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What's good? I'm good. I can't complain. People are just starting to get familiar with you, what can you tell them about Jha Jha? Jha Jha is real diverse. She do what she wants to do. I don't want to be boxed into any category. How did you get down with Dip Set? Actually, it was a coincidence. I've been rapping since I was 8 years old and I wanted a deal since I was 18. I was in FAMU and I was like, "damn, I ain't getting no younger." So I put my album together, bought a plane ticket, and flew to New York. When I got there I met Juelz and Cam's manager, who introduced me to Juelz and Killa. What do you bring to the Dip Set? I bring diversity to the Diplomats. First off, I'm from Miami, so that's a whole different sound, period. And me being a female, I represent for the ladies. I bring a whole 'nother audience for the Diplomats. How does being from Miami influence your music? Miami likes to dance a lot, and I like to dance a lot. But I'm not in Miami anymore, I'm an international rapper. Who have you learned the most from so far? I think people like Missy Elliot, she is a big influence in my career. People like Usher, Jermaine Dupri, P. Diddy, Jimmy, and Cam. People who know how to make something out of nothing and aren't afraid to take chances are people I watch. What made you want to get down with the Diplomats? That's who took me in and who embraced me at first. And it wasn't that easy. I had to prove myself. I had to write for a year straight before they even said I was a part of the Diplomats. Killa and Jimmy are businessmen, so they wanted me to work. It's 12 times harder for a female in any group to get on, because some of the previous females have made it hard for new females trying to get in the industry now, because they're mind don't be right. I had to work my ass off and write harder. Every song that I wrote had to be hot, and I just had to have real tough skin being in the Diplomats. And they saw how I carried myself and that I was real professional. What made you want to go to Diplomats instead of anyone else? They showed me love. And I'm still not signed to a major label. But they embraced me and I thought if they'd take a chance on me, I'd take a chance on them. Like I said, I'm from Miami and it's real political down there. It was really hard to get on down there, so I was like "forget it, I'm going to go to New York." I didn't know anybody but I knew I was hot. I had a dollar and a dream. With Jim Jones at Sony, is it a possibility that you may go there? Everything is a possibility. As long as the paperwork is right, then it's a possibility. But I'm not a naïve individual. I'm 21 years old, but I think like a 30 year old. I had a 3.8 GPA in college and my major was Business Administration and Computer Information Systems. I'm not naïve when it comes to business. Whoever's paperwork is right is a possibility. Do you feel like you have to wait in line being a Diplomat? No. My thing is this, I'm a hustler. When it's my time, it's my time. If somebody is a superstar, you can't stop them from being a superstar. I was born a superstar. Have you seen the "Whatchu Been Drankin' On" video? Yeah, I saw it online. Yeah. See, I'm a superstar already. You can't stop me. I do what I want to do. If I feel like I'm ready to come out now, I'm going to prove that I'm ready to come out now. What do you think people expect from a female Diplomat? You don't know what to expect because I'm not from Harlem, I'm from Miami. But people are going to want to hear it because it's a whole different vibe. Do the guys look at you differently because you're a female? Not anymore. I proved myself and I carried myself with respect. In every interview I did, I was hot. In every TV interview, I was hot. In every video, I was hot, and they approached me like they would approach anyone else. I don't get any favoritism. Who have you worked the most with so far? Juelz and Jimmy. I was with Jimmy when he was making his new album. I wrote the intro. I wrote "Whatchu Been Drankin' On," and I was with him during the whole process of making his album. What about your album? My album is done. I try to write a song a day. My album should be released in February or March, depending on how my hype is. Do you see yourself in competition with other female MC's? There's not really no competition right now to be honest with you. My thing is this, I'm not a hater. I want other females to give me competition because right now I don't have any. It's a sure thing. I encourage women to rap and be in the entertainment industry period. I'm not just a rapper, I'm an entertainer. I do it all. How important has the Jim Jones video been to your career? It's important because I wrote the song and it's a big accomplishment with Diddy and Paul Wall being on it. New artists don't usually get that break. It was an MTV World Premiere. And it lets the world see what type of artist I am. What do you want people to take away from your music? I just want them to be like "that girl has talent." I don't want to be boxed in or have people expect me to rap one way, because it's not going to happen. I'm an entertainer, I do it all. Do you see yourself as a role model to young girls? Yeah, I do actually. And I encourage people to go to school and all that type of stuff. I know a lot of females used to be strippers, and I'm not taking anything away from them because you play the cards that you're dealt. However I want kids to see that you can be intelligent and you can carry yourself like a lady and still succeed in the industry and still be a powerful individual. What's coming up for you? You can see the video "Whatchu Been Drankin' On." I'm also about to release my next song "Eye Candy." I'm about to flood the market. Now that people are getting familiar with me, I'm not letting up.

By Brian Kayser

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