We were lucky to catch up with Megan Correa recently and have shared our conversation below.

Megan, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

As an up-and coming musician, it’s not only difficult to find a sustainable income in order to financially support yourself, but to also have enough income to re-invest back into your music. Just like any business, in the beginning of your career as a musician you’ll spend a lot of time, energy and resources on brand awareness. Music is such a competititve industry and there are so many platforms filled with hungry artists all vying for our attention. In order to build a fanbase, it’s essential to invest a significant amount of money into your art without any expectation on recouping immediately. A lot of artists found creative ways to sell their product directly either through merchandise, or by using BandCamp, however I went a completely different route. I had a passion for education so I applied my experience making music into curriculum development and became a hip hop educator. Being a teacher has made me such a better performer, writer and forced me to critically analyze the intention behind the music and art I was creating.

Megan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started writing songs and playing piano when I was 6 years old. I started free-styling when I was 17 years-old, and that became an outlet for me to process my childhood trauma. I became transfixed by Hip Hop culture and I channeled all of my energy into the art of rap.

I dropped my first mixtape in 2013 and In 2014 I started competing in rap battles. My freestyle skills got me recognized as one of the only women on the Bay Area rap battle scene. I became a rap battle champion in 2016 and went on to release my first solo album, Prey for Gods in 2017, which chronicled my personal experiences with trauma, addiction and violence. Following the release of my debut album, I channeled my creative energy into making music that balanced my raw vulnerability with my fun and animated personality. My two EPS titled, PunisHer EP Volume 1 & 2 were released through Urbanlife Distribution along with self published, fully illustrated comic books.

In 2017 I spent a significant amount of time in Spain creating music and performing at underground Hip Hop showcases. When I returned to the Bay Area in 2018 I began working as a Hip Hop Educator with the Oakland based non-profit Hip Hop For Change.

I started producing beats in 2019, making me one of the 2% of women music producers. Now, I teach production to hundreds of students in collaboration with many Bay Area based Non-Profit Organizations. In 2020 I developed a Women’s Empowerment Hip Hop curriculum, teaching students from elementary to college aged about the female pioneers of Hip Hop. I’ve led workshops at UC Berkeley, at Doc Martens Shoe Company, and for the Women’s Empowerment Summit in 202. In March of 2020, I was selected to go to El Salvador through a program run by the US Embassy, to run a week long Spanish Hip Hop program for students across El Salvador. In the summer of 2020 I began working with Meta and Code HS on an educational initiative, Code Remix, a free program aimed at developing students’ computer science skills through coding and beat-making. Since then I have traveled around the country teaching thousands of kids how to use the program.

In October 2021 I founded Queens Of The Underground, an all-women hip hop showcase that gives underground female artists the opportunities to open for more established artists. We wanted to expose the world to the diversity of female artists who often go unacknowledged because they do not fit into the hyper-sexualized archetype that dominates the mainstream. We curated 3 successful Queens of the Underground showcases since its inception in October 2021, with our Queens of the Underground Grammy party, honoring all female grammy nominees, coming up on February 2, 2023 in Los Angeles.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is definitely to create more equity in Hip Hop and in all aspects of the entertainment industry especially for women. The music industry is extremely predatory and most artists are already vulnerable which makes them easy targets for predators. Women have an even bigger target on their back and as someone who is a survivor of abuse being exploited can be especially triggering and leave you feeling used and discarded. I want to create platforms for women artists to feel safe, valued and empowered.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

What’s most rewarding about being an artist is being valued for creativity. Our society isn’t designed to support or value creativity which goes against our own innate nature as humans. Being able to sustainably support myself entirely through music and hip hop culture is such an empowering feeling. I love being able to pass on my knowledge of music and culture to others and continue passing along that torch. it’s fascinating to think that something I created may have impacted and inspire thousands of individuals who will go on to inspire others creating a linage of creativity that can span for generations.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lilmcmusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilmc.music/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LilMcSF/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/lilmc415?lang=en
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg4mk1Z4Dmsk8tcQw-XQAOQ
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3AmSnF3gzJoJNnSXfVFmba

Image Credits
Image 1: Colton Coate Image 2: Sarah Arnold Photo