It's hard to keep a good Hip Hop woman down. No matter what happens or who goes against her she's coming out swinging. New Jersey's Lady Luck is living proof of just that... It ain't over till it's over. You name it she's been through it and then some. Career struggles, legal drama, haters, sleepers and so much more. Trials and tribulations have been a constant part of Luck's life but don't count her out just yet. She's grinding hard these days and making all the right moves. If you're up on MySpace than you know about Lady Luck. She'll tell you how the web site saved her life and career. Now she's building a new team and movement with her company Major Hustle. Doing shows and dropping mixtapes from state to state. Luck is honest and open about her future and the past. She admits that when she had her deal with Def Jam Records she wasn't ready. Things are very different these days and now she's ready. Luck is not just a rapper but a business woman. Smarter and conscience of the music industry, the value of good promotion, community and the youth. She wants to bring something new to the female Hip Hop table. Is the game ready? They better be... Cause she's coming. Listen up as Lady Luck talks about Hip Hop, Def Jam, doing a bid and major hustles.
MahoganyGirl: What's poppin Luck! What's been going on with you?
Lady Luck: Well. I found Jesus Christ… I'm not rapping anymore. I'm a evangelist now. I'm trying to be a nun in a minute. Then I'm going to.... What's the place where the nuns go?
MG: Ummm. A monastery? No wait that's where the monks go... Oh a convent!
LL: Yeah. I'm about to go to one of those and do that for the rest of my life.
MG: [Pauses] Laughs
LL: [Laughs] Nah. I do have Jesus though.
MG: Ok. On the real. What's been going on with you?
LL: I've been doing my thing. I got a little situation with Universal. I wanted a single deal. So I got that and now they're talking about a EP deal... I got the song with Slim Thug thats doing good. Its got a buzz in Miami. I'm going state to state with the mixtapes. I'm about to do some shows overseas. I'm getting a lot of love. So I'm just trying to do it. I don't want to toot my own horn but I got some hot shit.
MG: When I was looking for you I found some info on the Major Hustle site. What's going on with that situation?
LL: Major Hustle is a team of people out here in Jersey. They're helping me do what I do. They're supportive. It's a Major Hustle thing.
MG: I see you're active on the MySpace. You're getting a lot of love and traffic. The music is dope by the way.
LL: Thank you. Basically, MySpace saved my life.
MG: Yeah… MySpace is helping a lot of artists right now. Its a good thing to be able to promote and keep control of your music without the middle men. I know you have the situation with Universal but what do you want to do afterwards? Everyone is going independent. Would you sign with Koch Records?
LL: Nah. Fuck Koch.
MG: [Laughs]
LL: I want to sign with Asylum or Warner Bros. Plus, I know everybody over there.
MG: That's right. It's the old Def Jam regime. While we're on the subject what happen with your Def Jam deal?
LL: It just wasn't my time. When I got signed to Def Jam it was like the biggest label at that time. They had Jay, DMX and me...little Lady Luck. Who didn't know how to write a hook and no one had time to sit and teach me. I just wasn't ready but it was a good time to get signed. I got a lot of promotion and exposure off that deal. That situation taught me a lot but it just wasn't the time.
MG: What did you learn from that experience?
LL: I learned the value of good promotion. Building a fan base. Its like Nore said - One fan a day. You got to get out there and meet and greet. Because that one person you meet can become a fan for life.
MG: How far did you get into the Def Jam situation... Did you complete the album?
LL: I was recording but it was so much hanging over my head at that time. All these expectations. Kevin Liles (former president of Def Jam) always had big expectations and plans for Lady Luck. At that time I couldn't do it. So I had to get back out here and get focused again.
MG: Was it hard for you to get off Def Jam.
LL: No. I asked Kevin to leave and he let me leave. They granted my wish. After that I wasn't really into music anymore. Time passed and I felt that if it was meant to be God would create the path. Now, I have a new path and a lot to do.
MG: When you were away from music did you go through a legal trial or something?
LL: Nah. I had some charges but it didn't go to trial. I had some trouble with the law. That was back in 2003. I got out in 2005.
MG: You have to fill me in because I didn't know about you being in jail.
LL: It wasn't nothin. I had 13 charges on me.
MG: Ok. What happen?
LL: Glory to God. I had 13 charges... Three for first degree armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, evading police...
MG: Dam Luck! [Laughs]
LL: [Laughs] Yeah. It got pretty messy. God is good.
MG: [Laughs] Very good.
LL: [Laughs] They dropped all the charges down. I ended up doing 110 days for all those charges. I didn't have a big fancy lawyer. A lot of the lawyers in Jersey wouldn't even take my case because they said I didn't have a chance. I was going to take it to trial but I didn't do it. My Mother told me you did the crime now be a woman and do your time.
MG: That's crazy Luck. That was a hard lesson learned. How was it being on lock down?
LL: For me it was a humbling experience. One minute I'm at a table having dinner with Jay Z. The next minute I'm in the mess hall surrounded by fiends and shit. It lets you know nobody is different from anybody else. If you got money or not. Because in a foul situation like that we're all the same.
MG: Well, I'm glad you survived that time in your life. You've been through all types of situations. What advice would you give to a young Lady Luck if you meant her today...or advice you have for any female trying to get in the game?
LL: Get out! This rap shit is corny now. I wouldn't do it if I had other options. I would quit. I would say go and do something better with your life. It's so much more you could be doing. I'm not trying to discourage anyone or crush their dreams.... I'm just saying...
MG: No. I feel you.
LL: Right now the rap game is over saturated. I would tell a young Lady Luck to go to school cause it's a dirty game. It's being run and controlled by faggots and shit. A bunch of people using the culture as opposed to knowing it. Most of these rappers are rapping to get rich. They don't care about the community or the hood. So I would tell a kid to fuck that..do something else.
MG: Good advice. Kids need to be aware of both sides of the game. Its not lovely all the time. If you could do something else outside of music... What would you be doing?
LL: Directing. Doing documentaries. Working in the community. Letting kids know what I've been through and what not to do. That there's more to life than just rap, crack and basketball.
MG: You can do it just have faith. Why don't you do one of those straight to DVD jumpoffs?
LL: I'm working on that right now. I did a DVD type thing. I'm showing what I do, the people I meet, where I go and the funny situations and the experiences that happen to me.
MG: That's good. I can't wait to see it. I know it's hilarious. Any last words for the people?
LL: Hit me on the MySpace.
