Lossip’s Exclusive Interview With Karina Pasian
Washington Heights native, Karina Pasian may just be a junior in high school, but this Dominicana is not your average teenager. Her lyrical depth and raw talent sparked a heavy bidding war between Bad Boy and Interscope Records when she was only 13-years-old, but Def Jam’s seven-figure offer quickly sealed the deal. Now this chica’s career is in full blast as she conquers the spotlight con ultimate fuerza.
Check out our exclusive interview and experience what the hype is all about! Aqui!
Your first single, “Sixteen At War” calls for some respect from the fellas in el barrio. What inspired this track?
My music has a message. This song has a story behind it. I want to acknowledge what young people in urban areas go through because we aren’t being recognized as much. This is about showing the struggles that teenagers experience everyday. I am speaking out for all of my young people.
How was it working with Ne-Yo and Lil’ Mama on the album?
It was cool. They are very talented and I listened to their music before even being signed. Just to have the opportunity to work with them was great.
Beyond having an amazing voice, I read that you sing in seven different languages. How do you manage that?
Well, my first language is Russian and I am fluent in Spanish and English. I have an open ear for different languages and being able to adjust to them.
You were the first Dominican singer to perform at the White House. What was going through your head when you found out?
The performance was last year, before I even had an album out. It was very exciting. When they first mentioned the opportunity…it was just shocking.
You are Quincy Jone’s goddaughter. How is it having such a legendary producer in the family?
It is such a blessing. He has shown so much support…he really is a great person.
I read that one of your main role models is Alicia Keys. Have you gotten a chance to meet her yet?
Yes! Me, my father, and my sister got to watch her perform at Radio City and then after the concert we got to go backstage and I sang for her. She was really warm and very nice. Afterwards, we kept a relationship with her and I got to perform at a couple of events that she had.
Email
Digg
Facebook
wow that girl is talented, great song!
She’s Dominican and Russian was her first language? Need more info.
She does look really cute. Good for her. Hopefully, the music industry doesn’t taint her much.
I am a fan! I really hope she blows up.
She has a good voice for such a young girl. Que linda.
This girl has a beautiful voice. I’m 20 yrs old and i listen to this song everyday at work. It takes me back to being 16. Everything is on point!!! She will go far in this industry.
I like how you forgot to mention that she was at the White House during Black Music Month! Duh! I support my Latinas all day, but it seems that if you’re a spanish chick you can’t drop without being surrounded by a bunch of blacks. Can we just do us and not be mixed in with them. I hope she works with some Latin talent and not just black people.
Jaslene - to speak so harshly about her being “surrounded” by another race is silly. The girl’s godfather is Quincey Jones for God’s sake. And might I add that being “mixed in” is what created our culture in the Dominican Republic. I rep my brothers and sisters the same way I rep mi gente. Good luck to Karina. She is a rare gem in the industry with a great family backing her every step of the way. I see nothing but sucess in her future.
Yo Jaslene, you’re outta your mind. If she makes good music, she’ll make good music, doesn’t matter if she’s surrounded by “them,” as you so unwittingly say. Seriously, what does it matter that Lossip didn’t mention that she was at the White House for Black History Month? Not every article has to mention every socio-political aspect. Even so, most of the US can’t tell the difference between Latinos and African-Americans (a term that I have my own qualms with), treating them with the same prejudices. I agree that the US shouldn’t be treating Latinos and Blacks as the same group. But from the tone of your voice, I think you just got your own race issues to deal with.
she is BLACK. if she was in the Dominican Republic they would be calling her black, mullato, or something that would indicate that she had black in her. The Republic is very mixed up!
Jaslene,
Your ignorance is astounding! There are Afro-Latinos, and being from the Dominican Republican she has some of that in her heritage (as do some Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and Costa Ricans). In America, blacks and Latinos live in the same neighborhoods, and appreciate similar music, so get over it!
This is quite interesting and dumb at the same time! In the caucasian world, if you’re not white you are coloured or moreso black, particulary blks and hispanics. I find it disturbing that Latinos dislike black ppl to that extent when they are all minorities and in the same boat in terms of discrimination. The woman works wt blks cuz they r the talented one in the industry she’s in and last I know she has a right to choose to work with whomever she wants to; so Jaslene stop being a fool!
Right on Vic!
@jaslene-as proud as you pretend to be about her, you are the same type who would discriminate against her. in latin america there is a serious problem with colorism/racism against darker/mixed/people with african heritage roots. so as proud of her as you portray, she is domican, with black/african/”them” roots in her. so take the hate elsewhere
Wow……..I’m a black female,and i thinks she’s extremly talented,when i first saw her pics on another website i thought she was black at first,that’s how america is even though i don’t agree,society identifies you by your skin color,and i realize some hispanics that have black features have a problem with that, and understanbly so.I do have a problem with the comment about why do a spanish singer has to be surrounded by blacks,forgive me if i’m wrong but dont dominican people have african roots,correct me please if m wrong. Her songs that i’ve heard are very urban and r+b so it’s only natural that she will be around black people in the industry. What’s the problem with that. She seems to me like proud confident Latina,the embraces her culture and others as well,so Jaslene you don’t have to worry about us black folks tainting her ok!
Nee-Nee
You thought she was black because she’s half Dominican. I’m pretty sure her dominican father/mother is black or at least of African decent so that’s why she looks black. There are millions of black Dominicans
That chica didn’t write that song!!! The dream did! She shouldn’t be taking credit for something she didn’t do.
You people missed my point. Black people HAD their turn. It is our turn now. We are the number one minority. If we keep seeking black people to cosign for us then we will keep getting put in the same bucket with them. That’s all I’m saying. We have a beautiful culture and we don’t need anyone’s help sharing it. Please take pride in your culture Latinos. Beyonce does. She stated she wished she was born Spanish.
@jaslene-last response, there are black people all over latin america moron but its pointless for me to explain that to you, youre only here to stir the pot.
jaslene is a troll, ignore her folks
WTF? She wishes she was born Spanish? She wished she was born as a Western European???
Mel: You say Latinos dislike blacks? Come to California and see how much blacks LOVE US!!! Yes, it’s a shame, and it’s wrong, but why do you seem to blame Latinos? That’s the white man’s plan to divide and conquer, but don’t blame Latinos until you have lived in a black/Mexican ghetto and see how much “love” there is going around! Yes, California is different. I lived in NYC for 5 years and yes, she would be called “black” anyway, even among Dominicans.
Nee-nee: Not all Dominicans are mixed, but many are mixed, or straight up African looking. There’s a lot of variety, which makes for a fierce problem of shadism and racism. Ya basta is 100% correct.
Thanks for clearing that up for me,i was born and and raised in the bronx for 22 years,i grew up around dominican and puerto rican people, and for the most part i never felt such a great racial divide between blacks and hispanics, since we’re in close quarters together,that’s why i was taken a back by jaslene’s comment,and jaslene if i misunderstood your comment,i apologize