As Da Brat celebrated the premiere of her new WE tv reality show, “Brat Loves Judy” with her fiancée Jesseca “Judy” Dupart, the famed emcee took a moment to wax nostalgic over her nearly 30-year-career.
The record-setting rapid rhymer, who was born Shawntae Harris in Chicago, is eternally grateful that producer Jermaine Dupri did not try to change her rugged tomboy persona when he signed her to his So So Def label in 1992.
“I had my pants backward, cut a hole in my baseball cap, stuck my ponytail through it — I wanted to be the third member of Kris Kross,” Da Brat, 47, told the Hip Hop DX. “So I’m grateful that I had a producer like Jermaine Dupri who did not try to change me and say, ‘Hey, in order for you to be famous or sell records or become somebody, you need to show your [physical attributes].’ So I am blessed that he let me be myself. I blended right in with them.”
Da Brat, 47, blew up right out the gate, selling a million copies of her debut album, Funkdafied. She became the first female rapper to go platinum. But she is mostly famous for flossing flamboyant street clothes, bandannas and beautifully designed hair twists. In fact, fans have never even seen Da Brat in a dress.
“I was a tomboy back then. I didn’t know I was into girls back then, I just thought I was a tomboy. I was never attracted to women until around maybe 18. So, yeah. And I’m grateful that I have someone now who shows me how to be a better person,” she said.
In “Brat loves Judy,” which premiered Aug. 5, the rapper and television personality is returning home from work and was seeking some TLC from Judy. Judy, however, was distracted by her work and Da Brat subsequently becomes the personification of her stage name.
Flip the page to view the trailer as well as a few photos from the red carpet screening at the Views Bar and Grill in downtown Atlanta.
