Alyssa Michelle Stephens, best known by her stage name Miss Mulatto, became the winner of Lifetime's "The Rap Game" Season 1. The win not only earned her lifelong bragging rights, but also a prestigious record deal with producer Jermaine Dupri's label So So Def.
Mulatto is still riding high on the success, but is already working on her new single "No More Talking." Following the release of the single, the 17-year-old will focus on her EP "Broken Record Player."
Amid the busy schedule, the phenomenal rapper spoke to International Business Times, India about her journey in "The Rap Game," fellow-contestants and future projects:
International Business Times, India: How has winning "The Rap Game" changed your life?
Miss Mulatto: Winning "The Rap Game" just took everything I was doing before to a bigger scale. I was already booking shows, doing interviews, etc. But now, I'm doing interviews on huge radio stations with thousands of listeners and booking shows with thousands in the audience.
IBT: Have you made friends with any of your fellow cast members from the show? Would you like to collaborate with any of them?
Mulatto: I can't wait to do a song with Lil Niqo. We've worked together before the show, so we have a different chemistry than all the other kids. He writes as well, so I know in the studio we would vibe really good together and easily make a hit.
IBT: You met quite a few awesome rappers while on "The Rap Game." Who was your favourite?
Mulatto: Meeting Da Brat was definitely my favourite. Actually I've done a show where she was in attendance but I never got the chance to actually shake her hand until "The Rap Game." She has such a humble spirit and she's so genuine in everything she says. As a fellow female rapper, I admired her work, so seeing her in person was so good.
IBT: What was your favourite performance that you did on the show?
Mulatto: My favourite performance was the last performance we did. We got to perform our own song that we picked the beat for and wrote our own lyrics to, so I felt the energy more being that it was solely my creation.
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IBT: We know that you write the lyrics for your raps. Where do you take the inspiration for those from?
Mulatto: I actually started off as an amazing writer in school. I was often invited by the superintendent of my county to open up county meetings with a speech of my own. I also competed in writing competitions throughout the state of Georgia. I include things I learned from language arts in the lyrics to my songs. Things like metaphors and similes make my lyrics stand out amongst others and intrigue my audience.
IBT: Why is it that Supa Peach lying about writing her own lyrics upset you so much?
Mulatto: I don't really care whether or not other artists write their own lyrics. However, I do and I take pride in that so therefore I don't allow anyone to discredit me or my abilities.
IBT: What is the best advice Jermaine Dupri has given you?
Mulatto: The best advice Jermaine Dupri has given me is to work like you're always losing. I may have won the competition, but that doesn't do anything but put a larger target on my back. Everybody is gunning for my spot, so the moment I slack and take a break, some kid is out there practising and working to be better than me.
IBT: If not you, who would you want to have won "The Rap Game?"
Mulatto: If I didn't win, I would have gladly let Lil Niqo take the crown. We are the most similar in our training, talent, and abilities. I feel like he is the most well-rounded next to me. That's about the only other person I feel like was ready.
IBT: What can you tell us about your new EP "Broken Record Player?" Does it feature any raps that were inspired from your experience during "The Rap Game"?
Mulatto: My future projects always tell my story or relate to how I'm feeling at the moment. Being that there are a lot of different opinions right now as to who should've won, you can definitely look out for me proving why I did.
IBT: What qualities make your co-stars Lil Niqo, Supa Peach, Lil Poopy and Young Lyric good rappers?
Mulatto: All the kids on the show brought something different to the table. Shout out to them all.
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