How I Met Madusa
In a recent article, Neila Orr, author of the New York Times Magazine article ‘The Future of Rap is Female,’ details the history and growth of female representation in music and how the market changed in recent years. This led me to speak with a local artist known as Madusa.
We met at a previous place of employment, with her happily offering me an iced tea. She went on to tell me her aspirations and her work as a female rapper. I knew she was talented the moment I heard her, and I knew the perfect person for her to get connected with.
“I want to be remembered as somebody who shows visibly, audibly, physically, spiritually, mentally—that the 360 has always been within them,” Madusa said.
Currently, she is the first lady of Las Vegas’s own battle rap company, ‘The Cookout,’ and has amassed a more in-depth representation in the Las Vegas rap scene.
Madusa’s Light Bulb Moment
When people choose to put themselves out there and showcase their talent, I’m always curious about when they realized they had talent to share. Madusa mentions reading her mother’s poetry books and adding music to the process.
“I always knew I wanted to be on stage. I knew there was talent. But at first, I thought I was gonna be a backup dancer,” Madusa said.
Dancing has cultural roots in the hip-hop community, so the path was always there, just in a different form.
“Specifically, when I went to high school and did this performance, I was in this group, and I did this performance, and there was a part. I did it to J. Cole, no role models, a cappella like a crazy Nicki Minaj-inspired vibe,” she shared. “I remember the crowd being so loud I could not even hear myself think, and I was like ‘Okay, this is it, like this is confirmation, this gotta be me.’”
The Creative Process
The ability to allow yourself space to create and show the world your talents is a tough process. You have to set your mind to it.
“When I need to be like, ‘Let me get my shit together,’ I will listen to my favorites… Right now, my favorite rapper is Lady London,” Madusa said. “My music comes from my actual experience… just having moments with family or friends… I get revelations everywhere.”
Some hip-hop enthusiasts would say that in-depth lyrics have taken a back seat in the recent era of rap. It often feels like substance is missing in heavily rotated music.
“I don’t want to dumb down anything. I want people to understand where I’m coming from and go from there because I’m very big on that,” Madusa said.
Conversations surrounding the importance of being the sole writer for your lyrics have definitely changed over time. You can find many basement debates on the importance of writing your lyrics, and opinions vary. Madusa prides herself on writing her own bars and wants her fans to know that when you hear her, those words express her own experiences.
“If I said it, I wrote it—like one bazillion percent, give me my credit. As a rapper… when you catch a bar, that was me. I need all the credit for that… It’s genuinely a natural gift,” she said.
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Identity Politics
Overlooked Heroes performance
Hip-hop at its roots is Black and has allowed Black people to express themselves and their stories. The genre welcomed other races, but at a very high price to prove yourself. How you enter the realm is indicative of your respect amongst fans and peers. Madusa shared her perspective about her identity as a white presenting, queer female, as well as where she stands mentally with so many strikes against her.
“You’re stepping into other folks’ domain… rap was created off other people’s experiences, predominantly Black or Hispanic,” Madusa explained. “You’re stepping into someone else’s house, so respect has to be earned.”
Her respect for the culture is why she takes writing and putting her best foot forward so seriously. “I always want the people to hold me accountable, like I always wanna learn. I always wanna know what’s going on.”
In rap music, you need an ego and a certain bravado about yourself, so it’s refreshing to hear humility from an artist.
In addition to music, Madusa also does battle-raps, another sport rich with history. To be the first female of ‘The Cookout’ hosted by Gas Station Studios came with mounting pressure – a badge she wears with honor and worked hard to earn.
She looks for challenges because men go for the typical angles when she battles them, mentioning her sexuality. A loser even smacked her on the ass amid a battle once, but don’t worry; she got the last laugh in the end.
“When I’m in a space, such as The Cookout, where I’m going against all men, I would love to go at a woman because at the end of the day, I’ve never really had that female energy that’s on stage, which I would love,” she said.
Who Madusa Does It for – THE WOMEN!
In her famous tagline, Madusa always champions women and keeps them at the forefront. She prides herself on only working with female engineers, like Tiana Shai, as it’s important for her to surround herself with women. I had to ask what words she had for her target audience.
“Do not seek validation or permission from anybody outside of you,” Madusa said. “Step into these places confidently and blaze away. As women, we’re the reason these men breathe, so it’s crazy to seek their permission.”
She highlights the works of Missy Elliott, Teyana Taylor, and Nicki Minaj as her biggest influences.
“Missy Elliott, when I listen to her, I hear confidence. She’s not worried about anybody else. Teyana Taylor does everything…you know it’s gonna be amazing. Mixtape Nicki Minaj… It made rap fun again,” Madusa said. All of those women made their mark, and where they are from is heavily represented in their music.
With Madusa being from Las Vegas, I asked about the importance of showing that in her music.
“I’m always for my city… It literally made me everything I am—the good experiences, the bad experiences,” she said. “Whenever anybody hears me, I want you to hear that city life, that vibe—but my version and my take on it.”
The Future
As an independent artist, Madusa shared her thoughts on whether she wants to be signed or remain independent. While backing would be nice to have, money will never dictate her decision in signing. Madusa made it very clear that alignment is important and that values must match before she signed her name to any dotted lines. However, she mentioned that label TDE was in her sights.
“I don’t want to sit at these long tables just to eat off other folks’ plates. By the time I come to the table, I want my own,” she stated.
It can be discouraging to upcoming artists not feeling seen, which often leads to compromising who they are for money and fame.
“Don’t be discouraged if you feel nobody’s watching you for now… Fail faster, give yourself permission to be in spaces and be confident,” Madusa said.
Whatever road Madusa chooses to go down, fans can feel confident that her decisions are based on her authenticity and with artistry intact.
“I want to be very much like a living testimony that when people see me on my shit and doing everything and when it’s all said and done and I do everything that I’ve imagined that I’m alive to be able to receive the fruits of my labor,” Madusa said. “I want people to realize they absolutely have the 360 within them, too.”
Follow Madusa on her Instagram and check out her work on her LinkTree.
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