Although Trina won’t be receiving a BET Award this year, there’s still something to be said for the Miami emcee who’s released five albums since her head-turning debut in the late ’90s, more than any other female emcee besides Missy Elliott. It’s no wonder that XXL magazine dubbed her the “most consistent female emcee” last year. And now Trina is revealing that she revels in the prestigious title.
“Absolutely, I definitely think I hold that title,” she told Vlad TV in a recent interview. “I think I’ve been the most consistent female of all time. We have a lot of recurring females as well as a lot of new females, but as far as [being] consistent, I definitely think I hold that title.”
Although Trina is happy about the title, she explains that it’s difficult for her and other female emcees to attain the same kind of success and longevity that their male counterparts have attained in the testosterone-driven world of hip-hop.
“It is what it is. I think as a female, I think you have to work extremely hard, you gotta do whatever it is that you do, you gotta stayed focused and you gotta know what it is you want to do and strive for the best,” she continued. “[There are] so many guys, there [are] such a little bit of females. And I think that when you get that small little crack, you gotta mash on the brakes and just gotta take off.”
Although Trina has made a name for herself with her hyper-sexual lyrics and raunchy demeanor, the rapper explained in BET’s 2010 documentary, “My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women in Hip-Hop,” that sexism makes it difficult for female emcees to remain relevant in the music industry.
“They don’t wanna really see you in the baggy jeans. They wanna see you sexy because, ‘You a female, I’m a dude, I’m not learning nothin’ from you, I just wanna see you. So whatever you’re talking about, I probably don’t really care, I just wanna look at you and whatever you’re saying it all sounds good to me.’ That’s just real. That’s just how it is,” she said.
What do you think of Trina’s title as “most consistent female emcee”? Do you agree with her comments about sexism in the industry? –nicholas robinson
