In 1996 the determined young artist with a hunger for the stage was in the midst of deciding how much she really wanted to rap. With confidence on her side, the MC called Ticket Master to find out if her newly formed duo, Infamous Syndicate (IS), could open up for a Junior M.A.F.I.A. tour that was coming to Chicago. It just so happens that there was no show opener yet. So with their demo tape as help, Infamous Syndicate landed the gig and as Shawnna says, “That was it!” The next thing the girls knew, they were being booked to open shows, creating quite a buzz for themselves, even touring with the Lyricist Lounge. Labels soon started checking for IS and in 1997 the duo signed a deal with Relativity Records, a deal Shawnna signed while pregnant with her first child. But after two years on the label and disappointing sales on their 1999 self-titled debut album, Relativity was swallowed-up by Loud Records who chose not to resign the Syndicate. Fortunately, the feisty rapper had created quite a few fans including Def Jam South Vice Pres and DTP executive Chaka Zulu and the label’s multi-platinum selling Mouf-of-the-South Ludacris. “She blew me away when I first saw her rap,” Chaka sums up of the attraction to Shawnna. Hooking up with her beloved DTP wasn’t Shawnna’s main big break. She had to work to show her desire to be part of the budding click. “I’m a studio rat. I love being there and that’s where I stayed,” she explains. Major opportunities really came knocking when Luda told Shawnna he wanted her to spit on his single “What’s Your Fantasy” off his first album Back For the First Time. “To ‘Chris I was like, ‘I’m so excited,” she reminiscences. “’You probably can’t hear it in my voice because I’ve been working like crazy for three days but I need this.’” “What’s Your Fantasy” was a smash hit and heads started checking for the cutie on the song’s hook. Shawnna’s deal with DTP, which she signed while pregnant with her second child and her small appearance on “What’s Your Fantasy” along with her Infamous Syndicate days, etched out a growing spot for the female lyricist who’s had to juggle her career and motherhood simultaneously, a feat that is actually new to the female rap world. When DTP released their group album Golden Grain, Shawnna’s spot swelled a bit bigger. She was prominently featured on the first single “Growing Pains.” And now with two group albums under her belt, it’s time for the spotlight to shine on Shawnna. Her solo debut Worth tha Weight promises to bring more depth than just the average rhymes of Burberry, Prada and sleeping around. “I want my music to be an outlet for women who have children; who feel like they cannot reach their goals and reach their dreams,” Shawnna promises. “I want people to understand and feel what I am saying.” And rap fans will with tracks like her first single “Shake Dat Sh*t produced by Timbaland Featuring Ludacris. Other tracks include “Super Freak” which showcases Shawnna’s sexy yet playful side, while her remake of MC Lyte’s “Kick This for My City” proves the she has the utmost respect for hip-hop’s history. The show stopper “R.P.M.” proves that not just men can flow like ‘Twista’ while many other tracks boast strong guest appearances from artists such as Ludacris, Missy Elliott, Jermaine Dupri, and others. Is Shawnna ready for the challenge of taking on hip-hop? She knows it’s hard to gain that acceptance and prove yourself to hungry heads, but the 1 st Lady of DTP is not concerned. “Hip-hop is a job. It’s always an expression for our generation so that’s why I’ve chosen it. It’s the real thing. And I know I can do it and do it well.” http://www.defjam.com/defjamsouth/shawnna |