LightSkinKeisha deserves all her flowers, and she’s ready to take over the rap game once and for all. Of course, Atlanta is home to an endless list of greats, but Keisha continuously proves why she’s the next female rapper to rise from the city. Beyond her talents as a rapper and recording artist, it’s her out-of-this-world personality and hilarious sense of humor that fans can’t get enough of… and we adore her!
Boasting over 2.8 million followers on Instagram and 2 million followers on TikTok, it’s safe to say Keisha is entertaining the masses on a daily. Her work ethic alone does not go unnoticed, most recently unleashing her newest single and visual for “Play Me” as well as “Pop Sh*t Queen.” The former sees Keisha doing her own rendition of MTV’s Cribs, while the latter sees her talking her shit with an endless array of Birkin bags.
Beyond the music, Keisha recently made her acting debut as Tariq’s classmate, BruShandria Carmichael, on 50 Cent’s Power Book II: Ghost, as fans wait patiently for the arrival of Season 3. This follows her time on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, where she played herself.
Sheen Magazine caught up with Keisha virtually, who had just returned to Atlanta from her trip in Los Angeles. Read below as we discuss her new release “Play Me,” directing her own videos, being independent, shooting the visual for “Pop Sh*t Queen,” acting on Power, her business ventures, friendship with B. Simone, and more!
You just dropped “Play Me,” I love that you’re singing on this record. How’d this come about?
The record is produced by jetsonmade, shout out to him. When it comes to me doing music, I be trying to do different stuff. Okay well, let’s try to do a little melodic sound because I’ve been in my R&B bag. Every now and then, I try to switch up the flow. Whatever the vibe is in the studio that day, alright let’s go for it. Let’s do it. “Play Me” is a good song, did you see the video?
Yes! I love the MTV Cribs inspo.
It’s like an MTV Cribs edition, I’m showing off my crib. But in the midst of it: I got this dude, he’s in the room while I’m about to show off the room. He’s in the room with a whole other girl! Chile, crazy.
That house looks beautiful!
Yes, directed by me, because I love to direct my own videos too sometimes. I come up with my own ideas and my own treatments like let’s go for it.
Are you still independent?
Yes, I am. I’ve met with a couple of labels, but for me, it’s always perfect timing. When the time is right, it just has to make sense for me. But I want to also build myself up a little bit more too, see what the range is I could be doing out there by myself independently. Shout out to Streamcut. They be really working around the clock to make things happen.
Do you have a morning routine?
To be honest, I’m not even really a morning person. It’s so weird. When I wake up in the morning, I cannot eat breakfast. I do not be hungry in the morning. Certain people want to get up and eat eat eat. Today, I have not eaten anything. I know, it’s bad. But I’m finna go to the grocery store and make me a little meal or whatever.
Because people go to bed dreaming about breakfast. [laughs]
No, for sure. That’s Coca. He wakes up and he wants to eat. I’m the person that in the middle of my sleep, I’ll wake up and I get something to drink. He will wake up in the middle of the night and be crunching. Bro, you got all these crumbs in the bed. It’s crazy. He really be deadass crunching. Where is this all going?
Facts, does Coca work out?
No chile. He might get to it a little bit, but it’d be really more so me. I’m the worker outer. [laughs]
What’s your workout routine usually?
I don’t really have one. Usually, I have a personal trainer. If I don’t have a personal trainer at the time, then I go to the gym by myself. I’ll get on the treadmill. I like to go to LA Fitness because they got that sauna, I get to sweating.
Who do you listen to when you’re working out?
Myself. [laughs] Just kidding. For real I do listen to myself like damn bitch, you be talking that shit. I be hyping myself up in my music. I might listen to some hype stuff like Meek Mill, I listen to Young Thug. You know Meek be going “da-da-da-da,” he be hyped. I listen to Drake. Other than that, Summer Walker and PARTYNEXTDOOR.
What’s your favorite Meek song?
I like the song that he did with Ella Mai off Championships, “24/7.” He got another song: “I almost fell in love with a thottie. My dawg said you got too many bodies.” [“Almost Slipped”] Okay period.
Speaking of, “Pop Sh*t Queen” is out now! What were you on that session?
It depends on what the vibe is in the studio. That day, I just felt like poppin’ my shit. I went in there and I was poppin’ it, like fuck it.
What inspires you the most when you’re in the studio?
It depends on what mood I’m in. Sometimes I could be going through stuff, not even if it’s a bad thing — but really what inspires me the most is where I came from. My past. I think about a lot of the stuff that I went through in the past, or it might not be me personally in that situation, but maybe something I’ve seen. I like to think about the things that I went through in the past like okay boom, I’ma bring it back.
Talk about shooting that video. Where was that at?
We were outside, with the Birkins!
I was about to ask how many Birkins you got?
I don’t even know now. My man spoils me so much, he buys me a Birkin every… I don’t even know. On Valentine’s Day, he got me a buss down Birkin. Period!
How was Valentine’s Day at Nobu? That looks beautiful.
It was cute, it was real cute. It was very romantic, I had on my little dress and heels. He was spoiling me. He got me a new 7 chain, it was real good.
Any more music with you guys together?
We definitely have music together. I’ve had him on my project, he’s had me on his project. We’ve made songs that are in the vault. He recently just shot a video, I was in it. I was the main girl. I was hoping we could make out in the video, but it’s all good.
How was your time acting on Power Book II: Ghost? That’s legendary.
Thank you, I love acting! That shit is fire, I be having a blast. I get real into character, and it’s so crazy. It’s so surreal because I’m on the biggest show. Not just any show, but the biggest show. It’s crazy, but I love it. I really get inspired by my castmates because a lot of these people, they’ve been doing this for ages. Years and years and years so the fact that this has become my reality now, wow. My reality is really being amongst these people and getting tips. I got Larenz Tate who’s a legend, dropping jewels on me. You Larenz Tate, this is crazy! But that’s my reality now, I love it. I love it there. I love acting. Hopefully, you guys will see me in more things again.
Did you have to take acting classes?
Never. I took it as an elective in high school, but it wasn’t on that type of scale. It was theater, but that ended real quick. I’ve never went outside, signed up, and taken acting classes. Amongst all my classmates: girl you see them going in and getting into character, so you better go.
I’ve actually interviewed 50, he puts a lot of people on. How’d you land the role?
To be honest, I haven’t even met 50 yet. I’ve seen him on the Zoom calls when we’re going over the script. Really for me, I met Courtney Kemp. She’s one of the main producers. She’s the HBIC, that’s my girl. I thought it was crazy, they randomly hit us up. When my agent called me: “they want you to be on the spin-off.” I’m like that’s crazy! Hell yeah, and we made it happen.
When I met her, it was all love. She‘s telling me how she loves my personality. She’s telling me about one of her favorite videos or something I said in one of my videos that she’s fucking with. That’s wassup, so crazy. You’re amazing, wow.
Did you watch Power before that?
Absolutely! Power is that show. I’m not just saying that because I’m on it. Obviously yes, it’s such a great opportunity, but I really believe Power is that show. Really before Power, I never really even got into a series type of show. I remember back then when Power was going crazy, everybody was talking about Power. I’m like, what is it? When I finally saw it, it was crazy because as soon as I saw the first episode, I could not stop watching it. It’s so crazy because fast forward, here we are.
And I know they take care of you on set.
They do man, they do. I love everything about it. Season 3 is on the way.
What are your go-to beauty products?
Listen, this type of lip gloss — let me get it right here, I was just putting it on. This is my go-to lip gloss, they have in the beauty supply stores. They have all types of different flavors. They got the one in pink, orange, green, blue, brown, whatever. It’s fire! It’s real thick and juicy. You don’t even need no liner with that. Period, it’s amazing. I love this lip gloss right here. All my real girls, you know what it is.
Someone said the hood lip gloss, that’s hilarious.
It is! But it’s the best lip gloss ever. Other than that, I just be at the makeup store grabbing stuff.
What inspires your fashion?
I just like what’s sexy. What’s going to fit the body tight and right? As long as my ass and my titties sitting on right, put it on bitch. Period, let’s go! [laughs]
How’s TikTok treating you?
I’m a TikToker. I love TikTok. I be getting them moves. I be shaking that ass sometimes too.
Do you feel like TikTok is a good marketing tool for your music?
Absolutely. It’s the newest thing in today’s society. What’s so crazy too? TikTok is great because not only can it put you onto new music, but even the old songs from back in the day will come back up trending again. You’re like oh damn, I forgot about that song. TikTok will have you fall in love with that song all over again. It’s crazy! I love it because not only is it for music and dancing, but I see other stuff. People being funny, comedians, I be enjoying TikTok. I be scrolling like man, this is hilarious. I be cracking up.
Oh my God, I was watching your Lizzo video. She did not just eat mustard and Oreo together!
Girl. Lizzo, what are you doing? What do you have me doing?
Did you anticipate it to be that gross?
Honestly, I’m like let me just try this. I’ve seen people even put mustard on watermelon, and I tried that too. To me, it wasn’t disgusting. It did have a little weird taste but wait a minute. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. I did that TikTok video with Coca, he straight up spit it out. He was so pissed off, he’s like “why did I even do this with you? I should have just stayed upstairs.” I just be trying stuff. But that mustard in that Oreo? That is disgusting! You know, mustard got that strong flavor.
I was going to ask, do you like mustard in general?
I like honey mustard. If I’m using regular mustard, I only use a little bit because it’s so strong.
I know you and Coca got the YouTube channel too. How do you have time to do all this content?
We hard workers, we got all types of stuff going on. We got businesses, we have our music careers. Really be on the lookout for all the new stuff that we’re finna do because we are really about to go crazy. We make it happen, all while loving on each other because I want to be in his skin.
You guys give us hope that real love exists.
It sucks because I see so many women these days doubt themselves. Aw, y’all really never had anybody love you all for real. It’s almost like women are becoming used to men cheating, that shit’s crazy. That’s what you’re settling for? Me and Coca’s situation is very rare. He loves my dirty draws and I love his.
What can we expect from “Shake It Off”? Oh, we want to talk about that.
Whoa! That is so crazy, people love that little snippet. They love that song. They want that song to drop so so bad. But you know what? It’s coming soon. It’s coming very soon and “we’re going to shake it off, shake it off! Throw some money on the table, I’ma take it off.”
Anyone you want to work with that you fuck with right now?
There are hella people I’d love to work with. I’d love to work with Kanye, Rihanna, hella people.
Business ventures-wise, anything we should be looking out for?
Yeah, my skincare Bare Honey Cosmetics is out. Really great products, my body butter is it. I just started a new clothing line called Original Baddie Club. I got a whole bunch of new stuff coming on the way, we are about to go crazy on that. I’ve got some other businesses that I am working on as well too. It’s all about creating so many different streams of income to where you’re making money in your sleep. I packaged everything this year.
I wrote down my goals for what I want to really do for 2022, I want to start a lot of things. I want to be consistent with a lot of things too. Right now, I’m going hard. Every single day I have something to do. There’s never I don’t have anything to do. Whether it’s my music, whether it comes to my businesses, whether it comes to my acting career, I’m never lazy. I’m never just gon’ sit. I’m not content. I’m not comfortable, I’m uncomfortable. I’ma keep on reaching for the stars because I got a lot of shit to prove. I got a lot of shit to talk and I got a lot of shit I want to buy. [laughs] Period.
Congrats on engagement. How was that moment for you?
It was insane. [fake cries] First of all, let’s talk about the ring! 25 carats, it’s crazy. They tricked me into thinking it was a party for Coca and my best friend’s business, I’m like okay cool. They had me dress up so I’m in my heels and my dress. I get there and everybody’s dressed down.
I’m so uncomfortable like “I’m finna go to the house, change and come back.” They’re like no! Stand in the middle next to your man.” Why y’all making this about me? This is about them, let me stand in the back. Once I saw my mama and B. Simone come out, okay this isn’t what I thought it was. I broke down, I cried.
You mentioned B. Simone, talk about the friendship y’all share.
Me and B. Simone, love the girl. We met years ago. It’s so crazy because when we met, we both were in this position where we’re trying to hustle so hard. Just trying to make it. It’s crazy how far we’ve come. When I look at both of us, oh wow. We make moves out here, we really doing the damn thing. That’s wassup.
What’s y’all favorite thing to do together?
Laugh. We don’t do shit but laugh. Between her, me, and Pretty Vee, it’s ridiculous. Okay, somebody’s gotta grow up. [laughs] We just be laughing. We be cracking up. We laugh so hard our stomach hurts. Our stomachs be hurting. But I’m not going to lie, I’m the funniest. I don’t care what nobody says.
Anything else you want to let the people know?
Go stream my music. Just dropped the new record “Play Me,” go look at the video. The video is fire, directed by me. Go steam “Pop Sh*t Queen”! I’m doing a sale tonight on Bare Honey Cosmetics so make sure ya’ll tune in on that page, period. A real good sale, let’s go!
Photos courtesy of Chad Lawson
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