"Pressure Makes Diamonds" This quote justifies the lifestyle of female rapper Trina, since the unforgettable introduction in 1998 to the rap scene how could anyone mistake or question the fame and fortune of this Diamond Princess aka Baddest Chick.
Miami native Katrina Taylor better known as Trina debuted in 1998 on Slip-N-Slide label mate Trick Daddy’s “Nann,” and quickly became a household name in Hip-Hop. With female rappers from the South not making much noise back then, Trina earned national attention. Adding a Southern twist to the explicit style that rappers like Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown had blown up off; Trina easily became the queen of the South. But her first two albums, Platinum selling debut album “Da Baddest B***h” (2000) and Gold album “Diamond Princess” (2002) focused on the raw and raunchy style that made her famous, followed by another Gold album entitled “Glamorest Life” in 2005, now the world patiently awaits the release of her fourth solo album entitled “Still Da Baddest”.
Trina lived most of her life between Liberty City and later, in the upscale community of Pembroke Isle, FL. Despite her surroundings in Miami's Liberty City neighborhood, Trina managed to do positive things with her life, and became a real estate agent. At that point of her life she did not expect to pursue a career in music, but slowly, everything changed around. A local Miami rapper named Trick Daddy was establishing his career in 1997 and saw the talent in her. When it was time to work on his new album, he gave Trina a chance to be featured on a track. In 1998, that track, “Nann N*gga”, ended up being the first single of his “www.thug.com” album. The single became a hit reaching No. 3 on the Rap Charts. Thanks to the success of the single, Trina gained popularity and got a deal with Slip-N-Side/ Atlantic Records.
In March of 2000, Trina’s debut album “Da Baddest B***h” was released. The album entered the Billboard Chart at No. 10. The album's lead single, also titled “Da Baddest B***h”, put Trina on the map, claiming her spot as an up-and-coming rapper in the industry. The following single, “Pull Over”, became an even bigger success, the song brought attention to Trina's voluptuous body, which got her plenty of recognition as a sex symbol. Trina had now become a household name and got a taste of success with her album selling more than 700,000 copies in the US.
Affectionately known across the entire global market as the “Diamond Princess”, “The Baddest B***h” and any other name that pronounces and represents riches and royalty, Trina is most definitely a mark of distinction that is always looking for innovative creative ways to set her musical talent apart from other traditional female lyricist. “I value inserting real life issues, into my music, my style represents real women’s struggles, and pleasures in relationships, break up’s and just the whole essence of being a women on a day- to day basis” states Trina.
Trina has been a prominent feature on numerous remixes and has released three solo albums and two mix tapes. When she first stepped on the scene, she caught the attention of the public by being provocative and vulgar. But like any human being, Trina’s music and personal life have been a constant evolution. Her last album, “Glamorest Life” which went Gold, included the Billboard top charting 3 single “Here We Go Again”, Ft. Kelly Rowland from the Grammy Award winning group Destiny’s Child. “I would say the beginning of my career was like a trial and error trying to find myself. I was speaking from the streets and life in general from people that I was around, she says. I always tried to let people know that, even from the first album, that what I say on record isn’t all me. It’s really a form of expression and life in general and just talking about what’s going on in the world that I have seen growing up in the inner city”.
Though she likes to “keep private life private” during interviews, Trina is comfortable talking about how her own personal experiences have inspired her writing. “I was in a relationship, and it was a good relationship, but something was just not right. No matter how much you put into it, no mater how much love you give, something can always go wrong. And that’s how the “Here We Go” Ft. Kelly Rowland came about. It’s from a real-life experience” states Trina.
Revealing her vulnerable side on songs like “Here We Go” Ft. Kelly Rowland helps Trina’s persona resonate with other females. As one of hip-hop’s most noticeable leading ladies, she’s determined to keep sisterhood amongst the women a priority. “There are only a handful of female artists, and there’s not really enough love and connection between us. We need to be supportive of each other: Guys can rap and promote gangbanging and violence and shooting up somebody’s mama, but if a girl says anything out of content, she is criticized. I just think women need to stick together a little more to be able to become just as successful as the guys in the industry.”
With a keen disposition on walking through the music industry making a historical name for herself, Trina has realized what an impact she has on young girls across the country, she always realized that a silent epidemic was plaguing their lives. “I travel a lot and I meet so many young girls and everyday life for them is a struggle. Everyday life for them is a different day of facing some sort of obstacle that they feel that can’t endure”. She has always been about empowering young females, so it was a no brainer that starting a non-profit organization to give back to the community was the next step for her career. And so the Diamond Doll Foundation was created in 2006 to fill the void that a lot of young girls have in their life. Trina feels that many young girls grow up without supporting parents and sometimes make life changing decisions that may not have been made if there was a proper support system in place. When asked about the overall theme and tone set for her newly developed foundation Trina states that, “Like a diamond, each female on this earth is precious and has a rare story to tell, but some don’t get the opportunity to shine, I want to help provide that opportunity”.
Throughout the past decade Trina has had the pleasure of gracing the covers of some of the top publications in the country, including three cover stories in KING Magazine, The Source, Smooth, XXL, Sister 2 Sister and most recently Ocean Drive just to name a few, helping her to build her name and her brand. For Trina, business is a priority. Aside from her music, she has other business ventures and is intent on building an empire to grow her brand. “I’m trying to make myself more of a business person this time around,” she says speaking more in-depth about her, Diamond Princess & new Diamond Doll fragrance, Pink Diamond Couture Clothing, and her future acting career.
But first, Trina is going to make sure that her music is right, which is why she is in such high demand as a featured guest artist. In between working on her fourth album entitled “Still Da Baddest”, she has kept herself busy by appearing on hit records. “I’m honored to do those guest appearances,” she says. “I’m a chick in the game who is working, and people will respect that. I came in the game as the “Baddest Chick” and I have “NO” intentions on resigning from my critically acclaimed title or handing down my crown.”
I LOVE YOU TRINA AND YOU ARE A REAL RAPPER FOR WOMEN. HATE DAT YOU DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO WORK WIT LISA LEFT-EYE LOPEZ BEFORE SHE DIED, BUT YOU STILL STANDIN. BIG UP'Z MUCH LOVE LIAH..
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