Bbymutha, "Gun Kontrol" 2024
Special Artist Spotlight: In Conversation with Bbymutha (Part 1/2)
For this first Special Artist Spotlight, I had the pleasure to sit down with Chattanooga, TN’s very own Bbymutha to discuss the evolution of her sound, the industry, and the future of hip hop.
“So,” I begin, “Who is Bbymutha?”
The rapper giggles, “hmm, I don’t know…I guess I’m a rapper, and a mother, and a artist in general-”
“and a girlfriend too” her boyfriend and fellow artist Fly Anakin chimes in from somewhere off camera.
I ask Mutha how they would define their music as an artist, and what the driving forces behind it may be. From a sonic standpoint, the rapper states that whatever beats “tickle her brain” and get stuck in her head are the ones that make the cut. Emotionally, Mutha says that she has always used music as a way to vent, and take out her frustration, stating that if she wasn’t rapping, she would be doing things like journaling instead.
The rapper also mentions the concept of vanity as a driving force behind her music. Though she is not so sure about this particular word choice, I feel like I understand exactly what she means - that “braggadocious” quality for which hip hop is adored as much as it is disparaged. I particularly connect with this point, and mention that that has been one of the overarching themes of the Underground Archives project; the idea of affirmation and manifestation as part of the vast appeal of rap music, even to audiences - especially those outside “the culture” - who may not relate to the circumstances the rappers describe, but relate to the feelings being communicated (which speaks to the power of music, but also makes cultural appropriation/extraction an ever looming threat).
It is no secret that Mutha has deep roots in the South, with Southern hip hop deeply influencing her own music. I ask her opinion on people’s tendency to homogenize the South when it comes to rap music, and if she has an issue with being defined in that way. She responds:
“Of course I’m a Southern rapper but what bothers me is when they try to box you in and say “oh you [only] make trap music”
I thought this was valid, noting that there is a certain stigma that comes with that label - “trap” music - in general. As if her catalogue would be somehow less worthy if it was all “just” trap, though the genre has been so commercialized and oversaturated, that you can understand the tendency to underwrite it.
I decide to pivot and ask the spooky rapper to tell us about some of her influences on her sound and aesthetic as an artist. She names horror movies and game soundtracks as a major inspiration, as well as horror manga like Junji Ito’s. She also adds that her kids are, of course, a major inspiration, and that they keep her “in the loop” with what’s in these days.
Mutha also names fashion as a major source of inspiration, and a key component of her identity as an artist.
“My fashion reflects my music, my music reflects my fashion”
Anyone who has seen the rapper’s music videos or social media profiles can attest to that, as the rapper is always sporting a look - a mixture of dark and boldly colored; edgy and whimsical - a lot like the rapper’s music. Mutha briefly mentions how she has picked up crocheting in recent years, and has crocheted a number of her own looks, especially for her Sleep Paralysis tour last year. She even has an online storefront for her crochet items (https://freakbastard.bigcartel.com/), though she does lament the pressure to monetize every hobby or creative pursuit she has.
“Im the person that people want around cause I make everybody feel good about theyself but nobody listens to what I have to say”
To describe the influences on the content of her music, Mutha reminisces about her childhood, and what drew her to making music in the first place. She recalls how she would always write poetry, or write in her diary, so making music felt like a natural progression of that expression - simply another outlet. Now, the seasoned rapper’s music has effectively become her diary, but there are new challenges and limitations to that mode of expression due to how public it is.
I tell her I have to bring this up even though it will make her groan
We have to take it back to (almost) where it all began - Rules (Glow Kit, 2016). Mutha’s first big hit. A mega cult classic and fan favorite. And, coincidentally, the song the rapper wishes she could just lay to rest.
Sure, the rapper was talking her shit. The iconic refrain “you can’t give your pussy to a nigga who not used to getting pussy ‘cause that pussy gon’ be everybody’s business” is still quoted by fans to this day.
Yet Mutha hates it - and for a few reasons. She is tired of being requested to perform the song, which is nearly a decade old, when she has released so much music (two full length albums and a number of EPs) since. She also describes how the song is not even close to one of her best- in fact, she personally sees it as one of her worst, “the song was literally just a rant with a hook on it.” Most of all, she resents the idea of basically being asked to “turn up to [her] trauma”
I suggest that maybe people love the song so much because it’s such a relatable message, and that listeners may reclaim their power by thinking “oh, Bbymutha went through this too, maybe I’ma be alright” to which she laughs and responds: “don’t do that because you don’t even know if I’m alright for real!”
“If you still want me to be that same bitch then you dont know whats best for me”
There is definitely much to be said about the commodification of the artist and their experiences, as well as the audience’s inability to move on. Mutha certainly agrees that a lot of fans are stuck on her older stuff, like “Rules,” and laments the tendency for fans to try and box her in where she wants to grow. She also notes that she is through talking about men and their drama in her music.
“I’m tired of talking about men, it's never nothing good to talk about them for” she giggles. Now, Mutha is much more interested in expressing vulnerability on her own terms, and choosing which songs she wants us to turn up to.
Mutha wants to continue along this trajectory, about the commodification and inevitable dehumanization of artists. She is disturbed by the idea of audiences wanting to “vibe” to artists’ real pain (TikTok trends like the dance to Kendrick Lamar’s “Money Trees” is another example that comes to mind). She describes this obsession with stuff like “sad girl music” as a type of emotion harvesting, which unfortunately comes with the expectation that the artist only makes that type of music. But where is the room for growth?
Mutha also believes stan culture and social media is partially to blame for this phenomenon, describing a sort of pressure - from the fans, but also from the labels - to have a viral moment and keep chasing or trying to recreate that moment.
So, I ask the rapper how she keeps herself grounded while dealing with all this, and how we can open up space to have this conversation with those who are willing to listen.
She laughs as she reminisces about how she used to cuss people out online when they stepped out of line, but admits that she has scaled it back to protect her peace. The rapper keeps her X (formerly Twitter) account “on lockdown” by making her account private, but Instagram is more difficult to navigate because she does not want to make that page private.
One thing that has particularly grinded the rappers gears dealing with social media is the overfamiliarity, especially pertaining to a certain B-word (“Where’s the album BITCH??!?”). She acknowledges that people like this probably just get a little too excited, but she has definitely cussed a fan or two out for it in the past.
I ask her how we can find the balance between humanizing artists but not idolizing them, to which she responds “I would love to know.”
Mutha believes she has put in her 100 hours with all the cussing people out she used to do, and at this point in her career, just prefers to focus on the love and getting to know the people who love the music instead of feeding into the hate and drama.
“I get it because I’ve done it but it aint really worth it…the fans be feeling important when you go back and forth with them, when you could just talk to me normal and feel just as important going back and forth with a regular conversation. But they know if they say some negative shit to you that that’s going to get your attention faster”
So, Mutha is much more focused on engaging with the love and choosing what’s really worth responding to. Otherwise, she will just block you and go about her day (though, she will still cuss a b*tch out if need be. Be warned!)
“People gon be people life is life it’s like high school never ends”