By Hard KnockXL: I'm XL, it stands for Xplicit Lyric. (I was) born and raised in Detroit City. I am signed to Katt Williams' KattPack/Universal. I'm a down to earth city girl with a god given talent and a well developed passion for rap.
SM: What was a day in the life of Jenise Morris like before the world knew you as Xplicit Lyric?
XL: Man, Jenise Morris still exists! Prior to the deal I was a hard working individual and right now hard work still pertains to me. I worked a full time job sometimes 11 or 12 hours a day and still found time to perform at least 4 times a week. My performance schedule was hectic but I loved it. If I wasn't performing I was in the studio. I have over 150 songs recorded. I would go to work from 10am to 10pm with a 45 minute drive each way. I'd leave work and head straight to the studio or to my performance, or I would literally be in the studio until the sun came up. I'd go home to change, and then head back to work to do it all over again. I would get a hour nap on my lunch break at work and periodically sleep at work when I had no work to do. My body would shut down occasionally and I'd crash hard on my off day. It's still like that now. I get a few hours of sleep and it's back to work. I'm a grinder. It's all I know.
SM: Your hailed as the leading female emcee in your hometown of Detroit. How does it feel to get that love from the city you grew up in?
XL: It feels great to know that Detroit is behind me. Growing up in Detroit you learn early that a lot of people have the "crab in a bucket" mentality. That's when they feel like they have to pull each other down in order to get up, but what they don't realize is that with that mentality you also become one who gets pulled down. It's hard to get love from your hometown when you're an artist, due to people feeling like they know you personally. Even those people who have never met you feel as though they know you because some of their friends may know you or know of you so then it starts to feel like hey yeah she doing it but so what. So to know that I get so much love in Detroit is a wonderful feeling. It makes me feel like I'm doing something right, as if I'm not rubbing people the wrong way, and the decisions that I'm making are beneficial to our growth as a unit in Detroit.SM: Who are some of the influences that inspired you to want to become an emcee?
XL: I can go on forever with influences! LOL! First I have to say my brother because if it were not for him I would have never started rapping. My brother used to rhyme back in the day. He's never taken it serious enough to pursue it but he helped me develop a passion for it. He would write rhymes in a notebook and I would sneak into his room when he wasn't home and read his rhymes. He and his friends would have these mini ciphers in the basement and I would jokingly join in and freestyle with them, then one day it hit them that I could REALLY rap. I've been rapping since I was 11. Other industry influences would include MC Lyte, TuPac, Biggie, Jay-Z, Eminem, Big L, Slick Rick, Nas, Eve, Da Brat, DJ Quik, and Scarface. (You got a few of my favorites in there!)
SM: Your officially signed to Katt Pack/Universal. How did that all go down?XL: You know how some people have that extraordinary story about how they got signed? Well, my story is pretty simple! (lol) My homegirl moved from Detroit out to LA and got a job working for Katt as one of his assistants. She would listen to my music all the time, he heard my music and inquired who it was. She put in a good word and he had her call me. He called me on a Saturday evening and flew me out to LA the next morning. We sat down, met, and came to an agreement. We took it from there. You never know who will hear your music and at what time, the fact that his assistant was not only my friend but also a fan was a definite blessing.
SM: I know you did over 100 shows on tour with Katt Williams. Very few established artist do 100 shows a year not to mention emerging artists. How did it feel to get that opportunity?
XL: Opportunity is a understated word. This was a BLESSING! I've performed on some of the same stages that LEGENDS have performed on. I've performed in stadiums and in front of crowds of 15,000 plus! This was not just an opportunity because it by far exceeds the limitations of the word! I'm most grateful for this blessing because we did 107 cities and most of the time 2 or 3 SOLD OUT shows in each city and I got love in every city. To be in front of so many different ethnicities people who had no idea who I was and receive so much love was a indescribable feeling. My label mate Klutch was also on the tour and that made it a much better experience because I wasn't the only rap act, we both shut it down every night. Not to mention we had so much fun during the entire tour.
SM: On your song “Industry Makeover” you say your what the games been missing. What sets you apart from other emcees?
XL: WOW! Lets see how do I answer this without sounding arrogant? LOL!!! Well, one thing I've noticed with some female emcees is that they are "made to order". When I say that I mean someone told them they we
re cute and could get away with being an artist because they have a "look". Me on the other hand, no one ever convinced me to write rhymes it happened naturally. No one wrote lyrics for me and got me in the studio to spit what they wrote. I had to find my own way. Everything you hear me rap I wrote. I actually have a PASSION for music so I've take the time to perfect my craft. The game is wide open right now for a female emcee to come in and set it off. I speak with purpose. I make some commercial music but as a artist you have to know that giving the people what they want and staying with the times is a must. I think what sets me apart from other emcees is I know where that fine line is that separates a artists with substance from a totally commercial artist and I am able to walk it confidently without crossing over.SM: Hip-hop has not been an easy genre for female emcees to dominate. What do you think it’s going to take before we see the first female Jay-Z?
XL: Ha Ha, it's gonna take me silly! LOL!!! No, I'm just kidding. I think it's gonna take a female who can come in with a sense of pride about herself and be everything that the game is looking for. I hate to say it but the game is so commercial now that the female Jay-Z can't make an entrance like Jay did with Reasonable Doubt. That's too much for the new generation of music listeners. She's gonna have to be a total package. She's gonna have to be able to draw in the men listeners by being able to hang with the guys who are on top at the moment but also be able to give the ladies something to relate to. See as a female artist you'll find that you have to prove yourself to men because they want to hear if you can SPIT. Whereas women on the other hand want music they can relate to, the kind of music that hits home and makes you think about your own situation. The female Jay-Z is going to have to be able to balance that difference between men and women, and will have to be able to attract the teeny bopper crowd as well.SM: What can we expect from Xplicit Lyric in the near future? When can we expect and album?
XL: In the near future you can Xpect for XL to become a household name. I'm currently working on putting out a double project with my label mate Klutch Tha GameShifta. It's gonna be a two for one deal. If you buy my mixtape you'll get his for free. We're thinking of innovative ways to cross promote. I'm also working on my album right now and getting all the legalities worked out. We haven't set an official release date but we're moving forward and in the right direction so it's definitely coming soon.
SM: What are XL’s plans for the future? What comes after rap?
XL: I'm a goal achiever. I wont say dreamer because dreams are for sleepers I set goals and put plans in motion to achieve them. I have so many talents besides rapping. I plan to set goals with some of my many other talents as well. So after rap there will still be entertainment for me, but possibly other forms of it.
SM: Give me your Top 5 Greatest Emcees dead or alive?XL: 1. Eminem 2. Tupac 3. Jay-Z 4. Nas 5. Biggie (That's a pretty ill list!)
SM: Where can the readers of S.T.I.L.L. and the fans go to keep up with Xplicit Lyric?
XL: You can find me on twitter I'm @XplicitLyric
http://www.twitter.com/xplicitlyric
You can definitely check me out on Myspace like every other artist! LOL!!! http://www.myspace.com/xplicitlyric And also for any booking/beat submissions/inquiries you can email me at xplicitsubmissions@gmail.com and either myself or someone from my team will respond.