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If you’re a day-one fan of Asian Doll, you’ve been familiar since she was signed to Gucci Mane. But now, she celebrates a brand new chapter: independence. Previously with Guwop’s 1017 imprint with Alama Records, the Dallas native is now full steam ahead in her career. With her single “Nunnadet Shit” going viral, the masses are getting more familiar with the rising star.
In light of Women’s History Month, REVOLT caught up with Asian Doll to discuss the female figures who inspired her, the current state as well as the future of female rap, being a independent Black woman in the music industry and more! Peep the chat below.
Who were some female figures that you looked up to?
Of course Nicki Minaj, I love Katy Perry. I’ve been loving Queen Latifah since I’ve seen her on Set It off. Every Black female who was in the game when I was younger. Growing up, I respected it. Now, I don’t give a fuck about these hoes (laughs). The OGs: If you’re winning and you were on TV, I fucked with it. My era, nobody was a god like Nicki as far as female rappers.
How did Nicki and Katy Perry influence you?
Katy turnt up my creative side, seeing how creative she was. Everything she did, I liked it. Every [song] was different from what I’m used to, different from what everyone around me was listening to. Katy Perry was really my spirit animal, like fantasy. The colors, the videos, her whole production, I loved everything about it. Nicki was the only female rapper out and she was signed under Wayne, everybody loved Wayne. Her birthday is the day after mine. She had a huge influence on the culture and I was a part of that era. I fucked with Nicki’s swag.
What was a young Asian Doll like growing up in Dallas?
Gangster, no I’m playing (laughs). A lot of energy, super inspired and super down-to-earth. I was cool and fun to be around, I had a lot of friends growing up. I threw a lot of parties, kickbacks. Really poppin’ in my city since middle school, I was lit.
At what point did you realize you could be a rapper?
When I put my first song out on Facebook, I went to school the next day [and] everybody was talking about it. Some people liked it, some people was laughing. Others said, “You need to do that shit!”
Where do you see the current state of women in rap?
A lot, we going harder than these niggas. We stepping on necks, getting everything we fucking deserve that motherfuckers try to take from us. They counted us out, try to make this seem like this is a male-dominated game. You’re lucky if you’re a female, you’re getting rich. We’re showing these dudes that girls aren’t being silent anymore, girls are getting their money. Girls are getting to this bag, they’re not staying at home anymore. We out here grinding and hustling too. We want cars and chains. We want that lifestyle too.
Being a strong Black woman yourself with a platform, how can you lead others?
By believing in themselves, standing up for themselves, and going hard for themselves. Somebody’s only going to take you seriously as much as they see you take yourself seriously. I tell people whatever you wanna do in life, don’t play around with it. Do that shit, really put your all into it.
Being a woman in the industry, have you ever experienced any hardships?
A lot of situations, even to how the label or people try to talk to you and treat you because you’re a female. In the industry, there’s so many fucking egos, especially from males. So many egos when it comes to women, I don’t let none of that shit get to me. I want to help young women too and let them know at the end of the day, people are only going to take you as serious as you take yourself. It’s been a lot of situations where people invited me out to perform and when I got there, it didn’t happen. I was taking all the shine in their eyes, all types of shit. Treatment period when it comes to the industry, you’re going to tell the difference between the guys and the girls. That’s the reason why I’m independent now.
You were signed to 1017/Alamo Records. How has your journey been independent?
Great! I waited to get released for a year and at the time, I was dating Von. Von’s career was going up, so I had a distraction to get me to not focus on my situation because I was really in a pretty fucked up situation with Gucci and them. I made a lot of money outside of them, not with the label. It’s been great, I’m having so much fun on the outside looking in and having my royalties. Sometimes when artists have to drop on a certain day, I don’t have to. I can drop one any day I want. I got a new management, Polo G’s mama manages me now. We’re finna make history, we had a meeting yesterday and confirmed everything.
What does it mean to have a female manager now?
Lit, she’s everything I’ve been missing. She’s going to take me to the next level, I feel it. Great relationships, she’s a great person. I see big things happening.
How does it feel to have “Nunnadet Shit” go up independently?
It felt good. It was a crazy timing though, not going to lie. This is all I was missing and I knew that, but I was cool with waiting for my turn. My shine, my time to come. I was real patient because I’m young in the game. I make good moves, I have longevity in this shit because I’m really smart and I plot a lot. I don’t get emotional when it comes to my career because I know I’m good.
I always knew I was one song away, I been knew that shit. The timing was crazy, that’s how I know how to handle everything now with my song going up because I knew I was missing a hit song. I learned a lot, I sat back a lot. I watched a lot of mistakes that people made that’s going to help me in the long run because I know how to handle this. I went through a lot of shit so when I got this hit, it made sense. If I would’ve had my hit before I went through what I went through and Von, I don’t think I would’ve made a lot of smart business moves. I would’ve been doing the most. Now I look at everything different. Okay “Nunnadet Shit” is lit, what’s the next one? Let’s plot, let’s keep it going. It’s a learning experience, it’s reality. It’s crazy, but I’m appreciative of “Nunnadet Shit” going up. I’m happy for that, but I didn’t even try to make that song.
It’s so relatable!
Yes, everyone loves that song. I didn’t even think people would… damn.
Best memory from the video shoot? It looked lit.
My favorite thing from the video was the choreography, dancing with the dancers.
I seen you on your TikTok game!
Oh yeah, I’m trying to keep up with the kids.
Von told you “go crazy with the rap shit.” How did he help you with your career?
Before I left with Von, I was already signed to 1017. Lit during my prime, doing my thing. This was before Von was really rapping too. When he started blowing up, I was on the shelf. People didn’t know that, that’s why you didn’t see me. You didn’t see me on “Wild N’ Out” or on TV, I didn’t have a lot of shit to make me stick. I don’t give a fuck if you didn’t know a song from me, you’re going to know who Asian Doll is. When Von’s going crazy, I was on the shelf. People was coming to me like, “Oh you’re focused on Von, you don’t drop no more music.” The whole time, I didn’t want to throw Gucci and them under the bus and say “I can’t drop. I can’t do videos.”
I never said anything so they thought that Von was distracting me, writing long paragraphs in his DMs. He comes to me one day like, “What’s up with your situation?” I said, “I don’t wanna be signed anymore, I want to go.” That’s how we came up with the “Pull Up” record. Von was always on my tail about putting out work, putting out songs. He was on my ass about that shit, but I couldn’t.
He was on my tail about dropping, dropping, dropping because he was doing so good. He was so supportive to me, he always wanted me to go crazy. He thinks I’m the hardest. He liked my music, listened to my music all the time. He knew I didn’t give a fuck, I used to tell him “Von, I don’t care about this shit.”
You know how when you’re in the situation, you’re so frustrated to the point you don’t even want to do that anymore? …That’s what it was with me. I was getting to the point where I didn’t want to rap no more. Fuck this shit, I don’t want to do this anymore. He’s telling me to “go crazy, go up.”
Where do you see the future of female rap?
Even the ones that are not mainstream, they even killing. We’re making history, we are history. There was a point where there was only one rapper or two female rappers, now it’s 13 of us poppin’ and climbing to the top. I see a lot of girls out there who want to rap and do music, a lot of females being inspired and doing it. Rapping is one of those situations where it’s a fantasy in the hood. Oh you think you’re gonna be rich or famous off rap? You have to make your fantasy a reality. It’s going to be even more girls. We are history right now, we made history off top.
What was the highlight of Megan‘s “Body” video?
The video was dope as fuck, I had so much fun. Maliibu Miitch was actually my spirit animal for the day, she was hyped. We had a whole lotta energy, it was so fun. I was comfortable, it was dope as fuck.
Anything else that you want to let us know?
Keep looking forward to growth and positivity. I’m waiting for everybody to see the person I’m finna become. I’m so blessed and highly favored, I’m so ready for people to see this turnaround. I feel like I’m this pretty girl in this war…
I’m working on new management, got a new team around me and ready for my team to take me to the next level. This is the first time independent where I have a real solid team. And “Nunnedat Shit (Remix)” with two big male artists, we’re finna do a video.