Though Jane Deezy’s name is derived from Jane Doe, a pseudonym for someone whose true identity is unknown, the New Zealand MC’s personality and style is very much identifiable.Teaming up with producer Crime Heat, Deezy’s new Pity Party EP is an amalgam of keen self-awareness and an authentic Kiwi street mentality. She assures us however, that she’s simply an Africa-born, Tron-bred bada$$ bish with a lust for life that goes beyond social media and social anxiety.On the title track she hits out hard at feminist-phobic boys - a direct result from her experiences in the contemporary dating game. Delivered at a pace that’s fast and furious, Jane Deezy is definitely more party than pity.Listen to the track below and read a quick chat we had with her about relationships, race and females in rap.Noisey: You ask ‘Where art tho, Romeo?’ Is this a disappointment in the lack of substance in Millennial guys/romance?
Jane Deezy: It’s about a guy I was on tour with. I don’t know if I should be saying this because I’ve never told anyone but you know, tour life is not like real life so all the dating rules didn’t apply. But he got weird about it and started acting different and it annoyed me because it felt like we had had this conversation about how it wouldn’t affect our friendship. The worst thing was the ignoring. I think it’s the ultimate sign of disrespect. The second verse is about him coming back and saying: “I was dumb, I was stupid”, but after that he didn’t know how to act around me. I’d rather explain that I’m chill, but guys think because we have ovaries, we meet someone and have to breed. We don’t get enough credit as females.Hip-hop has this reputation for overt ‘fuck bitches, get money, pop bottles’ masculinity, but as a woman you get to offer the rap genre an alternative perspective. What do you want your audience to take from your music?
Coming from a cultural viewpoint, African women don’t voice what they want to say. I’m just going to say whatever the fuck I want to. I guess that’s what I want people to take from it. I mean I’m not super buzzing about what people say about my shit, with social media everyone has an opinion. I feel like if I start thinking what people will respond to I think my shit won’t be as good.So Jane Deezy won’t measure her musical worth in likes or followers?
Not at all. It’s important for me to separate the outside world and the studio. I’d love an artist development team, I’m super socially awkward. Crime says that I'm on edge and it’s because I’m just so anxious. I just had a root canal so I’m codeine right now, so that’s helping.
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Jane Deezy: It’s about a guy I was on tour with. I don’t know if I should be saying this because I’ve never told anyone but you know, tour life is not like real life so all the dating rules didn’t apply. But he got weird about it and started acting different and it annoyed me because it felt like we had had this conversation about how it wouldn’t affect our friendship. The worst thing was the ignoring. I think it’s the ultimate sign of disrespect. The second verse is about him coming back and saying: “I was dumb, I was stupid”, but after that he didn’t know how to act around me. I’d rather explain that I’m chill, but guys think because we have ovaries, we meet someone and have to breed. We don’t get enough credit as females.Hip-hop has this reputation for overt ‘fuck bitches, get money, pop bottles’ masculinity, but as a woman you get to offer the rap genre an alternative perspective. What do you want your audience to take from your music?
Coming from a cultural viewpoint, African women don’t voice what they want to say. I’m just going to say whatever the fuck I want to. I guess that’s what I want people to take from it. I mean I’m not super buzzing about what people say about my shit, with social media everyone has an opinion. I feel like if I start thinking what people will respond to I think my shit won’t be as good.So Jane Deezy won’t measure her musical worth in likes or followers?
Not at all. It’s important for me to separate the outside world and the studio. I’d love an artist development team, I’m super socially awkward. Crime says that I'm on edge and it’s because I’m just so anxious. I just had a root canal so I’m codeine right now, so that’s helping.
'Pity Party' is available here.