It's 4:30 am in Manhattan on a cold November night. Genesis Be, producer and rapper, is in the studio running frantically to and from the recording room to the console, recording herself. "I have about four hours left" Genesis Be states as she grins at me. "Four hours of studio time?" I ask. After finishing a sip of espresso she replies, "No, four hours until class starts."
Coming from an artist who just released a video for a single called, ìNo Sleepî her response does not surprise me. Dressed in a form fitting dress shirt and vest, Genesis Be looks more like a business manager rather than an aspiring rapper as she playfully slides around in the chair in front of the SSL Studio Console. She has a childlike demeanor yet speaks with such conviction and intensity that I cannot help but surrender my full attention. Sipping Starbucks in the dimly lit studio at The Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music, Genesis shares her story of pain, resilience, ambition and vindication.
At age 22, Genesis Be has just completed her fourth studio album titled The Manhattan Project. Utilizing what she has learned at New York Universityís prestigious Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music, Genesis took on the role of executive producer, writer, engineer, mixer and mastering engineer of the project. When asked about the difficulties of being a full time double major student and an independent performer Genesis Be says, ìcompared to what Iíve had to handle in my past, this time of my life is the easy part. Itís the perfect opportunity to prove my ability and show that this isnít a game to me. This struggle is a blessing for me.î
On August 29th 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast and devastated Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. "It flooded my whole block, my city was destroyed. My fan base was gone and I couldnít fill the void." Genesis raps in a new song called Cold Eyes. Genesis Be had just graduated High School and was finishing up her 2nd album 18 In America. The album brought forth a single called ìFema Check.î After being handed to the program director of the independent radio station, WJZD, the record was put into rotation and created a buzz in Biloxi that soon rippled through Mississippi Gulf Coast. It wasnít long before radio stations in Mobile, AL, New Orleans, LA, and Pensacola, FL were playing ìFema Check.î In an article published in The Sun Herald, Genesis states, "My family and I witnessed first hand, the wrath and destruction brought about by Katrina. After the storm, everyoneís was feeling down and we just wanted to lift the spirits of our peers. We combined the reality of the situation, with a satirical, almost comical perspective. The fact that something so positive can generate from such a somber situation is truly a miracle if you ask me. "
She recently founded Open Sky Artwork (O.S.A), an artist management, promotion and distribution company that caters to all types of artists including but not limited to poets, musicians, composers, performers, painters and writers. The young entrepreneur hopes to bring more attention to artists from the Gulf Coast Region and New York by providing productions services, online promotion and show bookings. She currently manages nine other artists and oversees a team of four administrators. Whether protesting in the streets, making hits in the studio, running her production company or rocking the stage, Genesis Be is making moves in the right direction. At a young age, Genesis has conquered a wide range accomplishments and she isnít slowing down. Only time will tell what impact the young lyricist will have on the music industry, what impact this young activist will have on the World. When asked what her plans for the future are, Genesis reflects for a few second and says with a huge smile, ìI just want to make my family proudÖ my ancestors too. I know they are watching over me, and I want to give them a great show!î
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