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 TONI MONROE (April 2012) | Interview By:
Chad Kiser
Toni Monroe has been riding a rising wave of success since she
dropped her DJ Crazy Toones-hosted mixtape, “Big
Girl Cookies: First Batch” to critical acclaim. The Cali-bred
MC came strong with Dogg Pound emcee Kurupt on he debut joint, “You Like
It”, and has been rocking shows with E-40, Ice Cube, WC, DJ Quik, Lady of
Rage and others ever since.
Dubcnn had the fantastic opportunity to sit down with Ms. Monroe for an
exclusive interview, where we talk about her New Year’s Eve show with DJ
Quik and El DeBarge, How she met up with DJ Crazy Toones, what her, her
image vs. her music, working with Kurupt, and much, much more!
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Interview was conducted in March 2012
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Toni Monroe Interview
A Dubcnn Exclusive
By: Chad Kiser
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Dubcnn: First off, you just recently rocked the New Year’s show at the Key
Club with DJ Quik, how did that go and what was the response like from that?
It was a great way to start off the new year! Opening up for DJ Quik
with Faith Evans, El DeBarge and you can't forget your boy Suga Free! What
more could a girl ask for?
Dubcnn:
What’s up with El DeBarge was he drinking or was he sober?
No, but he did ask everybody if they all thought he had been on crack! He
said, ‘how many of y’all think I’m on crack?’, and the whole place went
bananas! [laughs]
Dubcnn:
Did Quik and El DeBarge perform any of their songs together?
No, they each had their own sets to perform, but it was still cool to them
up there doing there thing.
Dubcnn:
So what’s next for Toni Monroe, and what are you working on right now?
I just put out the “Big
Girl Cookies” mixtape, so of course the second batch is already
in the oven! And you know since I’m single I’m out looking to get married to
a label deal. [laughs]
Dubcnn:
For those of us not yet up on your music, describe your style and approach
to emceeing?
I’m versatile, I dare to be different, I switch it up to cover all the
grounds; I’m not in a box. I’m from the west coast, but I grew up
identifying with all styles of music. Real MC’s get it.
Dubcnn:
“Big Girl
Cookies” was hosted/executed by the legendary DJ Crazy Toones. Tell me
about putting that mixtape together. What were ideas and concepts going into
that project?
I conceptually built this particular mixtape around Toones as a way to reach
out to the west coast.
Dubcnn:
Who handled the production on “Big
Girl Cookies”?
It's a mixtape, so I went in hard on other peoples stuff. As far as original
production I worked with Tha Chill from Compton’s Most Wanted and I feel
blessed that not only he got down with me, but really helped me in the
kitchen.
Dubcnn:
How did you link up with Crazy Toones and get him involved with your project
and career?
I always wanted to work with Toones. We pushed to make it happen and I was
blessed to have it come to fruition.
Dubcnn:
Getting in with Crazy Toones, was Ice Cube ever a possibility to collaborate
with?
No, he has a pretty hectic schedule and it was hard to try pinning him down
to do something, but I would jump at the chance to work with Cube. No doubt
he’s an icon, not just for the west coast, but for music period.
Dubcnn:
There’s an incredible difference between your style, and the style that a
lot of women MC’s are embracing currently. Was it a conscious decision not
to come out like Nicki Minaj, or Lil’ Kim, or Kreayshawn?
No, it wasn’t. I love Nicki, I love Kim, I respect all women that are doing
their own thing and that have created their own lane for themselves.
Dubcnn:
Tell me about working with Kurupt on the song “You Like It”, and how you
were able to get the Dogg Pound member involved with your project.
Kurupt is really a genius and is one of the most charismatic people I have
worked with.
Dubcnn:
So, where did you grow up, and what was family life like for you growing up?
I grew up in the San Fernando valley and my family life was just like most
of the people I know -- jaded. I found myself never home, and I became
product of the streets.
Dubcnn:
Who are your Top 5 MC’s of all-time?
My Top 5 would be Busta Ryhmes, Scarface, 2Pac, Ice Cube for damn sure, and
Biggie.
Dubcnn:
What was it exactly that made you want to pursue a career in music, and what
has been your inspiration?
To be able to reach, inspire and motivate women. Part of my inspiration
comes from the the lack of female emcees in hip-hop that are trying to
inspire, that’s what keeps me fighting to be heard.
Dubcnn:
What have been some of your bigger accomplishments so far that you’re proud
of?
I’m proud to still be able to do hip-hop at this level. I have seen so many
fall off or stuck on the side of the road, so I’m glad I still have gas and
energy to make it this far.
Dubcnn:
With hip-hop being so competitive, how do other female emcees treat you?
So far nothing but love! Lady of Rage has been one of my biggest supporters
and some would say that she is arguably the greatest female emcee of
all-time.
Dubcnn:
Plus-sized women in hip-hop are nothing new as we’ve seen Queen Latifah,
Lady of Rage and others make notable imprints in the industry. How important
is your image to your music?
It's very important that my image is me, just raw, real and uncut. I am a
big girl, but that shouldn't define me, it's just what I am. If anything I
want to show women that you can be comfortable in their own skin no matter
what size you are beauty is within.
Dubcnn:
Do you have any closing remarks or thoughts for our readers?
Stay Tuned because I am just warming up #DottedLine!
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