Unknown Speaker 0:00
Hey it's Chuck them above the basement Boston music and conversation How would you like to join us in creating great conversations that inspire and connect Patreon is a membership platform that provides a way for creators like us to build relationships and provide exclusive experiences to subscribers or patrons. We have been self financed since we got off the ground in June of 2016. But in order to continue to fully invest all we can in each episode we need your patronage For more information please go to patreon.com forward slash above the basement
Unknown Speaker 0:43
been a while since I felt like this haven't been in four flex like why do you want me like this just seemed like a light breakfast call whenever so let's get loud.
Unknown Speaker 0:57
Me What you mean how many beans and raise me the console Don't be done. Ducky that run next week 151 Philip is coming by real must be in that light so there's nowhere to hide back from my own little bra with the blood flow back in my link still swimming. For the big picture get your frame now trick because I should know that I'm capable hip hop artist
Unknown Speaker 1:17
and proud Queen of the been Dutch rebel has earned national attention for her lyrical punch and powerful performances. In 2014. She was named the Boston Music Awards Best hip hop artist and continues to make her mark and the fantastic Boston hip hop scene. We talked about her Haitian roots food her experience in the Congo and her foray from pre law into a hip hop force to be reckoned with. So here is our conversation with Dutch rebel quarter that would sail table in Concord Massachusetts.
Unknown Speaker 1:53
is one of the videos if you walk in and there's their cooking is that your family cooking in the kitchen
Unknown Speaker 1:57
there? Which one probably in my Yeah, that's my aunt. She's an actress in Miami like she has our own little independent like film company and they do like a lot of like the Haitian movies and stuff like there's always like a character a lot of foreign movies. They have like a kind of does plays but sometimes she does movies and funny every time someone brings her up. I'm like, She's like a whole actress. Like I forget. She's just
Ronnie 2:18
she has a sandbox. Yeah. Wait a second. That's my girl. I'm like, do you think that the food the style of the food has a connection to some of some of the other art
Unknown Speaker 2:30
flavor? That's a common denominator flavor? Yeah, we do spicy food, a lot of spicy foods, right? Like a lot of the food too dependent on where you grew up, like my father's from Central Haiti and my mom grew up on the coast. So if it's her family, it's seafood. If it's his family, it's a lot of rice, a lot of meat. I think it definitely goes into the art because even like when I think of the paintings and like the colors, it's never like yellow, red, blue. It's like mustard. The Blues like you know, that's the 50 box of crayons that you had like you're going to use all the different colors to describe like all the different ways that art is kind of attacked in Haiti. So a lot of spice and everything. Are there any good Haitian restaurants in Boston that I should know that I'll be show. Bon appetit. Like those are the classic standards. Bon appetit. I'd probably go there first. Where's it? That's right. I'm gonna laugh
Ronnie 3:16
because Chuck is like he's a little nauseous.
Unknown Speaker 3:21
I mean, as far as the restaurant goes, they're not gonna have like an abundance of seafood. That's good. You know? I'll tell you next time I'm a rebel is doing her thing. That's what you get when you get it from my mother. So I was like, hey,
Ronnie 3:30
so mama rebels is not just a restaurant. That's like the real deal. That's wherever
Unknown Speaker 3:35
she's at with the stove. Like it could be at somebody's house. I have a huge family. So look, we ZB exactly peak Lee's
Ronnie 3:47
flavor Creole speak.
Unknown Speaker 3:51
He knows the flavor he's in is actually the kitchen but cuisine is French and Creole. All right, fine. Fine.
Unknown Speaker 3:57
Like we all Avik Boku.
Ronnie 4:01
Nicholas saw Boku the show plus saw
Unknown Speaker 4:05
La Plata. Yeah, he's talking real stuff. Right? Fish? Yes. Cool, Lou. I doubt
Unknown Speaker 4:16
it will get you like some nice beef in the sauce.
Unknown Speaker 4:21
And the rice. That's yummy. You know, you get tougher early because when you're like six years old, and they give you a mountain of rice and meat like finish this. It's like
Unknown Speaker 4:29
so what's what's the story about when you came when your family came up from Yeah, from Haiti?
Unknown Speaker 4:32
Um, my dad was here. I was born in Haiti, basically born yet before it came up. No, my, my mom was pregnant. The way the story goes. I think it was probably like 10 months when I came. So my grandfather was here. My father is closer to the older side of the brothers and sisters. Like my grandfather probably had like 10 or 11 kids. So he was here working really just came out getting ready for my mom. Yeah. You know, I think he was washing dishes. When my mom came by the time my mom came. I think he was watching dishes somewhere. He had to leave that job. Because things happened there.
Ronnie 5:05
But I'm back to the restaurant.
Unknown Speaker 5:07
Yeah, that's funny. Actually. Think about it. Like he
Unknown Speaker 5:10
was washing dishes like wash dishes. job man. That's tough. His job that I was talking about this with my daughter the other day is I got dish pain hands. You know, those commercials. We get this pen hands us a Pall Mall. It's real. I was in such pain. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 5:25
it's like the levels of gross and this is like, I mean, you washing everybody's plates. But he's actually I mean, they both did awesome for themselves. To be honest with you, I think shortly after, like, my father is a pharmaceutical oncology technician now. And my mom is like a help desk analyst. She fixes computers for like law firms and stuff like they worked hard to like I was raised by like uncles and aunts, because my mom was probably like, 23 or something like that. And my dad was probably like, 2627 that whole transition like I remember being around a lot of family growing up because it was like my parents were working you know what I mean? Like transitioning through those different jobs like my mom used to be like a teacher at one point and then like, I would not as a Haitian if you know Asian, they're not really all, you know, cuckoo about kids being rappers and stuff like that. So there they are now, but that it took time. I was in college, they're like, you're going to leave school to
Unknown Speaker 6:13
like, move like
Unknown Speaker 6:18
it's not really funny thing is it's not even rappers rap. Like, you went to college, and you're gonna rap like, but I told them that I was gonna try it like I was on the Dean's list. Or you
Unknown Speaker 6:32
can say I'm sorry. Sorry. Sorry, sir. No, not
Unknown Speaker 6:35
a problem. They don't pay me enough. So don't worry about it. But um, but yeah, no offense, as I'm sure you guys experienced things where you're good at it, but it's not like your passion. You know what I mean? That was almost everything I was doing when I was in school. I was great at every class. I just didn't really care about anything else more than the other. You know what I mean? So
Unknown Speaker 6:50
will you rapping before you got to college?
Unknown Speaker 6:53
Not seriously. I mean, I was a hip hop fan. I knew I could put words together better than some other people like a high school I got into like a little battle that the school hosted, but I wasn't like, I never would think I'm gonna go and rap and write songs and record and stuff. I was a poet. I was a poetry club. And I mean, I was like president of poetry club type stuff. It wasn't until college that like junior year everything was just bad I got into a car accident legal trouble like friends that I know that heard like, you know, certain people passed away things like that. And I was just kind of like, there's like nothing fun. Like I'm just here I'm just floating through like I don't feel like there's anything that really gets me excited over something else. So like lot of college kids Yeah, that was me. I'm trying to look for the word but you're just on the track you're just rolling like you're just supposed to do right so just supposed to do right and I guess it took me a little while because exactly like the way I was brought up you supposed to do going to school. It's non negotiable. I never thought too
Unknown Speaker 7:42
much about it. When you realize that what it was
Unknown Speaker 7:44
Yeah, I was thinking law. I was taking crime law and justice and then that one summer going into junior year, I switched campuses and everything with all that it just became All right. I'm doing good in school. I'm doing everything that I should but what are you doing between in Middletown, Pennsylvania, straight KKK County like no lie like that's where I was. So you don't go out. You're not going into the wilderness of Pennsylvania for five black kids from in in like my friends are from Brooklyn. Like we're not doing that. So it's a lot of home time. My first two years I went to Harrisburg campus which was in the middle of nothing, Middletown, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg school, these are the towns where people literally like don't have televisions, they grow their chickens and eggs in the backyard when
Ronnie 8:23
you're only what 1819
Unknown Speaker 8:25
Yeah, exactly. So but growing up in Milton, I think I was like I was prepared for that. Actually, you were
Ronnie 8:31
like minority?
Unknown Speaker 8:33
Like Yeah, well, I wouldn't even call them minority. I'm talking about racial tension. These people were racist down there. Like not like, boom, right? To the N word hard. Er. You feel me like it was like that. So a lot of some of the kids that I went to school with, they were like, shocked by that, you know, I mean, I bought some other not as experienced, but I grew up in Milton, like,
Ronnie 8:50
well, middle is pretty white, but it's like, but in relative terms is an edgy, there's awareness exactly because
Unknown Speaker 8:56
of where it's located. And that's to be that's why I love groans I love that I lived in Milton, the Madison squares right there, right there. Like if you if you I was the only person in my family that lived in notes. And so I spent all my time at pan High Park. You know what I mean? Randolph like Brockton, where the Haitians were, you know, like in Massachusetts?
Ronnie 9:13
Yeah, there really is such a Haitian feel. In Boston, there's a lot more. I think the more people realize, I think it's one of the highest population to Haitians in the country. Right.
Unknown Speaker 9:23
It really means number one, Boston has to be there's a lot of Haitians here. I don't know why they like my look at my parents. Like how'd you guys just miss sunny Florida and just come here? What was it but it was like the business opportunities at the time. That's what my dad says. I'm like, why did you come here? It's like, there's a lot of jobs in Boston.
Ronnie 9:39
It might be healthcare, too, right, isn't it? There's a lot of medical health like nurses, Docs, and texts. And so I work in the healthcare field. So I had the opportunity to work a lot with patients. And that's what I use my bad French with you just like seven years of high school French, but I talked with patients in French or French Creole. Try to they laugh at me a little bit.
Unknown Speaker 10:03
Yeah, promise.
Ronnie 10:05
I want to I want to sit back a little bit because you you mentioned High School. Yeah. And you mentioned poetry, right? We've talked recently with some high school students actually at Cambridge fringe in Latin. And we talked with the Boston Children's chorus. We talked about how poetry really is hip hop and hip hop is poetry. Was there a time I guess when you're a kid or a teenager? And something clicked with you? Did it take a while where you're like, Wait a second. I like poetry. Yeah, but I want this is hip hop. Um, or this is rap.
Unknown Speaker 10:33
I do have a moment like that. It grew over time into more of what you're saying. For me at the moment. It was really as simple as I heard Lauren Hill and Radhika on on the Fuji album, got that CD. That's how I knew about it. And I remember hearing the song just thinking simply, I could do that. Like they're a little bit more lyrical than some of the hip hop that was going on around the time. You know, I mean, like, early 90s. It's almost like, I mean, don't get me wrong. We had a great era JZ like Reasonable Doubt little cam hardcore, like 90 997 to 99 that was like when I was like old enough to be listening to that music. Just their lyricism and the way that they flowed on it was a lot more poetic to me than some of the rap I was hearing like, but I just remember thinking like what they said with eloquent, it was almost like you could break it down in a poetry class. Like if I could go to the bars and teach it like how they taught me in class poetry or English class or like, you know, here's the story, and this is the protagonist and blah, blah blah, and all that other stuff. Like I could do that. I could write a story in a way on a beat that people would bop this way. That was it from there guys. Were like rapping or people playing music. I was just always like, let me hear it. Or like I want to listen. I was just kind of always making sure I was collecting the music because none of my female friends or cousins cared about hip hop at all like not really like up you know back then it's like you like 1314 girls are just listening to what the guys that they like listening to more love songs, pop songs, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys in sync like how you gonna get away from that? All my girls want to say that there's a pop culture
Ronnie 11:57
right dominate right?
Unknown Speaker 11:58
And I think that I grew up in boom, have it I sat down and watched him TV all day. I mean, immigrant kid, your parents are work so what are you doing? You're watching TV. Right? So what's on TV and TV Carson Daly car row like all these shows, that's what I grew up on. So music, as far as hip hop goes was never about the rap or the hip hop. I love music. I was listening to everything my father's listen and Eric Clapton, like when I can hear something that relates to me or connected with me. That's when I was like, wait a minute, like this. I just want to listen to a lot more of it in the rain. I met him waiting for the train rides workshop fella that you had a smile I could really use my help funny feeling that I never really felt he could read me. How was that easy? breezy indices nobody believes but some dealing with my grandmother. Don't ask. You won't like my answer. I thought I hit it you saw right through it, then never get over. walk right through with high and crazy is the way he made it seem when he told me that's the trouble with it. We live in dreams now. Let's see
Unknown Speaker 12:55
it the music first for you? Or was it the lyric? Or was it a mixture of too when we talk to these these high school kids? We asked them what's the last song like, what's the first thing that pops in your head? When they all say Kanye? Eminem and Kendrick? Nice. And they immediately started looking up the lyrics because the lyric was what? really hit them. Yeah. Which really was interesting to me because me as a kid, while I enjoyed the lyric, a what it was more about the music and I'm a guitar so it's more about the guitar or something. It certainly wasn't about melodic and melodic. Yes, certainly melody too. But it was we talked about lyrics for about half an hour and matters.
Unknown Speaker 13:35
It's how we learned Sure. I yeah, to answer your question. It was definitely the music first. The music is what made me start to remember you know what I mean? So I was really into the music like if I heard something I liked I would try to pick up on certain phrases that people say a lot. My music love came from my background. So it was a lot of Caribbean music. reggae, like I said, I mean, my dad loves guitarists and stuff now how I got into like the music I was a dancer I danced a lot my mother love to dance. I think that reason why that that Fuji song always say connected with me so much is because it was the first time that the lyrics grabbed me more than just Oh, those were cool when he said like bars, like you're always gonna think something's clever, but they were girls rapping they were females. They were talking about stuff in a way that I would say it the CD that I played before. That was Tina Turner. The CD I played before that was Selena. That was the box Fuji. That's it. Okay, I like Fuji is but I wasn't listening to whole albums like that you're a kid you listen to the radio or MTV, you hear a song you just hope to hear it again. That's all you had like the internet what we still had dial up, where am I going to find the song we had dial up sitting here with
Ronnie 14:41
Chuck only had a track.
Unknown Speaker 14:43
That's funny. It's funny that you're remembering that you didn't have the album. The first time I really, music really started becoming a really important part of my life. I just found this album was in our old early early REM album. I just listened to it over and over again. I never had an album like that, that hit me that hard. You know, nowadays, it's not as easy to get you know, that whole album in your head because it's you only getting pieces of it or you know, whatever it is. But
Ronnie 15:07
what's kind of cool though, is that old school new schools, there's this whole combination, I was looking up some of your stuff, there's mix it up. And then there's a Sunday, Sunday morning, Sunday morning. And I couldn't help but notice there's like 35,000 hits on 35,000 views. And there's one way to get up get to people is through YouTube in the internet and sort of that's a new way 30 years ago or 25 years ago, they may have had this amazing beautiful album that you listened to. Yeah, from start to finish. Yeah, but they didn't have that like one song that resonated with people all over the world.
Unknown Speaker 15:40
Or it was chosen for you by the top 40 radio stations. Right so this is your this is your
Unknown Speaker 15:46
right? I think that's kind of why my music if anything is received the way it is. I really am inspired by what we're talking about, like nothing else. You know, someone said you should do this. No, I really loved that how it changed. I wasn't born here. So if most of the music that I love the most wasn't even an English wasn't even like American music for me. I was learning since the beginning. If you can't give me a boom, boom, tick and just say like one girl is dope, and you've got me? Absolutely not. Have you ever heard a Haitian song? They're 15 minutes long. Every instrument as a solo, it might be six words in the whole song. And every one of them is important.
Ronnie 16:19
How do you bring those things into your music? Are there certain beats or certain certain signatures that you'd like to keep whether it's I know that you've had a reggae influence as well? Do you throw those in?
Unknown Speaker 16:30
Yeah, I love guitar. That's every patient person's porch. Someone's got a guitar.
Ronnie 16:35
So how do you work as a producer? In that sense? You play an instrument as well. Don't you have the ear? Yeah, you know what you want in the final product?
Unknown Speaker 16:42
Yeah, I mean, I'm definitely blessed with a lot of great producers. The person that I work the most with mixing my music archetype over at the bridge on stage she's amazing you know, that's my I love him we're talking about and more was another person that means a lot to me. Those guys, I like my mom,
Unknown Speaker 16:57
but I like that.
Unknown Speaker 17:00
They're amazing, but people like him. We've been working so long together that he knows my lack of terminology as far as if I'm trying to explain something. I'll be like, yo, it needs a he's like I know what you're saying. Well, that's the beauty of a good producers when they know are you saying they can translate it beautiful thing but even like with what you're saying the influence just the last studio session. I literally ended it with Dude, I need a guitar. I first started with a sax I was like, I need a sax and he's like, I have a sax player. I'm like, I need like Kenny G He's like, I don't know if it's Kenny G I'm like, I need Doug's to cry. I was like guitar, I was like, I can I get like, from you. Like that's literal. And I said, I said are you tingling? Are you feeling the tingle? Do you understand what I'm saying? He's like it. That was the conversation there. That was it. That's literally the sound bite of what the conversation was. But for me, I'm listening to the song It's called grow and it's talking about just I need my time to grow like things at different weird I just kind of just want to be alone. I feel like am I getting old? That's what this is. I'm growing. That's the concept. And I just thought like, what music made me feel that way. You know what I mean? You think about people like Kenny G guy used to listen literally go to Kenny G It sounded like a wedding every night and like
Ronnie 18:03
you said
Unknown Speaker 18:05
I haven't I don't want those type of problems with the with the gangster Kenny gangster you know, Kenny, Kenny. Coming from me, I call them Kenny gangster. You just might call them g he's teased to gangster for me to just refer to him as a letter.
Unknown Speaker 18:20
Any gangster like because to me it's just such an opposite world of where I come from. You sampled Gwen Stefani.
Ronnie 18:26
Yes, I love It's my life.
Unknown Speaker 18:28
I love No doubt. Well, it's my life is actually a cover.
Ronnie 18:32
Oh, really? Was it from?
Unknown Speaker 18:34
The guy
Unknown Speaker 18:37
with the name is sings it.
Unknown Speaker 18:38
Really? Yeah, it's and it's really awesome. The original is really good.
Unknown Speaker 18:47
And it's awesome.
Ronnie 18:49
What I noticed about it, though, is that you kept the melody in it. But it was sort of streaming from a there wasn't the background chord progression. Yeah, it was almost like you had to listen to it a couple times to realize Yeah, it was I'm so happy you're talking about this. And it was it was almost like this little secret. Tell me why that even came to the song. Why do you think of that?
Unknown Speaker 19:09
That's one of my favorite, favorite favorite songs that I have because I will never forget being in the studio telling them I want to put that piece on the song. It wasn't in the beat. We chopped it up and put it in the record. I was like I this is how I hear the hook. I hear it just like that. Everyone in the room was like a Dutch it doesn't work. I was like guys, I hear it. Everyone's like bro, it's not working, bro. Yeah, to call me bro, bro. It's not working. And we went back and forth, back and forth. And then the moment that it was just on time, and they heard it through now it's like yes, this is a great representation of what my music is. Yes, I want a Gwen Stefani sample on
Ronnie 19:45
your guns.
Unknown Speaker 19:45
I'm following what's going on up here? I'm a victim I'm just listening to my brain do its thing I have to present to myself what my brain wants or else I'm going to go crazy I have to hear it doesn't sound good. It doesn't sound good fight. But you got to get the ideas out so many people kill them ideas kill your ideas kill your policy passion. I mean, I believe all that
Unknown Speaker 20:04
so a good for you to sticking to your guns because you're surrounded by these producers who know the language and yeah, you know, smart people and they they know their stuff. And you wouldn't take no for it. It's like no, we got at least try it right. You'll find it. You know and if you don't find it, you don't find it
Unknown Speaker 20:19
right if we don't find it fine. But we got it we got to look until the moment has passed. And and honestly it is one of my favorite moments because exactly it taught me that lesson.
Unknown Speaker 20:28
needed oh no one no less.
Unknown Speaker 20:32
Always up again. No rest.
Unknown Speaker 20:36
Ain't that how was the post of
Unknown Speaker 20:39
this machine? can't take that away from me.
Ronnie 20:57
Do you see? So you just saying little bit with us. But when we listen to some of the background of there's a tune that I love that had this sort of melodic chorus. A lot of them do that the Dutch has,
Unknown Speaker 21:11
it starts out it was called.
Unknown Speaker 21:13
And this is how it's got to be. I could never let these suckers get a part of me. Yeah, that's me. Yeah.
Ronnie 21:19
Because there was a lot of there was back there was background vocalist to that seemed like, so that's my question, because there's some of these hooks that will Chuck was talking about before some of the melodies that stick with you. It is about the lyric and hip hop a lot. But what I've loved about recent hip hop, and what you do is you can have these verses and these stories, the storytelling and poetry. Yeah, but there's an entire mix of a melodic hook that you want to hear again, you know, sometimes you'll get a male artists, as you know, I mean, it's been classically male, and then you'll get a you'll get a female. That will be the hook of the chorus. But you reverse it so Yeah, boy.
Unknown Speaker 22:00
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Ronnie 22:02
He's the guy in the subway says massive.
Unknown Speaker 22:04
Yes, yes. Yes, Amanda. He's amazing. Yeah. So he's the hook.
Ronnie 22:07
Yeah, hook you up. And you just like, I'm the rapper.
Unknown Speaker 22:11
Oh, you look at you pointing that out. I never thought about it like that. Yeah. That's cool.
Ronnie 22:15
I'm sitting here. And I'm the rapper. You're the hook.
Unknown Speaker 22:17
Yeah, the You're right. That's a that's a great point. You don't really hear it flip that much. I can't. I'm trying to think of a song where I can give that example. I
Ronnie 22:25
mean, there's other I think there's other songs you have, it will connect with people in different ways. But there was something about that.
Unknown Speaker 22:30
There is a really cool mini documentary that you did when you went down to Africa. And you went to the festival down there. Yeah. doll saw that happening. So I'm gonna have a few questions about life, man life. That's how that life happened. So long story short, I was on my Facebook and my friend hit me up from high school. She lives in Africa. And she was like, you know, I've been living here for a couple years. I came to visit my sister who lived here and it just never left. She went to the UN now she's like my boyfriend. He started this festival. We want to do this independence day festival. Would you want to come to Africa and will perform? Are you paying for it? She's like, yeah, my wall was like what you know, it's not like Nigeria or something. Whenever there was it was a Congo.
Unknown Speaker 23:10
You were the only American the bills on him.
Unknown Speaker 23:14
documentary is always laugh when I'm like, Yeah, my sound cut. Yeah, right. Like 20 minutes. I thought was 45 minutes. 20 minutes was silent,
Unknown Speaker 23:24
lost power. But then once as soon as you heard someone saying Check, check, check. You were like, boom. Right there front.
Unknown Speaker 23:32
I had hills on when I came out with Sony, as they said that I had at this point had kicked off my shoes, and I like run up there. I get up on a stage and as soon as the music starts, I'm just like, going for it. They tried to pull me into the ground. The reason why that was so amazing to them was most women
Unknown Speaker 23:46
aren't question like, not forward, but they're a lot more reserved, right. The fact that I even got closer to them was amazing, because I'm not from that so that to them was just like the ultimate sign of respect you pulling the audience into it. Yeah, you're down there on your on your hunches. Like reaching out to by pulling, trying to pull them right. It's hard to tell just because there's little dark. Yeah, the audience it's they seemed a little reserved
Unknown Speaker 24:08
thick hair. It was like WWE, okay, yeah. Listen, don't ever do anything you're supposed to do. I was watching people get super flex.
Ronnie 24:18
I guess they're not reserved or just smart.
Unknown Speaker 24:19
They're smart. No, they reached for me, they actually tried to pull me down. I mean, I didn't have a problem with the security was like, No, don't do that. Because they're going to like pull you
Ronnie 24:28
to like their height. We're talking women a little bit. Hip Hop has been run by men for years, right? There are women that started to creep up into the 90s. There's probably women that did it long ago that I don't know about. When you're in that world. Do you think about it?
Unknown Speaker 24:44
Absolutely not? I don't I appreciate how you posed the question. I don't it's actually my number one response when people say so how does it feel to be a woman in hip hop? hate that question thoroughly hate that question, not the concept of the question. How does it feel to be a girl in hip hop, I haven't never had an alternative. There's a lot of women in hip hop. There's a lot of women that are running stuff behind the scenes. There's a lot of women who have always been there. I think that there aren't as many female artists in hip hop that operate on a business level. Don't get me wrong, women should get a lot more opportunities. But I'm not one of these like Kumbaya like oh, sister, we gotta stick together, shorty. Listen, I didn't grow up with those privileges, like, you gotta go hard or go home. That's just what it is. I have a different perspective. And I think that that's the only thing that should be talked about. When it comes to women in the music industry. I don't even just say it's hip hop, because I'm sure women in country go through the same thing. Women and rock'n'roll gotta go through worse. I could just go up and rap. And unfortunately, in this day and age, if you look halfway decent, you're probably all right. You can't go up there and not know how to play guitar can't go up there and not know how to deliver to a rock and roll crowd who gives a damn what you look like, you better play. The issues are the same. Everywhere you go. Yes. How they're publicized and advertised as an issue. You know, W NBA, it's always been a girl and I don't let guys disrespect me. So
Ronnie 25:59
you Yeah, I mean, we talked to someone. I don't know if you know, Clarissa Johnson.
Unknown Speaker 26:04
Oh, yeah. Chris is the homie. She's a rock. We've got a couple of times, and she's bad. Absolutely. She is. You know, I don't know if I can say it seems like
Ronnie 26:16
I'm in a.
Unknown Speaker 26:17
Yeah, we've worked together couple of times. So
Ronnie 26:18
Clarissa to me when I don't think gender I think about a rocker that has a unique style, right? When I listen to music and see your stuff. I don't think a woman first right. But what's interesting is that you can't get around the fact that to show women there's less women in it yet are doing well. I
Unknown Speaker 26:36
agree. If this is something that you Yeah, no, it's a real thing. I mean, I've seen women struggle for reasons that they shouldn't have to I've had people say like, I want to work with her, but you know, she's not, she's probably not going to like take her clothes off. These are real statements that I've heard.
Ronnie 26:49
What about some of the content of your writing?
Unknown Speaker 26:51
Okay, so how about this for a situation sometimes being a woman it's what type of woman they will allow you to be is also an issue right? If you connect with me because of song like Sunday morning, where I'm talking about messages and concepts and like real life stuff, right? So if I want to just make a song about getting drunk and doing a thing, but some guy they're gonna look at me funny, because Wait, wait a minute, you're supposed to be Dutch that leads the young be you're supposed to be it's like no, I'm going to be exactly what I feel like because if you know any woman, you know that she can be six different people and
Ronnie 27:19
different things.
Unknown Speaker 27:20
That's why awareness different subject
Ronnie 27:22
matter of the song. Yeah, you don't have to have the same theme for every song, right? Just like of course,
Unknown Speaker 27:29
to me. My music is like movies, right? So you're a director, right? You don't only make action movies, you don't only make you make movies, and everyone is things different and that's how I push my music. I think that half the issue with women in the industry is that they fall victim to the stuff that the powers that be do because it's not just guys it's other women who told you you have to look like this. I'm not like you sweetie, like you use your vagina to get ahead. I don't have to use my head like I'm not a female rapper. I rap and I have a vagina. Yeah,
Ronnie 27:56
you can say vagina Chuck.
Unknown Speaker 27:57
Yeah Medina's in the dictionary CSAVJJIJ badge Oh, you do not know.
Unknown Speaker 28:05
But you know, it's but it's interesting that you said that because going back to the students we talked to a lot and we talked about lyrics and the message and everything like that. And afterwards I was like, isn't there something that you guys just listen to? Just because it makes you feel good? like yeah, I we talked about black and black by AC DC. Mike, I remember I was pissed off and I want to listen to something in the car. We created for a crank it. We never got to talk about it. Yeah, but there are there's that there's a place for songs in the message. There's a place for songs about whatever the hell you want to talk about having a good time, whatever. Just same thing we talked to Kyle bent. You know, Kyle, of course, he said when he first started rapping he used to curse a lot and to get a conversation with his parents and his parents kind of frowned on it. So he he just had to change tack. He doesn't do it anymore. But there's a place for cursing in music because there's a place voice and there are songs that would not have the same kind of power. If they didn't drop the F bomb it Yeah, they didn't say whatever they're saying.
Unknown Speaker 29:02
Like the word bitch. there's times where it's like yeah, good luck trying to call me one However, there are many times where it has to be bitch not I'm that girl or I'm the lady that no, I am that bitch. That's what you're looking just like
Ronnie 29:15
Chuck my bitch. Yeah. Oh, man. Like what about when the men call you bro?
Unknown Speaker 29:19
It says I take it as a sign of respect to the Bros. Yeah, because I mean, to be honest, I'll take that over a lot of other stuff. They can call me Good point. So bro is fine, bro. I respect it's a sign of respect that there's a lot of guys especially younger ones. younger ones are usually the ones that call me bro. Really? Yeah, like Yo, bro, What's up bro? That's the best bro. That's the homie that's it's almost how they communicate to other guys. Please don't embarrass me by trying to talk to her in a way that doesn't you know? So who she is like, I'm not just the check because I'm not walking around. Like I'm Dutch either. Like sometimes I'm I just thought the photoshoot if I came here and what I was wearing, guys, trust me, this wouldn't be a different walk up
Unknown Speaker 29:54
and down. I'll be really, really cold lingerie theme.
Ronnie 29:58
With this. We could have had a great news story. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 30:00
But going back into it. That's what I think is the biggest issue with women in industry. It's not just what's happening to them. It's what they're letting happen to them. And that's women and men period. That's just the thing. That's the thing. Do you feel a sense of responsibility? Sometimes? Absolutely. My sense of responsibility came in when I had to call my parents and tell him I was gonna rap and I was in college. Growing up a high school people love my stories, quote, unquote, right? They say I love your stories. Like you come back from the weekend and like your stories is so cool. And I used to remember thinking like part of me thinks this is nice that you guys are saying this, but this isn't a story, bro. These are my family members like this. I didn't say it. Like everyone's just sharing what happened. But for some reason my smile is a story. It's like know, someone got deported, someone died, someone sick. With all that the responsibility just comes into the fact that you know, I went to Penn State I did great in school. I was a good in school. My parents are you know, they're trying to raise their kids. They came from a different country to give me this this life. You know what I mean? So you feel like you have to do these things. But I'm blessed that my parents will always like what's on my desk? Like my dad's like, Listen, you make your bed you lie in it. Like I don't really care what you do. Don't do anything that you can't look someone in the eye and say you did it and I took that to the core. I mean in anything I do like and if I can't repeat it to you, I won't say it. Like I think about all the writers that I grew up like reading Zora Neale Hurston, like people like authors and movies like even some Stephen King books like that, I read that I was like, that type of emotional connection is deeper than anything I could say. I went to school for journalism, I graduated communications, I remember coming back from school and people being like the Haitians like all you went to school, and you come back to AP, and that's what you do with your degree, you know what
Ronnie 31:33
writer, you actually became someone that is a writer that communicates to people
Unknown Speaker 31:37
exactly, and that's what I saw. audiobooks, there just to the chapters are not always an order. That's what it is. So just going back to that sense of responsibility, like, I have to do it in a way that I would if I was in school, so my writing is taken seriously, my contents taken seriously, I do look at it, like am I missing something in the story, like me, and my little sister called the bar exam, you know, rather you bars so I'll be like, yo, I'll just literally TechStars Bar Exam, she's like go, it means I'm about to send her a couple of lines that she needs to tell me if it makes sense if she understand what I just said, because I'll say certain things that I like the metaphors a little deeper, you might not get what I was saying. But that's the bar exam. I do things like that. If one of my old professors can't look at what I wrote in the song on paper, because that's the kind of kid I was I was, I was googling lyrics. If you can't Google my lyrics, and still thinks it's good without the audio without this presentation without the video without all that
Unknown Speaker 32:24
UI, but you know, the sense of responsibility. It's when you meet that kid who comes up to you and says, this hit me and all sudden, it's like, I've got this power. Yeah, it's a power. It's a power, power. You can either do good or evil with it. Right? Yes. Whether or not you accept the responsibility, it's going to be thrust upon you.
Unknown Speaker 32:42
Yes, it's my responsibility. But now at this point is kind of just sanity. You know, it's like,
Ronnie 32:46
No, I have to do this, but it's also your livelihood. I mean,
Unknown Speaker 32:49
yes, but also, like I say, a moral responsibility. Because I did graduate from Penn State, I have a degree I can go get a 40 yard be fine. Regular route wise, I'd be perfectly fine. And with everything I've done since then, my resume is pretty solid. But I know that because I did it that way. I mean, when I first came from school, I was working 40 hours a week stop the shop headquarters in real estate department while I was trying to get my music career in order so I'm literally 40 hours a week from there packing bags under my desk to go to New York for the weekend. Come back to work Monday, paying student loans off music isn't any different. It's just like, I have a small business. I sell music. That's my product. My service is performing the music you know what I mean? Because you go to a show and you perform also something I wanted to mention. So it's one thing that someone to come up to you and say that was awesome. But power really comes from walking up on a stage. No one knows who you are. No one knows who you are. My best moments is when I go to a state no one knows who I am. Give me five minutes that I don't care if that sounds cocky or not. I work damn hard for that. Give me five minutes. Just give me five minutes, two minutes. Two and a half I've been in my music has been cut many a time. Give me a minute and 30
Ronnie 33:49
will you?
Unknown Speaker 33:50
Someone with me? Exactly. So the only minutes I'm taking somebody with me I'm taking someone who didn't know they were going to have that moment with me. They might have had been having a bad day. They might have not like hip hop before they met me a lot of the times I meet people I don't listen to hip hop. You're awesome. Okay, so don't call it hip hop and just buy the CD.
Ronnie 34:07
Cool. We're doing something that's a challenge. It's hard. And you're up for that challenge every night.
Unknown Speaker 34:12
It's a rush. But I don't even know if that's the right word. It's more of a rush in the studio. To me, it's more of a question of studio as far as like performing though again, like I used to do speech has to debate being in front of people. It's not an issue because I used to dance for example, my mom, we have a nonprofit that my family runs for school that we have a school in Haiti and we throw events where all the proceeds go to keeping the school open paying the teachers so we
Ronnie 34:34
do that in Boston. Yep. These events. What's it called?
Unknown Speaker 34:36
Yeah, correct. Oh, is the organization because I've always been accused of it. Two years ago, I started to elevate benefit mixer series, elevate, elevate. That's when Dutch rebel comes in. Not Vonda my parents, kids like that's when Dutch rebel comes in and pulls in all her resources and does a better event than what I used to do growing up. It's not a guaranteed take home as far as admission goals and stuff like that. But now, I'm not sure Bo and I have all these friends that performed I mean, I have Lisa bellow. performant, the last one, and
Ronnie 35:02
we have sponsors calm. It's an annual thing that you do.
Unknown Speaker 35:05
Yeah, we try to do it a couple times a year. The next one, we're actually planning the next one now. So it'll be it'll be in the summer, because it's basically quarterly we got to pay the teachers and
Unknown Speaker 35:14
students is there. Is there a website?
Unknown Speaker 35:15
Yes. And make sure crypto.org correct. oh.org they definitely a lot of great work. I'm not exactly sure how we got on that topic. Oh, performing performing me and my cousins we used to perform at the parties. We used to dress up in the Haitian folklore and my mom taught us the Korea and we used to dance. I used to have to dance in front of them drunk Haitians. So I started from that and then growing up and then you go to Penn State you have to do debates and stuff like that. You have to do speeches, things like that. So the stage is not
Ronnie 35:42
the issue. If you're going to battle someone head to head with freestyle. That seems to come from somewhere.
Unknown Speaker 35:47
Yes, but see, that's a different art. I don't freestyle battle anymore. Because that's different for me anyways, like somebody who's guys pre styling now battling now. It's not how you need to keep it up. Right. Yeah. Because Because now everybody's performing pre written stuff. You're an actor. you're performing live.
Ronnie 36:02
Yeah. You're you're reading your lines. Chuck was an actor.
Unknown Speaker 36:04
Yeah. So you
Ronnie 36:08
should get into that. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 36:12
Good. Me. It's like three lines. I can
Unknown Speaker 36:14
memorize them. Nowadays. That's how it works. You wouldn't
Ronnie 36:17
perform Chuck would take Woods Hill table down See,
Unknown Speaker 36:20
Yo, I mean, let me know when the battle is we can do a battle in here. What's next for you? May 12 at the MFA doing the late night Museum of Fine Arts. Oh, MFA. You know, let the hip hop into the MFA. really wonderful. Yeah, that's that's gonna be dope. And I'm working on bang bang the project. I'm still working on Bang Bang. Yeah. Yeah, a lot of great things. I did my Kickstarter successful. Not just got a lab foundation just gave me a nice little grant. Sorry,
Ronnie 36:43
mate. What type of event is that?
Unknown Speaker 36:47
MFA does late night college late nights 24. All night party. It's until like six and the last one I left that five and there was people walking in and so
Ronnie 36:56
in the halls of the MFA, hip hop night or is it all done different types?
Unknown Speaker 37:00
Um, I don't remember who else is performing that night but I'm levy if you guys know DJ Levy, she's amazing, amazing person to know, levy Julia McFly. But um, she's just an awesome DJ she's curating the night the one that we did last time was awesome I did it like it was the first one where they actually allowed like hip hop in there but it was it's awesome just walking through the exhibits and it's just all night and I'm pretty sure it's fun and it's all night I think we left last time I like to came back like four and then we finally left to like five something there was still people in line people waiting in line for like two hours but you can go to Dutch rebel calm and track my shows there literally decibel comm slash shows you'll see all my shows just hit the button track and you'll get an alert anytime I update anything pictures giveaways, all that type of stuff. Awesome. Yeah, busy busy and bang bang working on being being still so I'm not gonna say when it's going to be out yet because with this new situation, new situations will come.
Ronnie 37:55
Excellent. I'm intrigued by the situation.
Unknown Speaker 37:58
Yeah, the lab foundation to give me a nice little grant to continue on the bang bang experience for this BANG BANG project. So I'm definitely just look out I'm gonna be putting on some shows two shows in Boston, one in New York, one in Atlanta. Bring some artists down there. Bring some artists up here. swap it out. Make it creative. Maybe get some food in there and not just a traditional hip hop show let's just throw a vibe get some spice, spice and sweet flavor
Ronnie 38:21
flavor some color and some spice
Unknown Speaker 38:24
Yeah, y'all just bought about 18 pounds of Haitian food for me oops race we just went full circle full circle and of course when the fundraiser comes on I would love for you guys to come in Come on down and they'll be plenty food there but we'll be there to meet the people that made me this way.
Ronnie 38:39
No, we would love to come I'll give Chuck some Haitian Creole lessons.
Unknown Speaker 38:44
Yeah, I'm not gonna listen to you.
Unknown Speaker 38:46
You know it's funny you say that but you might leave being the one that's teaching him some stuff. You leave like
Unknown Speaker 38:52
oh, it's exactly what I'll be teaching you pal. Yeah, well, you know do I drink rum? Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 38:59
Sometimes you you don't not drink from though I don't not drink Okay, so you're good.
Unknown Speaker 39:04
It's good way of saying I do not know you
Unknown Speaker 39:06
don't know because that's going to be that do you drink rum? I know and then once you make that Okay, cool.
Unknown Speaker 39:17
Well, thank you for coming. You know, I don't know if you remember we met briefly at the Fremont takeover take over there. And you know you were up for the the BMA award and after you won the BMA Award for the video. Like three the people we've already talked with mo
Unknown Speaker 39:31
feels like home that's what she's talking about. feels like home.
Unknown Speaker 39:34
Home. Yep. And you guys are you singing the praises of Boston is great. And Julie Rhodes is in it who we talked to love. I met Jonathan Omen I met him a few times and he's like everywhere.
Unknown Speaker 39:44
So she so Julie,
Unknown Speaker 39:46
Julie on the drums. That's her name. It's really great. I love that it's a bunch of different genres coming together and singing together. Yeah, I thought the Tremonti thing was great because I met a ton of people there from different genres as well.
Ronnie 39:57
Yeah, there's nothing like getting out networking and seeing things hearing music and talking because we're all in our little cocoons in our little silos and on our iPhones and our on our couches at home right That's great. That's new school. There's nothing like old school or Chuck was able to meet you in person Yeah, and say Wait, we want to hear more about you so
Unknown Speaker 40:14
and however many came later here we are kicking it Thank you very much. Absolutely. Absolutely. Thank you guys good times. I just
Unknown Speaker 40:23
wanted to be passing how
Unknown Speaker 40:27
I just want to be perfect for me
Unknown Speaker 40:34
to go to the Waffle House in America wait a few days
Unknown Speaker 40:55
Chris can be half price
Unknown Speaker 41:54
classic group you know he never wants you to know the shiny be making it popping and putting it
Unknown Speaker 42:07
let me see that trick you do what you're gonna be my stupid a day forget who you
Unknown Speaker 42:12
are when it comes to the flow
Unknown Speaker 42:15
like you get uncovered and show these niggas time even shot a lot of you crew faded like a barber shop so know that they're gonna be lining up with a bodyguard you play dumb Aloma anonymous a mon gamma shooter screaming has only become a little bit Bobby do the most even need a real name. Gotta get a couple poster contest. You've been doing a SWAT fans I'm not sure what
Unknown Speaker 43:08
you can check out Dutch see her story and music at Dutch rebel. com that's our E be E LL. e. And you can also learn more about her wonderful organization correct though, which is dedicated to giving the children of Haiti a valuable education that will allow them to build a strong future for themselves and their community without the burden of cost for their families go to correct though.org for more information that's KOREKTHO go to above the basement calm where you can join us on Patreon. Sign up for our newsletter list and subscribe to a podcast like our Facebook page. Follow us on Twitter and look at all the nice pictures we post on Instagram. We are everywhere. On behalf of Ronnie and myself. Thanks for listening and tell your friends and remember Boston music like its history is unique.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
