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Interview w/ Bahamadia
By: Justin Weleski
There are few Philly MCs that are as legendary as Bahamadia. She’s worked with icons such as DJ Premier, The Roots, King Britt, J Dilla and more. Bahamadia was a major part of our golden era of hip hop while laying down the foundation for the post 2000 soul movement. She has never lost a step and continues to stay in peoples ears and eyes by touring the world and releasing music. I finally got a chance to speak to one of my all time favorite MC’s about the struggle of being a business woman & artist, about cheap promoters, hanging out with James Brown, and about the changes she sees seen being involved in the Philly hip hop community for over 15yrs.
*You can see Bahamadia LIVE this Friday (6/20/08) @ Fluid Night Club for the Ladies Of Hip Hop Festival. For info on events Click HERE
myspace.com/Bahamadia
*We apologize for all the bold text going on here, so for a better read. Please visit interview on forum: Click HERE
215: Before you were known as an MC you spent some time being a DJ. So what made you make the transition to pick up a mic?
Bahamadia: Well I started out DJ’ing/writer with the West Philly Sound Crew, which was sorta like a junior division of B Force. Johnny Flash was a close associate of our group, mainly due to the fact that Trevor Flash was down with us in the beginning stages & also because they we were closest in our ages at the time. We had a few folks who committed to be MCs for the group at the time but weren’t reliable. I was writing the routines for the group at first. This meant that I knew the material so when no one showed for practice,etc…I just filled in for them.I then realized that I had more freedom to express myself orally being an MC as opposed to being a DJ. So, thats how it kinda feel into place.
215: How did you hook up with Guru and DJ Premier?
Bahamadia: That happened by hooking up with a childhood friend who told me that DJ Ran from Power 99 was looking for a female artist and he gave me his number. I called him up and freestyled over the phone for him. In like a week or so later I was recording a 12 inch, tracking a house record called “Over You“ that he produced by DJ Ran, who was working with the same label/peers as Prince B from PM Dawn at the time. The label was Warlock Records (who released BlackMoon as well as early releases from the LOX then called the Warlock at the time). From there me and Ran did a series of songs. One was “Funk Vibe“ that he broke on the air and was a regional success. It got linked in mixtapes and started to get charted and another mutual friend of my sister, whom she went to college with, personally knew Guru and passed him the tape containing a the song “Funk Vibe“. He offered me a production deal with Ill Kid Productions which lead to “Total Wreck” to Kollage and the rest is history.
215: When looking back at a lot of artists who started out working with DJ Premier, and then stopped, their careers have been in shambles ever since. So do you feel when you came out again with BB Queen (or in general) that you had added pressure? You had more to prove than if you have never worked with him from the gate?
Bahamadia: Well that doesn’t apply to me because my career has never been in shambles and I’ve been consistently working since 1993…globally. To clarify once and for all; I was never signed to the Gang Starr foundation. I was signed to Guru’s production company and Premier took a liking to my talent and to me as an MC & writer. He offered to do several tracks because we built a rapport aside from what me and Guru had already done at D&D. So that was just from mutual respect and camaraderie that we built. Guru was the link because I would have never met Premier without him in the loop during that time.
I don’t find it any less or more of a challenge to have worked with an established/iconic producer such as Premier than if it were say Illmind or Kev Brown or even Panek from Illvibe. To me it’s more about who’s better suited for the task at hand as it pertains to producing. Maximize when you get a good opportunity. Once I learned the business of music, per se, that kinda helped me to stay consistently afloat even if it was on a grass roots movement level.
215: In the mid 90’s of hip hop you were a major part it putting Philly on the map along with The Roots, Da Youngsta’s, and so on. Do you feel you get your justice due when people mention Philly hip hop?
Bahamadia: I feel, as far as “putting Philly on the map“ I think a more appropriate term would be “gaining respect“ as far as the hip hop community was concerned, for my generation, coming from the golden era to what some would say the soul movement of hip hop. Regarding The Roots, my association with them came about through my regional success of “Funk Vibe.” Initially that record was in constant rotation before the radio had even acknowledged The Roots on a commercial level; until we did the “Proceed” remix. Thats when we started touring together and they invited me to do songs with them. It was a pleasure at the time to do the collabs because I consider them a legitimate talent and definitely one of the premier artists of our time from Philly in our era of hip hop. I definitely feel I had an intricate part of the legitimacy of hip hop being respected on the global level for Philadelphia.
215: Whatever happened to the other 2 MCs who were on “3 The Hardway”?
Bahamadia: I don’t know because that opportunity presented itself during that time. It was a revolutionary move because at that time there were no females who were writing their own material let alone doing collaborations of that kind. The opportunity presented itself and I was cool with Mecca Star who was one of the original girls down with The Roots collective. This was before I even knew them. I just had heard about her and then we linked up with the girl K Swift. She was a part of the group Two Cannon who had regional hits out before I had came out with Funk Vibe. So we linked up and just did the song. Also at that time I was under the impression that there was a genuine sense of unity in the hip hop community both locally & internationally.
To answer your question I have no idea; we lost touch with each other years ago. I think one of them went to school or something.
215: Throughout your career you’ve worked with many big names from DJ Drama, Roni Size, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, J Dilla(R.I.P.) and so forth. With the exception of Dilla, do you still keep in touch with these people and have any plans to do work in the near future?
Bahamadia: Actually I never did any collaborations musically with DJ Drama. I gave him his first break in terms of taking him over seas as my DJ as well as U.S. spot dates ,etc…but we haven’t done any music in the studio as of yet. At this particular point, to reiterate from earlier, we’re in the business of music. All of us are commodities. So it makes sense, and I see it as beneficial, to align myself with certain artists that I build rapports with over time. If the situation calls for us to break bread together than I guess it will be…when the right moment presents itself. I don’t deem anybody who I build rapport with, business wise, in this industry as personal friends of mine, because we’re not. We’re potential business associates. This is a multi-billion dollar industry so I think artists who are business people are past trying to build superficial friendships, ya know. Just to be real with you.
But I’m always open to do collaborations(of substance & quality). Anybody I have a synergy with and we can do something positive to move the music forward and at the end of the day it be a lucrative union. Because, again, it is a business (though I must add that my integrity is not for sale in any case).
215: A few years ago you had a FM radio station show on 100.3 The Beat which ended. So why didn’t you pursue that career and try it in another city or anything?
Bahamadia: At that time I was juggling a lot of different things such as revamping my business and all the administrative stuff as well as booking my own shows. I just felt it was too much on my plate at the time because I’m an artist first and foremost. I never stopped touring and doing spot dates so it was clashing with the radio schedule.Since I produced the entire show, and had leverage when offered the show, I do own the rights to the show and I do plan on having it streamed and having the archives revisited on my website once thats done. Shout out to “E” aka Sammy Cook who was my board operator at B-Sides.
215: Being active in the Philly Hip Hop community over the past 10years; what is the main thing you see different from the artists, promoters or whomever, from then to now?
Bahamadia: I see that the market is definitely congested. But that’s really hip hop overall, in any market. I feel like there are more fans that pose as practitioners of hip hop. People that should be fans deem themselves to be artists and I feel there’s too much of that. I feel it’s more money driven now than it was 10 years ago. I think specifically here, locally,we are finally starting to become more unified. We still need less arrogance from new artists though! Just because you as an artist have heavy hits on your myspace page and a little fan base, that don’t mean you’re on the same level as someone whose been at this craft for like a decade or more, consistently, who also is a solidified brand.
We are starting to see the Freeways and Gillies doing songs with the Black Thoughts and Reef The Lost Cauzes. You’re starting to see a different mixture. With Reed Dollaz, you’re starting to see more street oriented rappers appearing at events like Beat Society or a Beats & Rhymes. Ten years ago you would never see that. It was really segregated. I’m finally able to see that our city is coming together and that more artists are business savvy and not willing to compromise to the industry to just be famous. I have seen that a lot more specifically in Philly.
215: Now with technology and popularity of online retailers and iTunes even for European consumers, why did you decide to release an album strictly over-seas and have it be a $20 import in the states?
Bahamadia: Because when I shopped it around I wasn’t getting the type of deals that I felt that an artist of my stature warrants. I’m not willing to compromise my worth nor my business practices for the sake of having product out. I understand and know where my market is and I know I have a lane, my niche, so I’ll continue to maximize that ’til I feel I’m treated justly and fairly.
215: Now even before you dropped an overseas album you’ve always had a strong following over there. So do you have any idea how that is or why?
Bahamadia: It’s that way because early on in my career, even during Kollage, I always collaborated with a very diverse group of world music artists. During that time I did songs with Roni Size and Morcheeba and The Brand New Heavies. I was touring and doing Drum & Bass before it was even popular in the States. I think those things helped trail blaze to a lot of those markets. Then again, as time progresses, the music has always thrived over seas and I don’t know why that is aside from the grace of THE MOST HIGH. Maybe technology or something. But ultimately I think that those things attributed to my popularity over seas as opposed to the states.
215: Right before James Brown passed away you had the opportunity to tour with him and Talib Kweli in Australia. In that time did you have a chance to talk to him or did he check out your show?
Bahamadia: He certainly did and I was so honored. In addition to that he was a childhood friend of my grandfather and I had the opportunity through his manager to talk to him one on one. He gave me a lot of different advice and sound wisdom; how to maneuver as an entrepreneur in this industry. It was so incredible and I was lost for words because there’s not much you can say to a person like that (laughs) so you just want to soak everything up. That whole bill was crazy. Estelle was there, who’s down with Kanye West, Lady Kier from DeeeLITE, Breakastra was there many extremely talented artist from around the world were featured on the bill that year.
215: Numerous fans and even your peers mention you as one of the greatest female MC’s ever. Being in the game this long does it frustrate you at all that they don’t mention you as a great MC in general but just a great female MC?
Bahamadia: No, my interest is in pleasing THE MOST HIGH in terms of my life’s work which is music. What frustrates me is people not respecting my business practices consistently and/or attempting to devalue my contribution to this industry as it relates to the movement of hip hop.
I’m not really concerned with titles people give me. I could care less. At the end of the day it won’t make or break me & that’s not why I do what I do. I am here to worship GOD in spirit & in truth through art, etc…
215: Speaking of how business minded you are, when looking at other female MC’s such as Heather B, Rah Digga, and even Lauren Hill, do you feel their longevity is lacking because they’re not as business minded?
Bahamadia: I think thats an appropriate question to ask the artists you just mentioned. Personally I feel I didn’t have an option to not learn the business of music once it was decided that this was going to be my work full time. I have lived 100% off my music since 1993. So I had to research and learn how to maneuver and maximize my opportunities as a business woman/artist or I wouldn’t have been able to survive. I was thrust into this situation head first (with the sharks in the industry) then learned the commercial aspect, then went into the indie situation to now coming to my own situation with my own label and all of that. Those were the stages that helped me be a business person over all. But I think each individual’s experience is going to be different depending on the roads they travel in order to get to their goal.
215: I’m not to familiar with other cities music communities but I see that Philly has a very strong female presence with individuals such as yourself, Lady B, DJ Ultraviolet, promoters and hosts like Stacey (Fly Girrl), Stef Tataz, etc. When visiting other cities do you see this as well with females both in the crowd and running the show?
Bahamadia: When I travel to other cities I do see that there are a lot of b-girl performers in the industry and in back ground with regards to promotions, etc…. Globally, I also see it and there’s always a huge turnout of females at the shows. Normally you’ll see, if it’s a guy headlining a tour, you’ll see more guys. Especially at shows featuring more purist acts. At my shows you see a lot of girls there. To me it shows that there’s a lot more b-girls and female supporters than a lot of people realize. I feel that the market is still untapped. But, yes, I do see a balance of females in the industry when I travel.
215: How has starting your label B-Girl Freedom been going and are you looking for any new artists?
Bahamadia: Not at this point because I’m still at the stages of getting it off the ground. It’s challenging getting into the proper distribution outlet. I’ve been really considering at just going digital at this point. To maximize the information age and utilize the net like people are doing now.
215: Looking back on your career you’ve also tapped into different genre’s of music from electronica, world, and drum & bass. I’m sure you’ve heard and seen the new hipster thing going on with MCs rhyming over electro beats. Are you afraid of touching that now because people may label it as a gimmick for you, or is it something you plan on doing soon?
Bahamadia: Well I don’t have the spirit of fear in my heart as far as anything is concerned. To me things come full circle so I don’t have to try and pretend to know about it because I’ve actually lived through those different periods in those genres of music. What people are emulating today is really the embodiment of what people like myself, DJ Cash Money,etc…really are. Anyone who started in the pioneer stages and transcended into different eras of music AND have manager to stay relevant. It just comes full circle.
I do feel like I have an upper hand on the majority of people who pretend to do that style because I was there and lived it first hand. Keeping my experience fresh hence current to the times is an objective for me at this point. I embrace it because I feel if it’s something of substance and quality and it’s making music exciting then everythings cool. If it’s helping promote a variety and not keeping the movement of hip hop stagnated globally than I’m all for it. Just as long as it ain’t trash. Oh and at some point I’d like to see these new artist acknowledge those who’ve inspired them.
215: Now you mentioned going digital soon, so do you have plans on releasing a new album in the states?
Bahamadia: Yeah I’m in the process of getting all that together now but I’m doing collaborations with DJ Vadim, Chuck Treece coming up, as well as King Britt, and doing some music with 84 as well.
215: So what’s in the near future?
Bahamadia: Solidifying my label, I’m in the editing stages now with a Real Rap CD/DVD series and it’s a combination of my favorite artists on film doing performances, freestylin’, and showing the camaraderie (on film) of artists globally and the whole hip hop culture.
Love this WOMAN. I first heard her back in 1992. Damn, I wish hip-hop was like it was back then.