We Asked Baby Blue If UK Grime Is Sexist Or Sexy

About one month ago I didn't know what grime was. Then I met my friend Maxsta and he told me all about it. I learnt about the holy trinity (Wiley, Kano and Dizzee) and I learnt about BPMs, which is how fast it sounds, and that it's always basically the same.

In a bid to expand my exciting new musical horizons, I turned my attention to the role of the women in grime. The question I wanted answered was, is grime sexy or, as I strongly suspect, sexist? Is being a female MC in a male dominated industry an inherently radical feminist statement? Are British female rappers in 2012 our suffragettes? Or, do they have to indulge to the patriarchy? I don't know. Which is why I asked Baby Blue (who is both a woman and an MC) to explain it all to me.

Noisey: Hi Baby Blue.

Baby Blue: Hi.

Let's crack on with the big issues. Why is it that female MCs are always pitted against each other?

There's not that many of us and I think there's a perception of "only one is gonna get through". When you look at America, there's only really one female MC who's big at the moment and that's Nicki Minaj. There's like a group of people underneath her that are trying to come through, but it's almost like the industry only makes room for one of them. So they make it seem like we're all battling with each other to get that one spot.

OK.

But I don't think it has to be like that. There's loads of male British MCs so why can't there be more than one female?

Do you think the industry is institutionally sexist?

Yeah, because it's like we have to work ten times as hard. It seems like, to prove ourselves as rappers, guys can just do a few freestyles and people will be like, "Oh yeah, they can rap". With girls, it's like you have to grind for years before people respect you or take you seriously.

I guess everyone probably wants you to be a sex symbol, right?

In the past I've worked with people who've tried to get me to in really skimpy clothes.

What was it that they tried to get you to wear?

Just like really, really revealing clothes. They're like, "You have to make an impact and this is the way to do it; by showing loads of skin". I think that just looks tacky and it doesn't work with me.

Do you think they should try doing it the other way round?

What do you mean?

Like getting the guys to show more skin?

I think they've started doing that now.

What do you think about Skepta in a thong?

Errr… I don't know if he'd really ever do that.

What do you think he would say to someone if they were like, "Skepta, you've gotta break out, this is how you've gotta do it. You're gonna be a big star! But first, put the thong on."

He'd probably tell them to get out of the room.

What do you think of the term "Fem-cee"?

It feels a bit dated. I haven't heard anyone say that in a while.

Oh shit. Look, I never said I knew anything about grime or rapping or anything. Is it derogatory?

Nah, I wouldn't take offence. It just feels like an American term from like the 80s or 90s. It's just annoying when people say "Oh yeah, you're the best female MC". It's like, why can't you just be the best MC? Why does it have to be categorized?

Has anyone ever tried to pit you against another "female MC"?

It happens to me a lot. People are always asking me if I've got beef with other female artists and it's like, why would I have beef with them?

Who have you allegedly had beef with?

All of the girls.

I guess Minaj and Lil Kim have the archetypal female beef.

Do you now what I think? It was that Nicki Minaj came and she got big really quickly and Lil Kim has always been that woman holding the throne. Lil Kim was saying that she didn't feel like Nicki Minaj showed her enough respect and was copying her style and stuff. Whereas Nicki Minaj was like, "If anything, I'm paying homage to you". I did think Lil Kim seemed a little bit bitter.

If it feels like there's not enough room for female artists in the industry, Lil Kim probably contributed towards that by holding herself up as "The Female MC".

Yeah, like she calls herself The Queen; she obviously thinks she's the top of the game. Some women do have that opinion, "I don't want any female to be better than me". Some women to contribute to that.

So, being a female MC, is that basically feminism?

You could say that. But I wouldn't really call myself a feminist.

Who was the one who threw herself under a horse?

I remember learning about it in school, but you're asking the wrong person I'm afraid. It was for the vote wasn't it?

Yeah, yeah she was a suffragette. I can't remember and my phone's not working. I think the suffragettes would make good MCs.

I don't think any of us can compare ourselves to people like that, that's pretty drastic. Those are the people that got us to where we are. It's probably the reason why we can do what we do.

I guess yeah, but would they have been good rappers? Can we think of some good MC names for famous feminists? What about Germaine Greer?

Germaine Greer would be err…

She's Australian, she's quite intense, and I think she used to encourage people to have group sex.

I know she was in the BB house.

She was yeah. She's very intelligent and written a lot of books.

What are they called?

The Female Eunuch, was a very famous one.

She could be, like instead of Jay-Z, "Jay-G".

Or maybe Germ-G.

Maybe.

OK, you're not a feminist, but what kinda of "-ist" are you?

Chocolatist. Yeah, have you heard that one before?

Is that new?

Yeah, I just made it up.

What's your favorite chocolate bar?

I like Maltesers.

That's not even a bar.

No.

I don't like Maltesers, I really like Picnics.

With all the nuts?

Yeah, with the peanuts and the raisins and biscuity bits.

I'm allergic to peanuts though. A good Cadbury bar is just good enough for me.

Yeah, but Picnics are Cadbury so they've got that nice chocolate, too.

Galaxy is nice as well.

Yeah, but it's really rich.

This has turned into like conversation about chocolate.

Do you like M&Ms?

Yeah, but not the ones with nuts.

Did you try the biscuit ones?

Yeah, the biscuit ones are good.

Would you ever do a tour with Blue?

I wouldn't say no.

Then it would be "Blue with Baby Blue".

I dunno what they're doing. I know they did Eurovision.

Yeah that was weird. A couple of them did solo stuff, probably.

Apparently I was Simon's niece, I've heard that rumour.

You're related to a member of Blue?

Apparently.

So you're Baby Blue and you are literally a baby from a person who is sort of in Blue?

Yeah, that's what I've been asked a lot of times, "Oh, you're Simon Webb's niece aren't you? And I was like, "I dunno where that came from." I've never even met him before.

LOLZ. Well, it was really nice to meet you. Thanks Baby Blue!

Bye!

Follow Josh on Twitter @JoshuaHaddow

Follow Baby Blue on Twitter @iamBabyBlue

www.iambabyblue.com