Nowadays, female rappers are taking over the music industry and we can’t get enough. Insert [Asianae](https://www.instagram.com/theasianae/?hl=en) who hails from the Southside of Atlanta, Riverside, Clayton County to be exact. As the leader of the #mermaidgang, the rising star arrives with her own unique style, swag, and energy, spitting braggadocious bars with each release.
Having done music for almost two years now, Asianae states, “My music is fun-felt. You can literally be going through anything, you can turn on one of my songs and catch a vibe.
Closing last year on the highest note possible, Asianae unleashed her standout single titled “Jump” featuring 1501 Entertainment’s own Erica Banks. The song’s official music video sees both baddies bringing the record to life on the basketball court, in the jungle, and a vibrant yellow room stocked full of cash. Additionally, fans have been doing their part in participating in the [#JumpChallenge](https://www.instagram.com/p/CLxYWhaH4T0/), where Asianae will pick one winner to be featured on her forthcoming tape. _The Chosen 1_ arrives this spring with all-star features from Flo Milli.
_Flaunt_ caught up with the Break'em Off Records signee via Zoom, who was posted back home in Atlanta. Read below as we discuss her roots in Atlanta, biggest influences, what sets her apart from other female rappers, how “Jump” with Erica Banks came to be, shooting the visual, the independent grind, her own clothing line, how Mermaid Gang originated, goals, and more!
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**What was the household like growing up in Atlanta?**
I'm not really from the city of Atlanta, I'm from the county which is Riverdale, Clayton County the south side. Growing up, I was in sports a little bit. I really was optimistic. I never really knew what I wanted to be when I got older, I knew I wanted to be bigger than my situation. I constantly was going through trial and error, trying stuff. I went to school, high school, college as well. I had a fun childhood, I can't complain. Turn the struggle into fun times.
**Biggest influences?**
Growing up, I was in the Nicki era. I fell in love with music through R&B, so I always say Jodeci and Tank. The 2000 hip-hop scene of Atlanta which was Outkast, T.I. D4L, people of that nature.
**At what point did you realize you could do music for a living?**
Once I started doing it. Music like anything else, when you get into your passion and what your calling really is, you start to grow in it and you can't do nothing else. After really venturing out and learning myself with music, I couldn't go backwards.
**Your dad was in the music industry, what did you learn from him?**
My dad still does AD work so he works on a lot of videos, mainstream artists’ videos. He also does filmmaking. What I learned from him is consistency and knowing that overnight, it's not gonna be a change. You have to really work in this industry in order to make a name, to want people to even mess with you or really take you serious.
**What sets you apart from other female rappers?**
I can touch on every different avenue. I can make music about literally anything and help somebody go through their situation. On top of that, my stuff is fun. I'm me, I'm authentic. Some people aren't really real with their music. Everything I write down is either something I done been through or a situation that someone has talked to me about, I just put my own perspective and twist to it.
**“Jump” featuring Erica Banks going up, how did that collab come about?**
“Jump” was made in May of last year, me and Erica were at Magic City at the same time. I was doing a celebration for being signed and she was doing a single release. Her stuff was jumping, my stuff was jumping. Our labels both got into communication. The next day, we’re in the studio. I was playing her a few songs, asking her what song she wanted to get on. I played “Jump” and she said “this one right here.” After that, it was history. Shout out to Erica, period.
**What was the vibe in the studio?**
She's a real genuine person and she’s good at what she does. She's real about her craft and that's what I appreciate mostly about her because she really hard. She really sits there, goes in the studio, write her bars and recites them. She hard! It was a good vibe.
**The video shoot looked lit, what was your vision?**
When I say “Jump,” I automatically think basketball. I wanted to take it an inch further, and that's when I incorporated _Space Jam_. With the cover, it's us animated like how they’d do the Looney Tunes, but really us through our face. In the video, I wanted to counteract with it. I put some scenes in there with the basketball rim. The dancing scene, I wanted to add a different flavor to it because choreography is what women really like. Being able to do dance, it's a form of art so I wanted to add that in there. I've never danced before so I wanted to try something new, and it worked.
**How was your experience dancing?**
It was cool, it wasn't hard at all. From that point of learning choreography, I've been rehearsing heavy now. Getting a real show performance together because I want my whole thing to be a whole show.
**Best memory from the video shoot?**
The water scene was the funniest. It was a 14-hour shoot, the longest video shoot I've been on. But I was so high off life, I didn't even notice how long we were there for. The water scene was literally the best scene to me. It was cold, but it was fun!
**What’s your secret to staying snatched?**
Wearing a waist trainer 24/7, I waist train 24/7 so my waist can be snatched. I train, I workout 3 times a week. I'm in rehearsal so I'm definitely conditioning my body and eating right... sometimes. \[laughs\]
**What is it you want fans to get from your story?**
That you can do whatever you really put your mind to. There should never be a “no” or “can I?”, a question about what you can or can't do. As long as you put your mind to it and you ain't lazy, you don't feel like you're entitled, anything could be brought to you.
**What’s the reality of the independent grind**?
To be honest, now I have a team, and I'm thankful. Before I had a team, every position was filled by me. Booking a studio session, going to the club, talking to DJs, social media, which you still do when you're signed because you still have go hard for yourself, period. Being able to have that extra push from a team that’s behind you, like PR, somebody to do everything that you don't have to do. You can focus on being an artist and strictly promoting yourself.
When you’re solely independent, all the funds and everything you make has to be put into what you feel like is going to grow. That’s what I was doing. Before I got signed, I was in a club working. Only thing I’d spend money on was wardrobe for my image and going to the studio, do everything solely for my music. Of course my well being, but other than that, all my funds were strictly putting it into my pot.
**What can we expect from your forthcoming project, _The Chosen 1_?**
_The Chosen 1_ is dropping this spring, my first mixtape. God chooses one person in your family that makes generational wealth and breaks the generational curse, and that's me. I'm the chosen one. In the mixtape, there’s going to be a different touch on different genres of music I tap into. I'm excited for the world to hear it. We gon' hear some love songs, some heartbreak music, some in the bedroom music. Some in the club, turnt up. In the car, wake up, it's all the vibes.
**3 things you need in the studio?**
I like limited people in the studio for one, I don't like a whole crowd. The people actually producing the music, that's it. #2, food because I'm in the studio for at least 8 hours and I like to eat. #3, good vibes around me for the people there. I’m the type of person, I don't need Patron. I don't need weed, I don't need none of that to create a vibe. I need the vibes and positive energy around me.
**What would you be doing if you weren't doing music?**
If I wasn't doing music, I’d still be some type of entrepreneur. Going into some type of business. Right now, I'm working on a clothing brand so I’d solely be working on that.
**What’s the premise of Mermaid Gang?**
My clothing brand is Swim Good by Mermaid Gang. The Mermaid Gang really stands for living life and being free-spirited, bright colors and good energy. When you think of good energy or positivity, you think of bright colors. That's why the Mermaid Gang is really centered around bright colors: pink, green, purple, white. It's a gang of people who live their life free-spirited, that's it.
**How did Mermaid Gang originate?**
To be honest, it's not even one or two things I could say. I woke up one day and said “I'm a mermaid.” When you think of a mermaid, you think of water. I love water, so it worked out for me.
**What’s the best encounter you had with a fan?**
I've had a lot of encounters thus far, but the best one was when I was in a club before. I thought it was so sweet, this girl sells pre-rolls. She brought it up to me and said “I seen your page, I knew you was coming here. I came here for you to bring you this.” Hey I don't even smoke weed, but thank you! It was the thoughtfulness behind it.
**Top 5 artists in rotation?**
PARTYNEXTDOOR, Jhene Aiko. I like Nicki of course, Drake. One more, I'ma say Summer Walker.
**Favorite person to follow on IG?**
[Wallo,](https://www.instagram.com/wallo267/?hl=en) because he's very inspirational. I listen to his videos every morning, I wake up and listen. He’s very inspirational, everybody should follow him.
**Any goals for yourself at this point in your career?**
To be honest, my goal has to be met when outside’s open. My goal is to be a BET New Hip Hop artist this year. Another goal of mine is to really get the music out and touch people. Being able to touch people is my biggest thing with the music because I know my music can help a lot of people.
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