Kash Doll has been on an intriguing journey since emerging in the rap scene with her unmistakable bravado. Celebrating a decade of success with her album The Last Doll, she tells REVOLT the project’s title is a testament to her evolution and an ode to her daughter, Klarity Doll Richardson. Sitting in the REVOLT Studios in Atlanta for this exclusive interview ahead of the highly anticipated release, the mom of two looked beautiful in a form-fitting all-black ensemble, her hair flawlessly laid -- as expected. It was a special day at the studio as we welcomed Kash; everybody – her team and ours – was in great spirits. She was focused, humble, full of joy and excited about life and her career. Kash even showed off the sweetest photos of Klarity, and they are in fact twins!
The multifaceted talent spoke to REVOLT’s Associate Managing Editor Sukii Osborne about The Last Doll, collaborating with Tink, what it was like to film that agonizing death scene in “BMF,” giving back to the community, being a mom and so much more. Get into the conversation below and cop the album now!
Thank you for taking the time to be here. How are you? How is Baby Klarity?
Thank you! Klarity is good. Klarity is keeping me up and she is a chunky mama! That’s a chunky mama right there (laughs).
You have a new album dropping, The Last Doll! What was your process for deciding on the title?
I’ma be honest with you. My child’s father helped me with that title – it’s just where I’m at in life. I’m planning on dropping the “Doll.” My daughter is the last “Doll”; she’s my last child that I’m having… Let’s be clear (laughs). Her middle name is Doll. I’m passing my legacy down to her. That’s where I’m at with it and, you know, this album is giving this is it for “Kash Doll.” I’m grown, I’m growing up, and I’m moving on.
… People are still going to call me that, but it’s just something for me – I’ve elevated in life.
What place were you in mentally and emotionally while creating the project? What can fans expect?
Oh my God, I was pregnant with my daughter. I was going through so many different emotions, man. It was a roller coaster… It was a roller coaster. But it’s a great body of work!
This project marks your 10th anniversary in the music industry.
Yes, I’ve been around for 10 years, girl! (Smiles).
Was your journey to fame and success at all what you expected it to be?
No. No, it was not.
I didn’t expect anything… I never just expect something, but how it started off, I thought it would be different. But I went through it.
I [wouldn’t take] any of it back. I appreciate it because where I’m at now, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t go through all that. I prefer my process – I wouldn’t trade my hand for nobody else’s in this world (laughs).
What’s been the biggest blessing and lesson?
Getting stuck in a contract. Being stuck in a contract was very painful, but I learned so much from it ‘cause now it’s like I’m not just [easily signing] things, and I’m willing to get educated.
Even after the contract, I still had to learn more and went through different things, but each one I learned from. So, I think the biggest lesson would be being stuck in a contract where I couldn’t release music, and signing pieces of paper where someone could just own everything that I’ve worked hard for is crazy! I needed to know that, that is a thing.
… You could sign your life over to somebody, just like that, with a pen and a piece of paper. That’s crazy!
Now it’s like, “What am I signing and why? What is this about?” And even with that, you’re learning the business… because it’s a business. This is not just, “Oh, I’m about to wake up and become a rapper. I’m about to go make a song, I’m about to do a music video, I’ma take pictures, I’ma get on the internet and that’s that.” Absolutely not. It’s a whole business and you need to know the business you’re in!
Or, if you don’t know it, at least the people that you have in place know it and mean well.
We all know you’re bossed up now, so we see the evolution!
I’m up through there!
(Laughs) But nah… I still made a mistake; I just recently got out of another situation, but it wasn’t nothing traumatizing… ‘cause I’ve already been there. But I still make mistakes and learn from them.
The Tink collaboration is so exciting. Y’all have a dope vibe and you both talk your s**t! What is it like when you get together?
We had a good time! It was very brief ‘cause I was booked, so it was like, “I gotta see you before I leave.” So, she pulled up on me, and she brought me a bottle of Cristal.
Ooh, Tink is fancy!
I said, “I like yo’ style!” She a lil’ fancy (laughs). And we just kicked it. It was just real genuine and real. I seen her in the studio when I met her before and it was just like, “We gotta work.” Our energy aligned really good. That’s my girl.
You’re building your acting resume as well. What do you like most about jumping into a new character and portraying someone else’s life? What’s most fun about it for you?
Bringing myself to that character. Putting that lil’ extra umph into it. Bringing a lil’ Keisha; sprinkling a lil’ Kash. The character is already what it is and then just adding that lil’ sauce on it, it just makes it like, “Yeah! What’s up?!” You know what I’m saying?! (Laughs).
You did your big one in “BMF,” and Monique’s death scene was so brutal and realistic. What was it like to act that out? Were you scared?
I just got into a different person. I don’t know who that was! I got into a whole different person. It was like, all right, it has to happen. It didn’t feel good… I didn’t want to watch it. Most of the time, I’ll go and play [my scenes] back and see… I didn’t want to.
Then, after, I had to go record another scene, and I was like why couldn’t [the death scene] just be the last one? I feel like I’m gone! You know what I’m saying?
I went home and prayed, and I prayed in the car because it felt so real.
Once I did see it, I watched it with the world, and I was like, “Damn… That’s crazy.”
But that’s my girl, and I was a little bothered when everybody was on Twitter like, “I can’t believe Kash Doll!” And I’m like, “That’s not Kash Doll; it’s Monique,” you know?
Yes, fans conflate the two. The character is not the woman…
Yes. And my crazy a**, like a week ago, [looking at] Mary J. Blige [on “Power Book II: Ghost”], I’m all like, “Not Mary!” Then I’m like, “Right, this is what people was thinking, and I can’t do that.” So, I had to [switch to saying Monet]… “Not Monet!” (Laughs).
You’re also huge on giving back to the community through your nonprofit, Fairy Boss Mother. Why is supporting young girls, women and the community in general important to you?
Detroit is one of those cities that you have to water. You have to water where you’re from anyway, I believe. And I was one of those girls, man… I was one of those girls that didn’t have all of that. My mom took very great care of me, but I was one of those girls.
And girls in Detroit rock with me! So, I would like to be that for them, you know? And I take so much pride in it. I see me in them.
Speaking of women, how do you feel about the ladies taking the lead in Hip Hop?
I love it! It’s a whole new wave. I love it. I love it! And I’m just happy to be a part of it because at one point when I was out, it wasn’t so many, and I knew the difference. Then it just started doing its thing, and everybody is doing their thing right now. And it’s more than a few; it’s a lot! If you turn on the radio, you’re bound to hear a girl.
The girls is outside. Running them laps!
What do you want the girls to take away from your album The Last Doll?
First, I want people to see the growth.
And you can have everything. It’s just about prioritizing. ‘Cause on my project, there are so many different vibes. I got songs about my kids, you got the turn up, then you got the sad, the house music where you cleaning up (laughs), then you got the music that makes you feel good about yourself, you got your music where you just vibing and real mellow. Different vibes. It’s not just club, club, club, club, club ‘cause that’s not who I am.
… I want them to take away that you can have it all. You can do it all.