Can You Handle, Mz. Skittlez?

I have to say from a personal point of view Mz. Skittlez, and her Ast. Manager Amanda, are fuckin’ great!

Not only a rapper, dancer, and college student, she is just an all around unique, creative person. Winning the 2007 Ohio Hip-Hop Awards “Best Female Artist”, and again being nominated in 2008. Mz. Skittlez being a strong prominent  voice for the Cleveland female artist’s, she is making huge moves out here. Releasing her first album “Controversy: Got My Name Buzzin like a Bee” on Cleveland based “School House Productions” on February 14th, 2008.
Mz. Skittlez has surely created a name for her self with the hit singles “Cappin”, “Callin Me”, and “Taste Like Candy”, receiving air play outside of Ohio: in Atlanta, Georgia  and Indianapolis, Indiana.

216thetakeover.com: What’s good Mz. Skittlez?

Mz. Skittlez: I’m good, how are you?

216thetakeover.com: Pretty good, how did you receive the name “Mz. Skittlez“?

Mz. Skittlez: Kind of funny really, I got the name in high school, a boy hollered get off the football field “skittle head”.  I always had different colored hair, and clothes so that’s how I got the name Mz. Skittlez .

216thetakeover.com: What is your main inspiration for writing, and performing?

Mz. Skittlez: My inspiration is just every day life. Like stuff that I am experiencing, things that my friends are going through. What ever’s going on around me.

216thetakeover.com: What is something everyone should know about Mz. Skittlez?

Mz. Skittlez: My grind right now is in the trillions, I never stop working at all. I’m in the studio right now, finalizing the mixtape “Swag School”. We grind out, we in a different city every weekend, no matter what! I’m a full time student, so it’s not easy, definitely not easy. But I will grind my way to the top because, once it’s given to you, it’s easily taken away.

216thetakeover.com: What makes Mz. Skittlez unique from everyone else?

Mz. Skittlez: My voice, my style, my image. I believe that you don’t have to always be a sex symbol, just for people to hear what you have to say. I often hear that my voice is different, it’s high. My voice is not what everybody expects but, at the same time that’s what makes female artist such as Trina, and Lil’ Kim the  people that they are, they are ledgeds in the female industry. Because of their voices, my voice might be high right now, but when I come out, everyone will get used to it. When they hear me on the radio, or in the club they gonna be like “Oh that’s Skittles right there”. Definetly what makes me different is my style, my style is crazy. I wear today what people start wearing tomorrow. My management knows that I will put on anything!

216thetakeover.com: Exactly what makes your style unique?

Mz. Skittlez: Like a lot of color. I can be real colorful, and then non colorful, sometimes. I started off wearing a lot of red, a lot of my name every where. My name on everything I had, shoes, clothes, that’s what branded me as an artist. Now everyone kind of expects me to wear all the colors. It’s my second year into this, so I have branched out a little bit. I’m trying to be a little more diverse, like you seen at the Ohio Hip Hop Awards. I’m sure everybody thought I was going to come out with all these different colors on, and stuff like that. So, I really have branded myself with all the different colors I wear, but I wear a lot of tutu’s, a lot of custom clothing. My hair stays different, my stylist just makes sure that everyone’s looking. That everyone wants to know what I have on, where it came from, and why do I have it on.

216thetakeover.com: So how was it creating the “Summer Jam Expo” mixtape?

Mz. Skittlez: Most of the songs came of my album, or they were features. Me, and Pretty Boy Floyd had got together because I was on the “Indiana Black Expo” promotional tour. When we got together I did some drops, and put his drops on there, and mixed it together. That’s pretty much how that came together.

216thetakeover.com: Your name is making major waves out in the streets, how long have you been working to get where you are now?

Mz. Skittlez: We’ve been working at my image, and name for about two years now. I’ve done music since I was about 9 years old, and look where I’m at now, on my way to the BET awards next weekend. So obviously I’m doing big things. I definitely am the definition of put on for my city, definitely. I go hard, and grind hard no matter what.

Mz. Skittlez At The 2008 Ohio Hip-Hop Awards

216thetakeover.com: You killed it with your performance at the Ohio Hip Hop Awards. What inspired the theme? Who did the choreography?

Mz. Skittlez: I just needed to up grade Cleveland. As you seen in the previous performances, it was like a talent show, you know what I’m saying? We really need to upgrade our city. When people come to an award show, the want to see an award. You don’t see Rhianna come on stage, and just perform. Like from me being everywhere, and seeing different award shows. Seeing how an award show is pretty much supposed to be conducted is how I pretty much got my theme. My theme was basically saying I’m in a different country right now, either respect it or check it, you know what I’m saying. We all did the choreography. I did most of it myself, but all of my dancers had input. I was a full time dancer before the music started, I’ve been dancing since a very young age.

216thetakeover.com: Any Cleveland artists you would like to reach out, and collaborate with?

Mz. Skittlez: Definitely, I’m in the process of working with some Cleveland artists that I think are definitely grindin’ in the streets out here. Which would be Young Shank, Young Ray, and Fat Al. I’m working with different female artists in Cleveland on a mixtape now.

216thetakeover.com: Whats next up?

Mz. Skittlez: Right now, I’m on new mixtapes, and I’m trying to figure out what deals we going to associate with. Definitely look out for my new mixtape “Swag School”. Be looking out for me on 106 & Park in up coming months. Like I said, I also have a mixtape coming out with all female artists from Cleveland. I’m working on something with a DJ, by the name of DJ Scream. That’s a project I’m putting out in Atlanta. Just be on the look out, I stay doing charity work, stay doing shows. Coming to a city near. Stay posted on my, myspace page.

216thetakeover.com: Anyone you’d like to shout out?

Mz. Skittlez: First off my family, they support me, and stay behind me. My hair stylist Spitz, my co hair stylist Joe. My Ast. Manager Amanda, she keeps me together. All my dancers, my crew. School house, and the promoters that keep me booked.

Once again I have to thank Mz. Skittlez, and Amanda for their time. It was great speaking with the both of you. Hands down, Mz. Skittlez is about start doing big numbers. That’s a women with a real head on her shoulders. Most definetly go show some love, and support. In the mean time check out a few tracks, and videos.

Mz. Skittlez – Complicated

Mz. Skittlez Ft. Crime Mob – Can U Handle It

Mz Skittlez, DOC Showstappaz, Nessacary, Chevy Blue, Ms Moone – We Run this