Taijana Francis – Q&A Interview
Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? How long have you been making Hip Hop?
I’m Taijana Francis also known as Queen Nasty Gal. I’m a blossoming Canadian it-girl with a love and talent for the arts and a reputation for keeping it ‘nasty’. My love affair with hip hop started with writing poems and raps in school, I began writing my first EP last summer and finally started recording about 8 or 9 months ago.
What influences you in making Hip Hop?
My main influence when I rap is my emotions. I’m a woman, so naturally I’m quite emotional however I have a hard time expressing and understanding how I feel unless I write about it. Channelling my thoughts and feelings into rap has helped me to express myself.
Describe your music, and what separates you from other MCs?
My music is very versatile and I think that’s what separates me from every other artist. I can go from making a romantic remix of some Lana del Rey, to a club banger, to hard-hitting, thought-provoking lyricism real quick. I’m willing to experiment with all kinds of sounds so I really have a track for almost every listening preference.
Who have you collaborated with? Who would you like to collab with in the near future?
I’ve collaborated with Bane$in a local rapper in my city. For my first EP I wanted it to be all about discovering my sound. As I progress, I’d love to collaborate with artists on the come up like No1drug.
Your definition of “Underground Hip Hop”?
Underground Hip Hop is its own community, with its own rivals, and varied levels of sounds and notable accomplishments.
Production wise, who are your influences? Who does your production?
Notlam Productions produces for me. My favourite producer is Kanye West, I aim to have music that’s sounds as unique, artistic and identifiable as his without ever copying his sound.
And who would you like to work with?
I’d love to work with Kanye West one day.
Any current or future projects you are promoting?
My debut EP COURAGEOUS, it really is something special.
As a female MC, do you run across haters or do you get love wherever you are?
I get love from really unexpected places. I think as a female it’s never difficult to attract attention, but I wish more people acknowledged the potential in my music. I rarely run into other female rappers but male rappers see me as competition and try to act like I’m not putting out harder tracks than them just cause I’m a girl and there’s always the chicks who try to do me dirty. But I think my music is beautiful and if people were to only take a look at that aspect of me as an MC there would be little to hate. There are people who won’t even acknowledge my music because of that.
Where can we find your music and info?
youtube.com/c/TaijanaFrancis @taijanafrancis on Twitter and Instagram.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQbtZIZEryB510N1WuiIYPzejXH-BtHY8
Any shout outs?
shout out to all the ‘fantaijas’ the lowkey and the highkey fans. also shout out to my sister Taniqua & my social worker Dawn Mohamed. Shout out to indienation blog for the help, of course undergroundhiphopblog, as well as Notlam Productions for producing my music. And shout out to P Reign because he once had a convo with me in the club and shout out to Drake.
