Female.  Hip-Hop.  In the dry musical wasteland that is currently the landscape for female rappers; the two aforementioned labels don’t even belong in the same sentence, let alone the same breath.  However, if you do decide to dig deep you will find an oasis in the talents of hip-hop artist, Queen Yonasda.  Rhymes that flow effortlessly like the Nile; beats with more bounce than riding a camel’s back; and insight that illuminates the mind like a burst of sunshine; makes this one queen that the world will soon find themselves genuflecting to.     

Her debut album, God, Love, and Music features Cappadonna, Dr. Ben Chavis Muhammad, Keith Murray, M-Eighty and others with production by Cookin’ Soul, New York West, CR Productions, K-Boog and others. 

Queen Yonasda recently granted Sixshot a seat next to her on the throne as we talked the state of femcees, life with her grandfather and Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan, she addresses the state of Minister Farrakhan’s health, why she believes women don’t have enough male support, her Native-American heritage, being compared to Lauryn Hill, and more.

What inspired you to get involved in hip-hop?

I was about 6 or 7 in Venice Beach, California and I saw the west coast chapter of the Rock Steady Crew.  I heard the music and it was so liberating.  Even though I was young in age I was always a revolutionary freedom of speech type of person.  At that young age I felt that hip-hop was the beginning outlet for young people to be able to express themselves.  So I’ve been involved in it ever since and I love it.

The scene for female MC’s is pretty empty these days and some consider it dead. What are you hoping to inject back into this scene?

I feel like now everything needs a balance.  I feel that hip-hop has been so male dominated for the past 20 years and they haven’t had a great voice like we used to with Queen Latifah and MC Lyte from the early ‘80’s to middle ‘80’s.  Not every young girl or woman is going through gold-digging, street lifestyles or any of the things that some of my female counterparts are talking about.  I want to be the voice for queens, for those that are working 9-5, and those that are single mothers even if they are married.  I want them to be able to say, “Oh while, I can relate to her because finally someone is speaking what I am going through.”  I feel that as women we are a nation.  Elijah Muhammad said that “No nation can rise higher than its women.”  So as it relates to hip-hop it’s very true.  They said that hip-hop is dead but I just feel that right now it just needs a balance and I feel that the woman is that balance.

How do you aim to balance your political and social commentary—which is something that’s not heavily promoted in the mainstream—with the pressures of achieving mainstream success?

2008 is going to be a very political year.  This is the first time that we have a black man, a woman, and a Latino presidential candidate.  So right now the nation is yearning for some type of consciousness.  Kanye [West] beat out 50 Cent.  So the people really want to be educated in some way shape or form.  God has been working with me for years now.  I’ve been listening to him and I believe that my timing is good. 

I read that you kept the songs very short on the album.  Why did you make that decision?

Every song on my album is less than 2 minutes and 30 seconds because of the attention span.  I don’t want to be too preachy.  If you look at the presidential candidates they have been doing things on MySpace, MTV, and keeping it really short and to the point, but you can still be able to bring the nation to the next level of consciousness.  . 

Your mother was Native-American and your dad is African-American.  How did those different cultures influence your development as an artist and individual?

I love the fact that every snowflake is different.  I love to be different from everyone else.  My mother raised me and my brother and she strived her best to teach me both cultures.  We celebrated Kwanza and Christmas.  Everything kind of squared away when it came to learning about cultures and being proud of who I am.  Even though I may look African-American I can’t deny my mother or where I came from so in my music it’s both. 

You were adopted by Minister Louis Farrakhan and call him a grandfather.  How was that experience growing up in the Farrakhan family?

It was wonderful!  It was not difficult because the man that I grew up with and know is not the man that they portray negatively on television—you know the anti-Semitic.  So that was my first realization of what the media could do to discredit you.  I had it made when my mother used to work for Muhammad Ali.  I was very wealthy.  My mother went to prison on behalf of the Nation of Islam—they were trying to get information on Farrakhan and my mother said that, “I don’t have any information.”  So they gave her four to six years in prison and that’s when me and my brother were adopted.  I learned a lot about the Islamic faith.  I learned to always tell the truth and that’s the one thing I learned from the minister—no matter what you always tell the truth. 

Are you legally adopted by Minister Farrakhan?

Yes, his daughter Maria and her husband, Alif, legally adopted me and my brother.  He is the nephew of the honorable Elijah Muhammad. 

What would be the one thing we’d be surprised to learn about Minister Farrakhan?

Music, he taught me how to play the violin.  When I was in 4th grade he would always tune my violin.  I don’t know if you heard him but he’s on the new Wyclef [Jean] album playing the violin.  He’s a great violin player.  I could go to him for anything.  He’s a father figure in my life.  So I can talk to him when I have guy trouble. [Laughs]  Then on top of that I work for him for the Millions More Movement with Indigenous National Alliance. 

Earlier this year Minister Farrakhan was released from the hospital after having major abdominal surgery.  How is his health now?

He is doing wonderful.  He received prayer from people all over the country and God has placed his hands up on him. 

Do you identify as a Muslim?

I identify as a person that believes in God and one God.  My grandfather the minister says that, “Every good Christian is a good Muslim and every good Muslim is s good Christian.”  We use labels to separate ourselves. 

I go to the Mosque, I go to church, and I practice Native-American spirituality as well; as long as it’s submitting to one God and not worshipping other Gods. 

Minister Farrakhan is known for having very strong views.  Has there even been an issue where you two haven’t seen eye-to-eye? 

No, not at all. 

Really?

I believe in everything that he has taught me.

Many political/socially oriented women in the industry sometimes feel abandoned by the men.  Some of them feel that women are the main ones carrying the burden and leading the struggle for change.  What are your views?  Do women have enough support from their male counterparts?

I agree with that.  I can look at it both ways.  I’m just looking at the male and female relationship.  You really have to be a praying woman and you really have to be a woman of strength to be able to deal with abandonment from men in all things.  I have people that are on my team that are men that respect me as a strong woman willing to get my music out there. 

I was on the road with Wu-Tang Clan, Kurupt of Tha Dogg Pound, and they looked at me with great honor.  I just feel that it depends on how you carry yourself and how you demand that respect.  It also depends on the man.  I don’t want any young boys around me.  I want some real men that are willing to understand the role of what a woman has to do in her career and not look at it as a competition.  I think that’s a major thing.  A lot of the young boys in the industry look at women as competition.

I heard talk of you signing to a major label sometime soon.  How is that looking?

I received a couple of offers.  I’m trying to create a major independent buzz.  I don’t want to take the first thing I get offered.  I want to make sure that the numbers are right.  As a female rap artist you do need a major machine behind you, especially to be heard by the masses and that’s what I’m waiting on.  Those that have heard my album have said that if Lauryn Hill was recording or had released an album it would be my album.  I thought that was the best compliment because I love Lauryn.  With that being said I know that I don’t just want to go into anyone’s hands.  I want to make sure that this gets out properly.

What does the future hold for you?

Basically, I am dropping my single, "Pow Wow" with a single release party in my hometown Phoenix, Arizona.  In the spring I’m going on a tour, Hip-Hop Lives.  As far as I know I’m the only female artist on this tour with Wu Tang Clan, Keith Murray, Eight Ball & MJG—it’s a whole line-up of male hip-hop artists. 

In the summer I’m gonna drop my album and continue to keep God first.  I’m excited about 2008.  I think this is a great year, especially for women to be able to really show and prove ourselves, and not in a slutty whorish way.  I also really want to help out my tribe which is the Lakota tribe.  They are the poorest community in the United States and 89% of them are unemployed.  I would like to help assist them in any way that I can.

You’re gonna love me because….

I am a woman of God.

For more information on Queen Yonasda please visit:
www.myspace.com/queenyonasda
or
www.femmixx.com