Sian Levi is a young female rapper from Hackney, London who is gaining success in the hip hop industry. She struggled at a young age after being kicked out by her mother, and used to busk on the streets for money. Her debut single "Grind" tells the story of her struggle to make it in the industry. Levi cites Azealia Banks as one of her musical influences. She has since performed with Beyoncé at the Super Bowl and traveled around America performing, while also giving back to her community in Hackney. Levi has future plans to start her own fashion brand called "Lezzy" to help homeless people feel less stigmatized.

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12/2/15 Diana Kuduwa Bling
SianLevi came froma small towninLondoncalled,Hackneyandcame to be interviewedfor BLING
today. Decidingtoshowher talentforrappingbecame a mustand she finallycame outontop with
herfirstdebutsingle, Grind, whichillustratesthe struggleitwasforher to manage to gettop inthe
Hip-Hopindustry,tryingtotopalreadyinthe businessrappers.
AskLevi whatmakesher standout fromthe swarmingnumbersof male rappers,alsoseekinga
name for themselves,andthe Hackneybredchickpausesto thinkbefore answering,“Itell mystory
[and] mystory’stotallydifferentfromanyone else’sstory“.Thisresponse isprettycommonwithin
artiststryingto showtheirindividuality,butasa new artistinher firstinterview,itis
understandable.
Listentothe lyricsinherGrind single andyouwill understandherbackgroundstoryalot more.She
sitsinher nude knittedof-the-shoulderdressjumperandgetscomfortable asif she istryingto relive
the momentwhenshe wasrecordingthatsong of hers.She seemshappyasshe expressesthe lyrics
of hersongto me.An example piece fromhersongthatshe’dshownme was,“I’d never changemy
pastas it wouldn’tmakemeas strong asI amtoday” Each vocabularyinher mixtape,thatsofar has
reachedtwothousandviewswithinthree monthsonYoutube,issangina wayyou wouldn’trealise
that itrevealsthe struggle she wentthroughasthe beatof the song isinsane until youreadintothe
whole song.“WhenAzealiaBankslikedmyvideoof the songonInstagramand sharedither page,I
knewitwouldbe successful”.Herhumblenessasshe speaksisextraordinary;youcanjusttell how
grateful she isforthe wayherlife turnedaroundforher.She takesa sipof her drinkbefore
continuing,“whenIwasyounger - I diduse to listentoAzealiaBanksalotmore fromthat firstI
heardthissong called 212 as couldn’tstoplisteningtoherothersongs - that’swhy,if youcompare
my songto hers,there’squite alotof resemblanceinthe beatasI admiredherand keptsingingher
songsso it became myforte inthe style of my voice.
She doesdifferfromotherpersonalitiesinthe Hip-Hopmusicindustryasa light-skinfemale inher
musicand as well asherfashion.The type of fashionshe wouldwearonthe streetstobuskfor
moneylookedastrendyandsomeone wholivedinanice home withfamilyasa teenagerbecause
she wouldfollowthe trendsof highwaistedjeans,croptopsandthe same of freshpairof Nikes.
However,youngLevi nowexpressesthe povertyinthe fashionshe could’vebeenwearingasa
stereotypical homelessperson.“I’ve alwayshadapassionforfashionas well asHip-Hop- although,I
had an ideato switchupthe fashiongame a little”,the mischief onthe face comestolightas she
revealsherslowly,uprisingfashiontrend.“I’mgonnacall the brand Lezzy as my lastname is Levi and
the last part of it has a Hip-Hopringto it.Trainers,as well asclothe shouldbe includedwithinthe
brand,but thisisjust an insightonmyfuture,future plans,justsothe homelesspeople,like usedto
be,don’tfeel ashomelessascelebswouldbe wearingclotheslike theirsbutata higherprice,sothe
don’tfeel aslessimportantasotherfortunate people”.Hearingthatshe alreadyhasfuture plansfor
herfuture like thisisa greatstart and givesherhope inthe future to strive asshe will alwaysfeel
like she hasn’treachedherfull potential asmostartistslatelyhave alsogota LipKit,workoutDVDs
and fashion lines.Soit’snice tosee hersettingfuture goalsforherself.
“Gettinga gig inAtlanta,GA wasactuallyeasyforme as I managedto findamanager,who
happenedtobe LusciousLyon;a record sellingplatinumHip-Hopartist,whostill hasn’tretiredinthe
businesstryingtodevelophisempireday-by-day,tosupportthe youngHip-Hopartistinhelpingmy
getto the topand have many people come tohearme rap and getthe partiesstarted”the sweet-
talking19 year-oldsaid.“Itwas a great experience to finallytravel toanothercountry,considering
the state withmy motherkickingme outat a youngage”.Levi starts movingaroundindiscomfortas
hereyesstart to swell alittle.She issuchanopeninterviewee andisfree intellingthingsabouther

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past life,whichisgoodasa newartistthat people wanttopersonalise andfoundoutmore about
herto get an understandingof hersongs.She continuestotell usaboutherpreviouslife inbusking
for a home to stayin,“I’d changedspotsto singinevery weeksoI couldtry andget a different
audience of people thatwouldbe interestedinmymusicandto hopefullyfindsomeonetosee the
uniquenessinmyvoice andmake somethingof it”.Since gettingonthisgig,she thenmanagedto
performonstage with the world’smostbeautiful andempoweringwomenwithanamazingvoice,
Beyoncé,atthe Superbowl,whichisobviouslythe mostspecial thinganyonefromHackneycould
experience intheirlife asmostfamoushave alreadysangwithher.Onthe special day,Levi wore a
blackbikini suitlookingcostume withablacksee throughmeshlongline topthe endsather knees
withknee highwhite shinyboots.“Performingwiththisamazingwoman,IwasverynervouswhenI
firsthad to meether”,she recalls.She wasa deservingcandidate tosingwithBeyoncé.“The most
valuable thingIrememberfrommeetingheriswhenshe toldme she lovesme andisinspiredbyher
workand howshe huggedme,sayingthat she wishedshe hadadaughterlike me or that herbaby
couldturn outlike me.That reallytouchedme because mymumkickedme outat sucha youngage
and nevercaredaboutme andtook me for granted,sofor herto say that to me onlyknowinghalf of
me was amazing”she swingsbackand forthin herseatexpressingthe excitementshe hadwhen
relivingthismomentinherlife thatmade herthe happiestgirl ever.
Since,Levi hadperformedwithBeyoncéandgotontobetterthingswithhermanager,Lyon,she has
travelled the wholeof America,performinghersonganddidgo back to Hackneyand helpall the
youngstersstartto for-fill theirdreamsata youngage and helphomelesspeople togetonthe feet
by singingtothem,helpingjoinhomelessfoundationandfoodbanks.Beinganonlychild,she has
managedto make a name for herself andalwayslookforwardinlife.Throughall this,the singer
sharesherbiggestsecretisthat she has neverbrokenabone inher life.“Beingonthatstreetthat
whole hadmade me hard bonedduringmyyearsas in London,youhave to expectthe unexpected
and keepyourcards to yourchest - as theywouldprobablysteal them -”takinga minute tolaugh,
she continuesherstory,“- I still can’tbelieve Imanagedtosurvive throughthemstreetsasa young
mixed-racedfemale,butIdidandI thankedGod everydayforit”
From all the people Ihave interviewed,Leviseemstobe the mostunique one asshe isyoungand
newthe industry,soismore easierto openupabouther life.Sometimesyouwondertoyourself
sometimes,‘whatif she’dneverbeenthroughthisstrugglewithhermotherandwasn’tanonly
child,whatwould’ve beenthe outcome forhertoday’.I’malsolookingforwardtosee herblossom
inthe future andfor herLezzy to come throughinthe future asshe is a happyand motivatedgirl.