A few weeks ago, Lil mama hit up the MTV Movie Awards red carpet and was accused of channeling
Minaj because of her blond blunt cut wig. However, according to Lil Mama, she wasn’t the one doing the copying. In an interview with
was influenced by her bob cut while visiting the set of America’s Best Dance Crew. She also discusses everything from her influence on other artists, her personal style to the lack of unity in female rap.
On People Saying She’s Copying Nicki Minaj & Lady Gaga’s Style
Come on, let’s be real okay. You have all these people wearing different colored hair. At the end of the day I’m a bombshell, so I’m going to do me. If I want to go platinum, I’m going platinum. Let’s not forget that we have had people doing these things way before the people who are doing it now and let’s also not forget that the black community sometimes we really hang ourselves because every time another black female gets up there and does something that may be current, we criticize each other and try to put each other down, but when Katy Perry and Lady Gaga do it, they all eat. But I’m not going to be a part of that. I’m going to do me, regardless.
On Her MTV Movie Awards Outfit & Nicki Minaj Copying Her Style
But my cut is blunt and futuristic and Nicki Minaj started wearing that bob on her head after she came to my show, so at the end of the day I know what I do and I know what I possess and I know who I am. I’m a trendsetter. The biggest form of flattery is imitation so I’m flattered. I understand the universal law. I’m not confused, I don’t feel like a follower. I started so many things that new artists are doing now anyway –my style, the way I’m aggressive on a track, the way I come through, the way my beat bangs. There are so many things that were borrowed, that I influenced that’s happening in music right, so I’m far from discouraged.
Yeah, she was a guest on
America’s Best Dance Crew and immediately afterwards, everywhere she went, she was wearing the haircut, the same exact way. But that doesn’t make me feel like ‘Oh she’s trying to be down’ like how I said about our culture. I’m actually flattered because she imitated me and it felt like something that I was doing was cute and in time for the
fashion and for the season, so it’s like let’s live, let’s do it.
On Female Rappers Not Embracing Her
It hasn’t really changed. You know what, let me catch myself. MC Lyte definitely embraces me. Jada Pinkett Smith embraces me. Those are two people that I can call and get advice. Those are two people that will call me to see what I’m doing. I think that everybody else that’s still on the radar like Missy and [Lil] Kim, feel so challenged right now. The root of female rap now is all about your swag and doing things independently. Everything is just boosted up to where these females who created the platform for us feel imitated. The kind of in that position right now where they feel like ‘Don’t get it twisted because I will drag you…’
On Nicki Minaj’s Visit to America’s Best Dance CrewWe didn’t really get a chance to vibe out like that after the show. It was just business. It was a level of respect though. Despite of what anybody might hear or have to say through the web, internet, music, subliminals, or whatever, when people see me in this industry I am respected and I will be respected. Anything else goes under the rug so I don’t see it. Whoever it may be, it’s always a level of respect because I respect myself and I
will be respected.
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