Check out Diamond’s throwback interview below with True Magazine.
-Tell me, when did this love for music transpire?
I would say maybe at age seven I believe. My mother played the piano in church. That was like her job as a teen. My father was a dj. So I’ve always been around them playing music and music has always been in our home which was very influential. But poetry initially sparked my attention for music. My love for poetry eventually turned into rap.
-Who were some of your musical influences?
I was more of an Rnb kid. Hip-Hop wise I liked Master P and the whole No Limit but Escape, Swv, Da Brat, Outkast, Kilo, Pac, Biggie. A lot of Salt-n-Pepper. Yeah just a wide variety of music genres that I like.
-How did you get casted for “Sisterhood of Hip-Hop?” Were you actively looking or did they present you with the opportunity?
I’ve been presented a couple television opportunities but I didn’t see how it fit with my plan. I kind of couldn’t really explain it. Like when something just doesn’t feel right with you, you have to go with your gut feeling. Me even following that gut feeling I been really good friends with Tiny and Tip. You know Atlanta is a really small community as far as the industry and entertainment and she (Tiny) knew that other opportunities weren’t fit for Brittany as a person and Diamond as a brand where I was trying to take my career. So when she brought the opportunity to me with Oxygen to do the show she ensured me that this would balance who I am as a person. I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to redeem myself and really show the people who I am as a person and if done right I can show what I already have going on as an artist and still be myself. It would really have a great outcome. God is good because it really turned out the way that she said it would.
-Has being on the show changed your life?
Yeah I mean I felt like my fans that were already my fans got the chance to see who I am as a person. Season two I feel like you will really get the chance. I’m more open. I’m more vulnerable. I was kind of guarded season one because just growing up as a childhood star and being judged and criticized so much I felt like Brittany was the only person I had that regardless of what they thought about Diamond I could still be Brittany in private. I could be myself and not be judged but after seeing season one and the response from the streets and the kids seeing some things that could necessarily be the worse day of my life and seeing how I handled that and still overcame obstacles or any other thing I could overcome. They saw that and used it as a tool to keep going. That’s when I knew it was bigger than me and whatever issues or whatever I had going on in my life it was more about being there for the fans and the young generation and changing lives. So this season you’ll get a chance to see me working more with the band-I have an all-girl band and a female dj. It’s called Girl Code. You’ll get a chance to see us work and you’ll get a chance to see how life is. No matter what you do. You can be the nicest person in the world and you can try to save up enough money or try to get the right connections with people and try to do everything right by the book but you will be faced with challenges and obstacles but how you overcome them is what makes you the person that you are. I just took all of that and I took strength. I took vulnerability. I showed me being in a relationship with a new guy and giving that a chance because I was in a place where I was cool with being with myself. Kind of coming out of the angry black female stage. Like I’ll be with myself as long as I know I’m not settling. Having myself so in love again and knowing that every man is not the same and I feel like even in that aspect a lot of women can relate to that because of past relationships. We block our blessings because we think that every guy is one way and not know that you could be pushing and running a person off when you take that baggage with you. It’s so many different ways to look at how inspirational the show is not just with me and my obstacles. You see how me and the other cast members are coming together and other mentors coming to mentor us. It’s so powerful. I’m just thankful for the opportunity to be able to do it again.
-If you had a chance to work with any artist or producer in the industry who would it be and why?
Right now I want to work with Travis Scott. Even with me and my live band I’ve learned my voice was an instrument learning I can sing. Really we all can. We just have to train our voice. It’s all about being comfortable to let go and just going down that path but I just respect how opposite he takes Hip-Hop. He mixes it with his world. It’s still Hip-Hop but it’s in his world. You can appreciate the live instrumentation in his records and that kind of puts you in the mind frame of Kanye and why we love his music so much. Producer wise I would love to work with Dr. Dre. Let him pick my brain. I pick his brain. We create some crazy sh*t.
-What would 16 year old Diamond tell Diamond today?
16-year-old Diamond? Hmmm, hmm, hmm, hmm. Well as a business woman I take every business meeting you know if it makes sense. I’m comfortable enough to walk in a meeting as I am to walk away from if it. A lot of women or 16/17-year-olds don’t have that mind frame. It’s always pros and cons in everything. Always have an open mind. So think first before she (Diamond) even acts because I was real, real hotheaded than what I am now. To be more forgiving. I’m very sensitive, but I’m a Taurus. I’m bullheaded. I’ll let you win. I’ll let you get away with it but once I’m fed up I ain’t tryna hear that no more. That’s not what life is about. Don’t be imprisoned because of your heart. That could be because of a boyfriend, family, or whatever. Those are three things that I would tell myself at 16 or any young girl.
-What are your thoughts on female lyricist today?
I think as of right now it’s still dope. I think that working more together makes a better impact. Even if we don’t like each other. It’s not about us. It’s not about you and how you feel. It’s not about me and how I feel. So what? At the end of the day it’s gonna be my fans, her fans, and her fans. It’s for a better cause. They (fans or upcoming artists) are lost right now. They need us. They don’t have the same people we had. The MC Lyte’s. The Queen Latifah’s. It’s crazy now. They need guidance and that’s what it’s about. At the end of the day I realized being a woman now is about saving a life. It could be someone your age, a kid, an elder. That’s what it’s about saving lives at the end of the day.
-In one word, describe your style.
Unapologetic. That’s how you have to be. Be who you are because no one is going to follow anyone that’s unsure of themselves. Let’s have our own businesses. Let’s be our own bosses and work for ourselves. Even though all people aren’t leaders. Some people are followers but even the followers feel good about themselves knowing they’re working towards something.
-What can we look forward to for Diamond in 2015?
Oh my gosh. In 2015 you can look forward to Brittany and Brittany is who my family and who my friends know. I’m still doing music. You can expect a new EP. You can expect more music videos. More print work. A clothing line. I have that as well. You will see more performances with my girl band. That’s like my ultimate dream for the world to see. You guys will feel at home-a real live show. Me performing with my girl band and us walking that walk, not just talking that talk and showing how together we can take over the world.
-If a young woman approached you and said she wanted to be a singer or rapper, what advice would you give her?
I would tell her first and foremost to know that it’s 90 percent business, 10 percent the entertainment. You’re only as good as your team. You can be the only person on your team but you’re the only person that’s gonna go hard for you. If you got loyal family members you can trust keep your family close. Be strong. Be firm. Don’t go into situations knowing that you could be tested and be sure that whatever room you walk out of, you demand respect. People will be like “Oh you not doing this track with me” or “Oh you not sleeping with me so you can’t get on this track.” You gotta make sure you’re at a place where respect is earned and gained by you and that you also treat people the way you want to be treated.
-Anything you want to add or say?
I just want to thank them so much. I know it’s been a long journey. We had a lot of ups and downs. I just want to thank them for being there and supporting me. I would be nothing without them and I will always continue to keep it turnt. Let’s get it!
Interviewed by: Simone Grant
