Get Your Buzz Up #1 Site for Unsigned/Indie/Underground Hip Hop
Check out this incredible article/interview Jack Spencer of City Pages did with Psalm One
CP: As you moved more in that kind of “unapologetically you” direction with your work, do you feel like that was not met with the same respect or understanding from the RSE camp?
PO: Absolutely, that’s pretty much my feeling. Even having this conversation is a little weird for me, because I don’t want to sound like the bitter rapper. I feel like I’ve had a great career. I feel like I could have done a lot more work with Rhymesayers, but I don’t feel I was ever given that opportunity or platform to kind of grow, spread my wings, and shine like other artists were. I don’t know if it was the gay thing.
I’ve never been really big on talking about sex period at the beginning of my career [in my] lyrics, cuz I was always about skill. I wasn’t into actually revealing those parts of my character. I definitely didn’t feel comfortable being like quote unquote “the gay rapper,” because I don’t identify with being lesbian, but it doesn’t matter. As soon as you do something gay, you’re gay [laughs]. So for me, I felt like that part of me was not expected to be talked about. I felt very uncomfortable at Rhymesayers being open about my sexuality. Brother Ali would be the only artist I actually spoke to semi-candidly about that, but you know, some of the people close to him would say things like “dyke”.
In the office, I’ve been called a “dyke,” you know what I’m saying? That word to me is offensive. You haven’t really heard me say it ever in my lyrics. I don’t refer to myself as one. So for me, as a younger rapper, that word was really offensive to me, and being called that word early in my career over at Rhymesayers, it kind of quieted me a little bit about that part of myself. Which was okay at the time, ’cause I wasn’t really trying to reveal all that anyway.
To read the entire interview click below:
‘IT’D BE NICE TO HAVE A FEW VAGINAS ONSTAGE’: PSALM ONE CALLS OUT RHYMESAYERS 20
