Theory: Homegirls and Handgrenades

Do a search on Yahoo! Music for "theory" and you will find artists such as Screw Theory, Hate Theory, and Trip Theory, but none of them have a damn thing on indie hip hop female MC, Theory.

When she says in her rhymes that, "she's small but big in all the ways that it counts", she aint lying! When you listen to her rhyme, speak, or view her impressive bio you can't help but feel humble next to her. She's young, gifted, and talented as hell and I'm very blessed to be in her inner circle of artsy fartsy friends.

the?o?ry  [thee-uh-ree, theer-ee] - the branch of a science or art that deals with its principles or methods, as distinguished from its practice: music theory.

You be the judge.

Dangerous: I have your CD playing right now to get me in the mood.

Theory: Thanks! I have a hard time listening to it.

Dangerous: Because you find things that could be improved?

Theory: That and I'm still getting used to hearing my voice. Your voice always sounds so different from how you imagine it to be.

Dangerous: Yes, it does, but you sound fly so don't sweat it.

Theory: Thanks, sis, I appreciate that.

Dangerous: I have to admit, I am not a huge hip hop fan. Meaning I am not a hip hop head that knows everything hip hop, but I like you. When I saw you perform I was really impressed. Do you find that most people are blown away by your performance?

Theory: I don't know if it's blown away, but I think that people are somewhat shocked. To them, I don't look like a rapper or what they envision a rapper to be and I'm small, petite, female. They often think I'm gonna get up there and start singing.

Dangerous: Yes, that's part of it. People expect you to be less feminine as a rapper.

Theory: I think it shocks them, the novelty of it all, and the fact that I actually have lyrics and stage presence.

Dangerous: I think I expected you to be "harder". You really are sweet and personable and I like that.

Theory: I figured that if I did "me", I couldn't go wrong. I think that if I would have gone in trying to portray what I thought a rapper should be people would have been able to see through that immediately. Nothing about me says "thug" or "gangsta" and I'm fine with that. I'm much more concerned with being an artist who honestly expresses things as I see it and live it.

Dangerous: I think that's why I really dig you. You're not a "gangsta bitch". I'm scared of gangsta bitches!

Theory: I'm scared of gangstas, period! They're so unpredictable. I don't have a problem confronting a situation or a person but there is an intelligent way and an ignorant way to do that.

Dangerous: Exactly, and too many people know the ignorant way.

Theory: In fact, it seems like the ignorant way is glorified. You're encouraged to slap somebody for stepping on your shoe. I think some people just feel that they have more to prove. I, on the other hand, don't.

Dangerous: Track 7 is playing from your CD. I can't recall the name because I don't have the case with me, but it's about you and Main (Main Event). That song reminds me of a relationship I had years ago.

Theory: Oh, yeah "Crazy". That song was one of the more difficult ones to record because it was just that personal and described a really difficult time that he and I had
but I don't think we would be as solid as we are today without it. So in hindsight, I'm very thankful for it but when you're going through it it seems like you will not survive.

Theory: That's beautiful! And, now my jam "So Alive" is on. That's my favorite song on the CD.

Theory: Yeah, that's my song too because Tunde came in and laid it down. There were so many people asking me about him after they heard the song.

Dangerous: He has a beautiful voice. When you see him in person you don't think he can scream like that.

Theory: I actually didn't even really know him before we worked together but now we're pretty good friends.

Dangerous: How did U hook up?

Theory: Tunde has many, many, talents but I first met him because he was doing a photo shoot for my old group, Neo Griot. He gave me his band's (Taste This) first album and I remember being impressed by his voice, so when I wrote this song I contacted him about coming up with a hook for it and we got in the studio and have been cool ever since.

Dangerous: So, I hear there's a new album in the works! Do you have all the tracks ready?

Theory: No, I'm not that far along yet. I've just started collecting beats from some producers and trying to get a feel for what I want to do with them. I'll probably be going into the studio in the next month or so to start recording some tracks.

Dangerous: We can expect this next summer?

Theory: Yes, that's the goal.

Dangerous: I know this may be unreasonable but can U throw my name in a rhyme on the new CD?

Theory: It's not unreasonable at all. You can get an audio and written shout out on the "thanks you" section of the CD. You were one of the stars in the video turned commercial
How could I not shout you out?!?!

Dangerous: That's cool with me. Thanks! Yea, girl I was like damn my lil' scene got cut out of the video. My day as a video chick was wasted!

Theory: They, (Ankh Media Group), said the scene didn't flow with the rest of the video. We had all these serious scenes about women going through these trying situations then all of a sudden, it would flash to us dancing on stage.

Dangerous: Yea, I heard. Whatever!

(both laugh)

Theory: But be on the lookout for the commercial you'll be in there!

Dangerous: I can't wait! When will it start airing?

Theory: Anthony should be putting the final touches on the editing in the next couple of weeks. Then we have to get the list from Comcast and start selecting times and channels. I'm hoping it will be on air in the next month or month and a half.

Dangerous: Is this a commercial for the Homegirls and Handgrenades CD?

Theory: Yes. We're a little behind schedule.

Dangerous: Are you hoping to be picked up by a major label or are you happy being indie?

Theory: Well, I'm focused on doing the indie thing right now. I think that if you start building your own fan base, doing your own booking, management, and promotion, it makes you that much more of an asset to an indie label. They see that you can do things for yourself. I think once they see that, they're liable to offer you a better deal.

Dangerous: I keep hearing that being signed by a major label is not all it's cracked up to be.

Theory: Right. People get into horrible deals because they just want to be signed. For me, I think you have more leverage when you negotiate with a major label if you can show them that you don't need them. When you can say, "Yes", major label backing is nice but if you're going to screw me, I can still have a successful career with an indie label."

I have a friend in Detroit, a female MC, who was quoted by XXL as being "Every A&R's Worst Nightmare". She has walked away from several major record deals all because they weren't good deals. If you open the gate to let people walk all over you, everybody will rush in. I think Hip-Hop has become a commodity. The love and the art have been sucked out of it by the corporate sector. I think it's become formulaic. It seems like so many people are talking about the same things.

Dangerous: Which is nothing!

Theory: And I'm not going to be self righteous and say that it isn't "hip-hop". There is a time for mindless, let's just have fun music, but I really think there is an imbalance. Why is that we hear so much of Lil Wayne but so little of Mos Def? There is room for both and to only present one, gives a very distorted picture of the music and the culture as a whole.

I have a lot of people come up to me after shows and say, "You've changed how I feel about hip-hop" and that's sad, but true.

Dangerous: Have you approached any stations here in Flint or Detroit about playing your music?

Theory: We have not contacted the "Major" radio stations primarily because they have a reputation for not supporting local artists. Many major radio stations deal with payola and only really play the same five songs that have corporate backing and sponsors, but the Kettering radio station, 94.3 has done a wonderful job of supporting and showcasing local artists, particularly, hip-hop.

Dangerous: Off topic, but how in the hell do you stay so small? Is it in the genes?

Theory: I have ALWAYS been small and no matter how much I might try to get swollen it doesn't seem to be in the plan. I think it's a combination of my physical body type, my high metabolism, and staying very active. Give me some of those curves. I will gladly take them!

Dangerous: You can have some of this stomach and put it where you want it!

Theory: I just think women have to accept that we're all different body sizes for a reason. Whatever your size and body type just do it well.

Dangerous: By the time this makes it into The Uncommon Sense the "When She Speaks" project will have taken place. How did this come about?

Theory: Well, it really just came out of a realization that women artists are often underappreciated and go unrecognized. So I wanted to address that somehow. Rosta Records has space in Red Ink now, and I've been coming into contact with more "non-performing" artists than before, so I thought it would be a good idea blend both worlds, visual and performing arts, and showcase them both at the same place on the same night.

Plus, I think it's good for folks to see women doing all kinds of things - journalism, performing, networking...making it happen for ourselves. And I did not work on this alone. I have to definitely shout out my co-organizer and host, Jade.

Dangerous: Yes, who is Jade?

Theory: She and I have been running around like crazy trying to get everything together. Jade is actually a poet and writer who will be sharing her work publicly for the very first time. There will be a lot of firsts that night. Which is another aspect that I like about this event. It mixes veterans and newcomers.

Dangerous: I read your resume/bio at your MySpace page and I was like DAMN! You have been involved in many projects over the years. What are you focused on now besides the new CD and the When She Speaks project?

Theory: There is Raise It Up! which is a youth arts and awareness program that we run. We, being my mother, Main Event and myself. We are currently working with a lawyer to actually turn that into a 501c3 non profit so that we can be eligible for state and federal funding. I still work full time at Salem Housing as an Education Coordinator and I've just started working on the LinkT project which is something that activist Regina Laurie and Erin Onweller of Red Ink Studios put together. It's a project that engages spoken word and visual artists in 9 weeks of dialogue about things like class and race and those kinds of issue and at the end, we're going to pair up, one poet and one visual artist, to create a work based on those dialogue sessions. And other than being a mommy and fiancé, that's it.

Dangerous: Ohhh! Did you say fiancé? Is there a date set? Congratulations!

Theory: Well, we keep setting it and pushing it back.

Dangerous: I didn't want to get all up in your business but I wanted to ask you about Main because you guys seem to have a solid relationship. I envy that.

Theory: Awww! Trust me, it wasn't always solid. We've had six years to get it right.

Dangerous: How did Theory get her name?

Theory: Well, I used to have dreadlocks for a while and used to perform under the name Lioness.

Dangerous: I used to have dreads too. Loved 'em!

Theory: I love dreads too. I just didn't have the patience for them and I wasn't really feeling like the name Lioness fit me anyway. I thought the name Theory just better fit my personality. I am a very mental person and I'm always turning around concepts and ideas in my head. I love reading about political theories, social theories, feminist theories, theories about race, etc…so the name just kinda fit and I ran with it. And it's funny because later I took a personality test at work and it was just amazing how often the word "theory" was mentioned in it.

Dangerous: Very interesting indeed. You must have that inner voice talking to you.

Theory: Yeah, I hear voices all the time! I'm joking!

(Both laugh)

Theory: But yeah, I'm very much guided by my own thoughts and intuitions. They shape me way much more than other people's opinions or definitions

Dangerous: Any performances coming up soon?

Theory: We have the Student Rally at Mott, The album release parties for Tunde and Main Event, and then we're hitting up New York later this year and Atlanta next year

Dangerous: Is there anything else that you want to share with readers?

Theory: Well, I'm feeling very positive about the arts culture in Flint these days. It seems like people here are very aware of the bleak situation that we're in and they're using their talents and gifts to shed light on and change our ways of thinking. And I'm really amazed by that. I would just tell people to continue to support the arts here. Whether it be writing, spoken word, painting or whatever. I truly believe that the artistic community is going to be a driving force in turning the city around.