Before the ASCAP “On The Come Up” New York Showcase, we got a chance to talk to Maliibu Miitch and discuss her background, growing up in the Bronx and how she feels about the female rappers taking over the music industry.
The Knockturnal: Coming from a diverse Filipino, Vietnamese and African American background how have those different cultures impacted the music you listened to growing up as well as your musical career?
Maliibu Miitch: Yeah, well as far as the Asian side of me, my dad was adopted so I don’t really know that side of me, but that’s why I want to learn about it. That’s why I want to feel the people and touch the people more. I don’t know the other side of my family. So I would love one day to do a show out there and somebody find them and pull them up on me or something. My videos and the photo shoots that I do all the time that embraces my Asian side.
The Knockturnal: Being from North Carolina originally but you grew up in the Bronx, and I saw that you said that the Bronx prepared you for your music career, what did you learn growing up out there and what types of experiences did you have and how did that shape you?
Maliibu Miitch: Yeah, you know my whole life! You know being outside in the Bronx you have to be rough and tough. So I just use that basically in the industry. Somebody told me back when I was signed to Island/Def Jam, the best people that maneuver in the industry are street people. It’s just like using everything that the streets taught you and just using that to your business. Moving a lot smarter and stuff like that. Yeah, the Bronx made me a lot tougher, made me ask more questions and I was scared to ask questions, so yeah.
The Knockturnal: With a lot of female rappers blowing up in the past two years, how do you feel about the current climate in the music industry?
Maliibu Miitch: I know right now female wise, we’re killin’ it. It feels like the 90’s all over again. All the females, they were just all different and had their own style and it’s coming back. I’m so happy since us as females we’re embracing each other now. It was always just one or two artists, but I love that it’s just mad of us now doing our thing. Everyone’s just mad supportive and we’re all supportive of all the girls that are coming out. I think that was one thing early on in my career that girls weren’t really supportive. So I’m just happy it’s coming around full circle and everybody has good vibes and good energy so it’s great.
The Knockturnal: Are there any artists or producers that you want to work with that you haven’t gotten the chance to work with yet?
Maliibu Miitch: I want to work with Rihanna so bad! She’s a Pisces, I’m a Pisces! So that’s why I want to work with her really bad!
The Knocktural: Are you big into signs?
Maliibu Miitch: Hell yeah! I’m mad spiritual, I’m like a little creep. You know it balances everything out, so yeah definitely.
The Knockturnal: 2019 is coming to an end soon, is there anything you’re looking forward to releasing this year or early next year?
Maliibu Miitch: I’m happy that I’m going into a new situation. I can’t say with who yet, but I’m going into a new situation and this is my first time saying it anywhere. I’m just super excited about it, I’m not with Atlantic anymore and going into a new situation and just excited for my projects to come out and to unfold so that everyone can hear what I’m talking about.