Name of Artist:  Kween Ka$H
State Residing:  New York
Type:  Independent Hip Hop Artist

iFLOW Premise:

Kween Ka$h is a buzz maker in the independent market and gained  major local respect among open mic & showcase events and her peers. Either she is hosting the events or performing in them, Ka$h is there. In addition, iFLOW respects the grind that Ka$h is on with her own radio show.

Ka$h discusses her future plans, her record label, and partners. She is definitely earning her name.

A TASTE OF KA$H

Date Posted:   October 19, 2008

iFLOW:  How are you Ka$h? What's good with you?

Kween Ka$h:  I am good;  just chilling. 

iFLOW:  You been in the business for how long? 

Kween Ka$h:  Uhh. This would be my fifth year. 

iFLOW:  Just 5 years?! It seems so much longer than that with your level of expertise.  What have you done within that time? 

Kween Ka$h:  Grinding.  Performing as much as I can and letting people know about me. 

iFLOW:  How has your grind been working for you?   

Kween Ka$h:  That grind has paid off- for an underground female artist.  I built up my buzz and fan base for me to be seen thus far. 

iFLOW: What influenced your entrance into hip hop? 

Kween Ka$h:  Hip hop has always been around me growing up in Brooklyn during the 1980’s.  I’ve always been a fan of music (PERIOD).
 

iFLOW:  That is quite impressive! But how did you get into the game? 

Kween Ka$h:  I got into the game almost by accident.  Basically, I knew I could rhyme; so I would play around with creating songs. People influenced me to take music seriously and try to make a career out of it.  

iFLOW:  Did you have any apprehensions or doubts? 

Kween Ka$h: Not initially, I intended on just having fun regardless. So, it didn’t matter what happened next. 

iFLOW: As an artist, what gave you the idea of creating your alter ego of Kween Ka$h? Where did the name come from? 

Kween Ka$h:  “Ka$h” has been my nick name to a lot of people growing up because my given name starts with the letters K.A.S.H.  The “Kween” came about because I wanted to stand out as a female MC. 

iFLOW: What are the other things that you are doing at the moment? 

Kween Ka$h:  At the moment I am submerged into my artistry. I feel like I am Kween Ka$h 90 percent of the time.  Especially, with my album that has just be released 

iFLOW:  It is rumored that you recite your rhymes (and write new ones) while in the shower. Is that true? 

Kween Ka$h:  (Laughing) Ahhh. I wonder who your sources are; because that person would have to be in the shower with me for that to be confirmed.   

iFLOW: So are you saying that is a no or a yes? 

Kween Ka$h:   I do write and recite my rhymes practically every day.  That means yes; in the shower as well. 

iFLOW:  You mentioned your new album. Tell us about it. 

Kween Ka$h:  My debut album released on indie label, Hot Wax 1 Records, an entitled “Pure Fire.” 

iFLOW:  How did your arrangement come about with Hot Wax?   

Kween Ka$h:  Hotwax Records is a partnership between  Trini Ricky,  TJ, and myself. 

iFLOW:  Did you have any other prospects to choose from (for a record label)? 

Kween Ka$h:  Yes, however, those deals might as well have been no deal at all. 

iFLOW:  What is next for Kween Ka$h? 

Kween Ka$h:  Worldwide Domination (Laughing)!!!!!  I am cracking myself up (Kween Ka$h Says jokingly).  On a serous note, whatever the road leads to my international superstar status. 

iFLOW:  How do you feel about the scarceness of female MC’s in the mainstream markets? 

Kween Ka$h:  I feel extremely disappointment. There is no reason why there should not be any females represented in Hip Hop in this day and age. We are hip hop too and should not be excluded or pin-holed.  

iFLOW:  Yes, it is disappointing. Do you feel that some of that is as a result of the legal issues that some of the female artists are presently facing? 

Kween Ka$h: Absolutely not. Males in hip hop face legal trouble on the regular. Yet, they face no backlash musically. I believe it is the same for female rappers.  

iFLOW:  Your view point can be agreed upon by many. Do you also agree that some of it has to do with the major record labels shutting down their hip hop divisions and dropping artists (that includes the women)? 

Kween Ka$h:  Yes, because, specifically female rappers don’t sell as much as males artists.  Both men and women (music buyers) support male rappers.  It is my experience that mostly women support female rappers.  

iFLOW:  In you opinion, what do you believe the cause of the difference in records sales may be? 

Kween Ka$h:  Basically, it is hard to take a female rapper seriously when the image in the forefront is that of sex and not much else.

iFLOW:  How do you feel about what is presently being played on the radio in terms of hip hop music? 

Kween Ka$h:  Like every thing else, hip hop music has stages. Right now people want to dance, rap, and sing along~ no matter how foolish the concept is.  I can’t see this stage lasting much longer.  

iFLOW:  Why do you feel it won’t last? 

Kween Ka$h:  It’s part of the reason why people are saying that hip hop is dead. Hip hop is a lyrical art form. There used to be messages in the music; nowadays artists totally ignore the art form with lackluster (and petty) nursery school rhymes.
 

iFLOW:  Any last words: 

Kween Ka$h:  I just want people to listen to my music and make a decision for themselves. Don’t be influenced by what you’ve already heard and seen before. Determine for yourself who’s hot. And you will see how the Kween rules. Shout out to the Caribbean.

www.myspace.com/kweenkash