Maybe it's just been a while since I went trolling for honeys on the streets of East Dallas, but I've never heard of Memphis Blac or Smokahontas Jones, two female emcees who claim that part of town and are also pretty up front about their experiences as prostitutes in their new song "Got Dat Work."
Our co-workers out in Miami have heard of them, though--mostly because the video was filmed in South Beach. Needless to say, the gang at the Miami New Times' Crossfade blog was every bit as intrigued as we were upon their introduction. So they got in touch with Blac. And here's what they learned:
Memphis Blac (a.k.a Arapahoe) and her niece, Smokahontas Jones, are blazing up the viral charts with their song "Got Dat Work." It's a street hooker's anthem empowering the women of the oldest profession... She says her music is an attempt to raise awareness about condom use, the dangers of sex work, and to expose the reality and ubiquity of prostitution in America. Money raised from the track's sale and promotion go to Blac's urban outreach programs to promote education for at-risk youth.They also learned that Blac's apparently gone legit these days--she apparently runs a burger joint called Precious Treats. But she still has a mouth on her. Our Miami colleagues are working on a piece for print about the tandem--we'll let you know when it comes out, duh--and they've posted a blog item listing the 50 best quotes from the interview. And, sure, that might sound stupid, but, actually, quotes like "I hoed for a nigga for a whole year straight before he ever bought me a motherfuckin' wig" are pretty amazing. So, y'know, there you go.
