Rapper Bre-Z, known for her role as Freda Gatz on Fox’s drama television series “Empire,” is stealing the spotlight this season one hot 16 at a time. Bre-Z plays under Lucious Lyon as his outspoken protegée who seems to have ruffled a few feathers from the male MCs on the block. Her character has unquestionably racked up a new fan base after watching her cutting-edge lyrical battles on-screen. What many don’t know is that her beats and rhymes extend far beyond acting in front of the camera. The Philadelphia native has been dropping bars since the age of fourteen under the guidance of hip-hop legend Freeway. Since then, Bre-Z has continued to pursue her rap career full-time and will hopefully sign to a major label. She recently released her newest single “Shine on Me” featuring cast member Jussie Smollett. Rolling out caught up with Bre-Z to talk more on her new music projects, her thoughts on her new acting career and feminism in hip-hop.
You went from being a barber turned rapper and now you’re entering the realm of acting. How did you land your first acting job on “Empire”?
I actually just received a phone call and went to audition for the role as did a bunch of people. I really had to thank Lee Daniels, because he saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. I thought I was just going to rap because they wanted a rapper but they saw something bigger than that. I met Leah Daniels who is Lee’s sister. She is the casting director. A few days later, Lee called me and we had a pretty decent conversation about what he wanted for the show. That in itself was an honor because the first season I was a fan and I was watching with everyone else.
What element do you think your character Freda Gatz brings to the show that it didn’t have in season one?
You already have Cookie who is the boss lady. You’ve got Porsha who is like whatever this is who I am so ya’ll can forget it. You have Rhonda who is just housewife material and Anika who is the pretty girl who is also housewife material. I think this is just a younger, different life. Almost a miniature Cookie as far as when it comes to the streets. There could possibly a time when she transitions to be some sort of great woman or boss in her own right.
Your character Freda has a masculine demeanor about her. Do you feel like it’s necessary for female MC’s to maintain a hard exterior to make it in the hip-hop industry?
I don’t think so. I think some women feel like they have to do it because it’s so many men. I think there is always a different approach. You just have to sit back and figure out which one it’s going to be, but let history tell it. If you take away Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and Missy Elliot and that whole “Ladies First” movement who just love to have fun and dance it became about sex. Before that, it was about women’s empowerment and being aggressive in a classy way. With Queen Latifah’s record “U.N.I.T.Y” she was like don’t disrespect me. I’m a woman and I work hard so respect me for who I am. As the times changed that shifted. You had Lil’ Kim who was sexy and Foxy who had a rough edge. I feel like a lot of women, especially like myself have become products of our own environment. I don’t think you have to do it but it all depends on what type of situation you’re in.
Your lyrical battle against Hakeem has been one of the highlights of the season, thus far. What kind of impact has that scene had on your rap career, aside from the show?
It definitely made people pay attention first and foremost. I always get the question from people asking if I wrote the lyrics. I did write that battle and I write all her music for the show, but it hasn’t necessarily created that separation between Freda the actress and Bre-Z the artist. That battle definitely opened people’s eyes to see I’m no joke. In that situation going up against Hakeem, I don’t think she was overly aggressive and I don’t think she tried to identify as a man or even as if she was in the same position. She also made it known that I can do what you can do and possibly to it better. It was more like the term “kill them with kindness.” It was a very humbling situation for Hakeem’s character even though it didn’t last long.
When did your rap career start and how did Freeway help you get your foot in the door in the music industry?
He was really good friends with my mom so that’s how I met him. We were at his house one day and I was just watching him record. My mom knew that’s what I used to play around and do. He was like, “Is this really what you want to do?” That ended up being my first time recording on a real microphone. I used to just play around on my computer. He told me to just try something and I did. Then we made a song so I took the song to school the next day and I was bragging to all the kids. At this time Freeway is big and is was Roc-A-Fella Records. It was a big deal. Like I said before, when you get to the whole tri-state area Philly is the bigger city and that is where all the talent was coming from. It was big for me because I was so young. I was like 15-years-old. I was like this is so dope. I am about to be famous. [laughs] We are still very close to this day. I can call him about anything.
Outside of your role as Freda, what other characters’ performance on the show are you blown away by the most?
I would have to say Lucious to the tenth power. It’s crazy because I think there is somebody in the world like that who really exists. It’s just so cold. You only saw a soft spot in him when Freda came around. Nobody expected that because this man might get mad at his self and stab himself in the back. Those are real life situations with somebody’s family. What does it take for a person to find happiness because I feel that he lacks that? Those type of things are real and then to be a father of three sons who walk different roads in life. You have one who aspires to be a businessman but suffers from a bipolar disorder that’s growing more and more every day. You have a son who is a homosexual. You also have a young son that only knows the good life that they have provided for him. These are not easy situations for men to deal with and I know they are placed to be the leader but there are some things a man just can wrap his head around. I feel like for any parent having a kid with a mental or physical disability is not easy. Watching these men go through all these issues make you wonder what the hell you would do.
You have so much in common with your character. Do people ever feel like you’re so intertwined with Freda that they can’t differentiate when you’re acting and when you’re being yourself?
A lot of situations that the character endures I’ve been through them at some point in my life. It’s really just being understanding. It’s like having a friend who may have had a death in the family and you’ve experienced that same thing so you become sympathetic. It’s almost the same thing. I just have to place her outside of myself and think of how I would approach that situation given the fact that I’ve already experienced it. Between me and her character, there is a hell of a lot of understanding. I understand what mental space she was in when certain things took place. It actually helped me get into the character a little more probably than the average young girl whose been through nothing. I can’t say that you could have chosen any actress for the role that might have experienced the same thing as Freda Gatz.
Do you prefer rapping bars or acting out scripts?
I love being on the screen and being in front of the camera. With the music, I step off the camera to go in the studio and indulge in the music. I love them both but the acting is new so I’m definitely excited and eager to learn everything there is to know about it.
What music or acting projects do you have coming out?
We just premiered a song today called “Shine on Me” with Jussie Smollett from the show. The song is about nothing last[ing] forever. No matter what you’re going through you have to be able to keep your faith. Some people get caught up in their moment thinking it’s no way out. That’s one thing that is guaranteed. I am also working on my film projects. I am working on a new movie where I am playing the character named Winnie in a film called “Fat Camp” directed by Jennifer Arnold. This should be releasing at the end of this year. I’ve been working nonstop trying to make things come together
