Lil MC – Femme Frequency

By starrymag | December 14, 2021

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) Stylistically, my music challenges the genre of Hip Hop by incorporating elements of pop, electronic, reggaeton and R &B, constantly breaking the mold and challenging my own artistic processes. My Venezuelan background gives my music a spicy tinge of Latin bounce and my mid-range sultry voice provides a soothing texture to compliment my fiery rap lyrics.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Some of my musical influences are nirvana, Tupac, snow tha product, Pink Floyd, biggie, Big L, LiL Kim, Lil Wayne, Nina Simone, Rage Against the Machine and Buena Vista Social Club.

 

Q) You grew up in the Bay-area. How did help shape you as an artist?

 

A) I was raised in a small beach town called Half Moon Bay and there wasn’t a huge music scene there but I, nonetheless, found a hip-hop community where I was welcomed into, and I honed my skills. Later, I moved to San Francisco and started integrating into the larger hip hop scene in San Francisco and Oakland from participating in rap battles and cyphers. I definitely have a Bay Area hip hop musical influence from being exposed to the “hyphy movement” from a young age but a lot of my musical influences are from LA or New York.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your song “Darkness to Light.”

 

A) We wanted to create a song that juxtaposed darkness and light in every sense.  The song was produced mostly by Lady Fingaz, who used dark synth sounds for the verse sections and I added a more upbeat loop for the hook. We also added a live horn section and DJ scratches to add as much musicality as possible. Lyrically, the song is about my journey as an artist and how I eventually came to terms with my own internal darkness and used those experiences to re-define who I am. Often we associate darkness with evil; however, darkness is essential to life and we not only need it to appreciate the light but we also need it in order to understand the full spectrum of human emotion and human experience.

 

Q) How did you come to work on the album Femme Frequency?

 

A) Mary introduced the concept of an all-female compilation project to the Produced by Girl collective and I immediately thought it was an amazing idea. A lot of the work I do within the hip hop community in the Bay Area is centered around uplifting and amplifying women’s voices within hip hop so the idea of working with a group of female artists from different genres of music was very inspiring to me.

 

Q) It’s made up of five artists and music producers – all female! What does this accomplishment mean to you?

 

A) I feel honored to have been a part of the very first Produced by a Girl compilation project because I feel that this is only the beginning and there will be more to come from PBG in the future. Oftentimes people are hesitant to jump on board with a new idea before its proven successful; however, I am of the mindset that movements don’t just start themselves and I want to be one of the leaders pioneering the movement, not someone that jumps on the wave.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) Not at all. I am always writing lyrics, with or without music. Oftentimes when I am just living life, I will get inspired and jot down ideas for song concepts or lyrics. For me, because I have a tendency to overcommit myself, I’ve really honed-in on my writing process and created a formula for song writing. I prefer to create without a deadline but when music is your profession, we often don’t have that luxury.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) It depends on the project. I am a producer as well as a singer/rapper, so I produce my own beats or have input in the production of the song a lot of the time.

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from checking out the Femme Frequency album?

 

A) I hope this exposes listeners to a genre of music they wouldn’t have otherwise listened to. I know that mainstream rap has a very specific sound so a lot of people might be unaware that there is hip hop music out there that speaks to their experience and has a different sound than the music they hear dominating the mainstream.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) I love performing on big stages with smoke machines and dope lighting because the visual is just as important as the music. I always want my performances to be full of production so that the audience has a transcendent experience.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) snow the product is my favorite MC currently and she also raps in English and in Spanish and has a very similar vibe to me.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) I have been playing Saint Jhn, Yebba, Snow tha Product and Griselda. I have a very eclectic taste in music, but I am really drawn to the lyrical content and musicality that all these artists bring to their music.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) It’s essential as a creator and an artist to connect with your fans and to understand the psychology of your fans. I am always going to make music that is authentic to me but at the same time I want to convey a relatable feeling or experience so that I connect with others. Connection is the overarching goal of all artists, and it is what fuels our desire to create.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) I would like to express my gratitude for their support, their love of music and even their criticism of my art because without their engagement I would be lost.