Twenty-one-year-old rapper Nitty Scott became an overnight sensation when she made her national debut during the BET Hip Hop Awards cipher last year. The Michigan-born rapper lives in Brooklyn and is part of a rap movement called The Boombox Family, which focuses on message-driven hip-hop.
But don’t mistake her Hollywood-worthy looks for niceness — Scott’s lyrics are still just as rough as predecessors such as Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown, with occasional curses and references to drugs and sex.
While her rapping style has been compared to that of Nicki Minaj or Lauryn Hill, Scott told XXL magazine that her goal is to be “the next Nitty Scott, MC. Point, blank, period.”
WATCH AN ORIGINAL VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH NITTY SCOTT HERE:
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Nitty Scott is making history … as a rising young female MC. As the first female rapper to be featured in the BET Hip Hop Awards cipher, Scott’s lyrics present listeners with a more substantive angle rarely heard in commercialized rap music.
What’s next for Nitty?
While doing a few shows in New York last year, Scott released her latest mix tape, “Doobies x Popsicle Sticks,” in November.
In her own words …
“I feel like there’s a lack of balance,” Scott told thisis50.com. “I think there’s a place for everything, but there’s a lack of representation, especially when it comes to women in hip-hop, there’s only one type of woman being represented. I’m not just here to put money in my pockets and gain independently, I’m doing this for the genre, I’m doing this for my community.”
A little-known fact …
Before she was Nitty Scott, MC, Scott’s first rap name was Lady Hardbody.
For more information about Nitty Scott,
Q: What’s next in this chapter of your life?
A: I want to continue to build my brand, evolve as an artist and ultimately continue to impact lives positively. Through my work, I hope to break barriers for the young generation, minorities, independent artists and of course, women in hip-hop. It’s really going to be all about creating more music, touring, aligning myself with like-minded artists and mastering my craft to better the culture.
Q: What’s a fact about you that many people don’t know?
A: Well, I guess many people don’t know that although I rap, I don’t write in bars. I’ve never used the slash symbol that most rappers use in their verses because I come from a poetry background. So, I write all my verses in stanzas, which are a group of rhymed lines in a poem. That’s just my process.
Q: What’s your favorite quote?
A: Hmm. I have several. But one that I really love is, “The work of art is a scream of freedom.” Christo said that.
Q: Where do you get your inspiration?
A: My inspiration is really just the human condition: the beautiful, the painful, the ugly. Artistry is just a reflection of all of the things we experience while we’re here on Earth. I really just want to be a part of my people’s history and contribute to humanity the best way I know how to connect, and that’s making music.
Q: Who are/were your mentors?
A: Musically, I was taught how to write timeless words by Bob Marley and Wailers. Sam Cooke gave me soul. Lauryn Hill showed me how to be rock solid and still a lady. Then my manager Jules has put me on to so much know-how, as well my daddy, who just raised me on classic sounds.
Q: What advice would you give to anyone who wants to achieve their dreams?
A: My advice to all those dreamchasers out there is to be proactive and self-motivated; don’t wait for success to show up at your front door, or for others to validate your dream, or to ride coattails and cut corners. Pay your dues, lose any sense of entitlement, and work hard to achieve your goals.
