Features

Your name, Tiye Phoenix, holds a poetic and historical meaning – what is its significance?

Yes, the name Tiye Phoenix has cultural as well as historical significance. Tiye was the great pharoahess from the 18th Dynasty in Ancient Kemet (Egypt). Her accomplishments during her time were remarkable, some of which included being the first to have her name on official laws. She is also known for having risen to royalty from humble beginnings. Oftentimes, the accomplishments of earlier black civilizations are overlooked or eliminated altogether from the landscape of world history. For that reason, I primarily adopted the name Tiye in order to inspire and encourage people to research great black women in antiquity that may or may not have been taught to students in history classes in schools.

Similarly, the ‘phoenix’ legacy is a story of a bird who, after being consumed by fire, emerges even more beautiful and fortified than before. The phoenix story symbolizes immortality, and the ability to regenerate and overcome. Also, the phoenix is known for having a beautiful song. Therefore, Tiye Phoenix basically means a woman who rose from humble beginnings into aristocracy who can overcome.

Your album, Half Woman | Half Amazin', is a play on the Nas line, ‘half man, half amazin’ from his single, ‘It Ain’t Hard to Tell’. You’re a big believer in balance and equilibrium. What does your album bring to the mix that balances out the hip-hop already out there?

My album, Half Woman | Half Amazin', explores political issues, spiritual perspectives, being in love, etc. Hip-hop has predominately been very stifled with respect to content; too consistent-- hyper masculine, hyper sexual, etc. It's been trapped. For the most part, my album brings a female perspective that was missing- a perspective on a variety of issues. Balance is the key to life. My album introduces balance to modern day hip-hop by venturing into territory that the listeners rarely hear.

You’ve spoken about your dissatisfaction with a lot of modern-day hip-hop, likening it to putting your foot on the accelerator, when you know you passed your destination some time ago; rather than doing a U-turn and going back to that initial destination. Is Half Woman | Half Amazin’ your U-turn, taking us back to hip-hop’s original, artful, destination?

It is my belief that life is best when it is progressive. I advocate forward motion. However, sometimes it is necessary to retrace steps in order to move forward. The foundation of great hip-hop music is stellar lyrics and head nod beats. Modern day hip-hop has heavily moved away from that foundation. For that reason, it was important to me that this album reflect, sonically, that traditional hip-hop ethic (hard beats, meaningful quality lyricism). 

You are also a classically trained pianist, producer, songwriter, and composer – how important is it for you to have control over the different elements of song writing and producing process?

I always write my songs by myself. The song writing process for me is very personal, and intimate. I thoroughly enjoy watching a song evolve from a thought into a full expression, fully arranged and complete. Producing is enjoyable for me as well. Melodies and ideas for the beats themselves evolve in a similar manner as the lyrics. The creation process for me is similar to riding a bike, when you initially get on the bike, you have to stabilize yourself, become comfortable and gain a rhythm; after a while, your movements become effortless and easy. You can ride with your eyes closed or using no hands, lol. That's how the song creation process is for me; if I've been writing consistently or making beats consistently, I can do it very fluidly. I'm on fire when I'm consistent.

You’ve worked alongside some of the biggest boys in the business, such as Public Enemy, Mos Def and Talib Kweli. As well as that, you were the first female beat-maker to win the 2006 Meet the Producers Championship, after the previous 8 winners were male! What are the challenges to being a female MC of substance in a largely male-dominated scene? 

In recent times, I have altered my views with respect to so-called challenges or obstacles. Challenges, like anything else in this world, only exist if we acknowledge them as real. By acknowledging them and feeding them energy with our thoughts, we crystallize them. Similar to the nurturing of a plant, if you water the plant and tend to it, it will live; however, if you neglect it, it will die. This is how I now approach the idea that hip-hop is harder or more challenging because I'm female. I just refuse to accept that ideology any longer, with the intention of watching it dissipate. So, I look at it at this point from the perspective that because I'm female, that just means that there's just a more unique message that I must convey with respect to the work that I must do regarding the expansion of the views and perceptions of people towards women in hip-hop, and to the overall quality of hip-hop in general.

Who are a few female MC’s, either in years gone by or contemporary, who inspire you and why?

All of the legends inspire me, Lyte, Latifah, etc. I admire their bravery; it had to take tremendous guts to thrive in the rap game at that time. They were severely outnumbered so the fact that they had the drive and commitment to MC is so respectable.

You had a brief encounter with Biggie Smalls, paying him respect as he exited a club, the night that he was killed. In hindsight, how has that experience affected or changed you?

That brief encounter with Biggie was impactful to me simply because it was moments before his death. I just thought it was interesting for that reason. I mean, of course I respected him as a lyricist, but it was the fact that I met him at that party at that particular time that intrigued me to some degree.

You warn against young MC’s getting lost in materialism with no substance, how do you see materialism adversely affecting the current hip-hop sound?

Actually, I believe "excessive materialism" in hip-hop lyricism has been so overdone that it's on its way out. I mean, rappers have been bragging about jewellery since Slick Rick was at the height of his popularity; the designer name brand fetish became really popular when Biggie was at his height; bragging about money, cars, etc. At this point, it is so unexciting. Let me state however that braggadocio demeanour on the mic is never going to disappear, because it’s almost a prerequisite for being a confident MC. However, if you want to brag in your rhymes about material possessions, you probably have to do it so uniquely at this point that it would almost seem like something new because me personally - not even as an MC, but as a consumer - I'm totally over it. Furthermore, I just believe that for variety’s sake alone lyricism should broaden its dimensions at this point and cover other subject matter. At the very least, if excessive materialism doesn’t completely disappear, then there should be a healthy balance of other content in contemporary hip-hop lyricism.

Has the shift to online promotion, from CDs to digital downloads, made it easier or more difficult for an artist to be recognised?

In my opinion, the digital explosion has made exposure much easier. Access to great music and great artists is right at your fingertips - literally.

You cover a lot of ground in your debut solo album. Themes that can be political and serious, or playful and sensual. Are there any topics you won’t rap about?

Not particularly. An issue just has to be meaningful to me or touch me in some way in order for me to make a song about it.

What does the future hold for Tiye Phoenix?  

Given that I am classically trained in music and a beat-maker/producer as well as an artist, I intend to showcase and highlight those other aspects of my artistic and musical expression as well - my goal is to demonstrate that women in hip hop are skilled and devoted to that aspect of musical expression as well..

I intend to produce/write music for other people as well, and I have a few other plans in the works.

Stay tuned to learn what I have in store!

Tiye's album Half Woman | Half Amazin' is out now. Keep your eye out for Tiye's talent to manifest itself in new ways in the future by following her on Twitter and Facebook.