- Kreayshawn
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Kreayshawn Birth name Natassia Gail Zolot Born September 24, 1989
San Francisco, CaliforniaOrigin Oakland, California Genres Alternative rap, Westcoast rap Occupations Rapper, Music video director Years active 2008–Present Labels Columbia Records Associated acts Lil B, White Girl Mob, OFWGKTA Website http://www.kreayshawn.com Natassia Gail Zolot, known by her stage name Kreayshawn, (born September 24, 1989[1]) is an American rapper and music video director.
Contents
Early life
Natassia Gail Zolot was born in San Francisco and moved to Oakland, California when she was 10 years old. She is a third-generation Russian-American,[2] and the daughter of Elka Zolot, a former member of the San Francisco garage punk band The Trashwomen.[3] Zolot got her first video camera when she was ten years old, and started documenting her raps at a young age.[4] When she was fifteen years old, her mother moved to Canada, leaving Zolot in Oakland. She lived with her grandfather briefly, until he moved to Los Angeles, leaving Zolot alone. She dropped out of high school shortly thereafter, and spent several years living with friends. She moved into her own place when she was seventeen years old, and eventually began further exploring her interest in cinematography by shooting videos of friends and later music videos for local rappers such as Lil BDB Tha General.[5] Her videos caught the attention of dean Patrick Kriwanekhe, and Zolot attended Berkeley Digital Film Institute with a full scholarship for two semesters.[6] She then moved to Los Angeles to pursue her music video career.[7]
Music career
In 2010, Kreayshawn released her first mixtape, Kittys x Choppas,[8] as well as her first music video for the single Bumpin Bumpin. In May 2011, she released a music video for her single Gucci Gucci, which earned her new attention from the media due to its sudden popularity. The Gucci Gucci video generated nearly three million YouTube views in the first three weeks,[9] and Kreayshawn was quickly signed to Columbia Records.[10] In September 2011, Kreayshawn was nominated for the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, and hosted the Red Carpet event before the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.[11][12]
Collaborations
Kreayshawn performs as part of the White Girl Mob with friends,[13] rapper Vanessa "V-Nasty" Reece [14] and model/DJ Jordan "Lil Debbie" Capozzi, who she refers to as her sisters.
Directing career
In 2011, Zolot's management was contacted by the label representing the Red Hot Chili Peppers about directing a music video[15] for the band's single, "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" (from the album, I'm with You).[16] However, the band later opted to re-shoot the video and did not go with Kreayshawn's version.[17]
Controversy
Critics of Kreayshawn's music cite cultural appropriation and "exploitation of black culture".[18] West Coast rapper Game released a diss track "Uncle Otis" where he criticized Kreayshawn for her alleged use of the word 'nigga' when paraphrasing a DMX quote.[19] Zolot sparked more controversy during a televised freestyle, wherein she insulted rapper Rick Ross, calling him "fake". She later retracted her statements and described it as a misunderstanding[20], but she began insulting him again a few days later on her UStream account, by making negative remarks about his body weight, calling him "fake" and stating that "he can't rap."[21] These remarks eventually led to an altercation[22] between Kreayshawn's manager and Rick Ross' entourage during the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. The same night, while Zolot was attending the awards ceremony, her Twitter account was compromised by an anonymous hacktivist group[23] who posted nude photos of Zolot.[24] She claimed the photos were taken when she was underage,[25] and they were removed from most websites.[26]
Discography
Mixtapes
- 2010: Kreayshawn x DJ Woogie - Kittys X Choppas
- 2011: Kreayshawn x NatoVatoTaco - Kreayshawn X The Bay (featuring V-Nasty)
Singles
Year Song Chart positions Album US US
R&BUS
RapUK UK
R&B2010 "Bumpin Bumpin" — — — — — Kittys x Choppas 2011 "Gucci Gucci" 57 62 18 77 22 Life With Loopy "Keep It Craccin'"
(featuring V-Nasty & Snoop Dogg)[27]TBR TBR TBR TBR TBR Music video filmography
- "Fuchsia Glaze" - Ka'ra Kersey
- "I do my own thing" - Dread
- "Ride by" - The Brother-hood
- "Like a Martian" - Lil B
- "They Can Tell" - The Brother-hood feat. YP
- "So Many" - Krisstaxx feat. Novaboy
- "Insane" - Lil B
- "We Eatin'" - Novaboy
- "Based World 1989" - Lil B
- "Guilty by Association" - D.B. Tha General
- "Best of Me" - Krisstaxx feat. Young Eez
- "I Like You Like You." - BEME
References
- ^ "California Birth Index, 1905–1995". Center for Health Statistics. California Department of Health Services. http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/39461.
- ^ Kreayshawn: “There Are, Like, Times When It Sucks Being White”. Colorlines (2011-08-03). Retrieved on 2011-09-05.
- ^ Hutchins, Andy. (2011-05-27) Beyond Kreayshawn: The Women In Hip-Hop Who The Internet Should Freak Out About Next – New York Music – Sound of the City. Blogs.villagevoice.com. Retrieved on 2011-09-05.
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/story/2011-09-30/kreayshawn-on-the-verge/50609968/1
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/oct/01/kreayshawn-gucci-white-girl-mob
- ^ http://www.complex.com/music/2011/05/who-is-kreayshawn/directing
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/story/2011-09-30/kreayshawn-on-the-verge/50609968/1
- ^ Interview with "Gucci Gucci" Rapper Kreayshawn: Music. GQ. Retrieved on 2011-09-05.
- ^ http://www.theroot.com/views/kreayshawn-myth
- ^ Rapper Kreayshawn Inks Deal With Columbia Records. rapfix.mtv.com
- ^ MTV Talent Charms Kreayshawn On The VMA Black Carpet » MTV Remote Control Blog. Remotecontrol.mtv.com (2011-08-28). Retrieved on 2011-09-05.
- ^ Kelly Rowland | Video. MTV. Retrieved on 2011-09-05.
- ^ http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/the-kreayshawn-myth/Content?oid=2862409
- ^ http://www.laweekly.com/2011-11-10/music/v-nasty-as-she-wants-to-be/
- ^ Red Hot Chili Peppers Video 'Crazier' With Kreayshawn Calling Shots – Music, Celebrity, Artist News. MTV (2011-06-30). Retrieved on 2011-08-18.
- ^ Red Hot Chili Peppers' New Video To Be Directed By ... Kreayshawn? – Music, Celebrity, Artist News. MTV (2011-06-23). Retrieved on 2011-08-18.
- ^ Video Sneak Peek: Red Hot Chili Peppers, 'The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie' » MTV Buzzworthy Blog. Buzzworthy.mtv.com. Retrieved on 2011-08-18.
- ^ Viera, [Bene Viera]. "Kreayshawn: Another Case of Appropriating Black Culture". Sutton New Media LLC. http://clutchmagonline.com/2011/06/kreayshawn-another-case-of-appropriating-black-culture/. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- ^ Langhorne, Cyrus. "Game Defends 'White B*tch' Kreayshawn Diss". 4CONTROL Media, Inc.. http://www.sohh.com/2011/07/game_defends_white_btch_kreayshawn_diss.html. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- ^ "Kreayshawn Didn't 'Intentionally' Dis Rick Ross". MTV.com. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669304/kreayshawn-rick-ross-didnt-dis.jhtml.
- ^ "Kreayshawn Caught Dissing Rick Ross Again". BET.com. http://www.bet.com/news/music/2011/08/22/kreayshawn-caught-dissing-rick-ross-again.html.
- ^ Rick Ross and Kreayshawn Verbally Spar at the VMAs. PopCrush. Retrieved on 2011-09-05.
- ^ http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/08/hollywood_leaks_nude_photos.php
- ^ Maeby, Liana. (2011-08-31) Kreayshawn Claims She Was Underage in Leaked Nude Photos. Crushable. Retrieved on 2011-09-05.
- ^ Kreayshawn. Kreayshawn.tumblr.com. Retrieved on 2011-09-05.
- ^ http://perezhilton.com/2011-08-29-kreayshawn-topless-pictures
- ^ Previews "Keep It Craccin'"
External links
Categories:- 1989 births
- Living people
- American music video directors
- American rappers
- Female rappers
- American people of Russian descent
- American musicians of Russian descent
- Rappers from the San Francisco Bay Area
- American female singers
- Pseudonymous rappers
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