Saturday, July 30, 2016

Newark Comic Con: Tha Gata Negrra

(Photo by Candylust Photography)

Tell me a little bit about yourself and your brand?

I’m Tha Gata Negrra, Tha TRUE ORIGINAL GATA. I’m an alternative hip-hop artist in the form of a catgrrrl. I'm a Newark, NJ native and still live there to this very day.

My brand includes a concept called NYANVIDA—“nyan-life” (“Nyan” is the Japanese onomatopoeia for the sound a cat makes). I credit one of my musical brethren with applying the “nyan” part as a concept—a “thing”—and not just something I’d say as a catgirl. He’d say, “You have that nyan swag going hard today” or something like that. It was like a state of being. So, NYANVIDA came to mean the importance of being yourself-- being fearless enough to go deep into who you truly are and live that every moment of every day. Not just expressing yourself but leaving an impression of yourself on the world around you. And I’ve quite a few things to impress!

What made you decide to get into your field?

Well, music is the family business. My father was a frontman for two bands, and he still writes songs. So, I pretty much followed my father into it. He and my mother fostered a love for music early on in my life. My younger brother is a classically trained musician and he produced my first and second albums. He’s also a hip-hop artist. One of my older brothers is a DJ. I guess it was inevitable that I made the choice to get involved in music! I chose to write and perform rhymes partially because I felt more comfortable doing that than singing. And I ended up loving it.

What is the vision of your field? What do you hope to achieve?

I hope to continue making great music—gaining fans, touring, and having fun whilst doing so. I hope to spread the word of NYANVIDA to the world.

(Photo by Andrea Dialect - L.I.T. Photography) 
What is your favorite moment in your career thus far? Why?
Hmm…my favorite moment would have to be the first time I met a hardcore GNOtaku (GataNegrraOtaku) in person who told me that they were having a tough time at some point, and that they listened to my first album, “GATA City”, almost constantly during that time, and it helped them. I remember just being super humbled and awed by the fact that something I made got them through a particularly bad patch of their life. That moment reminded me that I’m not doing what I do in vain.

What do you have coming out soon?

I’ve recently finished my second album, “P.R.O.W.L.” and I’m so excited about that! There are eleven new songs in this project and I hope to have it released by the fall. My graphic novel is still in the works—haven’t found the right artist to replace the one I had initially…but I have faith that I will!

What is your website? Contact information?

My website is: www.thagatanegrra.net. I can be contacted there (GATA@thagatanegrra.net) or through my Facebook (facebook.com/gatanegrra). I’m on several of the usual social media platforms—come say hey!

Additional Comments?

I will also be performing at the afterparty for Newark Comic Con called “FINAL ROUND! Cosplay Ball”. I might be giving a sneak listen to some stuff from “P.R.O.W.L.”…who knows?

Thank you to Tha Gata Negrra. We look forward to seeing more from you and look forward to your work. The Gata Negrra will be at Newark Comic Con on August, 20th 2016. Please take a moment and check out the website at www.newarkcomiccon.org. Buy a ticket and we will see you there.


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