We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lady Mprez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lady below.

Lady, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve recently worked on was helping establish NuRyz Projectz. NuRyz Projectz is a virtual platform that creates projects for independent and upcoming artists to display their creativity and tenacity.
A few years ago, I met my business partner Yah Doctrine. He’s a creator, an artist, and the founder of the 242 Artist Network. He started the 242 Artist network to bring artists, vendors, and all types of talents from the Bahamas together to not only unite the culture, but to also create a unique space for artists to collab and learn more about the music business. We came across one another (I can’t remember how exactly we met, but it had to be through one of my links in the Bahamas) and had a discussion about the things we do and the goals that we wanted to achieve. I realized that we had a lot in common. We both are spiritual soldiers on missions for the Almighty YHWH, and we both were big on networking and collaborating. Suntian Naziyon (one of the brands that I’m an Ambassador for) is all about uniting the nations, so it was nice to come across someone on a similar path such as myself. We slowly started to get to know each other and both discussed wanting to do collaborative mixtapes. That one conversation led to the creation of NuRyz Mixtapes, which evolved into NuRyz Projectz. NuRyz Projectz is still in its infant stage, but it’s growing more and more each day and I’m enjoying the process of it all. Yah Doctrine and I were both big on creating raw and organic content. We both realize that the music industry is watered down and corrupted and we felt like artists that had actual talent were being overlooked for not conforming to modernized music and cultural trends. We both acknowledged that the content that the music industry was producing was not original, held no substance, and was also causing our diaspora to go astray due to the amount of violence, drugs, sex, etc. that was being displayed in the music videos, on social media, and in other forms of content.
When we came up with the mission statement for NuRyz Projectz, we wanted to make sure that it represented both of our brands and what we stood for. Organic, raw, and non-conforming. We wanted to make sure we never overlooked an artist because they didn’t fit or follow the trend of man (society). We wanted to make sure we checked out artists that had REAL TALENT. We created NuRyz Projectz to find original artists and expose their music to international audiences as our platform expands. We both utilized our networking skills to set up interviews for artists, have them posted on blogs, get some of them radio plays, and are continuing to present more opportunities for our artists as we grow.
Certain projects are set up a certain way not only to test the artists’ creativity, but to also develop the artists.
I (Lady Mprez) implemented a tactic that I had used when I worked in Social Work and Case Management. I was a firm believer in the more effort my clients put out, the more effort I put out. The clients that showed me they wanted to do better with themselves and put the work in, I gave them back that same energy. The clients that thought they were just going to play the system and waste my time, I gave them that same energy as well. Why should I invest all this extra energy into clients who are showing me they don’t care to do anything but the bare minimum? I’ll help, but understand I’m going to give you that bare minimum energy as well. So I created case plans while working as a Case Manager in a shelter that gave my clients objectives to achieve within their 90 days. I would ask what one of their bigger goals was for themselves and created a case plan to help them get closer to that goal by creating smaller goals (objectives) that led to the bigger goal. Some goals were to have a down payment for housing, and some were to obtain a CNA license. If I could make it happen, I did. I helped find programs to help my clients achieve things like going to cosmetology school, getting a GED, and more. I used a ranking system for my clients. When they achieved certain objectives, they would rank up on their case plans. I would reward them with little things like weekend passes, lunch on me, and more. I did this not only to motivate them, but also to say thank you for making the effort to do better for yourself (and your family). I could usually tell within the first 30 days which clients would leave out and do better, and which ones would most likely land back on the streets through this ranking system. 97% of the time, I was right. There was that little percentage of my clients that seemed to flip the script on me and simply amaze me, but regardless, it made my job worthwhile to see my clients succeed. So I brought the idea to Yah Doctrine for NuRyz. I explained that this system would help us find the go-getters and the type of artists that we would want to work with more. We want to invest in the artists that put out the effort and are willing to invest in themselves. We created a badge system to help with artist development. On the first NuRyz mixtape project, the artists were thinking that they were just doing these goals for fun and to expose their music to different audiences (which they were), but little did they know that each objective they achieved was helping them create an EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for themselves if they hit all 4 rankings. Everyone on the 1st project that obtained the fire badge basically created an EPK and probably didn’t even know it. An Electronic Press Kit (EPK) is like a music resume or business card. This is a professional package that may contain your album art, press photos, music links, bio, and any other content that would be beneficial in pitching your song to blogs, record labels, PR firms, and more. The average cost of a “basic” EPK is around 190$. EPK’s can range from $190 all the way up to the thousands. So our artists created an EPK for themselves without having to pay that cost.
We understood not everyone would want to be a part of the project, that some would just want to be featured on the mixtape, and that some would actually go all out because they see the opportunity present. We could only work with what was given to us. So the ones who went all out, we were able to promote them the most because they provided us with the most content to work with. We understood that every artist’s situation was different (especially during a pandemic), so we knew not everybody would be able to complete all the goals. We also knew for the next project that some artists are going to return and go harder because now they have a better understanding of what NuRyz Projectz is about and because they also saw what the higher ranking artists got from it (promotions, interviews, etc). So there really is a psychology to this, which is why we set the project up a particular way. We want to make the projects fun, but we also want to develop our artists. As the world wide web continues to evolve, it gives artists more access to be independent and not have to worry about dealing with greedy record labels, demanding agents, or being overlooked because they don’t fit into this watered-down music culture.
I’m a very tech savvy gaal and loved that we could create a virtual platform and music network for artists that truly enjoy the art of music. We want real content that people can relate to. We’re tired of the fake materialistic music culture, we want to bring about a NuRyz (new rise) of artists that don’t care about being a part of an inorganic culture and are in it for the love and art of music.
Yah Doctrine and I are proud of the progress that NuRyz Projectz has made and all the links we have made from working on the 1st project. As we expand into doing different types of projects that aren’t just musically influenced (like podcasts), we want to continue to help influence a NuRyz (new rise) of culture. We want to help influence and uplift the diaspora with what we’re doing. We want to help influence the diaspora by presenting natural and relatable content that promotes positivity, unity, and LOVE (we’re definitely all about the love). We know it’s not going to happen overnight, but we are enjoying the vybz (vibes) and watching our plans fall into place little by little, and that’s one of the greatest feelings in the world. That’s what made (and makes) this project meaningful.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My artist/creator name is Lady Mprez. I was born in the Southwest District of Florida (Flawda for the natives). I grew up in a small city called Naples. Naples is right off of the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, so I have a natural love for the beach, nature, and always enjoyed what I called island hopping (traveling from island to island). I enjoyed visiting islands like Marco Island, Keewaydin Island, and Sanibel & Captiva. Southwest Florida was a little paradise full of some of the most unique creatures (animals and humans included). Life wasn’t the easiest coming up due to many factors, but I’m appreciative of the person it has sculpted me into… I’ve always had a love for music. I played the viola (basically a lower-toned violin) when I was in middle school and always loved to sing. My mummy always told me to join the choir to keep my voice up, but instruments were more of my passion at that time. So I always knew I wanted to do something that involved music, but when you had a Caribbean father like mine whose expectation for me was to become a lawyer or nurse, music was easily overlooked.
I remember being a kid and learning how to record sounds off of my cassette player (Am I showing my age?) on my little blue boombox, pointing the antenna to my mouth like it was a microphone, and creating my own radio session. I would sit there for hours replaying my session and then record over it (sometimes by accident) until it sounded good. Unfortunately, cassettes weren’t really reliable and the film would somehow get messed up. I would cry out of frustration because my hours of work would be ruined so quickly and then I’d give up on wanting to be a radio host for the day (Oh the innocence).
As I got older and life got rougher, I lost my passion for music, especially when I was going through this trial where I lost my singing voice for a year in high school. I don’t know how or why it happened, but I couldn’t even hold a note without it sounding horrific. It was weird and hurtful because I loved singing and couldn’t even sing to help me get through what I was going through. I remember I just stopped singing because the sound of my voice even had my friends laughing and saying “GIRL JUST STOP!”
I looked at it as me growing into my voice though, because when I got it back (and threw myself off the couch onto the cold tile floor out of excitement), YOU COULDN’T TELL ME NOTHING! It came back even more beautiful than it was before. Even though I put music down for a while, it’s as if I would have this fire burning in my soul until I did music again. Every time I put music to the side, the fire would burn more and more, which made me realize I had a genuine love for music.
I was always behind the scenes when it came to music (which makes more sense now). I’d go to the studio with friends, had friends who had their own studios, go with my brothers to their studio sessions, and go with my cousin to her performances. I didn’t even think about myself really producing music even though I was always writing poetry and turning them into songs. I would make little rhymes and recite them around my friends in a joking way, and they would give me a look like “Was that you?”. Even though I’d be joking and playing around, someone listening would mention that I had a good voice and needed to do music.
As time went by, I started to step into the studio myself. I remember being so disappointed when I heard the first song I recorded because I hated the way I sounded and realized that I needed a lot of work, but, it was my first time. The lyrics were beautiful, but I still hadn’t developed my sound. It only motivated me to do better on the next tracks. As I started to learn more about music and was stepping into different studios to record, there was usually somebody listening in on my session. When I would finish my session, they would talk to me and say we need to collab and also ask for pointers. I did a few collaborations (nothing that has become viral as yet) with different artists over the years and started realizing how common it was that people would ask me for advice. I would only give suggestions because even though I’ve been around music my whole life, I was still learning the game and didn’t want to provide anyone with information I didn’t have experience in. This is what eventually opened me up to the collaborative world. People would ask me to listen to their music and give my feedback. I knew how it was being an artist and how we’re sensitive about our craft, so I always tried to give constructive criticism in a tactful manner. In most cases, people appreciated my approach of giving them constructive criticism without making them feel bad about their music (and of course, there’s a story for that as well)…
I remember doing a song that was like a Pop & Hip-hop infusion. I came across this producer who was managing some big names during the 80s and 90s and asked him to give me his feedback so I can improve my sound. I knew I was an extreme rookie at this time, but I felt like it was decent enough to put out. The producer played the song and within 4 seconds cut it off and said “I can tell already it’s going to be trash (thank God this was virtual, can you imagine what I would’ve done if this was in person).” I was shocked because I know I have a mad different sound, but I wasn’t ready for that. He said, “It’s unprofessional to have an intro, nobody’s going to listen to that, but I’m going to give it one more try.” He let the intro play out a little more, rolled his eyes, cut the track off, and said “See, I told you.” I could understand he was a producer and is looking for a particular sound and I didn’t mind his criticism, but it was the fact that he didn’t even give it a chance. I remember feeling so down that day until my boyfriend (at the time) came home later that night to console me. He gave me the most uplifting words because he loved the song and would always push me to perform it when I was performing at certain spots. He told me not to allow a producer living in the 80s to kill my spirit. The thing about my ex was, no matter how bad things were, he never beat around the bush. If I had a bad song (because I was definitely experimenting with different sounds at that time), he would tell me “Bebz (babes), you need to step your game up.” But he told me how much he and his friends enjoyed the song and that the song wouldn’t be the same without the intro. His words made me feel a little better, but it wasn’t until about a week later I had a different producer reach out to me online. Ironically, this producer heard the song and told me he saw the potential in me. He told me that he liked my voice and that this was a new sound. He did say I needed to work on my flow because it sounded like I was rushing through the words, but besides that, this was a performable track. I APPRECIATED THAT FEEDBACK.
This same song even had some agents reaching out to me to perform on some tours in the UK. I didn’t take the opportunity at the time because I felt like I didn’t have enough material recorded yet and was preparing to move. Regardless, this made me feel a lot better about continuing my musical journey.
So because of that experience with the first producer, I promised myself I wouldn’t ever want to be an a******* towards an artist who is trying to come up. If I have nothing good to say about someone’s music, then I shall remain silent. That experience with that producer is why I try to be very tactful about how I give criticism to artists. For the most part, artists respect me for it.
So as years went by, that experience led me to creating my own platform for underground music (and the fact that I was getting tired of Facebook censoring me). That 1st producer rejected me because I didn’t fit the part of the common hip-hop culture and because my music didn’t sound like the modern style of music. As I said, I wasn’t mad at his criticism, I was upset that he didn’t even give the song a real listen. But, he’s entitled to his opinion at the end of the day. So no hard feelings.
Coming from a Case Management background, what made me good at my job was being able to find sources for people. I may not have what you’re looking for, but I can offer some guidance and send you to somebody who may have some intel. Because of this skill, some of my clients used to call me “the plug” (for resources, not drugs. But..). I can find beds for you, links to jobs, know where they’re doing free computer classes and all. I always had a link for something. So networking was my thing and when I entered into music, I utilized that same skill to collaborate with artists.
You want someone who does beats from scratch? I know somebody. You need a studio to go to? I know where to send you. You need a great engineer? Let me call my people. This is how I obtained the title under Suntian Naziyon & NuRyz Projectz as a Networking Lieutenant. I may not have the answer at the moment, but I can provide guidance on where you can get that answer. I can network!
My brand and the brands I represent (because there are some I haven’t even mentioned as yet) stand for individuality, unity, and love. I’m here to uplift, to find opportunities and resources for my clients and entities I work for, and to also have a platform where people are free to express themselves through their art. I want people to take pride in themselves and not feel like they have to conform to society’s ridiculous standards. Art is a form of expression and art can be expressed in many forms. There’s not one way to express yourself. Your individuality is what makes your art flourish and Lady Mprez is here to expose that to the world. So I will continue to work hard to be a voice for the ones that feel different or unheard. The main thing to know about me is that I am a woman of integrity who stands firm on her morals and values and I will not compromise them just to follow a trend. I’m me. Love me or hate me, either way, it doesn’t matter because YHWH (God) loves me, and that’s all that matters.

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

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a creative is to have the freedom to express myself freely and not have to be subjected to others’ authority. I can create on my own time, at my own pace, and not have to worry about anyone telling me how to present my craft. This is mine! I own this! I make my own schedule, I make the rules, and I don’t have to feel like I can’t climb the ladder because of not having a degree or other resources. The beauty of being a creative is that you can CREATE your own path and not have many limitations doing so.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Unity is one of my missions that’s driving my creativity. The fact that I can network, collaborate, and bring people together through various projects is definitely a motivating factor for me. I want to unite the diaspora through the arts. I feel art, whether it’s in the form of music, poetry, or dance, is a great way to connect people. So why not utilize it? I’ve connected with so many people through doing music and poetry on the low over the years, can you imagine when I really take it to the next level the number of people I can connect with? It’s an exciting feeling. I’m really big on bringing my people together. I want to help influence an eclectic culture that my people can be proud of. I don’t ever want to feel my blackness is being limited, and others shouldn’t feel that way either. I want to unite people and create a space where my people can do rock music and not feel ashamed for being black and loving rock. I want people to not feel like their culture is a monolithic one, but a diverse one and be proud of it. We’re a diverse culture and we should take pride in that. I’m tired of the separation. We need unity and that’s what I’m pushing on.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ladymprez.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/lady_mprez 
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@lady_mprez
• Other: www.nuryzprojectz.org