Mala Reignz: A Bronx Tale

I want to be accurate but I’m afraid of reinforcing gender roles by telling you that when I phone Mala Reignz, she’s cooking. However, while melding ingredients for a traditional Puerto Rican meal, she also mixed in a ton of profanity, during our chat so perhaps that balances things out? Okay, forget that; let’s say you are out, enjoying a testosterone-fueled night on the town and you see an attractive girl and you attempt to win her affections with a remarkably rancid cat-call. She, being an attractive woman, has probably heard this one a plethora of times, in her lifetime, and maybe even a few times already tonight. She’s cool-headed but decides that she doesn’t want to reject you and then deal with your sorry-ass appeal(“you sure you don’t wanna roll with a champ, mami?”) so she just knuckles you down. However, as you stare up at the oscillating parakeets in the starry Bronx-sky, this pretty 4’11 Puerto Rican girl feels a little bad about the K.O. and helps you up–maybe even fetches some ice for the quickly bloating bruise below your right-eye. You’ll leave on two feet, with one functioning eye but without seven digits.

That quasi-metaphor may just capture the ethos of self-proclaimed fem-cee Mala Reignz’s; Her delivery is fierce, her rhymes intelligent and self-aware but she’s also a sweetheart–there I go with the damn gender-roles again–but she is indeed truly sweet, in a tough way. She’s so sweet in fact that she took the time to talk with Zebra Is Food about bubble baths, Derek Jeter and of course, her beloved Bronx:

ZIF:Lately, the Bronx has been quiet, why do you think this is?

MR:Yeah, on a mainstream level they have been quiet. But on the underground its been here. I really don’t know why, maybe because Fat Joe moved to Florida and Remy got locked up but as for the underground, the Bronx has always been here.

ZIF:You used to be a slam poet, what drew you to rap?

MR:I first started writing poetry when I was a freshmen in college, life was difficult and I was going through some things. Poetry helped get shit off my mind. I would just sit and write poetry and I had no aspirations of doing rap, but I would write while listening to radio. Little did I know I was writing to the beats and essentially writing raps. Now, writing raps has become my love.

ZIF: You rep Bronx pretty hard what’s so great about the Bronx anyhow?

MR:I think NYC is NYC, wherever you’re from here, when you’re gone, you miss it. But the Bronx has a feel to it; you’d know it if you were here. When I’m here, I feel like I’m at home. In other boroughs I feel like an outsider. As far as the boroughs go, the Bronx is one of the grimiest, even Harlem is on the fashion tip now. Bronx keeps it gully.

ZIF:Does that carry over to rappers from the Bronx?

MR: Yeah, we’re grimy! When you hear Pun or Joe or Remy, you know you cant fuck with the Bronx.

ZIF:Why isn’t their beef between boroughs anymore? Don’t you think that’d help boost New York’s status?

MR: We dont need beef to raise status, New York is always gonna be here; our hip-hop is very lyrical, metaphorical, and conceptual. We’ve always held it down so we’ll be cool. We don’t need beef anymore to boost our status.

ZIF: Explain your creative process

MR:It depends; a random thought can pop into my head, other times the beat is hot, I can go from there. Some of the best times for me are while writing on the train. If im having a hard time, I take a bubble bath. Great stuff comes to me when I lock myself in the bathroom, as long as I don’t fall asleep or get my Sidekick wet, I’m cool.

ZIF:What’s the word on the album?

MR: I’m working on an album right now, I have a single but I’m waiting for the end of a bidding war with the labels. As far as producers, big dudes! buts its under wraps but big dudes!

ZIF: What’s the biggest rap purchase you’ve made thus far?

MR: Like a a car or a mansion? nah, I’m playing it safe, I’ll be reinvesting my money back into myself and into the promo of the album!

ZIF: Do female rappers have groupies?

Yeah, they do, even if they don’t want to admit it, it’s the same thing as with the guys. But, they’re a little more careful then the men are.

ZIF: Dream posse cut?

MR: Wow that’s tough! Jay-Z…man, that’s hard… I love T.I. and Jadakiss… man, I feel like I’m being so typical right now! As far a female posse cut…I love Jean Grae, Rah Digga…and of course Lauryn Hill.

ZIF:So what are your thoughts on the Yankees?

MR: I’m a fan, I’ve got no choice.

ZIF: Was it quiet in October without playoffs?

MR: Yeah, It hurt a little bit but we’ll pick ourselves back up, I know we will. You know our rep; we’ll be back.

ZIF: A-Rod or Jeter?

MR: I’ll always have a place in my heart for Jeter, he’s a fly looking dude.

ZIF: What else would Mala Reignz like to tell the world?

MR:Shout to my brothers, Elus, Hecklerhouse, Jberry and Triboro!

PG

Download Mala’s “On My Mind” and “Hey Love” and in case you forgot which borough she’s from, let her remind you on “BX Til I Die” below. And, scope Mala on Myspace.

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