'Rap kind of fell into my lap': Jersey Shore rapper Heather Hills on the impact of hip-hop
This summer marks 50 years since hip-hop first emerged on the streets of the Bronx. To honor this milestone, WNYC and Gothamist are amplifying the voices of some of the women from our area who've been influenced by and are influencing hip-hop culture. Heather Hills is a rapper from Neptune Township, New Jersey.
The transcript of Heather Hills' story has been lightly edited for clarity.
I am from Neptune Township, New Jersey, and I am a trans-female rapper. It is an interesting place to be put in when you're in a genre that is considered pretty underrated in a mainstream sense. And then to be in this genre as a member of a community that is pretty marginalized, it's kind of like being an underdog in the underdog world, but I love it. It's fulfilling. And there's nowhere else I'd rather be.
I come from a child of the late 1970s and a child of the 80s, so my love of hip-hop just kind of comes from them. And I spent a lot of time doing musical theater, but rap kind of fell into my lap and it just kind of worked. And my influences are mainly Missy Elliott, Nicki Minaj and Azealia Banks -- as strange of a mix as that is.
Despite my big personality now, I've always been very reserved. Hip-hop culture has really taught me that I don't always have to be modest. It has given me the confidence that I need to step forward and really show up in the world authentically as I am, which I think is a pretty common thing for somebody who's a fan of Nicki Minaj to say, you know, and she taught me to be myself. It's true. It's very true.
Coming from a very small town, immediately the idea of me making any sort of hip-hop music was just not taken very seriously in any way, shape, or form. I think that's kind of a long running theme in a lot of circles. I think it could have a lot more to do with me just being trans, but I think that's always the first barrier that people have to get over is the idea that I should be making anything other than pop or dance music.
Most rap that was around me was very boisterous, for lack of better word, I'll say -- very confident, very braggy. So that's kind of what I have morphed into.
