SeanTheRobot: Tell our readers where you're from and what you do.
Denim Mouzon: I am from the Bronx New York aka the greatest place on planet Earth and I am a journalist, aspiring entrepreneur and budding musician. I write, rap, sing and make things happen with my mind.
Sean: Your name, Denim Mouzon, I saw a video of you explaining how you came up with it...can you tell the story again for people who haven't seen that vid?
Denim: Basically in high school, when everybody was on AOL instant messenger I was trying to find myself a screenname. I kept trying different versions of my real name, Deandra Mouzon, but they kept getting denied. So after getting a little frustrated I was like "well then I am Mouzon... " But I spelled it: DEN I M MOUZON. Later, when my friend hit me up she wrote "hey Denim!" and I was like "Who's that?" and she said "It's your screen name stupid!" And from then on that was my alias.
Sean: That worked out pretty good for you then. I like that name.
Denim: Thanks man... I feel it fits well.
Sean: You said you make things happen with your mind, what does that mean exactly?
Denim: It just means that I envision my goals and then I make them happen. I've been like that for as long as I can remember. Even when people around me said or say what I want is beyond my means, I find a way to make it work. Coming from NYC...you have to be like that. Hustle everyday.
Sean: That's definitely the type of attitude you need if you want to make it. When did you first start to do music?
Denim: Hmmm.. well I started writing a lot of poetry in high school but I didn't write my first song until my Freshman year of college. It was done on my friend's macbook and I sampled the Denise Williams song "Silly."
Sean: Do you see yourself more as a rapper/singer or more as a poet/writer. Or are those fields equally important to you?
Denim: I definitely see myself more as a poet/writer. Beyond that I'm really just an artist that needs multiple outlets to survive in this crazy world. My self-expression takes on different forms at different times.
Sean: I'd like to focus on the music for a bit though. What are your biggest influences/which artists influence you?
Denim: Musically I have to say, 2Pac, Bob Marley, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Mos Def, Outkast and a lot of old school groups like The Stylistics, The Delfonics, The Chillites and Marvin Gaye. My mother brought me up on the oldies... Doo Wop was a staple in my home. But then there was also Jazz, R&B and Reggae. My older brother was the one that really put me on to hip-hop later on.
Sean: Do you remember what made you really fall in love with hip hop for the first time?
Denim: Yea, Tupac Amaru Shakur. He sang my life with his words. They'll never be another. But one of my first real supporters ever was my good friend Mic J Gatsby. He saw a spark and encouraged me at every turn.
Sean: Over the past years you dropped tracks here and there ...I always felt like I couldn't really put you in any genre, you have songs where it feels like you're the female version of Lupe Fiasco and then you have other ones that remind me of Santigold or MIA. How would you describe the music you're doing?
Denim: To be honest I'm still exploring and experimenting. With all of my influences I would never want to be pigeon-holed. My music changes because I change... consistently. It's amazing to me when people compare me to major artists because I feel that I'm still finding my true sound but it's definitely coming along. My music is what keeps me grounded. That's important. It's like my anchor to my own sanity.
Sean: Is that also the reason why you haven't dropped a full project yet, cause you haven't really found your sound?
Denim: Partially, yes. At the same time I see nothing wrong with releasing something that shows the journey I'm taking and the different avenues that I've gone down. That's what I plan to put out next. A smorgasbord of what Denim can do. I have no label, and no contracts to adhere to so I don't feel like I have to be a rapper, or a singer or that girl with the afro. I'm going to be Denim Mouzon in every color that I come in. Ya digg?
Sean: Yeah sounds great. You just gonna show people all of your different sides...nothing wrong with that.
Denim: Exactly. And the best part about it is... It's all me. No additives. No fillers and no marketing scheme. Just a Black girl from the Bronx with a lot to say.
Sean: I think that's something that's missing in Hip Hop these days. I mean, there are still very few women in hip hop that are getting to the same popularity level as their male counterparts, you have Nicki Minaj right now who's a huge star...and there are people like Missy, Lauryn Hill and Jean Grey but that's pretty much it. Why do you think it is like that? Is it harder for a woman to make it in this industry?
Denim: I think it's hard for women to be taken serious but then it depends on how you present yourself. It's become the norm in the industry for a woman to be presented as a vixen or a sexual object. If you're not willing to show some skin a lot of the industry heads wont bother looking your way. Either that or you better have a damn good gimmick going. I look at women in hip hop as the balance that our culture is craving. Hip-Hop right now is somewhat of a one-sided voice. I think that it's like that because of money. Everyone's hungry but no one wants to take the time to make the meal. I'm feelin like The Little Red Hen over here!!
Sean: Yeah, I think lyricism needs to be brought back to the mainstream. I mean everwhere you go people speak about how much they like lyrics but when you turn the radio on, that's not what you hear. There has to be some re-thinking in the whole hip hop community and labels, to not chase that radio single but to let artists just express themselves how they want to.
Denim: Yes!!! And with that let me have a side of people who are not so eager to conform. Thank you.
Sean: I know you attended the Fiasco Friday rally in New York in 2010. Do you do things like that more often, protests and stuff?
Denim: Yea man. Helping out is another passion I have. Bringing about awareness is key. I had a great professor a couple semesters back that really got me excited about protesting and demonstrating. If people don't know there's a problem... how can we fix it?
Sean: Yeah! I read you joined a march to Occupy Wallstreet. How did you experience it?
Denim: That was great. I marched alongside the Haiti Coalition. It was AMAZING! So much energy and revolutionary spirit in the air. I love solidarity and that was what we had out there.
Sean: I noticed something about you, compared to other people, you're not putting your life out there that much online...is it important to you to have a certain level of privacy and not share everything that you do?
Denim: I mean yes. I don't really get down with having my life on blast. If there's something really deep that I want to share I do it creatively. Poetry or otherwise. I try to keep a tight circle. People that I love know me well. That's all I really need.
Sean: Are you a religious person? I always kinda get an almost spiritual vibe from you, if you know what I mean. What do you believe in?
Denim: I'm spiritual yes. I believe in the most high. I was born muslim and I've researched a lot of different spiritual ideologies. Mostly I think you have to be humble in this life. So many outrageous and impossible things have happened to me at such a young age but God is great and he always keeps me afloat.
Sean: Do you believe in life after death?
Denim: I believe in the spiritual world. After death you will go where you belong. How you dwell in this world matters, I pray we all see that.
Sean: Alright. So, what is Denim Mouzon going to do in 2012 and what will people be able to see or hear from her?
Denim: I'm definitely going to release a cohesive piece of work this year. Also in 2012 I'll be graduating and moving toward my ambitions in journalism. Mostly I just plan to enjoy life and learn more about the things that interest me, maybe even do some traveling. Oh and definitely some performing.
Sean: Where can people find you online, either to see some of your writing or to hear your music?
Denim: Sadly, I'm still on myspace. lol... But also Youtube and Reverbnation.
You can go to myspace.com/denimmouzon or reverbnation.com/denimmouzon
I also have a blog: adifferentcloth.blogspot.com ...and if there are any updates I will post them on Twitter: @denimmouzon
Sean: Cool. I'd like to thank you for taking the time to do this interview. It was great to talk to you!
Denim: Thank you soooo much mister!
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