DIY Book-making and its uses

SHE IS DAZZLING, A LYRICAL MAESTRO,

LADIES AND

I PRESENT:

Omid Khanzadeh Photos Courtney Mannion

When I met up with 2l-year old Vreni Michelini, I thought to myself, "How come there aren't more Mexican female

hip-hop artists?" Artistically, Vreni is simply one of the best Richmond has right now. Musically. she is simply flawless. Vreni's passion and her soulfu l approach remind me of a young Lauryn Hill, while her beautiful voice is reminiscent of Gonjasufi. And with the abilities to make

wonderful beats and to hype up any audience, Vreni has found herself one of the top musicians in Richmond. Vreni

has already collaborated with Richmond's Annu, Rasul. Millz, and Chino, and outside of Richmond, she's worked with the likes of Marble Mummy, Sparkz and Valone

Listen to music and stay up to date with future performances by Chhoti Maa at www.myspace.com/ chhotimaa.

Can you introduce Where did the name yourself, and Chhoti Maa come from, tell everyone how you got and was it your first into making music? choice as your stage

My name is Vreni Michelini. name? and I am a senior in the PA & Chhoti Maa is Hindi for "little PR department at VCU. I am mother," or in Spanish, mamacita. identity and cultures, who I am, and reconnecting with Pachamama.

Who in particular influenced you in making music and rapping? Who

originally from Guanajuato, Mexico, [but I've lived in] EI Paso and Dallas, Texas; Albany, Georgia; Harrisonburg, Virginia and now Richmond. I got into music when I was pretty young. Both my parents were finishing school in Mexico, and because they were students I got to take piano, wooden flute lessons and chorus all for free. Later, when I moved to Georgia, I was in the high school chorus. Three years ago, I started rapping, so the mixture of all those experiences developed into the sounds I do now. It has multiple meanings. It wasn't are you currently listening my first stage name. I've gone through a couple of really bad ones: Vrenimaa and Tryptich, for example.

What are the topics you mostly talk about in your

music?

The pieces in Spanish are like the ones in English. They deal with a range of subjects, like the corruption in the government and politics, the mistreatment between human beings, specifically towards children and women, faulty educational system[sJ, the complexity of to?

I listen to a lot. so it's hard for me to tell you that only a certain artist or a style influenced me. The artists that come to mind are my grandma Abi, Lauryn Hill, Mala Rodriguez, Princesa, Orishas, Erykah Badu, Oscar Chavez, the Roots, Bjork, Billie Holiday, Portishead, Destiny's Child, RL Burnside, Clara Smith, Maria Dolores Pradera, Chopin, the Moldy Peaches, Manu Chao, Jedi Mind Tricks, Caetano Veloso, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Mary J. Blige, Intocable, Chavela Vargas and many others. Right now

I'm really into Oumou Sangare, J-Lo, Abdul Aliim, Sharon Jones, Thomas "Fats" Waller, Digable Planets, Abdullah Ibrahim and Recodo.

My grandma was a poet, and I remember every New Year she always recited the same poem, and it really influenced me ... It was my grandma who I was most close to, and she really helped me practice a lot.

Do you bother with classifying

your music, or any music

for that matter? Or is your music just progressing

sounds?

I don't want to, but I do. Music is music. But it comes from a specific

is a family of hip-hop, soul. roots music, tribal, and experimental. Many roots of different genres, but stuck to one specific one. I would say I am a rapper. I use rapping as a form of communication. I wouldn't say though that I'm a rapper right And I consider the performance, "Latch On," both art and music Can you give us some insight on your L.P. you

have coming out soon?

Locker SOB C3rd floor of the Fine Arts Building). and that work will be featured on iconomagazine. What direction do you It is my first L.P. I've been working com Additionally, I have a couple think music now-a-days is on it for a year now, and I have of house shows coming up, a

going towards, and where do you

twenty tracks that I'm trying collaboration with a Richmond to cut down to ten, which will musician, as well as my first L.P. see yourself in this feature Annu, Marble Mummy and now. Considering what is rap on movement? the radio and television, I wouldn't Well, because of technology consider myself [a rapper). and the internet, there is space for a lot of people. The music

Does your art influence your music, and does it go the other way around as well?

I would have to say .. part of the same, just different forms. I had a performance piece where I was in a glass case and I made music inside of it. I had both music and art in it. For the last hour and a half, I began to freestyle, and I began making beats while banging my fists on the ground. movement is more democratic. Myspace and Tumblrs are good [resources], and can be shared throughout the web, and it's super-exciting to see the different possibly a producer from Mexico. So now I'm just tweaking it. I just really want it to be perfect, and when I'm done, I'm going to put it on the internet for free download. I'll also be selling them [and those copies] would include some of my artwork inside.

sounds on the Internet. I don't What can we expect in watch television or listen to the the future from Chhoti radio [for music], because I'm not Maa? really interested in it. It's boring, I am going to have an exhibit for and mostly formula music. I'd the Senior PA & PR show, which rather be surprised. will run from April 13 to 20. I have a solo show coming up in April 20 running until May 4 in