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Rage - Verbal Abuse
Interview By: Quinton Hatfield
 One argument in hip-hop right now is the lack of dominance by the female MC. Though we all know that rap music is a male dominated genre and has been from the beginning, but with all this hip-hop is dead talk maybe it can come out the coma if a dope female MC comes to the light. Through the years of hip-hop you had raw female MC’s through every generation from the start with Sha-Rock to Queen Latifah, Monie Love, MC Lyte to lately with Eve, Remy Ma, Shawnna, and Jean Grae. While these names are very common when it comes to naming a female MC one name that may slip through many is Lady of Rage.
For those that don’t know Lady of Rage was the only female MC on the then west coast dominate Death Row Records. As we all know Death Row was the label that gave us the some of the best music in hip-hop ever from the late Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound with Daz and Kurupt which explains the west coast dominance during that period. As they say though every dynasty falls and most likely those under it will be left to wonder. Well it’s been a while since many of us heard from Lady of Rage as now she just goes by Rage. Nobodysmiling.com’s Quinton Hatfield gets some real talk with Rage in this exclusive interview as to what’s been good since the fall of Death Row.
 On some real shit even though she’s not recognized and remembered by many Rage is one of the dopest female MC’s to come in the game lyrically. Coming from her hometown of Virginia then shooting out to the west coast Rage was featured on some of the illest and classic albums in hip-hop. From Dr. Dre classic “Chronic Album” to Snoop Dogg’s “Doggystyle” Rage was definitely holding it down for the fellas of Death Row. What we remember most about her though if it was one song that rings a bell is “Afro Puff’s” from the Above the Rim Soundtrack in which she then later released a solo debut under Death Row “Necessary Roughness”. Now that you got a brief history if not familiar with Rage it’s time to see what’s good with her lately. Rage talks about the ups and downs she went through after the fall of Death Row, especially when during that time hip-hop was at a violent state. She was the only female rolling with the big names and one was the legendary Tupac Shakur as she speaks on the impact he made in hip-hop. Last but not least she has the album “Verbal Abuse” on the way and why females should unite in this game to make an impact, Rage you gave some real talk so “Rock on wit ya bad self”!
Nobodysmiling.com : Rage it’s been a while since fans heard from you so what you been doing since the days of Death Row?
Rage : Going through ups and downs stuff like that and now you know I’m just ready to get back in the music game full force and jump in and jump out double-dutching it. I don’t plan on being there too long, I want to get in, get out, and do my thing.
Nobodysmiling.com : What kind of ups and downs you been going through?
Rage : Just the whole Death Row situation, the fall of a dynasty, and that was kind of hard on me after Dre left, Tupac getting killed, Suge getting locked up, and Snoop leaving. All of this was at the time when my project was supposed to come out so it definitely hit me hard and I had to regroup. Then when I did regroup from that Biggie got killed, some other people in the rap game got killed, and it just left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn’t want to be a part of that because it was serious and people were losing their lives.
I could be walking across a stage and I could be a performer somebody else doesn’t like so somebody shoots and you know how it goes “Affiliation by association” and you could lose your life over this shit so I was like “I’m not with that”. Basically that was the low-point in my rap career so I didn’t want to do it anymore. I just got out and went back to Virginia for a while thinking on whether I want to be a part of it or not which I felt I didn’t. I started listening to DMX, Jay-Z, and that’s what really sparked my interest in it again, it feed my hunger that I can’t just stop like that.
Nobodysmiling.com : What you miss most about the days at Death Row, especially when the west coast was dominating at that time?
Rage : Well I never looked at it as a west coast domination I just looked at it like this is what I’m a part of. As far as Death Row it felt liked I belong to something, I was apart of something which was a big thing. I never looked at it like we are the shit, I never carried it like that, it never hit me the success of Death Row had. It just was a feeling to go out and perform having fans come up to me and appreciate what I did. The friendships that we had I miss all that, the friendships, the fun, the hunger and all that. Nobodysmiling.com : What you think fans miss most about Lady Rage now that your coming back out?
Rage : You can just drop “The Lady” because it’s just Rage now. What I feel that they miss is just me as a MC. You know you have your particular artists who you like with their style and everything, you like what they bring to the game and when it’s not their anymore you kind of yearn for it. You get that hunger like “Damn I got a taste for some Rakim now, damn I got a taste for Rage right now”, so I guess it’s the hunger. I don’t know what it is they miss it’s just my style.
Nobodysmiling.com : Back in the Death row days you rolled with Tupac, how you feel about the impact he made on hip-hop?
Rage : He definitely made an impact, he was his own person. He was like wild-fire you couldn’t tame him, you couldn’t put him out. It was like a star you can’t contain it and that’s how he was, I think people like that individual that ain’t afraid to speak their mind and standing up for what they believe in. I feel that will be greatly missed.
Nobodysmiling.com : Besides the music I know you did the acting too, what made you get into that?
Rage : Acting was something I always wanted to do, I always wanted to be an actress before I even started rapping. It seems to be a trend now where rappers become actors, but this is what I always wanted to do ever since the third grade. That where my head was and I just used rap as a stepping stone to get to acting. I’m not where I want to be in the acting field, but I will be there. Rap did take me there and got me to the door so now I just have to go through some more doors to get where I really want to be.
Nobodysmiling.com : Tell me some history with you and Shante Broadus (Snoop’s Wife) how far ya’ll go back?
Rage : We go back to when her and Snoop were dating. I remember when I first met her I kind gave her the look like “Who is this”, I didn’t know who she was. I was kind of protective then, because Snoop’s popularity was rising and I felt that anybody that came in now is just after him, his status, his money, and I really just didn’t take too kindly to it. After knowing she was his high school sweetheart, I realized she just wasn’t somebody that came in the picture after his celebrity. We started bonding more, hanging out, and it’s all good, we have a real cool relationship.
Nobodysmiling.com : What good with the new album?
Rage : I’m working on the new album now “Verbal Abuse”, I hope to have it out by the end of the year. I think it’s coming along great, I think people will like it and it’s true to form.
Nobodysmiling.com : Are we going to get a track like “Afro Puffs” again?
Rage : I don’t know, if Dre is in the picture then I’m pretty sure. I don’t know what you mean when you say a track like “Afro Puffs”, what you mean by that?
Nobodysmiling.com : As far as taking it back to doing you.
Rage : I said I’m true to form, it’s not broke so I’m not fixing it. Your gonna get Rage in every aspect plus a little more growth. Your gonna get what your used to whether that’s “Afro Puffs”, “Microphone Pon Cok” or whatever.
Nobodysmiling.com : I’m looking forward to see you be one of the females to hold it down this year.
Rage : I’m looking forward to doing that. I think we need to do that because it’s a void right now with females in the game right now. I really don’t understand it, I really thought Shawnna and Remy Ma was gonna blow up last year. I don’t know if it’s a conspiracy against females I don’t know what the deal is, but somebody needs to kick in the door.
Nobodysmiling.com : That would be raw if all the hot females in the game can get together and make a hot single like the males do.
Rage : [Laughs], I say that all the time, but you know a lot of females don’t get along. Me I’m cool with everybody unless you give me a reason not to be. Other than that I don’t have a problem with anyone, I'm down to do whatever as far as a song with whoever as long as it’s dope. I think that’s something we should do or have our own coalition, not coalition that sounds too deep, but just unite. Were just as good if not better than some of the people that’s out right now.
Nobodysmiling.com : What’s the meaning behind the title “Verbal Abuse”?
Rage : “Verbal Abuse” is that I’m just beating you down with my words. I’m a lyrical murderer so it’s been a while and I have some steam to let off. Instead of physically abusing you I’m verbally abusing you and it’s just gonna be a whipping with my words which is always the case.
Nobodysmiling.com : Definitely look forward to hearing it!
Rage : [Laughs], are you in L.A. or anywhere in California?
Nobodysmiling.com : Nah I’m in college in North Carolina, but I’m from Philly.
Rage : North Carolina, you know I’m from Virginia right?
Nobodysmiling.com : Oh yeah you told me that before.
Rage : Yeah I wish I could give you a sneak peek or something like that, check out my new shit on www.myspace.com/officialladyofrage
Nobodysmiling.com : Final word for Nobodysmiling.com?
Rage : I want to thank all the fans who stuck by me and waited for my return. I know that if you like everything that Rage has done in the past you will definitely love what I’m doing in the future and I can’t wait to get out there and do it once again. Fans can hit me up on www.myspace.com/officialladyofrage
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