THE PITCH OF A LIFETIME
 
Date Posted:   January 6,  2009

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I definitely feel that if you been in the industry for

 5-10 years, you should have your own label with a

 distribution deal or something."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A busy schedule at hand, iFLOW and Switch has played telephone tag for a year straight before this interview could even happen. With many changes that are taking place in the music industry that are also affected by the activities of the current slow pace of the economy; Switch made sure she continued to move closer towards her ultimate goal:  Superstardom.

Name of Artist:  Switch Money
State Residing:  New York
Type:  Independent Hip Hop Artist

iFLOW:  This interview is one that is meant to happen it  It took about a year for us to catch up with each other. How has everything been Switch?

 Switch:  Everything is wonderful. I really can’t complain. Got a lot of things happening right now.  I am working on a lot of material.  

iFLOW:  What kind of material 

Switch:  I am working  with DJ Big Mike and DJ Kay Slay on two mixtapes right now.  

iFLOW:  Any titles for them yet? 

Switch:  The first mix tape is called “Switch Money” by DJ Big Mike, and the next tape is going to be called the “Emperas State of Mind” by DJ Kay Slay. 

iFLOW:  Why mixtapes? Is this your genre? 

Switch:  I am working on album materials as well. Right now, as a female MC, you have to have something out to circulate on the underground circuits to keep yourself relevant. My goal right now is to be an international success. I want to cross over from underground to international and this is what I got to do to get to that level.   

iFLOW:  What are you doing when you are not working on your mixtapes?  

Switch:  I am a licensed pheblomisc (person who draws blood at a doctors office/hospital), a licensed real estate agent, and I am also a sales manager for a financial publication. I have my corporate thing going on.  

iFLOW:  We’ve asked this question in a different interview and we can’t resist but to ask it again. What is your take on the lack of women in hip hop nowadays? 

Switch:  It is just so unfortunate that there is no female representation. There are so many stories that women can gravitate to from female artists and we are not getting the platform like some of our male counterparts are in hip hop. I am definitely here to change that.  

iFLOW:  What do you believe is the cause of this major difference in the exposure of hip hop music at this point and time. There was a time when women dominated the pop charts. 

Switch:  I do feel like it is the lack of unity among women has a lot to do with it. The crazy misconceptions that are attached to the female mc also has a lot to do with it. There were heavy beliefs from the record labels and higher ups that women could sell records because women are the main chunks from album sales. Women would go and buy records. The labels don’t see that vision any longer, they don’t believe that.  

iFLOW:  We thought you were going to say because of the videos and lack of clothes! (laughing) 

Switch:  (laughing) Why because of the lack of representation from females?  Naww.  Men, know how to play that role that one person is the chief, and one person is the Indian.  Women don’t know how to do that. They are too busy trying to be the flyest  (by being catty and envious) and end up fighting before they can get to any sort of level.  

I definitely feel that if you been in the industry for 5-10 years, you should have your own label with a distribution deal or something.  Mainly because you should know the ins and outs of the business by now.  

iFLOW:  You have knowledge in your words. How long did it take for you to endure such gift of gab?  

Switch:  I am a salesman. I have been in sales for 10 years (Laughing). I am always negotiating deals and I have a way of words. Being in corporate America, you have to have the proper conviction to have things go your way.

iFLOW:  So you been in sales for 10 years, how much of that time have you been in the hip hop game?  Can you sing?  

Switch:  I been in the hip hop game since 1999. Yes, I can sing! My voice is deep, sultry, mellow and the fellas love it. I am more like an alto.

iFLOW:  So, why not sing instead of hip hopping it?  Do you sing to any of your songs on your mix tape? 

Switch:  Ever since I was a younger girl I was singing and writing. The hip hop bug bit me quicker than the singing but. Eventually, I do want to cross over like Lauren Hill did and sing instead of rapping.   I do more harmony and sh*t like that on my mix tapes.  

iFLOW:  I hear an accent In your voice… where are you from 

Switch:  I am from Brooklyn, Brownsville (New York). I have Jamaican heritage. 

iFLOW:  You sound like a Bodequa (Spanish Heritage)

Switch:  Big Shout out to the Bodequas, but I am African American Like a Mother F@#%r.  PEACE

Look out for Switch Money. Definitely go to her myspace page at www.myspace.com/switchbk; Visit the website at www.mizzswitch.com 

"Support females on the rise. There are a lot of females that can appreciate your support. I love yall. Thanks to all of the fans." ~ Switch Money