Natassia Gail Zolot, known by her stage name Kreayshawn, born September 24, 1989 is an American rapper and music video director.
Zolot was born in San Francisco, California and grew up in East Oakland, California. She is a third-generation Russian-American, and the daughter of Elka Zolot, a former member of the San Francisco garage punk band The Trashwomen. She has directed numerous underground music videos, and attended Berkeley Digital Film Institute with a full scholarship until she dropped out after a year.
Music career
In 2010, Zolot released her first mixtape, Kittys x Choppas, as well as her first music video for the single, "Bumpin Bumpin". In May 2011, she released a music video for her single Gucci Gucci on YouTube, which earned her new attention from the media due to it's sudden popularity. The Gucci Gucci video generated nearly three million YouTube views in the first three weeks, and Zolot was quickly signed to Columbia Records. In September 2011, Zolot was nominated for the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, and hosted the Red Carpet event before the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.
Collaborations
Zolot performs as part of the White Girl Mob, with two of her friends, whom she refers to as her sisters: V-Nasty, and DJ Lil' Debbie.
Directing career
In 2011, Zolot's management was contacted by the label representing the Red Hot Chili Peppers about directing a music video for the band's single, "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" (from the album, I'm with You). However, the band later opted to re-shoot the video and did not go with Kreayshawn's version.
Controversy
Critics of Zolot's music cite cultural appropriation and "exploitation of black culture". West Coast rapper, Game, released a diss track "Uncle Otis" where he criticized Zolot for her alleged use of the word 'nigga' when paraphrasing a DMX quote. Zolot sparked more controversy during a televised freestyle, wherein she insulted Rick Ross, calling him "fake". She later retracted her statements and described it as a misunderstanding. However, she began insulting Ross again a few days later in a broadcast on UStream, calling him "fake", making negative remarks about his body weight, and stating that "he can't rap." These remarks eventually led to an altercation between Zolot's manager, Stretch, and Rick Ross's entourage during the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. The same night, while Zolot was attending the awards ceremony, her Twitter account was compromised by an anonymous hacktivist group, who posted nude photos of Zolot, which she claimed were taken when she was underage. Shortly after the incident, Zolot posted the following on her Tumblr account:
All I wanted to do is create and have a good time. But, this is quickly forming into something I never would have signed up for from being accused of being racist to getting my pre-teen nudes leaked everywhere. I feel like this shit ain’t my cup of tea. Someone else want my job right about now? Im just gotta sip lean and disappear. THIS GAME IS FAKE AS ALL HELL!
Natassia Zolot (a.k.a. Kreayshawn), Official Kreayshawn Tumblr
Zolot was born in San Francisco, California and grew up in East Oakland, California. She is a third-generation Russian-American, and the daughter of Elka Zolot, a former member of the San Francisco garage punk band The Trashwomen. She has directed numerous underground music videos, and attended Berkeley Digital Film Institute with a full scholarship until she dropped out after a year.
Music career
In 2010, Zolot released her first mixtape, Kittys x Choppas, as well as her first music video for the single, "Bumpin Bumpin". In May 2011, she released a music video for her single Gucci Gucci on YouTube, which earned her new attention from the media due to it's sudden popularity. The Gucci Gucci video generated nearly three million YouTube views in the first three weeks, and Zolot was quickly signed to Columbia Records. In September 2011, Zolot was nominated for the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, and hosted the Red Carpet event before the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.
Collaborations
Zolot performs as part of the White Girl Mob, with two of her friends, whom she refers to as her sisters: V-Nasty, and DJ Lil' Debbie.
Directing career
In 2011, Zolot's management was contacted by the label representing the Red Hot Chili Peppers about directing a music video for the band's single, "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" (from the album, I'm with You). However, the band later opted to re-shoot the video and did not go with Kreayshawn's version.
Controversy
Critics of Zolot's music cite cultural appropriation and "exploitation of black culture". West Coast rapper, Game, released a diss track "Uncle Otis" where he criticized Zolot for her alleged use of the word 'nigga' when paraphrasing a DMX quote. Zolot sparked more controversy during a televised freestyle, wherein she insulted Rick Ross, calling him "fake". She later retracted her statements and described it as a misunderstanding. However, she began insulting Ross again a few days later in a broadcast on UStream, calling him "fake", making negative remarks about his body weight, and stating that "he can't rap." These remarks eventually led to an altercation between Zolot's manager, Stretch, and Rick Ross's entourage during the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. The same night, while Zolot was attending the awards ceremony, her Twitter account was compromised by an anonymous hacktivist group, who posted nude photos of Zolot, which she claimed were taken when she was underage. Shortly after the incident, Zolot posted the following on her Tumblr account:
All I wanted to do is create and have a good time. But, this is quickly forming into something I never would have signed up for from being accused of being racist to getting my pre-teen nudes leaked everywhere. I feel like this shit ain’t my cup of tea. Someone else want my job right about now? Im just gotta sip lean and disappear. THIS GAME IS FAKE AS ALL HELL!
Natassia Zolot (a.k.a. Kreayshawn), Official Kreayshawn Tumblr
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