The rapper, entrepreneur and TV personality Big Freedia spoke with theGrio’s Marc Lamont Hill about new music, new ventures and the passion to inspire others to follow their dreams.
Big Freedia is back and bolder than ever in the new Fuse network show “Big Freedia Means Business.” TheGrio’s Marc Lamont Hill spoke with the hardest twerking diva in the business about juggling new music, new business ventures and her passion to inspire others to follow their dreams.
The following is a transcript of that conversation.
Marc Lamont Hill: Welcome back to theGrio. It is Pride month, so we have to give the Queen of Bounce some flowers. Wherever Big Freedia goes, you know it’s going to be a good time. She’s back on our screens, and her hustle is off the charts, as usual.
From tearing up the dance floor to shaking up the business world, Big Freedia is back. The Queen Diva’s new show takes viewers along for the wild ride as she tackles new ventures in a hotel, a record label and even a cannabis line. Joining me now is the hardest twerking diva in the business, Big Freedia, the rapper, the entrepreneur, the TV personality. She’s all right here with us on theGrio. So good to see you.
Big Freedia: How are you doing? Glad to be here.
Hill: I’m great. I’m great. Talk to me about the new show.
Freedia: “Big Freedia Means Business.” You know, I am doing a new show that will, you know, display all of the different businesses that I have, the cannabis line, the hotel, the record label, the eyewear line, the makeup line, the press-on nails. I’m doing my thing right now. And I’m just so excited to get a chance for the world to see, but also to inspire young people to want to do a business and open their own business.
Hill: How did you get this hustle ethic that you have?
Freedia: Well, my mom and my stepdad. They always hustled to make sure that we had, and to survive growing up in New Orleans. And so I just … really watching the people around me just gave me the hustle that I have.
Hill: Yeah, well, I see it. And you take on so many things. You have a kind of courage and adventurousness that I really appreciate as well. How do you decide what venture you want to get into? Like you said, I’m going to do nails; I’m going to do music. I’m going to open up this, start that. How do you decide?
Freedia: Kind of all the things that relate to me. You know, I do music. I wear nails that, you know, I wear eyeshadow. So, all the things that kind of relate to me. I stay in nothing but hotels everywhere I travel at. So, I kind of want to do things that are already a part of my life and brand myself around those certain things.
Hill: That makes a lot of sense. I hear Warren Buffett, the billionaire, talk about what he invests in, and he talks about things that make sense to him, things that he uses. So, he connects his business to the things that are in his world. It sounds like you’re doing the same thing. That’s some brilliant advice. Now, your voice is a voice that so many of us know. It’s been featured in so many songs. Now you’re working with Lil Wayne. You got a new album coming out. Talk to me about what we can expect from your project.
Freedia: Oh, it’s a special project. I’m going back to me being the younger Freddie. Growing up in New Orleans and until currently now, to being big Freedia and just taking it back from old school hip-hop in New Orleans and old school bounce, you know, to bigger bounce. You know, some new sounds, some new adventures that I’m taking and just really exploring and expanding the sound of bounce music. You know, I have Faith Evans on the album. I have some, yeah, I have Kelly Price, Lil Wayne, Boyfriend, Soul Rebels. And I’m just excited about all the different collaborations. And, you know, I did a lot of the music when Covid hit, so I just was in my space where I want to do something that will keep my mind at ease. And we started making some music.
Hill: How hard is it to get somebody like Lil Wayne to do a track? Because, you know, he makes a lot of music, but he also goes underground a lot, and he don’t just make music with everybody.
Freedia: Well, you know, we both from the hometown, and this is something that we’re definitely doing for our city and for the culture, and I think it’s also allowing Lil Wayne to step up and to represent for the LGBTQ community as an ally. And he respects our community as well. So that’s my brother, and I’m very appreciative of him doing this collaboration with me.
Hill: Man, you’ve been playing in my car all weekend. My 1-year-old loves Gracie’s Corner, and I heard the “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” bounce remix. And so, we’ve been playing that all weekend. How did you get mixed up with that?
Freedia: Well, Gracie’s team reached out to me, and they wanted me to be a part of this song. And I was like, Hell yeah, I love Gracie and I love the kids. I’m already working on a kids’ book and a kids’ project, so this was perfect timing that Gracie came and wanted me to do something with her.
Hill: Oh, man. I love the song, and I love what you’re up to. If you had to choose, I know you don’t want to choose, but if you had to, you know, what would you rather be doing? Dancing, rapping or being an entrepreneur?
Freedia: I think, you know, dancing for sure, doing music. You know, it is what I love. I mean, it drives everything else. I mean, it’s just the time where I can get on stage and be free and I can connect with my audience. And we give each other energy back and forth. And there’s no more special moment than when you can hear a room or arena or, you know, any space where people are screaming and hollering your name for you to come on stage. That’s just as one of the best feelings in the world.
Hill: When did you know that this is what you want to do, that this is who you want to be?
Freedia: After Katrina. I really, you know, got in my mind, and after being displaced and trying to rebuild the culture of bounce music in New Orleans, I definitely said after Katrina that I was going full force, and that there was no looking back.
Hill: Well, you definitely haven’t looked back. You are doing so much, and you’re doing it so well that we’re just proud of you. That’s all I can say is how proud we are of you.
Freedia: Through the grace of God that’s the only way I’m able to do this.
Hill I know that’s right. What’s next for you, though?
Freedia: What’s next? I mean, bigger bounce, more music, of course. You know, working on a new project, and it may be a gospel project or it may be the kids project, one or the other. I’m working on both of those at the same time, but also to continue to work on the space for the hotel, expanding the eyewear line and the makeup line. So it’ll be the next batch of things that I’ll be doing, and I may be opening another new business. For Season Two, of “Big Freedia Means Business,” maybe three or four businesses.
Hill: Three or four. All right. So, we got to watch the show to find that out. Before we watch the show, we’re going to listen to the album.
Everybody, make sure you check out Big Freedia’s new album. It is fire. You do not want to miss it. Also, check out “Big Freedia Means Business.” It airs Wednesdays on Fuse.
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