Disturbing Tha Peace recording artist Shawnna is set to release her sophomore album "Block Music." First single was "Gettin' Some."

You have so many beautiful pictures out there that I have seen. Do you enjoy doing photo-shoots?
Shawnna-Not at all. Not at all. I'm very uncomfortable in front of the camera but I have a good support team. So you got a lot of people going "Yeah that's it," you have a lot of people cheering you on. You are able to get the shots off that you need.

Is it time consuming?
Shawnna-Yes, very much so. Hair, make-up, it's really not my thing. But it takes so much time but when you see the finished product its so worth it.

You look like you are in such great shape do you have to work out a lot?
Shawnna-Honestly, I don't. I'm needing to more now being on the road I'm able to eat at the Ihops in the middle of the night and wake up to this big breakfast from room service but more so I'm going to start working out.

Are you on a promo tour now?
Shawnna-Kinda sorta. Not a bus situation. I work with an agency whatever shows they can book I'm there and then whatever the label has for me to do promo wise I'm there.

Now I know you are one of the few female rappers out right now in the game signed to a major label. What's it like for you as a female rapper out there?
Shawnna-It's a little bit…I don't know what word to use. Not scary but not secure at the same time because it's been so long since we've had a female rapper dominate the game and now I get a lot of questions like has the female rapper been exterminated or is extinct stuff like that. So it's like "Has the game gotten used to not having a female artist" Or is it going to be that much harder of a fight to get back to where we were a couple of years ago. So that's kind of just what goes through my mind right about now but at the same time I got a lot of support and every time I go out and perform for people they tell me that it's wonderful and they enjoyed it so I'm waiting to see what I do myself.

You have such a tight flow and everyone always comments on your flow. How did you actually learn how to rap?
Shawnna-I'm going to tell you a true story. I can't remember what year it was. It was when Rap City first aired with the Mayor with the shoulder dance. Well I used to take a little tape recorder and put it on the side of the television and record Rob Bass "It Takes Two," Big Daddy Kane, "Smooth Operator," and so forth and I would play and stop that tape after I wrote down every line until I could rap their verses. And once I started doing that and learning the patternizing that they were using I just started writing my own.

Are you going to hit up the Taste of Chicago this year?
Shawnna-Yes ma'am you better believe it.

When it comes time to do remixes and stuff do you ever use Chicago talent?
Shawnna-Yes. My album is full of Chicago producers. I have one big name producer I have Salaam Remi. But other than that it was just Chicago producers I got Ice Dre, Voodoo, Excell, just guys trying to get their name known in the game.

What was the inspiration behind your song "Gettin' Some?"
Shawnna-I felt like women needed an anthem. Too much drop it like it's hot bust it wide open shake it like a salt shaker and no response from the women. Whether it came from me or somebody else I just felt like we needed that.

How did you come up with the title "Block Music" for your album?
Shawnna-Cause that's what I prefer to write. That's what I prefer to do in the studio. I don't like to come with concepts and gimmicks. I just like to go with when you wake up and you hear somebody banging they speakers out their cars its usually one of their favorite CD's. I want to be that one. I want to be the CD that they put in that everyone can hear all up and down the block.

I have been following your career since like 2000 but I just found out that Buddy Guy was your father. What is it like being a daughter of a legend like that?
Shawnna-It's hot. It teaches you balance because a lot of people who grow up with celebrity parents they don't know how to treat other people so it's cool for me to be down to Earth and just kick it with people like anybody else. But they find out on their own and they are like "Damn you are Buddy Guy's daughter?" I don't use that to my advantage is what I am trying to say. It was a way for me to learn about the industry before I got into it to have someone who truly cared about me to coach me through out it rather than somebody that I didn't know.

I mention this because it is in the press release but how do you balance motherhood and hip-hop?
Shawnna-They love what I do. The day they don't appreciate it and they want me to stop I will. They love it. They love to see the video on TV and see how their friends respond.

If you had a choice what other artist would you like to work with?
Shawnna-I did so many great collaborations with Block Music I want to marinate in those. I got to work with Pharrell, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, of course Ludacris and the DTP fam. Avant , Syleena Johnson. I really took my time and I really wanted to make a classic.

I know everyone asks this question, but I am trying to please your fans and a lot of them wanted me to ask this question. What's it like working with Ludacris?
Shawnna-Let me see if I can give them something…believe it or not Luda is quiet and likes to stay hidden in the back. Now when he gets on camera and he's shaking his afro you wouldn't think that. We were just all at the radio station at Hot 97 and once we all starting going on the mic he was like "I'm outta here," and dipped out again.

I was just talking to Too Short the other day and we were having this conversation and you being a female rapper I wanted to get your take on it. Do you look at age as a factor for having a long career?
Shawnna-No. It's all about talent.

Do you ever have time to get on the Internet and see what the fans are saying?
Shawnna-Not lately. Because when I wasn't doing anything there was no reason to check but now that I am doing things there is no time to check.

What do you want to tell me about the new album?
Shawnna-Everybody kind of knows what happened with the previous release. And that I'm not going anywhere. I'm back. If everyone was feeling the single "Getting' Some," so just imagine.

I don't know what happened with the previous release but the momentum is big around this album it's almost like this is the major debut.
Shawnna-Isn't it? Yes, it's overshadowing everything else.

Do you cook and if you do what's your favorite dish to cook?
Shawnna-Yes, I do. My favorite dish to cook is a big pot of green beans and I have to cook a big pot because everybody is going to eat them. Mac& cheese, yams, maybe a pot roast, you are making me hungry.

Will you keep ties to Chicago as your career explodes?
Shawnna-Oh of course. I'm never going anywhere. I'm going to start a label in the Chi. I am going to sponsor some kiddie leagues open a few beauty salons like yeah really take it back to the crib.

Shawnna discusses cooking & Chicago

Related Links-Shawnna Official Website

Shawnna interview copyright Dorrie Williams-Wheeler, and Thabiz.com 2006
Dorrie Williams-Wheeler is the author of Be My Sorority Sister Under Pressure and the Unplanned Pregnancy Book for Teens and College Students. She is the founder of Thabiz.com and Imissthe80s.com and writes for the Rap, Teen, and 1980s section at Bellaonline.com. She is an ASCAP member as a writer and a publisher. Please contact Dorrie for advertising inquiries, lyric writing inquiries, reprint rights, paying entertainment jobs, or general comments.
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Shawnna interview may not be reprinted, copied or distribute without permission. You may link to this interview.Interview copyright Dorrie Williams-Wheeler, thabiz.com June 2006.