Ever since I heard her murder the track “Still Dope” on Doom’s new Born Like This album, I’ve been digging for information on (Empress) staHHr. Luckily, she’s been sweet enough to give me a minute of her time. Keep reading to learn all about the Atlanta femcee’s history: when she started rhyming (day one), who she’s been influenced by (pretty much everyone), and even her thoughts on the elusive supervillain Doom.
Buy Almost Neva Was
Check out her Myspace
SvG: How long have you been writing, rhyming, making music?
staHHr: I’ve been writing [rhymes] since phone calls cost a dime. I’ve been authoring and expressing myself musically literally my entire life. I was in chorus and band in elementary school, and have been creative writing since I was seven. “Active/intentional” rhyme writing began at 14, free styling around 15, 16 and I recorded my first song in 1996.
SvG:What was the process making your debut EP Almost Neva Was?
staHHr: It was the anti process. I took a bunch of songs out of what I had recorded so far and said “I gotta do something with these or quit rhyming”. It wasn’t intricately planned out at all; no sitting in a basement sweating under a police light or anything. I liken it to cramming for finals the day before and still making an “A”. I picked what I liked the best and called [John Robinson] like, “I need to eat, can we put this out?” I was starving son!
{ 5 comments }
