By: Todd “DG” Davis 
Rapindustry.com

 

Hailing from the birthplace of Hip Hop, Connie Diiamond first began to hone her craft in her early teen years. The up’n’coming Boogie Down Bronx rapstress took to social media showcasing her lyrical skills via impressive freestyles, before unleashing a pair of notable singles “Trippy Bitch,” featuring Bali Baby and “New Shmurda.” From there Diiamond took flight, logging in higher profile collabs with NBA superstar Damian Lillard, a.k.a. Dame D.O.L.L.A. [“Raid”] and KenTheMan [“Move”]. 2023 saw the unveiling of her breakout hit “Ghetto & Ratchet,” which garnered millions of streams, and attracted remixes from the likes of Remy Ma, Don Q, and Dave East. Around this same time, Connie also secured a deal with Def Jam Recordings. We recently had the chance to catch up with her and talk new music, her future, and more.

 

First things first, let’s hop into this single, “Jodeci,” featuring Vontee the Singer — Tell me about this particular track; how did it come to fruition?   

My producer, DJAaronOnTheBeat, was experimenting one day, and sent over a couple of beats with samples. I fell in love with that one specifically because of my love for ’90’s and 2000 music.   

How then does Jodeci either differ and / or compare to previous Connie Diiamond entries?   

“Jodeci” is more of a R&B record compared to the rest of my catalog. I’m singing on this track at different times instead of rapping throughout the song.   

When you sit down to pen your lyrics, where do you draw inspiration from?   

I usually draw inspiration from how I feel in the moment. If I’m in a good upbeat mood or if my mood isn’t the best, my music tends to reflect that in the lyrics.   

Last year May saw the release of your debut, Underdog Szn — Conceptually, what does that title represent both to and for you?   

The project represented my feelings of being overlooked, not accepted, underestimated and coming out of all of that…an underdog. I’m confident and know that I have so much to offer, but people haven’t seen all that I can do.   

Reflecting, tell me your whole inception into music — When did you first become interested? And how did it all begin for Connie Diiamond?   

I started doing poetry at the age of 14, and it just transitioned into lyrics and music. When I was a kid, I joined a couple poetry slams around my neighborhood, and after meeting my next door neighbor who had an at-home-studio, I started recording my songs there.   

Now you’re a native of where exactly? And growing up there, who all did / do you consider to be your strongest influences?  

I was born in the Bronx, New York, but I bounced back-and-forth between there and Queens. My biggest musical influences growing up were Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, Dipset, Jadakiss, and Remy Ma.   

That said, how do you describe / define the style of music that you create and perform?   

I would describe my style of music as vibrant, melodic, up-tempo, confident, aggressive, and fun.   

What particular string of events actually led to your current signing to / with Def Jam Recordings?   

I dropped several freestyles including “If I Want To” and “Move” that went viral and caught the eyes of Tunji Balogun [CEO of Def Jam], and he signed me.   

Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?         

I’m a super creative person, and I want my fans to see me as a “ghetto rap superhero,” haha! With each new visual and release, I hope they can discover how unique I am. I want them to feel my passion for this art, and I express that love through my music.   

If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?          

I would love to collaborate with artists like Missy Elliott, Latto, DMX, Doja Cat and Doechii. I feel like they would bring out a more creative side to me. With them having such innovative visuals and that being one of my biggest loves aside from the music, it would be great to work with them.   

If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?      

I would play at Madison Square Garden. It will feel like a trophy for me being from NYC, it would be a “finally made it” moment for me in my city.  

On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Hip Hop?   

I’m very happy right now. I have no complaints with the state of Hip Hop, and think we’re in a great place. Hip Hop has been so male dominated for so many years, so I’m happy to see the ladies getting their time at the forefront. For me, I’m focused on what I bring to the table, and what changes / growth I want to make.   

What do you feel has and will continue to be the key to your longevity?          

For my longevity, I would say it has to be a combination of being creative, having a willpower to keep going and pushing forward, even when the road gets rough.   

Do you have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from entertainment?  

Outside of music, I’d like to explore acting in the movie / TV business. After seeing so many legends come across my TV screen over the past 10 years, I think I could do a great job at it.   

What’s an average day like for you?  

An average day for me is always changing. I’m usually out pretty late, so I wake up after 12pm, make a nice big cup of ginger tea, check my socials and emails and then begin my day.  

Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans…   

My fans are like family to me. I try to respond to everybody as much as I can, but in a case where I can’t I always make sure to stay in contact by reading the comments and seeing what they like or dislike.   

What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?   

I’d say shooting music videos is my favorite part of the process. Getting dressed up, getting on location, the adrenaline, all of it I love. My least favorite part is getting records cleared and scheduling them for release.    

What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?  

Stay consistent, stay creative, and stay focused.   

Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?      

I just wanna be financially stable, so I could provide and support my family for as long as I can and continuously improve myself— creatively, physically, mentally, and in every aspect of my life.   

As for the immediate, what’s next for you, Connie?   

I recently dropped the official music video for “Let Me See Something,” featuring Dusty Locane. UnderdogSZN 2 coming soon. I can’t give a date, but it’s coming…stay tuned!