he was the most down to earth dude alive. Straight up, he didn't sugarcoat it for me; he took me out there and showed me how things really were. I loved it. And he was like, "This is not what I want for you because this is not what it is." I didn't understand that because I was a kid then. But, now that I'm grown, I really understand what he meant. You cannot just look at the industry and know what you're dealing with. You have to go through it and see all the downs you are going to have before you get to your ups. And now that he sees that I was headstrong and persistent, and did what I wanted to do, he supports me. I didn't go a bad route with it. I believe I'm a positive person.
BallerStatus.com: I bet you got to meet a lot of famous musicians growing up.
Shawnna: Oh, hell yeah! Hell yeah. One of my favorites was when I got to meet Aerosmith. I swear to God I fell in love with them. I was already crazy about them because I like wild music. I don't know if you know, but my favorite rapper is Busta Rhymes. Anybody that is just crazy and wild 'n out, I love. I love it. And the whole band, I just fell in love with as a kid. It made me feel that this is the life. Aerosmith had their wives and kids on the road, and it was just like family. It turned me on and I knew that there was nothing else I wanted to do.
BallerStatus.com: Where did your dad keep his Grammys at?
Shawnna: Oh, they at home. There are in his glass; this glass that we had built for him because he wins so many awards, even overseas and in Canada. He gets more awards from outside the country than from inside it.
BallerStatus.com: Did you get pushed to going into music as a child? Or did they leave it up to you?
Shawnna: No. Like I was saying, dad didn't want me to do that. He tried to make sure of that. He did everything that he could do to, and be as successful as he could to send me to the best colleges. I was like, "No, I'm not having that. I want that stage. I want that tour bus. I want that life."
BallerStatus.com: Obviously, you were exposed to a lot of different styles back then. What led you to hip-hop, instead of something like the blues?
Shawnna: I think it was my generation that geared me towards hip-hop, because I've always been fond of musicianship and being able to play an instrument. It's just what was going on in the high school hallways and the subways and the parties that I could sneak into before I was old enough to go. It was all hip-hop. It was rap. So, that is kind of what curved my creativity that route.
BallerStatus.com: Was there a specific album or song that you heard that helped?
Shawnna: Yeah, definitely so. I was listening to all hip-hop, but when Ice Cube dropped "Jackin for Beats," that did it. I had heard East Coast hip-hop and I had heard the beginnings of the West Coast, but that's what it was. It was either or. And when Ice Cube did that, and he was rapping over some of the East Coast beats and adding it with the West Coast beats, I was like "Hold on a minute, this is something that I want to get into. That's hot." I don't know what it was about that, but that just did it.
BallerStatus.com: So, how did you first get involved with Infamous Syndicate?
Shawnna: Well, I had met Lateefa through a mutual friend. And just the love of rap, we would rap at any party, any subway, anywhere and any restaurant. Just us doing that started things. You can get professional artists who are shocked on the spot to rap or perform, you know. We would just go at it.
BallerStatus.com: How did you and Ludacris cross paths exactly?
Shawnna: When I was in the group Infamous Syndicate with Lateefa, we were doing touring and we went through Atlanta when he was on Hot 97.5. We just hit it off, like our chemistry just clicked.
BallerStatus.com: Was he interviewing you on the radio or something?
Shawnna: Yeah, we had an interview on the radio. He was "Chris Lova Lova" and it was a really good interview. We played a lot of our music, and then he ended playing some of his music, and a lot of the city didn't even know that he was rapping yet. It was hot, so I guess it was something that was destined to happen because we didn't get together to do vocals for "What's Your Fantasy" until three years later.
BallerStatus.com: So back in the day, you were the big thing and he was the guy on the radio interviewing you?
Shawnna: [laughing] So to speak. I never thought of it that way.
BallerStatus.com: What's it like working with someone of his stature now?
Shawnna: Ludacris is so cool man. He's almost so cool it makes me mad because I want him to step up and take the position of CEO, but he won't. I guess that's just being the artist part of him, and knowing what you go through, and some of the adversities that you get from the label. He doesn't want to be a part of that. I don't know, I just love him. I am a big fan of him, regardless of being down with him and being his first female rapper. I think he is incredible.
BallerStatus.com: Of course the rest of rest of the Disturbing Tha Peace crew is pretty tight as well.
Shawnna: Yeah were real tight. We have been on the tour bus for forever, playing together. We're like brothers and sisters. Even with the new additions.
BallerStatus.com: Things really took off for ya'll after the Golden Grain in '02 didn't they?
Shawnna: Yeah, they really did, especially for Chris, for Luda. Everything started happening for him and were just so proud of him as a family. People should just expect big things from Disturbing Tha Peace.
BallerStatus.com: What exactly happened with Chingy? Was it a dispute over royalties or something that led to him leaving?
Shawnna: Honestly, I chose not to be involved in that. At the end of the day, Disturbing Tha Peace is a company. Chingy was an artist, and those discussions were between his lawyers and DTP. All I know is the time that I spent with Chingy, we had developed a really good friendship. I still talk to Chingy. I still see Chingy and I wish him all the best.
BallerStatus.com: Talk about the honor of being the first female artist signed to Def Jam South.
Shawnna: I'm actually signed to Def Jam. I'm glad you said that because a lot of people actually think I'm signed to Def Jam South. There was actually a battle I had with them at first because of me being affiliated with so many Southern artists. I did everything I could to show that I'm from Chicago, so no Def Jam South. I'm with Def Jam or maybe they can start a Def Jam Midwest [laughing]. I was like no, not Def Jam South. I cannot have the South tagged on me. You know, I love them, but I cannot do that. My city is kind of riding on me. Chicago will turn on you quick, you know? We the city of hate.
BallerStatus.com: But, it's still a big honor to be one of the few females signed to that label right?
Shawnna: Definitely so, definitely so. I got big shoes to fill.
BallerStatus.com: So, your second solo album, Block Music, is coming out in June. Talk about the meaning behind the title and the theme of this recording.
Shawnna:Block Music just symbolizes that I'm not going to go anywhere. I've been all over the world, and one thing that I love is the hood and coming back home. So it's like, even though I can tell you about being in Africa or Japan, I'm never going to forget. It isn't anything like the block. The music that I put out is for the block. That's where I get the love from.
BallerStatus.com: You still spent some time growing up on that block despite being a famous person's daughter didn't you?
Shawnna: Yeah, he wasn't with that. But, when ever I could sneak out that's where I went. And my dad has 13 kids, so my brothers and sisters lived in the city and I would always go and visit them and be out there. It's like there wasn't no stopping it.
BallerStatus.com: Who's doing the production for the new album?
Shawnna: Actually, I got local artists on there because they are more thirsty. They're thirsty to give you them club bangers and street bangers and the radio spins that you need. When you get up there with the big guys, the stars, they are real pricey. And then, you not even getting the same type of dedication to the beats that you would from somebody that's trying to get on. So, the production is real local. My brother, who produced "Splash Waterfalls" for Ludacris, is on there. And the new guy, who produced the "Gettin' Some" track, Xcel, he's brand new. So, that was like his break through one. I'm so happy that I got to do that for him.
BallerStatus.com: Besides Ludacris and Bobby [Valentino], are there going to be any other collaborations on there?
Shawnna: Oh, we were actually trying to get a collab from Three 6 Mafia. But, they were supposed to go to the studio like right after they got that big win, so you know how that goes. I ain't mad though, you know? But, other than that we kept it in the family. I got other DTP members on the album. Of course, I got Luda. Of course, I got I-20. Then I got Smoke from Field Mob and our R&B artist Shareefa. I got Tity from Playaz Circle. I just wanted to keep it in the family. I really believe in DTP, but I think we got a ways to go before we solidify ourselves and I want to make sure every move I make is towards doing that.
BallerStatus.com: With Lil Kim in lockup, it seems like there is a vacancy at the top of female hip-hop. Do you think there's an opportunity to move on to the top of the game?
Shawnna: I'm glad you said that because I don't really want the top. And with like Lil Kim, she did so much and contributed so many things to hip-hop for females and women in hip-hop that she's got her own lane. Can't nobody do nothing with Kim. She ain't getting that. No matter what I do, I'll never accomplish the things that she has or give the heart that she has. That's hers and nobody can take that away from her, but that's what I'm trying to get. I'm trying to get my own lane. I don't want to knock anybody off the throne. I don't want a throne to try to be taken from me. I just want my own lane. I want people to want to listen to Shawnna music. To say, "Hey, I want to listen to Shawnna's music."
BallerStatus.com: That "Gettin' Some" single, that really blew up. Were you surprised by it's success a little bit?
Shawnna: I was surprised because of the content, but I got a lot of confidence in my music. So, I knew it was going to come sooner or later.
BallerStatus.com: Does the female rapper have to use sex sometimes to get noticed?
Shawnna: I think so, yes.
BallerStatus.com: You do? Like the male rapper has to have the gangsta image, the female would have to show off the goods?
Shawnna: I think so, yes. Till we really pay attention to that and try to make some adjustments, it's going to be that way. You just got to be careful and be critical, after you get them to look at you with what you do now.
BallerStatus.com: I think it's a shame.
Shawnna: I definitely think it is because we should be able to do it however we want to.
BallerStatus.com: Yeah. I mean you could go out there wearing a parka with no makeup and still spit fire.
Shawnna: Right, that's what I mean. I think we should be able to do it which ever way we want to.
BallerStatus.com: Some of the lyrics have been criticized. But, even back in the day there were songs like "39-24-40 Shape." They just didn't go deeper with the meaning of those lyrics. Now with the media today, you can portray what that means. But, some parents have criticized the lyrics and don't want their little kids listening to it. There was even a young child in the "Gettin' Some" video, which raised a few eyebrows, but that sort of thing has been around a long time.
Shawnna: Yeah, I'd like to talk about that because I feel that hip-hop has been scapegoated for a lot of the negativity. If hip-hop was to be obliterated right now, or had never even existed, sex and violence would still be there.
BallerStatus.com: People were having sex, writing about it, singing about, and even painting about it long before there was a beat box and a microphone and then MTV. And there will be long as as there's life. Hip-hop just speaks out about it like they do about everything else. There's little sugarcoating in the genre.
Shawnna: I know. It's like were always the scapegoat. They always want to blame the violence on us...guns, drugs, sex, the way women are depicted. Women depict themselves. Women pick their roles and play them.
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