It’s yaboiKandie… PERIOD! Real name JayWill hails from Compton, California, putting on for Los Angeles through and through. When it comes to music, his alter ego Kandie is “the hottest rapper bitch” out right now — also the name of her highly-anticipated forthcoming project.
You may have seen [Kandie](https://www.instagram.com/itsyaboikandie/?hl=en) on hit shows such as _Love & Hip Hop Hollywood_ and Nick Cannon’s _Wild ‘N Out_, but don’t get it twisted: she can really spit! When it comes to her bars, punchlines, and lyricism, Kandie proves she’s just as good as the elites in the rap game, while “keeping the art of female entertainment alive.”
Speaking her truth and telling her story is what Kandie is all about, inspiring men and women all around the world to stay genuine to who they are and never compromise for nothing. Doing everything independently from her hair to nails to makeup to videography, Kandie is truly a female boss with multiple businesses.
Beyond that, she’s a whole riot with a personality you can’t help but fall in love with instantly. All her remixes have gone viral organically, including Cardi B’s “WAP” which Cardi reposted and supported. Flaunt had the pleasure of speaking with Kandie at the Kandypens house in the hills to discuss how she’s adapting to quarantine, remixing Nicki Minaj’s “Yikes,” her love for cooking, staying positive and motivated, her forthcoming project, goals, and more!
**How are you holding up in quarantine?**
Girl, I’m about to drive myself crazy. I’ve been doing good, been spending time getting a lot of things together. Finished up my album, which I’m excited about. Let me take advantage of this time to stay productive, so my album’s finished.
**How many projects have you put out?**
This is my fourth. However, I’ve been working at this for a minute. It feels like the first because this will be the first time I reintroduce myself to the world: new growth, a new sound, a new flavor. Even though I’ve done this before, I’ve never felt like this. I’ve never been this nervous for a release. It’s my baby, I’ve been writing this project for 2 years. I made sure it wasn’t just about “oh, I can rap,” because I’ve proven that already. I really made sure these songs start to let people know my vibe, where I’m from, what I’m into. Most of these records are personal and close to my heart.
**Do you have a name yet?**
_The Hottest Rap Bitch._
**How was remixing Nicki Minaj’s “Yikes”?**
Honestly when I started, I hated other people’s records. Especially a song like “Yikes,” Nicki killed it and I loved it, but it seems those are the kinds of things that go viral. People love when they hear something, love to see what’s your take on it. About 5 years ago, I first came out writing remixes. I’d wake up to millions of views. Cardi B’s “WAP” remix, I posted it, went to go live my life. I came back, it’s at a million views in an hour.
**What is it that you feel like draw people to you?**
It be my bundles, my nails... I’m extra. I’m a lot. Some people like that.
**Speaking of, you have your own nails right?**
Yeah, I actually make these \[shows nails\]. I have my own press-on collection called Kandie Clawz, as well as my own hair line of Brazilian bundles called Kandie Locks. I do my businesses on the side from the rap thing.
**How do you type?**
I don’t. I have an assistant. If it’s too long, hey can you type this for me? \[laughs\]
**Someone said the video hit a million views in an hour. Is that true?**
I think it’s at 4 million views now. Cardi B reposted it. Shout out to Cardi B, I love her. Not only did she repost it, she said “why don’t nobody gotta sign Kandie already?” She showed me love, she didn’t have to do that.
**How does cannabis improve your life?**
It keeps me calm, keeps me from clapping back at these comments. It helps me stay creative when I’m writing. It definitely mellows me out.
**Talk about your love for cooking, what’s your favorite thing to cook?**
Girl you should’ve told me, I would’ve brought some wings! Listen. Honestly, I’m trying to play catch up because everybody in my family throws down. When I go around my family, they be making fun of my cooking videos. “I see you doing that lil…” They make it seem like I’m not cooking enough. They over there cooking jambalaya, neck bones, chitterlings, greens, hot water cornbread. I’m like no, let me do me some quick wings, some shrimps, and some crab legs.
**Wings are your go-to?**
Definitely my go-to. It’s either the Honey Hennessy wings or a good hot. I love a good, classic spicy. Nothing’s better than a good hot that kicks you — don’t kick you too hard!
**Do you cook for yourself every night?**
No, I had to slow down actually. Them cooking videos, them mukbangs, I was getting a little thick. I was cooking everything. Hold on, hey. If y’all want new videos, y’all have to rewatch the old ones because I started getting thick.
**That reminds me of when I worked at Baskin Robbins, I got chubby.**
When I worked at Cheesecake Factory... not only did they mess up by having me in the cheesecake department, girl you know I was feeling those. That’s where the inventory went! \[laughs\] Not only was I stealing the cheesecakes, we’re getting free bread and soup? I turned into a house working there. I know when you’re working somewhere that’s good, it be hard to say no!
**What’s your favorite cheesecake flavor?**
I had a few favorites. I love a good, fresh strawberry. It’s a nice, original cheesecake then you put it with the glazed strawberries, I love those. I really love the lemon meringue, it has a nice layer of the s’mores, then the lemon with the crumbs. Don’t get me started, because I’m about to start selling you cheesecake.
**How long did you work there for?**
I worked there for a year and a half, then I got fired. The manager couldn’t take me, she was so jealous of me. I let her have it on my way out, I went to Olive Garden. I got thick on that pasta. That’s when I got thick, I was eating good. That Fettuccine Alfredo did me good.
**I know you’re from Compton, were these local joints?**
I was over at Redondo Beach, you know I was over there pulling. I was pulling everywhere I was, that’s the problem. Especially by the water, they had coins.
**You do a lot: music, cooking, reality TV, your businesses. How do you balance all that you do?**
To be honest, I’m learning balance now. I get so caught up in the bag. You wake up on a random Wednesday, wait what happened? My family, what? Okay, let me learn how to get balanced with family, don’t get too involved with that. You’ve got so many other different elements. I had to learn to set goals weekly and don’t beat myself up, because I do so much. If you write down 50 things to do for next week, appreciate that 10 you did get done. It gets hard doing so much, but I take it day by day. I’m appreciating the fact that although I came in strong and hard, I’m still caught up. These are my early stages so I’m excited to see where I go. Especially giving myself time and not being hard on myself, my most viral videos or the best stuff I’ve ever done in my career was made while I was enjoying it. I’m learning that part of me that’s like fuck it, light the blunt! \[laughs\]
**I love the motivation you post to your page, what does it mean to have a platform & be able to promote positivity during this time?**
That whole Motivational Monday thing, I kid you not I didn’t plan it. I didn’t know so many people were going to take to it. When I started it, when you go back to my old videos, your girl’s looking raggedy. \[laughs\] I came a long way. I’d wake up and talk to myself. Who doesn’t wake up and be in a slump? Sometimes, I’d wake up and feel horrible. I’d have moments where I realized I can’t allow this emotion to overtake me, I’d tell myself “what do you need to remind yourself this week?”
Me doing the videos became bookmarks or lessons, a go-to for me to \[do that\] for myself. When I saw the way other people were connecting with it, it let me know we’ve all got more similarities than differences. I’d honestly wake up and talk to myself. I’d never be like “okay, let me say something that’s going to make people get motivated.” I’m like “B-tch, if you don’t get the f-ck up!” I’m laying in bed thinking “I don’t want to do that.” I really used that to motivate myself and I was so surprised that it motivates others as well.
**Best memories from shooting _Wild N Out_?**
he best memory was when I went up against DC Young Fly. When they paired us together, I knew I was going to lose and that’s okay! It’s DC. Yay, at least I’m losing against DC. We went up there and to our surprise, we did the “pick up and kill it and kill it” about hustling. I was talking about selling hair, he’s talking about doing what he do. The crowd, I won! I’m like, “Y’all sure?” Let me get off the stage before they change their minds.” The thing I like about him, he’s so lovey and comfortable in what he does, he embraced that moment for me to have it. Because he’s so funny. Trust me if he cared to say something, he’s gonna. He’s definitely for me having that moment.
**How would you describe your fashion sense?**
I give ghetto, bangee, bad b-tch, cute. The n-ggas want me, b-tches want to be me. It summarizes it.
**New album _The Hottest Rap Bitch,_ what can we expect?**
Bars. If you hear me say it, I wrote it. If it comes out of my mouth, it came from my pen. Aside from that, I’ve got some bops and versatility. This time, I did a great job of telling my story but making it fun. Not getting too lost in my emotions and realizing today’s sonic sound, but it all sounds original. It sounds like me. What makes me me wasn’t compromised at all. This is probably the best I’ve ever sounded.
**You don’t really do features, do you?**
No, but yes. I have some features on there. I have a feature with AshBashthaRapper, the redhead. I did a song with her to the Nipsey, “Last Time That I Checc’d.” It was crazy viral. A few million views. You're driving down the street in LA, you’ll hear them play that. I got a record with Londynn B, she’s so dope. She did the show with Cardi with the half-and-half hair. I pulled up on her just to meet her. I don’t like doing features but her energy was so dope. I said “I want you to hear this one record,” she said “send it to me.” In that moment, pulled it up in ProTools. Me, that’s the essence of what _The Hottest Rap Bitch_ is. It’s really rapping, and she did that. It was a vibe.
**Goals you have for yourself?**
Taking it to the next level. I always knew I could get here, I want to surprise myself with how far I can take it from here. I have my goals, but I’m nervous sometimes. Things I could have never, ever imagined, like _Wild ‘N Out._ To this day, it means the most to me. I want to take it to the next level, but keep my opportunities open.
