Persia is your favorite rapper's favorite reality show contestant. After the break, she talks about her MySpace beef with Misfit, her on-screen beef with John Brown and explains why she brought a didlo on a reality show.

It’s terrible that you were eliminated. I’m so disappointed.

Yeah, it was terrible all over again to watch it. But I kinda took it for what it was worth. I had just started rhyming, four months prior, so the whole stage thing was kinda new to me. Serch made me more nervous than anything. To know that at the end of my verse, he was either going to be proud or disappointed, I think that's what got a hold of my nerves.

I didn't realize that you were new to rap. Were you signing before that?

No, I was basically just writing poetry and stuff like that. And then someone heard me one day and said, "You don't think you want to do this as a career?" The first time I had spit for anybody was the audition. Not even my mother or anybody. I was just shaking.

Were you surprised to be eliminated?

I knew that the only reason I would go home was if I forgot my lines. I think we were being judged on who was the winner of the show, not necessarily who was the hottest rapper. If they were looking for the hottest rapper, I don't think Jus Rhyme would have made it that far. As mad as I was that I went home, I was happy that he was still there because it proved the point that it wasn't all about talent.

Sullee says you're working with him?

Yeah, we work together as much as possible. We're going to try to get a mixtape out, being that we're so close. He stays at my house when he's in the city. We're just like brother and sister now.

In the last episode, it seemed that your beef with John Brown reignited.

I put my feelings towards him aside, because we had to work together, but I did wake up hating him every morning. It's not something that I wanted to rehash everyday, though. His blatant disrespect for hip-hop got a hold of me that day [of the Hot97 appearance]. Throughout the show, it looked like I was the angry girl who hated John Brown. In the end, you got to see that $hamrock, the quiet person, who wasn't very opinionated, sat down, totally frustrated also. It kinda solidified what I said.

Did you ever get any grasp on what John Brown's slogans actually meant?

"Hallelujah holla back" is pure brainwash. He's a genius when it comes to that, I'll give him that, even though I don't think he's the one who drilled that in his head. The "Ghetto Revival," I personally think that they thought that would grab the attention of the hood, that would grab the attention of black hip-hop. They thought that would make them part of it, not really realizing that the ghetto hasn't been in existence since Watts. Good Times, that's the ghetto. Currently, it's the hood. So if you want to revive the ghetto, Lord Jamar was right, that's pissing in elevators, drug addicts, killings. That's not something people from the ghetto want to revive. They had their wording mixed up. I think that bit them in the ass. They thought they were going to send their token white boy on TV to tell America about their company, not knowing that I would be there like, "Wait a minute. You want to revive the what?"

In one of your signature rhymes that you said a few times over the course of the show, you have a line, "They say I spit like a dude." Is that an ideal?

There's not too many females in the industry that the guys sing along with, so I have a lot of male fans who are like, "I can't believe I'm singing along with a female. You spit like a dude." I really took that to heart. In hip-hop, they say the men are stronger, so I took that as meaning that I'm one of the strongest females.

As a white woman entering hip-hop, you're going in with two strikes against you, as far as norms go. Does that frustrate you?

I never sat down and thought that I have two strikes against me. I think if you don't think it, they don't think it. I've never really had anyone say, "Oh, you're a woman…" I've only heard, "You're hot. You're gonna get a deal." Maybe the woman thing has come up once or twice, but just in terms of what "they" are going to hold against me. And no one's held it against me yet.

It's just rare that you see a female rapper who's allowed to be a normal female, without some highly sexualized or really butched-up image.

When I went in, they asked me, "What's your image?" But I don't really have an image. All I have is me, what comes out of my mouth, the things that I write. I'm gonna show up in flip-flops and a house dress, and I'm still gonna spit the same thing I would if you had me dressed up like a little thug, or if you had me dressed up in a mini-skirt. I asked Serch once, "Do you think I could make a career out of this?" He said, "Yeah, but you're gonna have to take the Queen Latifah route." At first, because Queen Latifah wasn't a huge seller and undermined a lot in her early career, I took it personally. But I sat down and thought about it, and she did have a lot of respect. Serch said, "You're gonna have less sales, but a lot of respect." As opposed to Misfit. Serch said she should take the Fergie route, and she'll make a lot of money.

Speaking of Misfit, can you take me through the MySpace drama that's going on between you two?

(Laughs) On the show, I was able to separate the artist from the person. I can respect you as a person, but not as a rapper, which is how I felt towards her. When we got home, through the grapevine, I know a lot of people she knows, I find out that she's more the groupie type. She's the person who sleeps with the rapper and latches onto it and rhymes along. Then, she played Sullee out and said she didn't sleep with him, that he was like a little boy to her. In all actuality, you did sleep with him, you just didn't sleep with him on camera. So I feel like if you're going to do something, you should be woman enough to admit it. Even if it's none of anyone's business, say, "It's none of your business." Don't lie and belittle him at the same time. So then, she had on the "That Bitch" shirt. Where I'm from, you don't step on people's toes like that. Everywhere you look, it says, "Persia aka That Bitch," so I took that as a personal shot. Even though she says now, "Oh, it's a clothing line." But you knew, you had to have known that that was going to cause some drama.

When did she have that shirt on?

In one of her pictures on MySpace. I saw it and called Sullee and asked, "Am I wrong for thinking that she's trying to step on my toes right now?" So she emailed me, like, "I didn't know we had problems." I just ignored the email. I also spoke to the family of Proof [from D-12], who felt that she was disrespecting him in his death. I felt like she was using him as a stepping stone, as her link to hip-hop, rather than paying respect for the dead. I don't think that MySpace is a place to exploit someone in their death to show that you love them. So it was everything wrapped in one, and it was for her and Jah Jah.

Remind me who Jah Jah is.

The girl who looks like Courtney Love in the White Rapper auditions. She's quite special. She claims she's suing 50 Cent and Jay-Z for stealing her style. That VH1 begged her to be on the show, but she refused because of the contract. We clashed in auditions and I also think she didn't pass the psych test.

So your dis track targeting Jah Jah and Misfit was the first musical stone cast?

Jah Jah was the first one. Her track was "The Fat Rapper Show." So I responded to that, and the Misfit thing happened, like two hours later, so I threw it all together.

And what's your track called?

"Dumb Bitch."

And did you hear Misfit's response, "That Bitch?"

Yes. Poor Misfit. My fans were really offended. They wanted to attack her. I hear she got into some drama in Brooklyn, my fans approached her. But when I heard her song, I was actually more embarrassed for her, as far as her flow, than offended at what she said. I feel like, if the only thing you can do is attack my weight, I must really be doing something right. Combine that with the fact that the intro is DJ Mumbles, who's actually a 12-year-old from Detroit and the radio show is fake. I looked for that DJ to call him and be like, "You can't be serious. I'm wack?" But it was all fake.

I just have a few questions about the first episode: why did you bring a dildo to the house?

Usually when I battle a guy, you have to say something to put you at the same advantage. I planned on saying, "I just bought a dildo / You can suck my d***" and throwing it at his feet. But it didn't get that far. The day after the John Brown incident, I was like, "Aw, now everyone's going to think I brought this here for that reason. This is horrible."

Did the "n-word" incident reform your outlook on using that word?

Truth be told: I felt that I was wrong with the excessiveness. I was drunk, I try not to use that as an excuse, though. The reason I said that I felt like an idiot was because of the way I used the word. They didn't show it on TV, but I attacked him for like four hours. I apologized for offending anyone who was offended, but I never apologized for saying it. I had a rebuttal the next day, because I don't ever want anyone to say that I lied. It's gonna come out of my mouth. That's how I talk to my friends, that's how my friends talk to me. I don't say it to strangers, I don't say it in my rhymes. But in conversation, sometimes it comes out. So I wasn't apologizing for saying it. I was apologizing for saying it on TV. For bringing it in to everyone's home. That wasn't right.

Was the show a good experience for you?

Yeah, it was a great experience. I went in with no intent. I was too old for The Real World, to be honest (laughs). I was like, "Oh a reality show! I want to do it!" I just really went in to have fun. I just went in for the life experience.

What's next for you, Persia?

I'm preparing a mixtape that comes out this week. It's called So That Bitch. I'm doing shows. Basically, because of the White Rapper contract, you can't do much. I've gotten a few offers, but I'm waiting to see when the contract is up so we can do something solid. I just want to bring rap back to what it used to be. Back in the day, you could rhyme along with your favorite rapper, and it was things you actually experienced in life. Now, it's like, "Oh, I got a Bentley." People are singing along, but it's not holding any value. This mixtape is pretty much my New York style. Somewhere I discovered I have a Southern style. I'm just gonna show everyone that I'm versatile. It all comes from the heart.

Visit Persia's MySpace to keep up with her music.

Comments

[GeRon]

I was sad to see Persia go. She was my favorite contestant, and I definitely think she was the realest one in the house. Jon Brown is confused and a big cheesball, too. Jus Rhymes.... is an airhead, and he looks like Spongebob. Dude is so lame. THe otha guy is OKAY, but he has that nasty harelip. Ugh. Dang I can't even think of his name. Anywayz, y'all need to go to my gossip blog.

www.theprettyprince.blogspot.com

[dee]

yo- how is persia gonna be "queen of this rap s__t" after she gets elminated? persia said that jon brown was the reason that hip hop is so disrespected, but i feel that she let all real hip hop heads down- majorly. she had a chance to bring it to him but never did. she handed out so many threats and never followed through- jon brown is a joke and she let him have the last laugh. why did all the best MCs on this show defeat themselves? dasit quit like a baby. sullee quit one some wackness. persia barely got through 10 bars and she had 1 hr! now we got jon brown, jus rhyme & shamrock. are you serious?

[juliet]

100 Proof DIED??!!??

[MJ]

Seriously i'm glad persia got booted. She was talking like she is the queen b**** when really every time it was time after the ice box she showed that she really wasn't about s***. And i'm with dee, 100 Proof died?

[Keisha]

Not 100 Proof. Proof from D-12. Em's friend? Remember, he got shot last year and died. I assume that's who she's talking about.

[I'm in my Prime like Optimus]

I question her claim that she has been only spitting for 4 months. Yet she claims to be an experienced battler. Things that make ya go HMMMMmmmmmmmM!

[Rich]

Yeah, it's D-12's Proof. Adding that to the interview to help cut down the confusion.

[CLUTCH]

JOHN BROWN IS A NO RAP HACK! CAN ANYTHING MORE STUPID COME FORM HIS PIE-HOLE? HOLLALUYA HOLLABACK IS WACK AND HE MUST BE ON CRACK TO ME AND MINE YOUR JUST A CRACK TO LAUGH AT AND AT THE END OF THE SHOW YOU WONT GET THAT STACK. PERSIA HAD THE RIGHT IDEA BY TRYING TO STUFF HIS MOUTH WITH HER B.O.B. THAT WAY THE REST OF US DONT HAVE TO HEAR THAT SUBURB CRAP THAT COMES FROM HIM IF I COULD I'D GIVE HIM A SMACK AND LEAVE A MUSHROOM PRINT IN HIS FOREHEAD!!!

[TT]

Truth be told, Persia is dead on by saying that TALENT is not the key to this competition. If it was based on talent then the final three would be $hamrock, Sullee and Persia. Those are the only three have a true hip-hop style and the only three I would actually buy a ticket to see perform.

[Lil' Pookie]

The honest truth is is that Persia sucks. Her rhyming is awful. I'm not saying that my man John Brown should win, but Persia's bunk a$$ shouldn't win either. I'm just keepin it real in the northern Cali. Halalujah Holla Back!

[Niala]

Whether you love or hate Persia you're not gonna be able to forget her. She earned my respect and that girl has heart and skill!

[kennyd420]

Hated to see Persia go but she did always fold under the pressure to write a flow in the ice box. Damn if John B can do it anyone can. His raps are lame and uneventful. When and where are the next auditions for season 2?

[yanree]

all of these "rappers" are weak as hell. Lyrically, stylistically, and all dat. Seriously, they obviously cast this show with a certain angle...wannabees to clown on. I know a handfull of white mc's who are more talented than all of these fools. J Brown is a joke! Persia sucks. Acts all hard...and then cries. Oh boo hoo.

[Bonita]

First of Persia is Queen of talking "shit". She flushed her credibility down the tubes by blaming external factors like "being afraid of Search and his opinions. Bullshit---- Persia acts hard, but can't even stand up in stress. The ghetto is stress. Persia has no street cred and just ghetto in the mouth.

Also, Misfit may be wack for being more looks than talent, but atleast she tries and remembers her lines! Also, on the real. Persia is just a pathological ignorant fool! "That Bitch" shirt is from a street wear line called Married to the Mob. If Persia had any fashion sense or street cred, she would know that Married to the Mob is a bunch of "bitches" running the women's streetwear scene. How pathological is Persia to think that a clothing line designed by other women with their "own agenda" would be dedicated to "dissing" her. Misfit was just a model for it, she has no creative say. I went to the hotel QT to see Misfit perform for the Married to the Mob clothing line. No, I don't like Misfit, but atleast Misfit is telling the truth and Persia just lies to herself and everyone to make herself feel better and lies to the whole public about "the beef" to make herself look good. Yo ma, open your eyes and tell the truth. Who the F are you but a hater from Rockaway?

Persia, truth be told. Stop lying and blaming. Most of all stop fronting, you ain't hard. Your just a fake ass, hip hop wanna be. So what your from Rockaway! The only thing intimidating about you is your size.

Great Persia is making a mix tape with Sullee, two "drop outs" with blaming issues trying to make it big. Good luck loosers!

[Persia Sucks]

Who the hell does Persia thinks she is? Is a Crack baby but fat. I hate how she always puts John Brown down. Leave John alone and worry about your own game! Children only worry about others!

[j-bone]

yo persia is terrible!!!first off the the entire show she was using the same verse!!!always talkin about eatin some food and shit.im glad she left the show.....and as for jon brown, i like that dude.hes entertaining as hell and doesnt give two shits about what anyone thinks!!poke fun at him all you want and i bet youll be thinkin differently by the end of the show. hollalooya hollaback.....

[wanda]

what did jBrown say to make the dj angry he has the nerve to say . that they are haters what you are nobody that copies rap musicians okay!!! i saw the artist they had dinner with didn't like them i miss persia. I wanna know why white mc didn't talk to him about insulting the radio station this is so fake

[Eric H]

ya'll is shitty Sullee was probly the best but got caught up in the hype of what snitching is what a dumbass, Jon boy is wack Jon Brown can rhyme but has no idea what hes talking about, G-child what a disaster, Jus Rhyme you a corny ass dude If I would have known about an audition I would be winning that money because I m Hiphop Rap we do Hiphop we live

[georgina]

$hamrock is the sh*T!

-G

[The Silent Poet]

Persia I will deeply miss you.You kept it real for me and Brown..is a fake and his rap was surface...no depth at all. I feel you about the remembering cause I never remember my poems and I could just write it. You need atleast a few hours to write it, feel the flow of it and finally spit it out. You shouldn't of got cut just for the number one reason your short raps out do anyone of the other rappers accept Shamerock your both even in your own styles. I think the Boss man will regret that decision cause I believe the best challenge would of been you VS Shamerock and everyone would of ran to the TV to see it go down. Now we already know...unless Shamerock bust brown in the face ( physically) He has already won the contest..Hands Down... One Love from Tacoma Washington

[jackie]

I LOVE persia!!! she was my fav from the start- real, humble, honest, and rymes to kill... I was SO upset when persia got eliminated I cried a little with her... and I was pissed that friggin john brown "the shame of the burbs" didnt go first... cant believe it... I dont even listen to rap music, but if Persia puts something out Im buyin it!

[kea]

persia u did ya thang mami im proud i started cryin when u left i luv u gurl u ma g fa real

[BigBrad]

I think Persia was aight....I know Shamrock should win tho....John Brown is aight but some of his conent is unstable....I spit and know music, so believe me when i say....the other rappers were cool, but the best one from this group at least, is still in it...Shamrock, and he will win!

[Monica]

yo, i thought that persia was the best rapper on the show, and for her to get booted cuz she couldnt rememba what she had just wrote like 5 mins beforehand was bs, her ten bars crushed all them dudes, hands down.........yo persia holla at ur girl from Boston......

and since she is gone, i sooo hope shamrock wins cuz those other dudes are wak.......

[tori]

It was so sad that persia left. I was hoping that John Brown left with his (bleep) "Hallelujah Holla Back and getto relival baby stuff.". I was bout to cry cause persia left from not remembering the other bars. that just stupid. I love the way you rap. The old country sond with $hamrock and jus ryhme was off the hook. Cant wait to see you songs come out soon!!!!!