There have been rumors and gossip, and one-sided interviews but finally, Princess, one of the female members of Crime Mob is ready to speak. With her new mix tape Dirty Pop Princess released and giving her the independence she deserves, she can finally spread her colorful wings. It seemed as though drama simply followed the members of Crime Mob through the years. However, Princess is hoping to move past that, and is growing up from the past experiences. Although she’s got a new movement, she’s still has a foot in the past too. In this interview, he engages the here and now, the past and the future. That’s her music.
[Editor’s Note: to read Diamond’s recent interview, click here.]
AllHipHop.com: How did you first become involved with rap?
Princess: My brother started rapping and he would write it down on paper. I was always good with memorization. So he would rap around the house without writing it down and then be like “ damn what did I say?” I could remember the rap for him. He started helping me with raps and telling me how to say certain things and it became a passion for me.
AllHipHop.com: So you started off with your brother writing your raps for you?
Princess: To prove myself my brother wrote a couple of raps for me. I caught on so easily. I started rapping at about 15. I started writing my own stuff the next year.
AllHipHop.com: How did you meet the members of Crime Mob?
Princess: The group was already together. Some of the members ended up recording at our house. I told my brother I wanted to rap and I had to audition. My brother started out helping me with my raps and I got in and was the first and only female in the group. I started writing my own rhymes.
AllHipHop.com: At that point who was in the group?
Princess: Honestly, everybody was in Crime Mob. My Brother, Psycho Black, ….. We had a lot of homeboys who were affiliated with us but I was the first girl.
AllHipHop.com: How old are you?
Princess: I’m 22.
AllHipHop.com: You’re so young.
Princess: I’m grown! (laughs) Being in the industry makes your older mentally.
AllHipHop.com: Ok, you’re grown. (laughs) You come together, and everything is cool. You have the smash hit with “Rock Your Hips“. You are at the pinnacle of your career. Why did you guys break up?
Princess: (sighs) Oh Lord.
AllHipHop.com: (laughs) She sighs.
Princess: Honestly and I’m going to stress honestly because there has not been a lot of honesty. We were young and we always had our problems but the music is what brought us together. When we started out everybody wasn’t making the same amount and that started affecting our music. Everybody gets paid off what you do. The first album was recorded in two weeks. It was basically recorded at my parents house. After the album comes out we started getting checks. We see so and so gets this amount for a hook. This person gets this amount for a beat. People were trying to make sure they were on every song. But there is no way that everybody can be on every song. It wasn’t about quality it started being about quantity and that’s never good. We grew apart. People started having their own agendas. The group shows started slowing down. We started doing shows individually. That was a big thing if one person got a show and another didn’t then that became a big thing. If you don’t want to do a show then that is one you! If you only want to do group shows then that’s you. If the group isn’t working I’m still going to be working.
AllHipHop.com: Sounds like it was jealousy towards other people having more individual success.
Princess: I wouldn’t say jealousy cause it’s a strong word but it really was. It hurts me to think that it was like that because we all came up together. If I was doing something I let everybody know I was doing it. If you did not want to do it then that is fine but I’m still doing it. When you go behind the groups back to do something totally different then something isn’t right with that.
AllHipHop.com: Who went behind who’s back?
Princess: It was bigger than doing shows. The biggest thing was the whole thing with Diamond. People don’t understand how deep it goes. It wasn’t just a beef. It was disrespect. We were supposed to have a group album with just the boys, then me and her do an album , and then everybody do whatever they want to do, after that we come back and do a group album and be finished with our contract in 2 years. She switched managers which I knew about because she asked me did I want to change managers and I said she can do her own thing as far as management. She took that and ran with it. We did not know about it till right before the Dirty Awards. She was nominated for Southern Chick Of The Year. Crime Mob was nominated for Best Group. Either way it was a win for the group. We are at the Dirty Awards not the Grammy’s.
AllHipHop.com: Is it true that you guys kicked her out the group for her not allowing you to go on stage with her?
Princess: The truth is that she told somebody who was close to the group that it was going to be a big surprise at the Dirty Awards. She had already planned all this. She set her chips up the day before. We was like she wants to walk the red carpet by herself then let her do it. She had already separated herself. Scrappy announced that she had a solo project at the awards. So that doesn’t make sense if we had just kicked her out five hours earlier. Why would he announce that. It’s sad that people make drama to benefit themselves. If you a rapper then you should be about your music and not drama.
AllHipHop.com: What’s up with the video footage of the your guys arguing at Soulja Boys Birthday party?
Princess: Really… How can I put this?
AllHipHop.com: Just say what you want to say.
Princess: It’s crazy because it is bringing back stuff that I am already over. To answer the question, I was talking to somebody and she wanted to make a scene. Me not being that mature that as I should have been at the time. Looking at the footage, I got a lot of calls like why didn’t you rap against her? She was talking “oh your hair, your CD and you’re trying to be Rihanna“. I was like what? Are you on something? It was really shocking to me. I couldn’t say anything. Her and I were cool and she really changed. She showed her ass.
AllHipHop.com: How did it start?
Princess: I was talking to a friend about studio time. I was there maybe 3 hours before her and I had taken pictures with everybody. There was two specific girls that I was talking to the whole night and they went over and got Diamonds autograph or picture. We were far enough that I couldn’t hear what she was saying to them but close enough that if she yelled I could hear her. So she turns around and says “ See Princess they don’t want your autograph.” It was crazy because I was not worried about her. Do you. That was uncalled for. That is what brought the attention to us. They started putting it together like bam! Diamond and Princess are right here. People started to crowd around and she started “conversating.” But when the cameras started coming around she was like “Oh look at your hair” Like it was a jonesing session. That’s why I was looking crazy. It was like a flip of the switch once the cameras came on. She became Diamond. Brittany left. At the end of the day I do not do the drama thing.
AllHipHop.com: We can switch gears and get off the drama thing. You have told your side so everyone can be the judge for themselves. What projects are you working on? I know you have a mix tape out called Dirty Pop Princess. What’s happening with that?
Princess: Shouts out to Bobby Black and Ricky. They are the ones that are going hard for me. I’m in the process of writing a poetry book. I’m in the gym. I’m doing everything behind the scenes, Acting classes, vocal classes. I feel like I can put music out but I don’t want to be seen until the right time. I got to get all my ducks in line. When I come back out its going to be Bam! This b#### grew up. Feel me? People are going to respect because there will be a big difference. I’m in the studio writing. I have a song on Killa Mike’s Album. I did a song with Bizarre recently. I’m doing a lot of other projects with a lot of other people who I cannot name because it is still in the works. I did some shows in Germany recently. I’m going to Japan for the Dirty Pop movement. They like the loud colors. Overseas loves it. I’m trying to get that overseas money.
AllHipHop.com: Have you got picked up by a label:
Princess: That’s kind of sensitive legally. What I can say is that I am in the process of leaving Warner Brothers. I pray about it everyday.
AllHipHop.com: Why do you want to leave them?
Princess: It’s not a disrespect but the urban market over there is two steps behind. I would rather go independent. Rather than be stuck on a label that wants to use you as a test dummy. Even though on both albums they got way more than their money back. As far as ring tones, downloads. I still would rather get distribution and move on. You don’t really need a label. You might as well work for yourself and go independent. I’m talking to two different independent labels now.
AllHipHop.com: Are you going to do a video for any songs on your mixtape? Still in the works. The mix tape is out.
Princess: I’m going to send a few things out soon.
AllHipHop.com: Switching gears. For your male fans what do you like in a guy? Are you in a relationship?
Princess: I am and I am so happy. You got me giggling. I have learned a lot in this relationship.
AllHipHop.com: Is he an industry dude?
Princess: No, no, no, no. (laughs) I have done that and it’s cool but I am very personal when it comes to being outside of Princess.
AllHipHop.com: How long have you been with this guy?
Princess: Two years.
AllHipHop.com: Oh, sorry fellas.
Princess: This is the longest relationship I have been in. He is still locked up. So I have to deal with that. Visitation, and the phone. My bill is like $1000. Its cool though because that is my best friend. He knows stuff that no one else knows, I’m getting emotional talking about it. I thought I knew what love was before but I know it now. He will be out in 2 weeks. If I wasn’t in a relationship my type of guys is a god fearing church going man, a family man, have a job and have his own. Even though I am in the music industry he has to be able to take care of me. Emotionally, physically, financially. He has to be fun to be with. I like to go out of town and have fun.
AllHipHop.com: Do you talk to any of the group members?
Princess: I talk to the guys.
AllHipHop.com: So it is just you and Diamond who aren’t talking?
Princess: Yes and it is so funny because sometimes I have to hit her up just on the business tip. I text her and she is like who is this? I’m like oh god never mind. Its so crazy because you are spending too much energy on the wrong thing. If it ain’t beef get over it. If its all love get over it.