The woman who we came to know as the Baddest B*** with the hips to sway and a a** that’ll make you look back at her is more than the label she self-proclaims. Trina is a successful, humbled, beautiful and sexy Black business woman who birthed confidence into many women after she was inspired by the iconic New York legend Lil Kim.
Trina sat down with us to discuss how she’s excited to see the growth of young female artists today in numbers compared to when she first arrived in the late 1990s.
“It’s a gang of em. That’s what I love they ganged up right now. They gang-gang-gang. It’s a whole Beyoncé we run the world girls-girls-girls vibe. For me I just love it. I’m excited because when I came it out it wasn’t a lot of us. It was the greats. It was Missy Elliot, it was Lil Kim, Foxy, it was Eve and Da Brat. It’s Megan Thee Stallion now, there’s Mulatto now, there’s Saweetie now. There’s 500 artists (women) now that are doing what they love,” Trina said. “ I’m a woman so when I came out, I was real young and just living my life. Now when I look at these girls I’m happy to see them living they life, living they dream. It’s a lifestyle…it’s a life changer for them and their family.”
One wish everyone would love to see is the Miami legend battle her Queen Lil Kim in VERZUZ who paved the way for female artists such as Nikki Minaj, Cardi B, Tokyo Jetz and more. Trina has admiration for Lil Kim and like E-40, Too Short, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, The Isley Brothers and Earth, Wind & Fire…it’ll be all about celebrating music and representing independent women for Trina who got it out the mud.
Did I mention no handouts because she always had it (money) before the success?
“Everybody just keep talking about VERZUZ, they want me to do it, they keep asking me about VERZUZ. They asked me who I’d do a VERZUZ with I said Lil Kim because I love Lil Kim. I’m a fan of Lil Kim, I came out under Lil Kim…I’m ready to get the whole thing popping. I’m lit so that was my vibe.,” Trina said while smiling. “We in a social media time where everybody make everything a competition. You can’t compare Ms. Patti Labelle to Gladys Knight…come on don’t be ridiculous. These are two legends and the greats. When they brought out Dionne Warwick it’s goodnight! Like this is legendary music of our time, history in the making we may never see this again. So for me…VERZUZ is just like yeah you have two artists celebrating to their own music but it’s a celebration.”
Trina is an advocate for Black love and after losing her mother while in the midst of hearing news about young male artists passing away from gun violence, she spoke on what Black young male artists should do.
“That’s real sad and I don’t like to see that because these young guys you know they have dope music. I just look at them like beyond the artist a brother, a son…somebody’s son. Somebody’s momma got to be sad because something happened to her kid and he didn’t get to his full potential. These artist are talented. They’re diverse. Some of these artists don’t make it to 25 or 30-years –old you know what I’m saying? That’s just like its heartfelt for me. All the rest of that (beef) just let it go. When you’re doing this music…music is like a creative form of love and passion. It make you angry, it make you sad, it make you happy, it make you emotional, it make you feel bossy…it can break you down but that’s a form of therapy to me.”
Trina is right and getting back to the basics of appreciating the craft rather than trying to outshine the next is what we should get back to. Last month, Trina and her team celebrated the anniversary of her first debut album “Da Baddest B****”” making it 21 years. The launch and celebration was supposed to occur in 2020 and COVID-19 set it back unfortunately.
Miami is a landmark and when we look at all the women today in music who comes with the sassy, confident but sexy approach, we see Trina’s DNA in them. Without Trina, Miami wouldn’t have their mother of Hip Hop to look to for guidance. While Trina was on her music video set speaking with us, we’ll have to wait and see the new fire she delivers for the fans who truly love and appreciate her for who she is.