First off I would like to thank everyone that have taken the time to read this blog.

You are awesome.

Second off, I would like to thank: DEEJAY RA, IMAAN FAITH, GABRIEL DUCEPPE, SOPHI, MMM! STAFF, DESITHREADS CLOTHING LINE and ALL MY SUPPORTERS!

Everyone who has supported me thus far and has purchased my cd, thank you.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainbowxperience/sets/72157606432075923/

GO TO

http://flypaper1.ning.com

PICK UP A COPY AT :
UpRise
1820 N Milwaukee Ave
(773) 342-7763

Dr. WAX RECORDS
5225 S. Harper, 773.493-8696

JUGRNAUT
427 S. Dearborn St., 312.435-4635

the BASSMENT
1415 N. Ashland,

GRAMAPHONE
2843 N. Clark St.,

A.OKAY Official
3270 N. Clark St.,

the SILVER ROOM
1442 N. Milwaukee Ave.,

the MUSIC SPOT
Lincolnwood Mall
Harlem Irving Mall

Reckless Records:
3161 N Broadway
1532 N Milwaukee
26 E Madison St

Hyde Park Records
1377 E 53rd St

Untitled:
2707 N Clark St
1941 W North Ave

Robbi Speak by Robbi

FlyPaper interviews Robbi,
-by BboyB

I met Robbi at a Truman College outdoor festival quite a few summers ago. This tiny little 4'8" girl was pushing the floor with some breadkin' power moves. Robbi is very friendly and extremely determined in the effort at hand.

Where did you get your rap name?
Robbi comes from my real name "Rabab" it's just a nickname. i.e. Jenny coming from Jennifer

How old and how tall are you?
I'm 27 and I'm 4ft 8 inches tall.

How long have you been rapping for?
19 years. I've been doing shows for about 12 years now.

Are you still involved in other elements of Hip Hop? like b-girling or graf?
I only know a few b-girls moves; I'm trying to enroll right now for classes from Breakdance Chicago. I did a breakdance session once in McCormick Place on the runway when I was a myspace model 3-4 years ago.

Coming from a traditional religious Indian Muslim family, has that been an obstacle towards your goals in the music industry?
As long as my family doesn't disown me, I think I'm ok.

Do you speak other languages?
Yes, Urdu.

What hood/city did you grow up in?
I'm not gonna front, I grew up in a an all white neighborhood in the burbs, that didn't like Indians very much, until the late 90's. I moved to the city (Chicago) when I was 18 and lived Downtown and Wrigleyville. I've learned to survive in the ghetto for a short time in Edgewater, dealing with a few murders in my apartment with the crack dealers and prostitutes on my corner. It's given me a thicker skin.

What do you think of Hip Hop as it relates to the female rapper?
Unfortunately, the public is only exposed to skanky female rappers or completely masculine ones. There is a stereotype that I battle. Most people look at me and say, "You don't look like a rapper."

I heard you made an appearance on the auditions for Vh1's "Miss Rap Supreme"—are you upset you weren't picked?
Honestly, I am happy to have the publicity and reality shows really aren't my thing anyways. The staff was very friendly to me and I met some very talented female rappers that weren't selected and weren't even shown on the auditions.

Who is your favorite rapper?
Sage Francis

What is your all time favorite rap song?
Keep ya Head Up - Tupac

Do you plan to hit the stage soon?
I am definitely looking for a tour but mostly in U.K and Canada. The album is out, it's called "Speak"—which is the same name as Lindsay Lohans album. It can be purchased on itunes or cdbaby.com/robbispeak.

 

 

Google ME!! just do... Robbi and Rapper..
Female Indian Rapper and Chicago

Robbi and Vh1..

Robbi and Miss Rap Supreme...

etc

Two Freestyles that you can hear for yourself.. from 4 yrs ago.

http://www.triplewhip.com/aparock/rabab2.mp3

http://www.triplewhip.com/aparock/rabab3.mp3

CONTACT INFO

PRESS KIT: www.sonicbids.com/robbi

Here u go folks.. I'll make sure to update this blog every so often..Thanks!! :)

 

Interview on fly paper http://flypaper1.ning.com

Robbi invades Toronto.... www.desifest.ca

Scroll down and the headline for the article is :
Chicago's Robbi at RBC DesiFest...

1) www.hiphoplinguistics.com covers Robbi http://www.hiphoplinguistics.com/news/2007/january.php

2) www.tla-pronline.com covers Robbi

http://www.tla-pronline.com/section/?id=25

3) Urb.net covers Robbi

http://www.urbnet.com/urban-news.asp

4) Datongue.com interview

http://www.datongue.com/Robbi.html

5) Voicesmagazine.com Interview

http://www.voicesmagazine.org/bands/robbi/index.html

(internet explorer will fuck it up, different browser preferred)

6) Bio on Thuglifearmy.com

http://www.thuglifearmy.com/news/?id=3199

7) Press Review for Documentary Movie "That Asian Thing"

http://www.that-asian-thing.blogspot.com

8) Clothing Line promotion - Desithreads.com

http://www.desithreads.com/who_wear_desi_threads.cfm

9) Vote on NewArtistRadio.com

http://www.newartistradio.net/artist%20list/Hip-Hop-RB/index7.htmlrobbi

10) Article from DJ MANI from Tha Werd

http://www.tha-werd.blogspot.com (scroll down to see me as CREATOR 18 of 112 CREATORZ OF ART)

11) Request "Suffocation" on these following sites:

www.hardcorejamz.com

www.hardcoremix.com

http://elephantprint.com/radio

www.fearlessradio.com

www.tomaradio.com

www.bmsradio.com

www.uicradio.ws

www.kpsu.org

www.wrrg.com

http://radio.depaul.edu

www.generasianradio.com Generasian radio (90.1 KPFT) 3:00-5:00pm

www.wnur.org "Part-time Sucker Radio" Thursday nights 9.30 - 11.00pm CST

NOTE: THE LAST SENTENCES ARE NOT TRUE!!!

RENU MEHTA

Toronto

She calls herself just an artist who's trying to survice, helps others in this cold world and wants world peace. Chicago Buzz Magazine called her, "china doll in appearance, but a girl as tough as nails." And indomitable she is as far as her career is concerned.

Right from her childhood Chicago's rapper Robbi has been challenging traditional South Asian and Muslim norms, while confronting a competitive rap industry for over ten years.

From a very early age Robbi was determined to make her mark in the music world. She wrote her first song at the age of eight and with confronted her classroom bullies, who were unsure on how to treat a brown girl from a different culture and background.

"I did it in self-defense. People mad fun of her and I would respond with a rhyme" she says.

Robbi's first concert was in a mosque at the age of 15 when she recited an Islamic themed rap song. "I rapped in the mosque and the Moulana thought it was hilarious. Everyone thought it was cute, but it wasn't taken seriously, " says Robbi who wore a hijab while rapping in the mosque.

But she was determined and continued to take her music seriously, while her lyrical content remained focused on Islam. During her sophomore year in college she was

Known as the only hijab-wearing musician on campus. And over the years, she has brought her own electronic spin to the genre while dealing with cultural pressurs and other prejudices.

Robbi had to face many challenges as she progressed in her unconventional career. "The biggest negative reactions I received from the Indian community was doubt and disgust. This was mostly from the older generation ofcourse. I don't care if traditional people don't like what I'm doing, in the end I know I'm doing the right thing," she says. "From the entertainment industry, the main challenege was sexism. I had to distance myself from many potential managers, booking agencies, producers, and promoters who wanted to bribe them by sleeping with them so that they can further my career. In general, any upcoming artist will be manipulated and robbed from the studios, producers, promoters, Djs, etc. in their beginning stages."

            The rapper continued to be popular even after decided to stop wearing a hijab. She went on to win the international YellowFist Asian writing competition, and was featured on the cover of Ivy League university magazine RockZine. Over the years, her songs have been featured on many of the world's top uran radio stations such as Chicago's WGCI 107.5 FM. She has also performed on several syndicated talk shows such as The FlabbyHoffman Show and The Chicago Rock Show.

 

            Robbi goes on differentiate between a musician and a singer. "A musician understands the roles of the bass, beat, melody, harmony, etc. in the song as a whole. A singer, who doesn't play any instrument and has no say within the production, usually has less passion towards the song, You can tell when this happens if he or she is singing too hard or gets bored especially in the breakdown of the last verse," she says.

What sets Robbi apart, however, is that unlike other rappers, she is not afraid to say that she is influenced by non-rap artists. "Music is music, and my influences can range anywhere from Lauryn Hill to Cardigans to KMFDM. I'm not going to say that I've been through rough times, because everyone goes through pain. I'm not so special. I'm just obsessed with music," says Robbi whose favorite singers include Bono, Dave Gahan, Tori Amos, Eddie Vedder, Esthero, and Mariah Carey. 

According to Robbi, to be a musician is a gift. "There has to be some sort of gift in order to keep learning more. Someone who is   born with musical creativity usually has strong chord progressions that dwell in their mind before they go to sleep or just randomly during the day for no reason. "Sometimes this can get annoying because

you can't the melody out of your mind. I don't know any person who can share this random melodic thought process and isn't a musical artist," says Robbi.  She has many favorite songs, but 'We are in need of a musical revolution' by Esthero stands out.

Robbi also has advice for aspiring musicians. She asks them to cut down on arrogance,

work on skill and talent will manifest itself. "If you're truly talented, you will be famous even if you don't want to be. Appreciate the music your fellow DJs, producers, vocalists create. Don't be greedy — it's all about trading and creating a strong community of good music for people to enjoy when you first start off." One of Robbi's most memorable performances  was at a local Chicago venue where  she shared the stage with global hip-hop luminary KRS-One, who commended her on  her vision. 

Earlier this year, she performed at desiFEST  in Toronto's Yonge Dundas Square in

celebration of South Asian Heritage Month held in May every year. Robbi worked with a

Grammy certified producer on her debut album and was signed by a major independent label, letting her travel throughout the world, trying to better impoverished areas and psychologically damaged children. "Especially (for) abused women, race doesn't matter", she says.

 

I don't know how this part got messed up.. but the last sentences are not true.

 

CHeck out this distribution!

..> ..>

New York - New Jersey - Connecticut - Pennsylvania  Greater Toronto Area  California Maryland - Virginia - Washington D.C. • Texas • Illinois • Georgia • Florida • Washington • Oregon • Ohio • Michigan • Massachusetts

Yes .. its true.. I give them P R O P S

Yes.. i didn't get on the show.. but who cares?

The staff was awesome... real sweet to me. and it was an experience.. PLUS

it was fun : )

Google: Robbi and Vh1 Miss Rap Supreme

And in the video section.. ofcourseee

 

Heres the text version:

ROBBI's RHYME

By Asjad Nazir

A LOT of women find it hard to balance their culture with their professional life.

 Although American hip-hop artist Robbi has also found it difficult,

She hamanged to strike a balance. After being transferred to a private

Muslim school for her defiant behavior, the explosive rapper's first performance was in a mosque at the age of 15, when she recited an Islamic themed rap song.

 ..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Described as a china doll who is as tough as nails, the Chicago-based

Artist has overcome cultural pressures to win a number of rap battles, gained tremendous respect from the underground scene and shared the stage with hip-hop superstar KRS-One. Her songs have been featured on many of the top US urban radio stations and she is currently working with a Grammy-certified producer. On her debut album, in her first major interview in the UK, the rising star talks about rap, trying to making it big in America and her first album.

 

1)    What first connected you to rap music?

The pattern of rhyming first connected me to rap music. It was always fun for me to listen to, I was around 8 years old when I started doing it myself. I got connected to the rhyming since I would use that to make myself feel better about the environment I was raised in.

2)    Why choose rap, isn't it usually negative towards women?

Most of rap music is negative towards women, but conscious hip-hop actually isn't. Look at emcees like KRS-One, Common, Del The Funky Homosapien, Sage Francis, Atmosphere and A Tribe Called Quest to name a few! I like the vocal rap style because it's fun to create along with the wordplay, rhyme scheme, metaphors, and delivery.

3)    How would you describe your style of music?

I would describe my style of hip-hop music as primarily alternative and electronically influenced.

4)    What has your ride in the music industry been like so far?

My ride in the music industry has involved a huge investment of my money, time and energy with a lot of sexism and doubt encountered along the way. But the same people that doubted me before, are now asking me when my next show is

5)    What is the biggest challenge of trying to make it in the music industry in the USA?

The biggest challenge of trying to make it in the U.S. music industry is overcoming fear and hate by staying motivated. People who are less successful than you will try to knock you down, and people who are more successful than you will try to do the same. Also, mainstream media in the U.S. is geared primarily towards Caucasian pop artists, or African-American artists if they belong to the 'Urban' genre. The South Asian community is yet to be significantly exposed in the music industry, so when mainstream bubblegum listeners see me they get surprised, like 'Indian people do American music?'

6 / 7)    Is it true your first performance was in a mosque? How much has your religious upbringing affected your music?

Yes, my first performance was in a mosque! My religious upbringing influenced my songs to be pretty Islamic themed until I went to college and realized that there was another world out there, and that I can be positive rather than just preaching religion. But even now, it has influenced me to send more revolutionary ideas, since the U.S. government has always had a tendency to bash the Muslim religion in their media.

8)    What has been your most memorable performance?

My most memorable performance was sharing the stage with hip-hop legend KRS-One at Chicago's Funky Buddha Lounge. His aura is refreshing and very motivating. That man IS hip-hop! He invited people to get up on stage and freestyle so my friends pushed me on stage, he told the crowd to jump up so they could see me perform and then I started jumping up too, it was a lot of fun

9)    You have been described as tough as nails, is that true?

My unawareness to negativity and stubbornness drives me harder to stay in focus, which by default makes me look like I'm tough

10)   Is it also true that you're trying to challenge traditional South Asian beliefs, if so what are they?

I don't think there's anything wrong with being family oriented. In fact, I think it's

very healthy. But when you're oriented with a family that's orienting your entire lifestyle and dictating exactly on how you should think, I think that's when it becomes ridiculous.  For example, the whole pre-arranged marriage system is based on what the parents think of the person you're marrying and that the bride & groom should love each other after they get married. Also, in the traditional community, I've noticed that it's often seen as 'cute' when a South Asian woman  speaks her mind, since we're not taken very seriously.

11)   Can you tell us about the album you're working on?

A few of the songs on my debut album are straight up hip-hop sounding, while the rest are more alternative.  All the songs written have been inspired by true stories!

12)   Who is it aimed at?

My music is aimed at everyone, though some songs are easier to relate to if the listener has been confronted with depression, bullying, and deception.

13)   What is the master plan?

My master plan is to make a mark in history, while inspiring others to work towards their goal no matter what others think and how hard they try to pull you down.

14)   Which music producers would you most like to work with in the future?

Timbaland and Missy Elliot are definitely two musicians I'd love to work with in the future

15)<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">   Tell us something not many people know about you?

Most people don't know that when I get into my workaholic mode, I drink lots of lemonade!

16)   You're featured in a documentary titled 'That Asian Thing', which is being screened across international film festivals in 2007. Can you tell us about that?

The theme behind the 'Asian Thing' documentary that I'm featured in is basically recognizing the Asian-American community as artists and documenting our responses to the mainstream media's perception on Asian-Americans. You can stay updated on it by going to www.thatasianthing.com.

17)   Can you tell us who your five favorite hip-hop artists are, with a short reason for each?

My five favorite hip-hop artists are:

C-ray Walz – I love his voice, his messages, intelligence and world play.

Del The Funky Homosapien – He has great originality in his flow and concepts, and balances humor with realistic messages.

Common – His rhyme scheme and narration is very inspiring, I feel awakened when I listen to him.

MC Lyte – Her existence alone inspires me, I think she's the best female emcee out there and her skills are pretty clever

Atmosphere – He has a very personalized style, when he raps I feel like he's right in front of me in the same room

Fresh female emcee brings new life to Hip Hop

When I as an editor search for new content I see alot
of the same things....so when something or someone
sticks out I will notice them 9 times out of 10. This
proves uselful now beacuse I am aware of "Robbi", the
cultural-diverse-female- hip-hop-emcee. She has spin
to her records that even now I can't quite put my
finger on, but I can say that I think she has
something to powerful to ignore.


First of all there are not very many female emcee's to
begin with, so that gives us a whole lot to work with
right off the bat. The you have a female crossing
cultural lines and really changing the way you view
hip-hop. I have mad respect for a woman that can do
what she wants even when there are major obstacles in
her way.


So I wanted to dig deeper into the brain of Robbi and
see what she was all about. I found that hip-hop is
not dead, but growing in places that you might not
expect. Mainstream hip hop is yes, dying. I say that
with hopes that someone out there reading this knows
that there are a few people out there keeping the
heart pumping but the majority of the body is dead
wieght.


This iced out, "I wanna [Chrysler] 300, so I can buy a
grill to make it look like a Bentley" attitude, is
weak now because hip hop needs a change. But you can't
really effectivley say that rapping about those things
is all wrong, because one of the foundations of rap
and battle rap is boasting about oneself. But I think
the cycle should return now to the day of KRS-ONE and
Africa Bambata. Also hip-hop needs to change and
gather new types listeners.


Robbi has done that with her hip-hoptronica sound that
she eliqunelty pushes passed her lips and engineers to
refelct current issues in almost everyones
nieghborhod. It's real and you can sense that in the
sound. It has emotion and feelings of a females her
age. This is important becasue the male genre of hip
hop is represented from kids younger than BOW-WOW to
people still on thier mic who are in thier late 30's
and maybe even early 40's. Hip hop needs all types od
listeners and providers and if you love hip hop then
you will love or at least resepect the new, different
and unconventioal.


So read the below interview that I (Alkatraz) did with
Robbi and learn what made this girl from the burbs
want to become a voice in the hip hop world.


Alkatraz:
How long have been rhyming in front of a crowd?

Robbi:
Age 8

Alkatraz:
What do you listen to? What in the CD player right
now?

Robbi:
Peaches, Punjabi Mc, Common, Visionary Underground

Alkatraz:
How does you family feel about what you do..as far as
being an emcee and all?

Robbi:
They don't take it seriously, but I let that drive me
to work harder.

Alkatraz:
What walls have you had to climb to get where you are?

Robbi:
Cultural pressures from the Indian community since its
not traditional for an Indian women expressing herself
freely in public. I've had to start booking my own
shows to have more exposure in the scene and stop
waiting to be booked. A huge wall I've climbed is the
sexism from other male rappers who doubt me and make
sexual degrading remarks. I've actually had a former
WGCI host tell the crowd, "lets see her take off her
shirt!" I've seen big fat men throw temper tantrums
and cry after I battle them in a crowd, but I've had
to do it to prove myself to the scene.




Alkatraz:
What do think of hip hop now? Nas says it's dead...is
that true?

Robbi:
I don't think any genre can be dead. Just because the
mainstream version of hiphop lowers intelligence and
is completely wack doesn't mean the genre and
lifestyle of hiphop is dead. Underground hiphop has a
huge following and theres still real hiphop shows out
there you just have to go out and find them instead of
jumping to conclusions. The problem today is the
labeling, people often mistake hip-hop for rap, so
that's where the misunderstandings happen. Theres
probably only 2-3 true hip-hop songs on the radio.

Alkatraz:
What are you feelings on Queen Latifah, mc lyte an
other femal emcee's?

Robbi:
Queen Latifah inspired me a lot, I remember I was
about 10 or 11 yrs old when I first heard her song
"UNITY" she actually taught me that concept and
definition before anyone else did. Mc Lyte.. the first
female rapper to have a hit single.. shes still going
strong right now, I don't know how she does it. I
don't know any other female rapper that has more skill
than her.




Alkatraz:
Do you write rhymes in advance or do you freestyle
more?

Robbi:
I write rhymes in advance for songs, but then I end up
freestyling more when I hear the instrumental later.
Freestyling sets the mood of the song -its all about
creating an image within a song, so when you hear it
you feel it so bad u cant get it out of your head when
you sleep at night.

Alkatraz:
What is the hip-hop scene like in Chicago?

Robbi:
Theres too many rappers and not enough supporters. Its
extremely segregated in terms of location. You can
have a fan-base in logan square or wrigleyville, and
be dead to the world in the south side and vice versa.
Some of the well-known rappers are wack, but their
popular only because they've been around so long and
their names are recognized. But the other amazing
rappers, don't get the support they truly deserve
because of those other wack rappers, they are
immediately ignored on assumption. I go to a show and
theres like 6-8 Mcs performing in one night and that's
when u get a decent crowd. I don't see such an
overwhelming lineup in any other scene in Chicago. I
love the graff work as a form of art, but I think if
Taggers would chill out, then we'd have more venues
accepting to book hip-hop. There are some respectable
hiphop shows out there - but you have to find them. My
favorite hiphop shows in the city would have to be the
college and loft settings.





Alkatraz:
You speak two languages is that right? How does that
help you?

Robbi:
I speak Urdu as well. Yeah, it helps me get along with
the Indian community ofcourse. When I go to a desi
(slang, for Indian) party and I say something small in
Urdu, their like "hell yeah! And you rap too!" and get
all excited. It gets me hugs.

Alkatraz:
Have you ever written a song with both languages in
them?

Robbi:
Once, to be part of the soundtrack for an Indian film,
"Kuch Ta Karo" which means, "do something". But there
wasn't enough funding so it wasn't released
officially.







Alkatraz:
Were you influence by east or west hip-hop?

Robbi:
East coast - I usually rap slower and to slower bpms
like east coast style and I lean towards a more
complex lyrical style with in-depth concept. But I am
more of an alternative hiphop artist - so I have other
influences besides just hiphop - like Depechemode,
Sister Machine Gun, Esthero, etc

Alkatraz:
Where are you from? What is hip-hop like from there?

Robbi:
I'm not gonna front, I wasn't raised in the ghetto, I
wasn't even raised in the city. I was born and raised
in the nw burbs (later in my 20's I became more city)
- The burbs in general don't have much going on in
terms of hiphop - the rock scene is more prevalent in
the nw burbs. Theres a more commercialized concept of
hiphop in the burbs.

Alkatraz:
Do you "tour" with anyone or are you keeping it solo?

Robbi:
I'm not doing a tour anytime soon. I'm a solo artist I
do shows with other rappers though.




Alkatraz:
Are you trying to get a record deal or would you
preffer to be indie?

Robbi:
Tryna figure that out right now. We'll see what
happens.

Alkatraz:
Anyhting else you would like to say, promote, etc?

Robbi:
Check out my electro alternative hiphop nights last
Tuesday of Every Month at Cafe' Lura 3184 N. Milwaukee
- The opening Night is on Feb 27th. Request
"Suffocation" on fearlessradio.com and other college
radio stations


http://voicesmagazine.org/bands/bands.html

www.voicesmagazine.org

Peace!

http://www.buzznews.net/Rawkchicago11-30.html.html

Doin It Robbi Style

by Hilary RAWK
www.myspace.com/rawkmagazine

 

Robbi has been freestyle rapping since she was 8 years old and performing since she was 10.

With her tiny frame and just five-feet, two-inches, Indian rapper Robbi looks like a china doll. But don't let her appearance fool you, this girl is tough as nails.

We hung out at my loft last weekend and talked about music, being a woman in the rap industry, and Indian culture. At one point, I walked over to my refrigerator, grabbed a handful of words from our poetry magnet set, threw them down on my kitchen counter, and Robbi freestyled fast and fresh and flawless.

So you said you started rapping when you were 8. . . how did that happen?

I actually did it when it wasn't popular. People made fun of me cuz I was from the suburbs, and the only hip hop they knew about was MC Hammer, you know?

And I wasn't trying to be cool or anything. It was mostly like self-defense. I was the only brownie in school, and people made fun of me like, "I saw your dad at the gas station." (laughter) And I would respond with a rhyme, and people were like, "Oh, that's cool!"

What's your first musical memory?

Probably Dr Seuss. I think my dad or my brother, when they read it, they created a rhythmic pattern.

Tell me about your first performance.

You're never, ever gonna believe where it was. It was in a mosque, Hilary. I was religious, so I wore the hijab (a traditional Islamic scarf). I'm rapping in my hijab in the mosque with the Moulana—the Moulana would be analogous to a priest—standing in the back of the room. But it was Islamic rap, so that was okay. You know, "Don't do this, or you'll go to hell." Anyway, he was behind me and he was cracking up—he thought it was hilarious! So that was my first concert. I was like 15. But, see, that was seen as 'cute,' it wasn't taken seriously. So as time progressed, the wondered why I kept doing shows. And people still think it's a phase now. In our community, it's seen as kind of a joke. Like 'I'm a musician' haha, okay. In the Asian community, music isn't seen as a career, it's seen as entertainment—it's not traditional.

What about Bangra?

Bangra is a production, though. The production of it is great. It's okay to be behind the scenes, but if you're in front—especially with Indian women who are supposed to be quiet and stay at home—it's just, it's not traditional.

How does your family feel about your choice to be a musician?

At first they didn't like it, but now they're like, "She's 25, what can we really do?" Plus they like it more if it's popular. For example, when I was in college, they were like, "I don't really know why you're doing all of these shows." So I told them, "Come to my next show. I'm getting paid, it's gonna be a nice event at Northwestern Auditorium." And they came! I got a standing ovation, everyone loved it. And they were like, "Oh, we're so proud of you!" But it's not something I'm going to try to make pretty for them. Because it's not pretty.

Is there anything you absolutely won't do?

I refuse to work with gangster rappers. One of Kanye West's relatives who is really popular wanted to work with me, and I told him no. He was a gangster. He wanted me to be the 'bitch' of the crew. And I was like, "Why would you even approach me? I don't understand." I don't do rap, I do more hip hop. I also sound different, too, I sound more alternative.

So where do you get your beats?

Right now I have a trance producer. It's really good music. The music that he makes is so amazing—kinda like Moby or Robert Miles—but it's so intricate and it's so intelligent and it's so beautiful that he makes hip hop look easy. He remixed "Leech" into an electro-dance song. It's on my myspace page right now.

What kind of music do you listen to?

Industrial. EBM System Machine Gun I like them a lot. I like NIN's sound, I don't like their lyrics at all. Esthero, Shiny Toy Gun, Muse, Tori Amos, Cause And Effect . . .

How do you feel about music sharing?

I can't really care about it too much. I feel like if people like me, they'll pay me. Because, after my last show, I'm really confident. It went so good, and I had an encoure, and it was packed, and my CD sold out to the extent that I only had singles, and I only had singles with three songs on it, and I was selling those for $2 cuz I felt bad cuz they were ghetto, and people were buying it. So people will buy it if they like you. And I don't really care that much about CDs right now because CDs are becoming extinct.

How did you get your last CD pressed?

Ghetto. (laughter) I cut the paper, I got some pictures from my friends, and I put the text in on Microsoft Word, and I went to Staples, and it was a lot of hard work but I need to get someone to do it right now for the CD I'm working on.

So what's it like to be a woman in the rap industry?

It sucks! I hate it. I don't want to be a rapper any more because of that. That's why I have a different sound. I don't want to be straight-up hip hop and be a woman. I just don't like the association with it. It's degrading, and I love it when people are like, "You're good—for a female." And I'm like, "I'm good for a human." Actually, this is a good story. . . One time, a few years ago, the radio host of WGCI was there, and he asked anyone in the audience wanted to rap. So I went up there, and the guy was like, "Take off your shirt!" So I take the mic and start rapping, "Just because I'm female, does it have to be sexual? / Cut off your testicle, shove it down your throat like a vegetable / You wanna battle me? / Alright, I'll check my schedule." And he was like, "Okay, girl, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." (laughter) It was hilarious. I had to put him in his place.

What inspires you to keep writing?

I'm an egomaniac. (laughter) No, it was motivating mostly because of my race. Because I wanted to do something for South-Asians cuz they are so brainwashed. Well, not just South-Asians, but traditional people in that manner. So that mentality inspired me to get out there, and I know people like music. I know people listen to music when they're pissed off. People listen to music as medicine. That's how I am. I listen to music to put me into a better mood. I use it like a drug. It's kind of like drugs. So, I'm making drugs. (laughter) I want to be a drug dealer.

Are you into anything besides music?

Well, I was out of a job for a while, and my friend told me to look online. So I looked on craigslist, and I saw an ad that said they needed an Indian woman for this movie. And I was like, cool. So I told them I had no acting experience, and I sent m my pictures, and they called me and asked if I was interested in coming to India, and I was like yeah, sure. I was actually going to India anyways, so they emailed me back a 5-page script based on my pictures. It was for a supporting role in an Owen Wilson film called the Darjling Limited. It's about three guys and their spiritual journey through India, and I was the whore. (laughter) I did the Indian accent, and I did the American accent in my audition. I'm pretty sure I didn't get it, but now they have my face on file.

How do you feel about selling out?

Actually, a couple of years ago I was shopping my work in Hollywood, and I went there, and I was talking to this entertainment company. The guy I met with wanted me to be associated with Disney, and he said I had a really good future ahead of me, but he was trying to fix my image. He was like, "We need to get you into some heels. We need to get you into some tight pants."

I couldn't do it. I started yelling at him. Looking back, I don't know what I was on, but I just couldn't do it. And it's funny because, before that happened, I was like, "I'll probably sell out." All this money, it's so tempting, but I can't live through that. And I've had radio stations ask me to tone down my lyrics and sex it up a little bit.

But then I look at Lady Sovereign, and you can't even tell what gender she is. So, you don't have to be like that. And that's why I didn't go the Disney route. Because if I did that, I would have to get sexed out later. My music would not be good. It would be really poppy, and I would be so unhappy with myself. I couldn't lead a life like that. I have to be true to myself.

What's your plan for the future?

I'm looking to get signed right now. But I want to sell 10,000 copies of my album before I get signed. I have one dance track called "Get Ready" I'm trying to get into the clubs. Also, I'm working on getting airplay for my track "Suffocate," so please make sure to request it on Fearless Radio and on all the radio stations.

BAND MEMBERS
Robbi

WEBSITE/ CONTACT INFO
http://www.myspace.com/robbi

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Everytime I hear a "positive" song.... I always hear women being bashed.

Its mostly for one thing though  - women are bashed for being a hoe.

Sage Francis does it, atmosphere does it, almost every favorite rapper i know does it.

But men ofcourse, are the leaders and have no flaws. And ofcourse.. its ok if a women is a hoe only if  she  gives head  to the  rapper backstage or is in his music video. Cuz the same people (who happened to have a penis) can exploit women and pressure them into selling their souls - love bashing them as well. So basically, their bashing their own deluded creation.

Even talking about it though.. even recognizing this, is called 'being whiny or too bitchy' - I guess these same men are just afraid.

Cuz why create a suppressing system towards women if your not afraid?

Honestly, if i get an angry response to this blog even.. it just means ur guilty of feeling this same way. "Lets push women, bring the illusion that people have a chance to fuck them. and then lets bash them at the same time because im having a struggling erection"

I wanna thank all my male fans for staying respectful.. and for those of who cant control themselves... get a girlfriend.