HHDX: You’re a New Yorker through and through. While pursuing your music career, you joined a singing group called, “Una Sangre” and had a song that featured Kurtis Blow. Seeing how hip-hop has come from humble roots to dominating the world’s stage, what is your take on the whole “bring New York back” trend that exploded this year?

LI: Ah, yes… my singing… As far as “bringing New York back”… I don’t even really care about that. Fine… it originated here, but there are other people who make music, too. We [New York] don’t own this shit. We are the creators of hip-hop, but I’m not down with that whole thinking that’s going on now. I believe that anyone can make great music wherever you’re from. The South is hot and people in New York are mad about that. Why? Let them live. I mean, right now… I’m listening to that Lloyd and Lil’ Wayne song. Weezy is hot right now… he’s making some really good music. Ying Yang Twins, I like them, too. Cherish and Lil’ Jon are great, too. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t be on my New York shit. I love my New York peoples… Jay-Z is the king! Nas… he has a good album that’s hot, too.

HHDX: It’s a gift and a curse when trying to go for your goals. Many people want to place negative labels on you for your aspirations. Hell, The Game even made a song about it. Who has been a person who has tried to detract you from your goals?

LI: [Laughs] A lot of people! It’s crazy because my best friend supports me… but she doesn’t believe in what I’m doing. She is into this whole women liberation thing. On her MySpace page, I’m on her top friend’s list. She has this friend who saw my picture and they told her that they didn’t know that I was into “adult entertainment”. At the time, I didn’t see what I was doing as being “adult entertainment”. To me, “adult entertainment” means doing “porn”, and I don’t do that. But when I started analyzing it, I realized that it is sort of doing that. So, when I started thinking about that I understood the connotation. But in Victoria’s Secret, it’s the same type of pictures. It’s the same ones you see in Smooth and KING. But I think that people like to play video models. I mean, check it… The Game is having trouble casting women to be in his video now because of his song. We all know that he’s contradictory, but, it wasn’t wise for him to come out with that song. Of course, you have your chicken-heads, there are quite a few. But that doesn’t mean that that is every female who’s ever done a video. I did a video because Benny Boom wanted to put me in as a feature. If you’ve seen a lot of Kanyé West’s videos, they have acting involved. It’s not just about looking good. I went out for Consequence’s video and the part called for acting. I could’ve done so many videos, but as soon as they say that I’m going to be in the Jacuzzi, with a thong on, or something like that… I don’t do it. I’ve turned down a lot of videos… but a lot of girls take that. From doing BET: UnCut to anything, because they think that anything can be used as a stepping stone. You can always tell the women apart from the chicken-heads. Continued on page 3 »