Da Brat: “I Was A Boss Bitch [in Prison]“
Da Brat was one of the first of a new breed of hard-edged female MCs to hit the hip-hop scene during the ’90s era. After being discovered by super producer Jermaine Dupri, the Chicago-bred rapper signed to his So So Def label. Sexuality wasn’t as important to rapid-fire spitta as it was to fellow female artists Lil’ Kim or Foxy Brown. Instead, Da Brat made her name as a tough rhymer whose hardcore attitude and lyrical skills were never in doubt. With her in-your-face style and flow, the thuggish ruggish rapper took the hip-hop world by storm with her 1994 debut album, Funkdafied. In the testosterone filled world of rap, Da Brat became a true record-setter as the first female solo rapper to strike platinum album sales. Funkdafied entered the rap albums chart at Number #1, with the title track “Funkdafied” reaching #1 on the rap singles chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
On October 31, 2007, the MC was involved in an altercation that ended in assault at a nightclub in Atlanta, Georgia. Da Brat entered a guilty plea to aggravated assault charges.
Now, having been released from prison after completing a three-year sentence for aggravated assault, she speaks to XXLMag.com for her first interview since being freed. The rap vet addresses her time served and what it’s like being back home. —Nicole LoPresti
Welcome home.
Thank you. Yeah, it’s just been hectic.
What’s today been like?
Everyone has been hitting me up. My phone. My email. Everything. My global 14. JD’s been hitting me.
So, what are the terms are of your release? You’ve been on work release for a year or so?
Yeah, for a year I’ve been on work release program. Now, I’m under house arrest. I actually had more freedom in the work release program because I got to go on pass during the weekend. I have this nice leg monitor jewelry. I’ma put some Swarovski Crystals on this. I got the leg monitor on. I got the leg ankle bracelet on.
What do you mean you had more freedom with work release?
Well, you know in the transitional center you work. You get a little job or whatever and you go back and forth to your job. Then when you’ve been working for 30 days you can go home on pass. You can go home once a week so every weekend I would go home to the crib on pass but now on house arrest you gotta stay in the house. You can’t go nowhere but to work. So I’m already at home and that’s cool because I ain’t gotta sleep in the beds no more. But I would like to move around a little bit more than this but it’s all good. I ain’t trippin. It will all be over soon.
How long are you under house arrest?
Probably like three to six months. But maybe less if I do everything I’m supposed to do and do it right.
You’re in Atlanta, right?
Yeah I’m in the A.
What did you do during that time?
Aw man. When I first got locked up I was in Dekalb County. I was bored as hell because you had to be in this pod—which is like a big classroom and when it’s time to go in, you go in your little room around 9pm. So that was like sucky cause you couldn’t really go outside and get any air but I was only in there for like a month or two months before they shipped me out and sent me to prison which I was happy. I could get some outside air.
Which prison did you get sent to?
I went through Metro. You gotta go through Metro. A state prison. They did all these diagnostics. Just a bunch of tests about your health—find out if you’re okay. The levels of security are like maximum, minimum, and I forgot the middle one. But, mine was medium the one. It was medium. Since it was aggravated assault so it’s a violent crime.
What was it like in Metro?
Man, they kept me on lockdown there because they all would be singing my song. They would be in a line and I’d walk through that joint and they would be like ‘what do you like’. And ,the officers would be like ‘yo, yo fall in line’. But they wouldn’t listen. I was in lockdown with this girl Kelly who was on death row. But yo, her suite was what’s up. It was cool she had a workout thing going on in there. She had a T.V. —no one in the whole spot had a T.V. She was cool as shit. I think they took her off death row. But I know for a fact they haven’t put her down yet. So hopefully she appealed and got off of that.
So your adjustment to prison life seemed like a mixed bag. The inmates welcomed you, but the guards not so much.
They acted like I was the mass murder but I guess cause of all the commotion I caused and all the fans I had in Metro. They shipped me outta there in a week. You usually stay in Metro months before they let you out but I got out of there quick. Then I went to state prison. And when I went there it was crazy! I mean all the officers and counselors told me that the girls never bought so much makeup and got in trouble for tight pants. It was so funny. I was rollin’ off that shit. Everybody was trying to be homies and friends. Wash my clothes, do my hair, and just everything. I was a boss bitch in that motherfucker.
What’s being the boss bitch like in prison?
People washed for me, they cooked for me all the time, I got my hair braided for like two dollars. I got manicures. It was gravy.
The worst thing about it was I missed my family. I missed my music. I missed my mother, my auntie, my grandmother. I missed being able to provide and get that good quality love. But being in there made me appreciate everything more and not take anything for granted. A lot of people went in there that didn’t have no family. They got no mail. I got like 30 pieces of mail a day. People had no one to call. I was on the phone all the time. I had a lot of money on my books. I had support from Nick [Cannon] and Mariah [Carey] came to see me. Went through the whole ordeal to come see me. Kat Williams came to see me. JD and my sister came to see me. My folks came. My squad.
The worst thing was missing music and my family. Other than that…I mean I had to put a couple of people in check or take advantage. So you just gotta be like ‘yo that shit don’t happen over here’ and you cuss they ass out. Then, they be like ‘oh ok’. But after you set the precedent that you are not to be fucked with, they don’t test you. After that, I rode it out like a damn surfboard in there.
After serving your bid, what do you think Remy Ma is going through in her current incarceration?
Aw man. I think Remy got that boss bitch mentality too. But I don’t know what it’s like. She’s in New York and I think it’s a little harder than the ATL. That may be a little different. But I know she keeping her head up and doing what she got to do. I don’t doubt that she’s like me—a boss bitch.
Well, now that you’ve had time to think do you have any regret about the situation that happened?
Of course I feel bad about what happened to the individual. But…there’s a whole lot more that goes with that story. I’m not at liberty to say but trust when I can talk, I will call you. When I can say that full story, I will. It’s not like I was just being stupid and ran up to somebody and did that. There is a whole story behind it. I feel bad about everything but I think I needed a minute to sit down and think about it things. I mean, maybe not that I needed to sit down this long. But, I think I was one of the people that they had to make an example out of. It’s done and I’m ready to move forward.
Did you listen to much hip-hop while you were in there?
I was listening to anything I could get my hands on. But when I was on the prison side you could only get two albums a month and they couldn’t have the parental sticker. So my folks would cut off the parental sticker and then find a place to get it rewrapped. I had my old Biggie stuff. I had Jigga. I had my Lil’ Mo. My Fantasia. I’m a beat junkie and I love real singers. Real music. It was stuff that motivated me. I like the meaningful stuff. I’m not that crazy about the new stuff that’s coming out. I like that Nas. I like that Twista—he from Chicago. They my folks. I like that Yeezy [Kanye West]. I want to get motivated from folks.
Was there any song you wish you could have got on?
Luda’s “My Chick Bad”. That is one song I wanted to be on. When I hear all the songs that got the girls on it. Ugh! I would have killed that.
What are your thoughts on Nicki Minaj?
I think it’s all good. As long as everyone gets their paper then that’s what’s up. It’s enough for everybody.
What are your plans moving forward musically?
I’m getting some beats sent to me right now from JD. I wasn’t really motivated in there to write. I need to be able to hear some fire beats and I need to hear it loud. I got two and a half years of shit built up that I need to talk about. I’m ready to get it in. I can’t wait.
With it being Women’s History month, can you speak on the women in hip-hop?
From Salt and Pepper to Queen Latifah—wasn’t no female no singing “Ladies First” ’cause that was a representation. Monie Love was one of my favorites because she was spitting those fast lines. And then MC Lyte. I was like ohhh shit! That’s me. That’s me. She had the tomboy style. Back then, Queen Latifah had a more African look but her rhymes were still hot. I really appreciate the females MCs that paved the way. I’m grateful for them. And all the other females—Kim, Foxy—I ain’t really seen or heard from Foxy in awhile. I want to know what everybody is up to and what they are doing. I heard Eve got a new record coming out. I know Trina is working on a record. So I’m just happy we are all working.
JD released the info of you coming home on Twitter. Did you start one yet?
I need too! I need too! I’m just figuring out this Global 14 thing. I was talking to him yesterday he said I need to make one. But let me make this known, that Facebook shit that say’s Da Brat—that is not me. They need to figure out how to shut shit down when it’s not you. I will. I just got home baby, but I’m about to get really computer savvy on you baby.
Ok, let us know when you do.
I will. Thank you. This was my first interview since I’ve been home. JD was like ‘yo you ready?’ Interview time. Let’s go let’s go. That’s my big brother. And thank you, too. You made my first time back easy.
Da Brat was one of the first of a new breed of hard-edged female MCs to hit the hip-hop scene during the ’90s era. After being discovered by super producer Jermaine Dupri, the Chicago-bred rapper signed to his So So Def label. Sexuality wasn’t as important to rapid-fire spitta as it was to fellow female artists Lil’ Kim or Foxy Brown. Instead, Da Brat made her name as a tough rhymer whose hardcore attitude and lyrical skills were never in doubt. With her in-your-face style and flow, the thuggish ruggish rapper took the hip-hop world by storm with her 1994 debut album, Funkdafied. In the testosterone filled world of rap, Da Brat became a true record-setter as the first female solo rapper to strike platinum album sales. Funkdafied entered the rap albums chart at Number #1, with the title track “Funkdafied” reaching #1 on the rap singles chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
On October 31, 2007, the MC was involved in an altercation that ended in assault at a nightclub in Atlanta, Georgia. Da Brat entered a guilty plea to aggravated assault charges.
Now, having been released from prison after completing a three-year sentence for aggravated assault, she speaks to XXLMag.com for her first interview since being freed. The rap vet addresses her time served and what it’s like being back home. —Nicole LoPresti
Welcome home.
Thank you. Yeah, it’s just been hectic.
What’s today been like?
Everyone has been hitting me up. My phone. My email. Everything. My global 14. JD’s been hitting me.
So, what are the terms are of your release? You’ve been on work release for a year or so?
Yeah, for a year I’ve been on work release program. Now, I’m under house arrest. I actually had more freedom in the work release program because I got to go on pass during the weekend. I have this nice leg monitor jewelry. I’ma put some Swarovski Crystals on this. I got the leg monitor on. I got the leg ankle bracelet on.
What do you mean you had more freedom with work release?
Well, you know in the transitional center you work. You get a little job or whatever and you go back and forth to your job. Then when you’ve been working for 30 days you can go home on pass. You can go home once a week so every weekend I would go home to the crib on pass but now on house arrest you gotta stay in the house. You can’t go nowhere but to work. So I’m already at home and that’s cool because I ain’t gotta sleep in the beds no more. But I would like to move around a little bit more than this but it’s all good. I ain’t trippin. It will all be over soon.
How long are you under house arrest?
Probably like three to six months. But maybe less if I do everything I’m supposed to do and do it right.
You’re in Atlanta, right?
Yeah I’m in the A.
What did you do during that time?
Aw man. When I first got locked up I was in Dekalb County. I was bored as hell because you had to be in this pod—which is like a big classroom and when it’s time to go in, you go in your little room around 9pm. So that was like sucky cause you couldn’t really go outside and get any air but I was only in there for like a month or two months before they shipped me out and sent me to prison which I was happy. I could get some outside air.
Which prison did you get sent to?
I went through Metro. You gotta go through Metro. A state prison. They did all these diagnostics. Just a bunch of tests about your health—find out if you’re okay. The levels of security are like maximum, minimum, and I forgot the middle one. But, mine was medium the one. It was medium. Since it was aggravated assault so it’s a violent crime.
What was it like in Metro?
Man, they kept me on lockdown there because they all would be singing my song. They would be in a line and I’d walk through that joint and they would be like ‘what do you like’. And ,the officers would be like ‘yo, yo fall in line’. But they wouldn’t listen. I was in lockdown with this girl Kelly who was on death row. But yo, her suite was what’s up. It was cool she had a workout thing going on in there. She had a T.V. —no one in the whole spot had a T.V. She was cool as shit. I think they took her off death row. But I know for a fact they haven’t put her down yet. So hopefully she appealed and got off of that.
So your adjustment to prison life seemed like a mixed bag. The inmates welcomed you, but the guards not so much.
They acted like I was the mass murder but I guess cause of all the commotion I caused and all the fans I had in Metro. They shipped me outta there in a week. You usually stay in Metro months before they let you out but I got out of there quick. Then I went to state prison. And when I went there it was crazy! I mean all the officers and counselors told me that the girls never bought so much makeup and got in trouble for tight pants. It was so funny. I was rollin’ off that shit. Everybody was trying to be homies and friends. Wash my clothes, do my hair, and just everything. I was a boss bitch in that motherfucker.
What’s being the boss bitch like in prison?
People washed for me, they cooked for me all the time, I got my hair braided for like two dollars. I got manicures. It was gravy.
The worst thing about it was I missed my family. I missed my music. I missed my mother, my auntie, my grandmother. I missed being able to provide and get that good quality love. But being in there made me appreciate everything more and not take anything for granted. A lot of people went in there that didn’t have no family. They got no mail. I got like 30 pieces of mail a day. People had no one to call. I was on the phone all the time. I had a lot of money on my books. I had support from Nick [Cannon] and Mariah [Carey] came to see me. Went through the whole ordeal to come see me. Kat Williams came to see me. JD and my sister came to see me. My folks came. My squad.
The worst thing was missing music and my family. Other than that…I mean I had to put a couple of people in check or take advantage. So you just gotta be like ‘yo that shit don’t happen over here’ and you cuss they ass out. Then, they be like ‘oh ok’. But after you set the precedent that you are not to be fucked with, they don’t test you. After that, I rode it out like a damn surfboard in there.
After serving your bid, what do you think Remy Ma is going through in her current incarceration?
Aw man. I think Remy got that boss bitch mentality too. But I don’t know what it’s like. She’s in New York and I think it’s a little harder than the ATL. That may be a little different. But I know she keeping her head up and doing what she got to do. I don’t doubt that she’s like me—a boss bitch.
Well, now that you’ve had time to think do you have any regret about the situation that happened?
Of course I feel bad about what happened to the individual. But…there’s a whole lot more that goes with that story. I’m not at liberty to say but trust when I can talk, I will call you. When I can say that full story, I will. It’s not like I was just being stupid and ran up to somebody and did that. There is a whole story behind it. I feel bad about everything but I think I needed a minute to sit down and think about it things. I mean, maybe not that I needed to sit down this long. But, I think I was one of the people that they had to make an example out of. It’s done and I’m ready to move forward.
Did you listen to much hip-hop while you were in there?
I was listening to anything I could get my hands on. But when I was on the prison side you could only get two albums a month and they couldn’t have the parental sticker. So my folks would cut off the parental sticker and then find a place to get it rewrapped. I had my old Biggie stuff. I had Jigga. I had my Lil’ Mo. My Fantasia. I’m a beat junkie and I love real singers. Real music. It was stuff that motivated me. I like the meaningful stuff. I’m not that crazy about the new stuff that’s coming out. I like that Nas. I like that Twista—he from Chicago. They my folks. I like that Yeezy [Kanye West]. I want to get motivated from folks.
Was there any song you wish you could have got on?
Luda’s “My Chick Bad”. That is one song I wanted to be on. When I hear all the songs that got the girls on it. Ugh! I would have killed that.
What are your thoughts on Nicki Minaj?
I think it’s all good. As long as everyone gets their paper then that’s what’s up. It’s enough for everybody.
What are your plans moving forward musically?
I’m getting some beats sent to me right now from JD. I wasn’t really motivated in there to write. I need to be able to hear some fire beats and I need to hear it loud. I got two and a half years of shit built up that I need to talk about. I’m ready to get it in. I can’t wait.
With it being Women’s History month, can you speak on the women in hip-hop?
From Salt and Pepper to Queen Latifah—wasn’t no female no singing “Ladies First” ’cause that was a representation. Monie Love was one of my favorites because she was spitting those fast lines. And then MC Lyte. I was like ohhh shit! That’s me. That’s me. She had the tomboy style. Back then, Queen Latifah had a more African look but her rhymes were still hot. I really appreciate the females MCs that paved the way. I’m grateful for them. And all the other females—Kim, Foxy—I ain’t really seen or heard from Foxy in awhile. I want to know what everybody is up to and what they are doing. I heard Eve got a new record coming out. I know Trina is working on a record. So I’m just happy we are all working.
JD released the info of you coming home on Twitter. Did you start one yet?
I need too! I need too! I’m just figuring out this Global 14 thing. I was talking to him yesterday he said I need to make one. But let me make this known, that Facebook shit that say’s Da Brat—that is not me. They need to figure out how to shut shit down when it’s not you. I will. I just got home baby, but I’m about to get really computer savvy on you baby.
Ok, let us know when you do.
I will. Thank you. This was my first interview since I’ve been home. JD was like ‘yo you ready?’ Interview time. Let’s go let’s go. That’s my big brother. And thank you, too. You made my first time back easy.
I still think she is a knuckle head, but I like her answers to everything.....She definitely would have KILLED My Chick Bad better than fucking Nicki Minaj talking about Freddie Kruger (sp?) & Jason 
