Conversations with Miranda Writes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Miranda Writes.

Hi Miranda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started off writing poetry in high school as a way to express myself. One day I decided to flip what I wrote over a beat and it felt amazing. I knew at that exact moment this is what I was meant to do. After that I started submerging myself into everything Hip Hop culture which made me appreciate the genre more. I started off rhyming in park jams and street cyphers and just took advantage of every possible opportunity to get on the mic. I was blessed to have the support of many legends like Grand Wizard Theodore, DJ Red Alert, Immortal Technique, Chuck D, Rakim, Keith Shocklee, T La Rock, DMC etc. Just so many legends that encouraged me to keep going and I did. Since then I feel like I’ve been constantly evolving and progressing in my craft and for that I’m thankful.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not! Ha. NOTHING about this music game is easy. Music itself is such a personal creative process but yet there is also a formula to it. It’s a lot of testing and trying over and over again just to develop the sound. Music is subjective yet as artists we also strive to create music we feel other people would enjoy. It’s a very vulnerable and intimate process but I love it. You know, the music business on the other hand is an entirely different conversation but it’s an important one because it is a business. If you don’t know the game people will play you if you walk into a room with a lack of knowledge. On the flip side, I’ve had encounters with many people that it’s been an honor to learn from. As a woman, I’ve always felt like I was fighting for my spot in Hip Hop. It’s nice to see a lot of women winning in Hip Hop simultaneously right now. However, I still think we’ll always have to fight for our spot and our respect. Lucky for me, I don’t mind doing so.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a Hip Hop artist from New York. I rap, write, and sing. I feel like I’m most known for owning my own vibe. I’ve always been myself and comfortable with that. I don’t really believe in copying what’s trendy as I’d rather be the one to start the trend. I like to uplift people through my music and focus on positive energy vibrations. I always say if someone is smiling, dancing, or just feeling good while listening to my music or at a live show I’ve felt like I’ve done my job. Music has always liberated me so I can only hope that my music does that for others.

What am I most proud of? Hmm. That’s a great question! I guess my answer would be starting conversations and making history. Years ago I started making music about my love for snowboarding. (It’s my favorite hobby). I literally searched female rappers who snowboard on YouTube and couldn’t find anything. I instantly thought OMG then I have to be the one. I love nature and anything that makes me feel free which is why I fell in love with snowboarding in the first place. Riders within the community started finding the music and it started to become a movement. I also had been part of some integral frontline conversations about the lack of diversity within snowboarding. I’m mixed (black, Portuguese, and Polish). I wanted to start seeing more POC on the mountain so I started having conversations with important people in higher places. Fast forward now, it’s become it’s own movement which is cool to see. My Forbes article highlights the fact that I’m the first biracial female rapper to cross over into the snowboard market. That was pretty monumental for me. It felt like a huge acknowledgement for the years of hard work I’ve put towards this topic that people didn’t know about. So with that said, I’m going to keep rapping, keep rhyming, and keep shining for women, POC, and everyone who realizes the power of their own voice.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Patience and gratitude. It’s human nature for us to always want more. After all, we’re constantly filled with desires. That’s okay, it keeps us striving for more. When I look back though sometimes you almost don’t even realize how far you’ve come. Everyday you wake up and decide to chase your dream is an accomplishment in itself because not everyone is willing to do that. Patience is important because I’ve learned to accept that this journey is a process. So instead of focusing on getting to the finish line, rather, I focus on the fact that there’s going to be so many cool stops along the way. At the end of the day I think wanting to get to the finish line in the first place can be problematic because whether you want to make it or if “you’ve made it” the work doesn’t stop there and I don’t think we actually ever want it too. Gratitude has allowed me to appreciate the amazing places, circumstances, people, and opportunities that music has brought into my life. Gratitude allows me to stay grounded and enjoy the ride. The beauty lies in the journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mswrites.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miranda_writes/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MirandaWritesLPD
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mirandawritesmc
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aLy0apbYHU
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/mirandawriteslpd
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@misswrites

Image Credits
@joshavierr – Josh A’vier @nobreakschris – Christopher Vanderyajt @artphotofilms – Anthony Artis