Straight outta ATL by way of Flint, Michigan, a new femcee is emerging and her music is proof that Richie Re is more than just a pretty face. Her premiere single, “Freaky Girl”, has been making waves in the blogosphere since last year, while the twenty something’s new single, “False Alarm”, is being prepped for a visual.
The Flint native had a chance to sit down with TheSource.com during her recent visit to discuss how her music has been received thus far by fans, the hardest difficulties of being a female emcee and personally, how the Flint water crisis has affected her and her family.
TheSource.com: What are you doing here in NYC?
RR: Tonight at SOBS I have a show…my first performance in New York. New York is known for that hardcore sound and people definitely look at you to see what type of performer you are.
TheSource.com: How have people been receiving your music so far?
RR: The people have been receiving it really well. My second single, “False Alarm”, I’m not ready to push out yet, but it’s one of the main ones that’s been getting a lot of views and streams, so I’m excited to do that next.
TheSource.com: What’s been the hardest part about pushing your music as a female emcee?
RR: I’m a cute face, so when I go to certain places and people see me, the first thing they think is that I do R&B because of my look. I think the hardest thing for me right now is me being independent. I don’t have as much of a platform as a known artist would have, but that’s not going to stop me. I’m going to keep pushing…keep grinding until I get to where I need to be.
TheSource.com: Being from Flint, Michigan, has the water crisis directly affected your family?
RR: My whole family is back home in Flint , Michigan. I’m actually going back this month. Their water is still bad, They’re saying that they’re fixing the pipes, but there’s but so much they can do in a certain amount of time, so there are certain parts of the city that are getting worked on, so it’s not all being fixed at once. Some of my family members have moved outside of the city limits just to avoid it, but older people like my grandparents are stuck in their ways and they’re not moving.
TheSource.com: What made you decide that ATL was the place to be?
RR: Opportunity. I knew for a fact that Atlanta was a place of opportunity. In Flint, there’s not opportunity at all outside of businesses that were built by families. It’s not much hope in my city, but there is a lot of talent, but it’s overlooked.
TheSource.com: What do you have planned in terms of a full length album?
RR: I don’t think I’m going to put out an album anytime soon. I think I’m just going to have fun with my sound. Just to get a feel and see what the people like. I don’t want to just be known as a female rapper with the same sound.
