There's a lot of artists doing their thing in Hip-Hop, but it's only a few that demand respect.
We caught up with the "Thug Misses" Khia to see what's been going on with her. The
rapper/singer/producer/composer gave us some time out of her busy schedule to let us
know why she's one of the respect-demanding artists. Walk with us as we enter the
world of the Boss Lady.

Inkstarzz: So what's good? How is everything going with you?

Khia: Good, great!

Inkstarzz: How long have you been on the mic?

Khia: All my life

Inkstarzz: What or who inspired you to start writing?

Khia: I've been singing and writing since I was 9. So really, music. I write and sing music.  I started rapping in my teenage years. I
have been singing all my life and I would say I’ve been rapping about 12 years now.

Inkstarzz: Do you remember the first bar that you wrote?

Khia: No, cuz I'm a creative writer, so I write everyday! (Laughs) So I don't remember the first bar that I wrote.

Inkstarzz: (Laughs), Oh alright I feel you, that's how I am, too.

Khia: The first worldwide HIT that I wrote was “My Neck, My Back"!

Inkstarzz.com: Oh yeah, believe me, I'm about to get to that one! Do you see any progress in the female rap movement
from when you started?

Khia: No, I think they been on stand- still since I hit 'em in the head with "My Neck, My Back”. Nobody aint been able to put a hit out
and touch that yet! I don't like to be put in a category with female rappers because I'm an artist and I sing and I produce and compose
music. It's like I'm not really a rapper, I create music. I don't even want to be put in a category with them cuz they just lame as hell. I'm
not a rapper, I'm a music composer.

Inkstarzz.com: Can you give me one plus and one negative about being an independent artist?

Khia: As a plus, I have all control and... I don't think there's a negative! (Laughs) I’ve been very successful being an Independent
artist and I think that more artists should strive to be independent and to be in control of their situation instead of just wanting the
fame and wanting to be on T.V. because most artists are not happy in their situation. I would stress and really make a point to stay
Independent. Independent is the way. So, I wouldn't say there are any negatives about that.

Inkstarzz.com: That's what's up


Khia: If you looking for a lot of the T.V. and the promotion and the Façade, then you want to be with a major. But if you want to make
your money and you in it business-wise and you’re not standing there just rapping, then that's a part of your job description...

Inkstarzz.com: To do your own thing, you're right. Ok how soon after you recorded "My Neck, My Back" did you have
that feeling that you had a hit?

Khia: I would say like a month, maybe two months. I completed the "Thug Misses" album and I didn’t expect the crossover appeal and
the worldwide appeal that it made. That kinda, you know, threw me for a loop. But I knew that the album
was gonna be successful.

Inkstarzz.com: Do you have a favorite collaboration that you did with anybody?

Khia: No, cuz I don't really like to do collaborations, so, no.  

Inkstarzz.com: If you could describe your flow with one word, what would it be?

Khia: Nasty........

Inkstarzz.com: Ahhhh I got you! (Laughs) What do you feel separates you from other artists?

Khia: Well I would say just me being an independent artist and being able to promote and produce the
music that I create would separate me from a lot of the other artists because most other artists have
writers that write for them. When you buy a Khia CD, it’s me, up close and personal.

Inkstarzz.com: I read your recent blog and I know there is a rift between you and Trina. Is there any chance that yall can
patch things up and work together?

Khia: I will never work with her! Trina is like the whore in your neighborhood that nobody likes cuz she is filthy and nasty and mess
with everybody’s man. You know how you have a whore in your neighborhood, or the whore at your school, or the whore on yo block
and everybody’s like " ugh!" Hos don't get respect in the hood, so I would never work with her. I don't respect her as an artist or a
person so it’s like..... these hos don't get respect.

Inkstarzz.com: (Laughs) Alright is that on the record, do you want me to include this in the interview?

Khia: Oh, it's on the record!

Inkstarzz.com: Oh ok,(Laughs) What about Jackie-O? Have yall patched things up yet or are yall still......

Khia: Jackie who???

Inkstarzz.com: Oh, I got you (laughs). If we were to look in your CD disc changer or your Ipod, what artist would we see?

Khia: Wayne

Inkstarzz.com: You on that Wayne, huh? If you could take one person out for a night and show 'em how the Thug Misses
get down, who would it be, Hillary Clinton or Oprah?

Khia: Oprah

Inkstarzz.com: Do you feel artists should be looked at as role models?

Khia: No, because I feel like rappers and just musicians period get a bad wrap when, well I  can't say all of us because a lot of artists
don't have control over the record companies  and the record labels pick the producers, pick the song, pick which direction they want
to  go in.  Being Independent, I don't have to do that, but as artists, we're artists, so we’re creating a picture or a visual or an
experience and we're really bringing it to life. That’s what art is, that's what directors of movies are. You don't see people saying " oh
Arnold  Schwarzenegger shouldn't have been killing them people, he's a bad guy, he's murdering  people", you know, but when it
come to music, it's like " How yall gon put that out to dem kids?" and it's no different than somebody painting a buck naked picture or  
making a horror movie.

Inkstarzz.com: Right

Khia: I feel we get judged a lot for what we say even though for me, what I say is what I mean and it is real, you know?  But a lot of
artists and a lot of the guys talking bout killing and all this, its make-believe, so it’s like a movie. So I don't feel like people should
judge artists for that or role models. They can be role models, but if you gonna be judged by the music and stuff that they're
saying....... It's music! We're creating something for people to experience or relate to. Some people can relate to it, some people can’
t, so I say no.

Inkstarzz.com: I hear you're doing a reality show, right?

Khia: Yeah!

Inkstarzz.com: what's up with it?

Khia: Promotion! I'm blessed to be able to make T.V. history! Come on, I'm on VH1. You know,
everybody is like "what's up with that?" Promotion! An opportunity for my fans to be able to see me,
you know? An opportunity to be on T.V. It was a promotion for me and it was fun.

Inkstarzz.com: When does the show air?

Khia: April 14th

Inkstarzz.com: Do you have any advice for any up and coming artists?

Khia: Independent is the way

Inkstarzz.com: Yea, that's what everybody tells me, too.

Khia: It is! It really is. You know? Of course Independent is the underdog, cuz dem white folks don't want..... trust me, they wanna sign
me quickly and put a sock in my mouth!

Inkstarzz.com: (Laughs)

Khia: So, I say to be independent, to be entrepreneurs, to be business- like, you know?  Just to have their own business and run
their own companies. I feel like everybody should do that, no matter if its music, if you know how to sew, if you know how to make
shoes... it don't matter what you do, your gift is what you're gonna prosper from, so you need to be in control of that.

Inkstarzz.com: Yea that’s real talk. What do you think is the biggest misconception about you?  What do you think
people would change their mind about if they got to know you?

Khia: Um, I don't know, cuz I wasn't raised to really care about what people's perception of  me was, so I don't really care. The people
that get it, get it and the people that don't, don’t, it’s not for them. I'm just Khia and I'm blessed to be able to do what I does and to be
able to provide for my family and not to have to struggle doing what I love. This is like my job and I feel like a lot of stars sneak in
through the back door and  it's not really  what they're supposed to be doing, but for me.. this is what I love to do, so I'm successful
either way.

Inkstarzz.com: See that's what I like about you Khia! How is the CD coming along?

Khia: GREAT! (Laughs) It's great! I'm so excited about this CD because I'm singing on this one and its just music on this one, so I’m
doing both. As a creative artist, the whole CD isn’t just rap and just "BOOM, BOOM, BOOM", it’s like music. I’m excited about this one,
this is the best album.

Inkstarzz.com: Cool, I got you on the Promotions, too. Let me know when it’s coming

Khia: ooh yeah!

Inkstarzz.com: Do you have any features on there?

Khia: Yes, Gucci Mane and Maceo, both of them are out of Atlanta and that's it!

Inkstarzz.com: It there one song that you feel everybody should look out for on the
CD, that one stand-out song?

Khia: Be Your Lady

Inkstarzz.com: Yeah, I heard about that song!

Khia: That's my single, we are pushing the song and that's my favorite song.

Inkstarzz.com: When does the album drop?

Khia: June 17th

Inkstarzz.com: June 17th, I can't wait. Do you have any final comments or shout outs that you want to give anybody?

Khia: Uh no, just much love to the fans. I dedicated this album to the fans. It's because of them that I'm here.

Inkstarzz.com: Oh and hopefully I'll win that shopping spree with Khia!

Khia: Yeah, hopefully you will

Inkstarzz.com: Do you want to put your website info out there so people can get at you?

Khia: oh yeah, it's Khiaonline.com and myspace.com/Khia

Inkstarzz.com: Ok well I thank you and If you come to Houston, holla at me so we can pop some bottles

Khia: Fa sho, I'll be through there soon, so I'll make sure I hit you up.

Inkstarzz.com: Thank you for your time.
                                                                                                               Interview by: Sonnie Vanison
Khia
"Be your Lady"
KHIA