Not many rappers exude confidence like Queen Key. The Chicago rapper prides herself on boisterous lyrics and quirky one-liners that will have you thinking “did she just say that?” while simultaneously running the track back and bopping along in agreement.
Queen Key’s lighthearted delivery of intense sexual bars creates a balance between carnal and crass. With lines such as “I’m a spoiled ass bitch, I’ma get what I wish, If that nigga got a problem, he could suck his own dick,” her breakout song “My Way” stands as one example of a catalog full of witty raps.
Her style stands with the likes of Trina, Nicki Minaj, and Shawna. However, Queen Key needs no comparison. In fact, featured in Paper Magazine’s recent “Women In Hip Hop” feature, the rapper prefers to remind the world “There isn’t anybody like me.”
Making sure to stamp “Queen Shit Bitch” at the beginning of every track leaves her signature sound on every song. As a woman and an artist, Queen Key understands that her responsibilities now includes more than fire music. Now existing as a role model for young girls and boys in her hometown, Queen Key gives back in more ways than one.
Looking to begin a legacy beyond rap, Queen Key launched Queen Camp, a neighborhood initiative providing young women a safe space to feel beautiful and empowered. Beyond the hopeful evolution of Queen Camp, Queen Key’s 2019 includes Eat My Pussy Again (EMPA), the follow up to 2018’s Eat My Pussy (EMP).
Full of laughter, I could practically see her gleaming smile and dimples through the phone. During our conversation, Queen Key shared her motivations behind Queen Camp, details on EMPA and more.
Read the full interview below:
DeMicia: Launching Queen Camp, a camp where girls feel loved, encouraged and confident, how would something such as Queen Camp impact your childhood?
Queen Key: It would’ve literally made me how I am. I ain’t know nothing about no vision board and manifesting stuff. Wasn’t nobody in my ear…
So are those some of the reasons you were inspired to launch Queen Camp or did some other factors go into you bringing that program to Chicago?
I literally feel like it’s needed (in Chicago). I’m noticing what’s going on just with the younger girls. I know how I felt when I was younger and I know what was going on when I was younger and I know what’s going on with them. I feel like it’s kind of intensified simply because all the shit we got. All this technology, it’s just like everything is just like too much. So I kind of just want to bring everybody back in, focusing on, you know, what we really supposed to be doing.
You’ve done this Queen Camp event, have you done this more than once or just the one time? When are the next workshops?
I only did it that one time and our second Queen Camp is Friday, next week. (March 8th)
How do you want Queen Camp to grow? What are some of the long term and short goals? Would you be looking to take this to other cities outside of Chicago?
As far as my short term goals with Queen Camp, I just want it to expand for the right reasons. I don’t want nothing but to be a help from this. This is a free thing. Don’t nobody gotta pay for nothing, period. If you don’t have a ride, we got you on a ride. We got you on the food, just everything. I just want it to be an experience where it’s people just breathing easy period. So short term, I just want it to expand and I just want people to I don’t really know. I just want it to keep going, maybe that’s a long-term goal (laughter).
My long term goal would be to have a center in Chicago on some YMCA type shit like I would want an actual center and I would want it to be Queen Camp. But I also want to do something for males as well. I feel like I will have a King Camp as well. It doesn’t have to be separate it can be Queen and King Camp. I want it to start out in Chicago. I can’t put it nowhere else besides my city first. Once we get it goin’ out here hopefully we can do Queen Camp LA. I know for a fact we will be traveling but hopefully one day it will be actual centers in different cities and shit.
Dope, I think that’s important going forward with women in rap because you are role models to young girls. The confidence in your lyrics whether it’s about embracing your sexuality or not taking crap from men, all of that coincides with that.
I did see you were a part of the Paper Magazine “Women In Hip Hop” spread. It sucks you’re missing photo spread ( to travel complications) but I did read the interview. You described the creative process of EMP as super random and that lately, you haven’t been writing as much, and will just go in the booth with what you have memorized in my head. With that process, what can fans expect from EMPA?
“They’ll really see my talent and see just that I’m great as fuck.”
EMPA is literally great. This is my greatest project I’ve ever done. I feel like it’s very versatile. I got a lot of different types of music. I got music on there where I’m saying “I’m making hoes get ratchet” and I got another song where I’m saying “Muthafuckas need to thank God” ya know. It’s just a lot. It’s showing all of my different sides to me. It’s probably like 15 songs on it. So yeah, it’s just really showing a lot more of me and I feel like people will understand me better from this project. They’ll really see my talent and see just that I’m great as fuck.
“Period!” We interject simultaneously in agreement and laughter.
Okay so I listened to “Ratchett” on repeat of course, and I also checked out “Can’t Take It”. They both stay true to your signature sound, but they differ in message. “Ratchett” was really fun and turned up and “Can’t Take It” was more lyrical and raw. Going forward, is that the variety we’re going to see on the project?
That’s the vibe for sure.
On the first EMP, you worked with Dreezy, Tink, Cuban Doll, and more. Who can we expect collabs with on EMPA?
I got a song with Tokyo Jets and Kid Ken!
I also see you hopped on with a “Thotiana” remix flipping it to Eatey Petey, and also rapped over DaBaby’s “Next Song,” do you plan on hopping on any more beats?
Yeah girl, I be doing that so random. It don’t be something that’s premeditated, I just do it.
And I see with your remix, an outlet quote tweeted it, calling you better than Cardi B, to which you responded, “don’t compare me.” How do you think that the industry can grow this year without comparing female rappers and allowing everyone to succeed?
For one, us being strong and not falling into that bullshit and not even like taking that bait ‘cuz that’s all they try to do. Women won’t even have a problem with each other but people will try to make them have a problem. So as long as we stay strong I feel like it’s gon’ be all good. As long as we shut down, anytime somebody try to do that shit, just shut it down, it should be all good.
