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Interview
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Njeri : Supa
Sista Returns With The 20-20 [The Interview] |
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Njeri was born in the hometown of Soul
music, Detroit, Michigan. Her love of music was influenced
early by her father who was also a songwriter and musician.
Most Wu fans would recognise her from her contribution to
Wu-Tang Clan's GZA/Genius album "Beneath The Surface" on
songs “1112 and “Victim” while more than holding her own
with veteran rappers such as Killah Priest and Masta Killah.
Next time she was seen on the mainstream again was her role
on Eminem's movie "8 Miles" where she performed her own
lyrics, adorned in a 3/4ths length skirt and hair wrap, as
the “3rd Parking Lot Rapper” in the movie’s “Cipher” scene.
Gaining inquisitive fans world-wide, Njeri released her
first solo album “Supa
Sista” in 2005. The album displayed Njeri’s natural
talents, though lacked the push it truly deserved. |
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Njeri continued
recording as well as performing. She has graced audiences
with her lyrics
all throughout the Detroit area at venues such as Cobo Hall,
St. Andrews Hall, Hart Plaza, the State Theatre, the Loading
Dock and many others. Njeri Earth’s performance experience
includes the Wet Lands in New York as well as several
performances at the Harriet Tubman school in Harlem for the
Nation of God’s and Earth’s “Show and Prove”. Njeri has also
performed and was well received in Atlanta, Indiana, and
Canada.
2007 marks a sort of rebirth for Njeri. She’s spent the
beginning of the year speaking with
and teaching young artists the importance of maintaining a
message and keeping originality
in their music. Njeri is also using this year to release her
proudest musical work to date, the album “20-20".
With the album just released in June, Wu-International
caught up again with Njeri to follow up on where we left off
on the last interview and find out more about the new album.
Enjoy! |
Thanks first and foremost for
taking the time to answer these interviews and I would like to
add on that nothing will be altered, edited or changed
when this is published online.
Wu-International: Peace Njeri, how are you keeping?
Njeri Earth: I'm maintaining,
staying focused.
Wu-International: You have just released a new album,
20-20, how are you feeling about it?
Njeri Earth: I feel it is
my greatest work to date.
Wu-International: Please explain the title 20-20?
Njeri Earth: 20-20
represents my clear vision into the future (possibly the
year 2020). What Black people, the Hip Hop community, and
the world be facing 13-20 years from now.
Wu-International:
Who was responsible for the
productions and any guest appearances you might want to
share with us?
Njeri Earth: I produced every track on the album,
except "Back Against the Wall", which was produced by Killah
Messiah from Milwaukee. I also did all of the vocals, except
verse 2 of "Detroit Michiganja", which was written and
performed by Sublimenal of Maja League Ent, in Detroit.
Wu-International: How does 20-20 differ from Supa
Sista?
Njeri Earth: For me, 20-20 is more
musical and I believe, easier to understand for younger
people and for those who might not listen to "conscious rap".
It also expresses more of my talent than "Supa Sista", but
they're my favourite 2 albums. (giggle,giggle)
Wu-International: Speaking of Supa Sista, how
well was it received by the public when it came out?
Njeri Earth: The street ate it up. I got
a lot
of love from my people in the D, at shows, as well as the
Gods and Earths, and other people who tracked me down on the
internet and copped from CD Baby, or got digital downloads
from Apple I Tunes, or other related download sites.
Wu-International: Ok, back to 20-20, is there
any song on the album that really sticks out to you? Any
song on the album that you are most proud of?
Njeri Earth: My favourite 2, are "Ghetto Bluez"
and "Killin Me". However, the 1 I'm most proud of is "Hooked
on Love". This song was written by my father over 20 years
ago, and I dug it out, dusted off my vocal chords, and did
it 4 Pop.
Wu-International: Speaking on that, you
have a personal song called “Father” dedicated to your
biological father as well as Clarence 13X, can you tell us a
little bit more about this song?
Njeri Earth: I wrote this song about 10 years ago,
when I became Earth. The song was a little longer then, and
was done on a different beat (that I didn't create). I
couldn't just let this one disappear and never be exposed,
so I re-did it over one of my own track.
Questions: How long did it take you to complete
this album?
Njeri Earth: After
I got in the studio, about 1 month, minus the mastering,
pressing, and bla...bla...blaaa.
Wu-International: On last interview you
expressed interest in doing something with GZA/Genius again,
has this happened yet?
Njeri Earth: No not yet. I'm still trying
to track the brother down.
Wu-International: The collaboration has
always remained minimal in your albums, is this a conscious
choice on your part to limit featured guests or was it just
something that didn’t happen?
Njeri Earth: Definitely a conscious effort.
As a young hip hop fan, I used to be pissed when I copped an
artist's album, specifically to here them, and on every
other song or so, they got everybody and they mama singing
or rapping.
Wu-International: Was there anyone that you
wanted on the album that you never managed to get hold of?
Njeri Earth:
GZA/Genius would have
been nice.
Wu-International: You have been independent
for a while now, do you have plans on linking up with a
major to do joint venture in the future?
Njeri Earth:
As long as it's a deal that favours me, otherwise,
I'm like the Little Red Hen, "I'll do it myself."
Wu-International: Being from Detroit, have
you had a chance to meet or make music with Bronze Nazareth,
or do you know who he is?
Njeri Earth: I've
spoken to Bronze, and hope to click up with him in the near
future.
Wu-International: Being in the game since the
golden era, you have seen the rise and fall of hip-hop as we
know it, what is your stance on hip-hop in 2007?
Njeri Earth:
It's SAAAAD! But it
ain't over. Hip Hop only dies if the true and living Hip Hop
heads let it. And I'll be the first one in line on the
battlefield. Hip Hop has done too much for me to desert it.
It's like my second Knowledge of Self.
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Wu-International: What was the last hip-hop item
you purchased?
Njeri Earth: My album "20-20", or Pro
Tools, if that counts.
Wu-International: Hip-hop is now becoming
largely a producer’s game. Since you are both MC and
producer, do you feel you will eventually start to
focus on one skill versus the other?
Njeri Earth: No. Why when I can master
both and cut out the middle man/woman.
Wu-International:
Are
you happy with where you are today in terms of this
music?
Njeri Earth: I need more exposure,
money would be nice, but I'm definitely proud of my
own personal growth and development as an artist. It
ain't many, even the ones on major labels, who can
do what I do, and I'm working on a basement budget.
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Wu-International: What’s next for you, as in
outside project, shows, collabos etc?
Answer:
I'll be all over Detroit this summer. A college tour
is in the works, I'll definitely keep ya'll updated,
and I'm writing and accepting tracks for my next
project, (no determined release date or title),
probably before the winter 2007, stay tuned to my Space page:
wwww.myspace.com/njeriearthcom and my
website:
www.njeriearth.com for updates.
Wu-International: Anything else you would
like to say to your fans?
Njeri Earth: Peace and thank you to
all of those who have supported in the past with "Supa
Sista" or any of my previous EPs or singles, in the
present with "20-20", and in the future with my
albums to come.
Thanks very much and good luck with your endeavours |
Catch up with Njeri Earth at
her official website
www.neriearth.com
or visit her on myspace at
http://myspace.com/njeriearthcom,
pick up her first and second album from the links below:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/njeriearth2 and
http://cdbaby.com/cd/njeriearth .
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