D: Hello, Ms. Toi? How ya doin'?

Ms. Toi: I'm fine! How are you?

D: Good, I'm awake still.

Ms. Toi: Y'all showed me so much love a couple of weeks ago. That was so tight ya know.

D: We were trying to get everybody hyped up for the interview.

Ms. Toi: Exactly. Well, let's do the damn thing, you know!

D: You know, they thought I was lyin', 'cause......

Ms. Toi: About what? About me callin'?

D: Yeah, 'cause you never called, they thought I was lyin'.

Ms. Toi: I was travelin' last time I was supposed to call. And they had me out so late in Vegas. It was like all right, y'all made me miss my interview.

D: See how they are?

Ms. Toi: But that was okay, y'all rescheduled it and here I am right now!

D: It's all good. Ya ready?

Ms. Toi: Yep!

D: I have some questions, as is normal for an interview. They are multiple choice and the correct answer is always D! Okay?

Ms. Toi: B?

D: D!

Ms. Toi: Okay!

D: Okay! Not really, I'm just pretendin'. Ya ready?

Ms. Toi: Yep!

D: What is one thing I could ask you that you have never been asked in an interview?

Ms. Toi: One thing that I've never been asked?

D: Yeah! I don't want to be all repeatative like everybody else!

Ms. Toi: I know, but you know what? I don't know what I've never been asked. Maybe you can be creative and shock me!

D: Okay! I like to be shocking.

Ms. Toi: Okay.

D: Other than music, what do you enjoy in your free time?

Ms. Toi: Um, hangin' out with the fam, roller bladin', playin' like dominos. Ya know like kickin' it really. Besides doin' music, ya know, that's more like 24/7.

D: Then how do you have time to kick it?

Ms. Toi: And then sometimes I get to kick it, and then I'm like let me just chill out. Ya know, what I haven't done.

D: Definitely.

Ms. Toi: I never get to kick it sometimes. That's what I love to do.

D: Who did you listen to comin' up?

Ms. Toi: Man, a lot of 2Pac. When I was even younger I listened to a lot of Marvin Gaye, Chaka Khan, ya know like oldies. I grew up with my mom, so I grew up listenin' to the music, ya know, of the '70s & '80s. So, there wasn't too much Hip-Hop in the beginning. But after I moved to California, it was like all, ya know, Run-D.M.C. and everybody. Ya know what I mean, the videos really captured my attention when Hip-Hop came about.

D: Yeah, that's cool. Who do you listen to now?

Ms. Toi: I've been recording so much, that it seems I only listen to myself right now. Trying to get all the tightest music recorded, but I still have like, Nas, Jay-Z, ya know, I still get to listen to those cats when I'm in the house. But if I'm in the car, I'm playin' with my mixes and things like that, ya know, stuff I've been workin' on, I listen to. Like I just been workin' on a song with Coolio and Spice 1. So I've been listenin' to those songs and tryin' to figure out what they need before they come out.

D: What's that song for?

Ms. Toi: Both of those songs I did, one is for Spice 1's project, and one is for Coolio's project. I actually did one with Spice that's for me. But of course, ya know, everyone's lookin' for a female to get down wit' 'em. So mainly I'm working with other people on their projects as well.

D: That's cool. That's real good. It helps get your name out there too.

Ms. Toi: Yeah. Everything came out tight too.

D: Oh yeah? Good! I would expect nothing less from you.

Ms. Toi: Exactly. Them too, ya know, they got some real tight stuff goin on.

D: Definitely. Who or what do you feel influenced you to become a rapper?

Ms. Toi: I was in a Hip-Hop dance group called Thic 'N' The Girls. And after about two months of it, I realized I really needed the microphone. I really couldn't be in the background, that's not my personality. I had fun at first, but I'm really not the type of person that likes to be in the backgroud, so I decided to write my own raps. When the first Chronic came out, what influence me to be the way I am, is that it was so many songs dissin' women that it was botherin' me. I felt like damn, men are going to have so much success dissin' us, then somebody needs to diss them back, ya know what I mean? Or at least take up for it.

D: So that's funny, 'cause male rappers, are all like The Chronic, The Chronic, The Chronic, that's what made me Rap. But you're like, 'cause they were dissin' women, you wanted to get back at it. That's interesting.

Ms. Toi: Well, I was real good friends with Kurupt before he came out, so he motivated me too, cause he freestyles so good too.

D: Oh yeah, I listen to a lot of Kurupt, lotta Dogg Pound. So your cousin is Stef from MOKENSTEF, right?

Ms. Toi: Yep.

D: So, how did having a relative in the music business help you in the beginning your career?

Ms. Toi: It really inspired me, because when I went out to any of the functions that they had, I was able to step back and watch from the outside. And as I created my own style and my own name, people remembered me, so being in those arenas, and being in the first video that they did, the "He's Mine" video helped. Actually, Stephanie was the one who choreographed the Hip-Hop group that I was in.

D: Oh, really?

Ms. Toi: Yeah, so I was always with them in the beginning, so I saw a lot of stuff that interested me about the business. I just tried to learn a lot of stuff before it was my turn. Ya know?

D: Oh yeah, definitly. So, you've worked with, and went on tour with a lot of big names in the Rap game. Was there ever a time when you were in awe of the people around you? Like workin' with Ice Cube & Mack 10 & Dr. Dre.

Ms. Toi: It was more like the set up, like the props and how professional the whole situation was. I'm so used to being around celebrities, from living in California like that. So it wasn't the people that get me excited, it's how professonal everyone is when you tryin' to take care of business. It's how the stigma has been placed on the West Coast so bad, ya know what I mean? That it's so bad, it's all the gangsta stuff goin' on. Being on the Up In Smoke Tour, it had such a professional environment everyday. Everybody was just so tight, on stage, just perfectin' their show, that that's what really impressed me most about being on the Up In Smoke Tour, is that it was so creative, and it was really big, and for me to be a part of it in the beginning of my career, really. Even thougth I've done "Burn" with Militia, and been on tour, this was like the biggest tour that I've been on. So I was just impressed to be there, and glad that I had the opportunity to be the only female that was rappin' on the West Coast, and be involved in it like that.

D: Yeah, that was the biggest tour in Rap history.

Ms. Toi: Exactly, and do be a part of history, it was a lot of history, 'cause the 10 year of N.W.A., the biggest Hip-Hop tour, especially for the West Coast. It was a lot of history, and it really impressed me to be a part of that.

D: Yeah, that was a great show too, I saw it twice.

Ms. Toi: Oh, ya did? Ya saw it live?

D: Oh yeah, it was a great show.

Ms. Toi: Dang that's tight.

D: Especially right before you were on, and Ice Cube came down in the thing.

Ms. Toi: With all the snow?

D: Yeah, when he came down in the like Mr. Freeze thing. That was hella tight.

Ms. Toi: Yep, a good intro, and everybody was so excited everywhere we went. And everybody was so good, ya know.

D: Oh yeah, it was great. I was excited both times.

Ms. Toi: Oh, cool. Yeah, even me, I would come out and watch the show after I performed, ya know what I mean? And just enjoy it still, like I had never seen it before.

D: Well, everybody on there was people listened to comin' up. Ya know ever since I was 13, I think when The Chronic first came out, I mean Nate, Snoop, Kurupt.

Ms. Toi: Yeah, everybody in the crowd knew the songs, everything.

D: Hell yeah!

Ms. Toi: I like that they was excited when I came ya know. They let me know. Ya know, they knew me from the video, they know my voice, they was looking forward to seeing me too, ya know.

D: Oh yeah, and I can tell you there was tons of energy in the crowd. Everywhere, everybody was standin' up on their seats. Just so hyped up. From the get-go

Ms. Toi: Exactly.

D: So you got your first studio experience with Ronnie DeVoe, right? How did that come about? What did you do in that studio time?

Ms. Toi: Well, when I first started rappin', I was dating this guy who drove, who owned a limosine service, so I was always in limos and stuff. I was like, ya know, baby I'm rappin', I need to get hooked up and stuff. He said "the first person who gets in my car, I'm gonna tell them about you." And it happened to be Ronnie DeVoe's Uncle, Brooke Pain. So he had a management company called 617 Management. So when I came down, the first meeting I had with him, he hooked me up with Ronnie. They put me in the studio to do one of my first songs, and then also, I got in the studio to do a song with Ron. But this was all demoin' and artist development, ya know.

D: So that was nothing that was ever going to be released?

Ms. Toi: Right, right, this was just artist development. And also gave me the opportunity to work with people that were very professional people, from the beginning. To show me the ropes, ya know what I mean. I always have to mention that because that was my first experience.

D: How did you hook up with Militia for the "Burn (Remix)"?

Ms. Toi: Man, um, people out here was hearin' about me so much, that um what's his name? Emanuel Dean, the producer of the track called me and it was like only crackin' from that. It was just like overnight. I come down to the studio, showed him my shit, and they was just like okay, we want you to be on this song. And the "Burn (Remix)" came about. It wasn't no question, they was lookin' for me. I came through, it was like two days all I was, and it was what they expected, and so they put us on the cover. And they was all, ya know what, we needed this to amp up this this to help amp up this project. So I was down, ya know.

D: Cool. What about Ice Cube & Mack 10? How did you hook up with them?

Ms. Toi: K-Mak from The Comrads, who was a friend of mine, he called me on the phone, and was like; "Girl, I need you to come down here and do this hook for Cube." And I'm like, "come get me." And he came through, and I came down there and did "You Can Do It".

D: So, everybody came out looking for you?

Ms. Toi: Yeah!

D: GOD!

Ms. Toi: Yeah! I mean it was cool because two other females were there to do the hooks for them, and they didn't really feel it, and the song wasn't really going to be a song. But K-Mak said, let me call Ms. Toi, and.....it ended up being a single.

D: Cool! Yeah, it got a lot of play here, I know.

Ms. Toi: Yep!

D: So, can you describe to me the feeling of completing your album? And then to release it?

Ms. Toi: To write my material, to be in the studio, this time for me, ya know, made me really glad that I was patient, that I waited my turn. And even though everything didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, I still had the opportunity that most people have tried so hard for. So, I have to realize that I was blessed, to be able to have my own record deal with Universal, be able to be a part of my record, like co-executive produced it. Yeah, for a long time, I wanted to make sure people understood I wasn't playin' with this, and I mean I got blessed. I couldn't even describe how I felt because really, I'm still feeling it. Still feeling it, people still givin' me love, and they just gettin' to know me and my music. And man, I can't even describe it.

D: I know I've been to your website, and the discussion board there, and a lotta people givin' a lotta love for Ms. Toi there.

Ms. Toi: Yeah, I'm glad they show me some love, and they come through tryin' to check on me, see what's goin' on. And I go on there to resond, ya know, let them know I care.

D: Yeah, I've seen you on there. For those of you who don't know, that's www.ms-toi.com you can go there and check that out.

Ms. Toi: Exactly.

D: Once you started, how long did the entire process of making your album take?

Ms. Toi: Well, I had been working on my album, after I left Militia, since '99. I got my record deal in 2000, and I finished my album in November of 2000, and turned my album in, in April 2001. And really, it doesn't take me long to do music, but it's a process everybody has to wait for, regardless if you have new music, or old music, you still, when you're done with your project, it has to be packaged, and pressed up, so it's different from the time it's able to come out. One of my singles was supposed to come out September 11, so it really kind of distracted my promotion, and everything, so we put the album out anyway, November 13, just to let people know, I'm here. So right now when I'm doin' some new songs, for the same album, we're gonna promote it, and bring it back to life, ya know. Even though it took me no time to do it, it's still a process.

D: So do you have another single picked out for the album? What's the next single?

Ms. Toi: Not yet, I'm still just smashing on some incredible songs right now, and once I put them all together and turn them all in, I'll kick it.

D: Is that for your next album, or for this album that's currently out?

Ms. Toi: It's for this album.

D: That Girl?

Ms. Toi: Yeah, That Girl.

D: Ya know what my favorite song off that album is? "Love Me or Leave Me".

Ms. Toi: Whoa!

D: That's the best song.

Ms. Toi: Thank you.

D: You know, what I really like about that song, is too often I see women that a man will treat them bad and they still will always come back, and they dump 'em or what not. And you're like love me or leave me, treat me right, or get the hell out, get to steppin'.

Ms. Toi: Right, right.

D: And I dig that.

Ms. Toi: I'm fair, but you know, I understand that some people are not fair. You want me, and then you want me not to be successful. So I'm like NO! Love me as I am, or ....Love Me or Leave Me, ya know.

D: Yep, I feel that. How much creative control did you have making your album?

Ms. Toi: Hold on real quick......................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D: Dead Air is bad. Don't allow dead air, cause dead air is BAD. So Ms. Toi's album is out now. That Girl. (Phone hangs up) What the hell just happened? I think she just hung up on my ass. Here she is. You say you'll be right back and you hang up on me!

Ms. Toi: Can you hear me? I'm sorry I'm drivin' past these mountains and they hung me up.

D: Are you drivin' right now?

Ms. Toi: Uh huh!

D: Oh!

Ms. Toi: Yeah, I'm going to my house, I live by Magic Moutain.

D: You live in Magic Mountain?!?

Ms. Toi: By Magic Mountain, in California.

D: Well, drive carefully.

Ms. Toi: I had a lot of creative control.

D: You had a lot of creative control?

Ms. Toi: Uh huh. I was able to say I don't wanna be naked. I want people to respect me. I want other females to be like me, and say I wanna be in this business, but I don't wanna sell sex.

D: It's refreshing to hear a female more interested in uplifting women, than exploiting women, and I dig that you rely more on class than ass.

Ms. Toi: I want people to hear my talent first.

D: I respect that, ya know. How do feel about the constant presence of the words bitch and ho in rap music? And the sexual exploitation of women?

Ms. Toi: I'm not offended by it, but I do want people to know there is a difference between a lady and a bitch, ya know what I mean?

D: Definitely.

Ms. Toi: And a lady and a ho. There are differences. Now some people can say these words out of anger, and really not know what they're saying to you, but some people can be absoultely correct. But, if you're trying to sell sex, be a sex symbol, but your music is not tight, then its like this ho, this bitch. They may know more about that person than you think, because of how their appearance is or what they sing. Most people know about me, that I'm about business. And I'm gonna come, lookin' sharp and sexy and everything, but I want you to know you can get into my mind better if you leave that part alone, like the sex part alone. You can get further with me, with business, if you keep your head alright.

D: Oh yeah, there's more respect there too. Which is much better.

Ms. Toi: And that's why it takes me a little bit longer than the next female, 'cause I'm gonna demand my respect.

D: Yeah, I know, I would much rather have a lady than a ho.

Ms. Toi: Right!

D: Definitely.

Ms. Toi: Plus, I would like to have longevity in this business. And also be sexy on film, and do things like that for a movie, instead of for my music. 'Cause I think there's a difference between music and a movie. I like to act, but with my music, I'm not acting, it's really me.

D: How do you feel about the sexual exploitation used by women such as Lil' Kim and Trina and such?

Ms. Toi: It really has messed up the business for us. But much props to those two, 'cause they doin' they thing! But it's really put a stigma on the business for most women who are trying to come up that are business women. And I'm more of a business woman than anything. I look at it like okay, I know music, and I wanna be a sexy woman, I mean I won't go wrong on that part, but as far as talent is concerned, your body is not always going to look the same.

D: True.

Ms. Toi: Is your talent going to come up when your body isn't the same? Ya know waht I mean?

D: Uh huh, you can't rely on it any more.

Ms. Toi: It's so hard later on, after your body's not the same, to show people that you're talented. And you might not ever even get there, because people so used to seeing you naked. So that's what I want people to understand about me. I'm gonna come tight with mine, and try to do my best to stay tight, even if my body's not the same. You still know me.

D: Yeah, that makes sense.

Ms. Toi: I mean look at Biggie. He wasn't a small cat. But you had to get past his being black and ugly, to him being just a tight MC.

D: And he pulled it off.

Ms. Toi: If he wasn't Biggie Smalls, and he was Notorious B.I.G., then nobody would even be paying attention to him like that, ya know. But he so tight, that it doesn't even matter about his looks, ya know.

D: Yeah, he let his personality come through, exactly

Ms. Toi: So, some people can be marketed by their talent.

D: And that's the best way to do it, that's where the most respect is at.

Ms. Toi: Exactly.

D: How did you chose the guests for your album?

Ms. Toi: Well, most of everybody is really my friend, or they are now, of course. Like me and Nelly and the St. Lunitics, we had the same A&R, it was Kevin Law on Universal. So he brought it to the table for me. But like MC Ren, was on The Up In Smoke with me, of course, and I asked him to do something for me. And E-40 was a good friend of mine, when he was promotin' his album, Loyalty And Betrayal, I seen him, and went to one of his fuctions, and was like I'm trying to put my record out, and would love for you to be on a song called "Work A Twist", and he was down. And mostly everybody else, like Poppa LQ, I went to school with him. Squeak Ru, I grew up in a neighborhood with him. Cliché, she's my comrade from the brigade, she's from Texas. She's on Eightball's album. I mean, I know a lot of MC's now. I know a lot of singers, and I know a lot of people was looking foward to working with me. I really didn't have to go find nobody to work with me. And when it was time for my album to get recorded, they was just like, whatcha need me to do? It was like alright, cool do this then!

D: So its more like a family thing?

Ms. Toi: Exactly, and they promoted it that way, on the back of my samplers and everything...and a host of Ms. Toi's friends came through to promote her on this record.

D: Cool, cool. Is E-40 as crazy in person as he is on record?

Ms. Toi: Yeah, he's crazy. But I think it really was a wonderful experience working with him, because he's very open minded.

D: I love his ad libs, he's just crazy. Who else would you like to work with that you haven't worked with yet?

Ms. Toi: Man, I would like to work with Mary J. I really wanted to work with 2Pac AND Biggie, but both of them are deceased at this time. So it was like wow when I saw 2Pac and I met him.

D: You met 2Pac?

Ms. Toi: I met him yeah, at the video shoot he did with Snoop, for "Nothin' But A Gangsta Party". And I told him, "my name is Ms. Toi, 2Pac, and I'm comin'. I'm a Rap artist, and I'm comin'". And he was like, "I'm gonna look out for you!" And it was just like I'm looking forward to when I started smashin', 'cause I'm the type of person, I like to show 'n' prove before I come at people. 'Cause I don't want people to reject me. If you saw me already, smashin' all these years, Up In Smoke Tour, and then I come at you and I say, ya know I wanna do some music with you, right now I have credibility. So, they're like, "okay, come on." So right now, I just wanna pay my dues and create my longevity in a way where people won't have no doubts, no matter how many records I sold, they still wanna work with me.

D: Sounds like you're doin' a great job already!

Ms. Toi: I hope so.

D: Let me ask you this: If there is anyone in the history of music, anybody, like all-time, who would you like to work with?

Ms. Toi: Really, right now, I'm tryin' to get this song, "That Girl", with Stevie Wonder.

D: Oh, really?

Ms. Toi: I would love to get that song completed, and us just work together, and it be the smash hit off my album.

D: Are you working with him?

Ms. Toi: The producer who did "You Can Do It", for me & Ice Cube, I'm finishin' it right now. This is like nobody has heard me say this!

D: Cool, Exclusive!

Ms. Toi: Um, he did the track for "That Girl" for me, and I just got it recently. And he has the hook in there with Stevie Wonder's voice in it, and I would like for him to be on it. I would just like it to be the biggest song ever for me....and him.

D: So right now, is it just samples from the old song? Or do you actually have Stevie Wonder with you?

Ms. Toi: He's not on the song. He's on the song, but it's not from him doin' it live, right now.

D: It's from the old song?

Ms. Toi: Samples, and to me, I would like to leave him on the song, and create the "That Girl" theme for my album. If it works out Stevie, this is That Girl, Ms. Toi, I would love to work with you, and let's do it real big!

D: Yeah, that sounds real tight! What's your favorite song on your album?

Ms. Toi: Wow! One of them is "Love Me Or Leave Me", because I feel like I put my heart into that song, into the writtin' of that song. And then "Hand Clap" is on of my favorite songs too, because my niece really loves the song, so much that when I see her laughin' and clappin' and stuff, it really makes me feel like I made a good song.

D: That was the first single wasn't it, "Hand Clap"?

Ms. Toi: Yeah! I picked it. Like when you were talking about creative control, I was able to pick that as the first single. And also say the video, like once again, I don't wanna have naked females in my video. I don't want us to be exploited, and I want the guys to be exploited this time! And that's what happened, ya know what I mean? If people wasn't ready for it, that's okay, but I think a lot of people think it was really funny, it was a good concept, and also I had the opportunity not to be naked. Ya know what I mean? I really don't want people just to be on my fat ass! I want people to dig me too! Ya know what I mean?

D: Yeah!

Ms. Toi: If I know it's about boobs and ass, but I just have so much respect for my mother, and my sisters, and everybody in my family that, really support me daily, the way I am. That when it's time to present myself to the world, that I want people to understand that I'm not out here slangin' sex. I'm slangin' my gift, god gave me a gift, to write. And I've been writing poetry all my life, and then it ended up being my poetry and everything turned into lyrics. and it's turned into me makin money with it. It came from something positive, when you get a record deal now, people are all fine and dandy, but we want you to wear this! I just don't dig that!

D: You're not into that thong-tha-thong-thong-thong!?!?

Ms. Toi: Just don't tell me what to be, because I'm the one who has to deal with my fans, and my peers. When they come up to me, goin' out to clubs, or goin' to promote myself, then people will be expecting something that's really not true.

D: Good, keep it real to yourself. Keep it true.

Ms. Toi: Keep it true!

D: So do you feel pressure being a female in such a male dominated genre?

Ms. Toi: It's very competative, and I feel there is a lot of pressure , because there's not a lot of people like me, really tryin' to show the world that there's a lot of us who are smart and beautiful, and have goals. In this business, there's a lot of people who take for granted that you can make a lot of money. But I do have goals, I wanted to get into the movies and right now, I'm already in my first film, called "Tapped Out". And I play this girl named Pamela, I also perform one of my songs, "Work A Twist", the one that E-40 is on, so I am able to do some of the things I want to do, with my career, not just the music. Women in this business, are just brought in to do something that pertains to sex. And brought in too, for men to say, okay, I'm gonna write for you, and you be this. So for me to be able to come this far, without havin' any of this stuff being done. I looked at "You Can Do It", like something very positive. Like somebody would say, You can do whatever you want to do in life. It's not just a sexual song, the way most people look at it. That song has motivated a lot of people, and I'm proud of that, because of the way I delivered it. I didn't deliver it like it was just sex, ya know what I mean? Even though it's a sexual song, and has a sexual hook, it wasn't to me.

D: Well, even looking at it sexually, it went both ways, it wasn't just like male dominating the women and it was both ways.

Ms. Toi: It did, and a lot of men was like wooo, you was puttin' your ass in to it. But then the women was like we worked out off the song. So it did go both ways and I'm glad. I have a lot of male fans anyway, because I grew up just rappin' freestylin' with men. So it was time for me to do something positive to show the ladies, that I don't need y'all to hate on this, 'cause I'm serious I represent us. I'm not really messing around. I really am down for the ladies. And that song gave me the credibility with all the women around the world who just but they back into whatever they do.

D: Yeah, you have a lot of lyrics throughout your album that are uplifting to women.

Ms. Toi: Oh yeah, I come from a female dominated family. It's just there are so many women in my family that I can't talk about nothin' else really. For me to be talkin' about some silly stuff that don't have nothin' to do with how I'm represented, and how people look at me, it would make no sense, for me to talk about someone slappin' me around, 'cause that don't happen! So I have to talk about the things that make me strong, and that have made me strong for years. So that's what gives me self-esteem and keeps me caring about myself.

D: That's the way it should be.

Ms. Toi: Exactly. But most people don't know that. I have this friend right now, who's dating this guy who hits her. And it hurts me, because she's around enough people that are strong for her not to go through this.

D: That's just what we were talking about before, either "Love Me Or Leave Me". Same thing.

Ms. Toi: Exactly, and I wrote a new song that really is for her, it's called, "Paper Doll". And its basically sayin', "I'm not your paper doll, you can't just do me any kinda way. If you really cared about me, I wouldn't have to go through any kind of abuse for love." And that's my love.

D: Exactly. I know exactly what you mean.

Ms. Toi: Even verbal abuse is bad. For somebody to tell you that no one else is going to want you. That's like crazy to me. This ain't no Ike & Tina, because a lot of people don't understand this business, but like sometimes I am out late. And it might disturb your mate or whatever but to me, communicate with me. I'm tryin' to do this music so I can keep a roof over my head. I'm not tryin' to do something wrong that's gonna hurt me. If I know somebody care about me, then I'm not gonna disrepect you. And don't try to hurt me in those types of ways, because if you got love for me, and respect what I'm doin' you'll trust me and you'll be able to understand that I'm doin' something positive, and not sitin' on my ass havin' a gang of kids, waiting on somebody and using up tax money. Like people spend trying to help people on the welfare and stuff. I'm just not that type of lady. I'm one of those chicks that, okay I need some assistance sometimes, but I'm basically self sufficiant.

D: Good, that's the way it should be. Strong, independent.

Ms. Toi: Right.

D: What does the future hold for Ms. Toi?

Ms. Toi: Man, a whole bunch of things. I got so much stuff goin' on right now, and I'm tryin' to do some commercials, and Nike, and I tryin' to do a new movie. Create a whole new album, besides That Girl, and just work with a lot of people that I haven't worked with.

D: Tell me a little more about "Tapped Out". Do you have a big part in it, or a little part?

Ms. Toi: Oh, its really a cool part actually. I'm the only girl that doesn't get screwed in the movie. So that's big to me. I like one of the main characters, so you see me in some important scenes, that has to do with this cat. And the director, he's like an entertainer as well, Georgio, he's like so creative and really they wasn't expecting me to do the part. One of the members of the group, her mom had passed and it just happened to be where she couldn't make it, and came through. It was my first time acting and man, they was so impressed, because I'm a natural. I came through and did what I had to do. And that created the bug as far as acting. Yeah, it's violence and shootin' and killin' in the movie.

D: What's the movie about?

Ms. Toi: It's basically them tappin' a phone. Getting a concept from a major record label, stealing the concept, or some music, and blowin' up off of tappin' a phone. And the other people find out about it, and they cause a lot of chaos for the peole who tried to blow up. Of course the people got killed behind it, because of course you can't steal somebody's idea and expect them not to be mad. In the process, I'm tryin' to do my music in the movie to impress this guy. But he basically gets so famous that he has all the girls in the world, they just throwin' themselves all over him. And he wanted me because I was one of the only ones who wasn't throwin' myself at him.

D: So are you one of the good guys or one of the bad guys.

Ms. Toi: I'm one of the good guys! Tommy is a good guy, but to me he's a bad guy cause he stole the concept. But actually it's a really good movie and I can't wait for everybody to see it.

D: Are you done filming?

Ms. Toi: We're done filming, it's already a done deal. It's a wrap. They just getting everything organized. All the credits and everthing, so it should be coming soon.

D: Do they have a release date for it?

Ms. Toi: No, we don't have a release date for it, but once they start talking about credits, now it's time to start blowin' it up. Only thing I can do is talk about it and make sure it's a reality.

D: We'll have to watch for that one. So you said you were working on your second album. How's that goin'?

Ms. Toi: Everything is goin' well. I'm working with a lot of people. André Wilson, Doggy's Angels, Solé, Coolio, I'm workin' with a lot of people right now. Me and Baby S, we have 6 or 7 songs that he produced, we got a situation so..

D: Oh yeah, I got Baby S on next week.

Ms. Toi: You got him comin' next week? Yeah he'll tell you about that too. Basically, I'm just tryin' to work with everybody right now, because there are so many songs that could be great songs, if I just keep workin' at it.

D: Do you have a title for the new album yet?

Ms. Toi: Nope, I'm not going to name it until I'm almost done with it. My fans named me "That Girl", so I really had to name my album That Girl the first time and regardless if they knew my name, they were like there's that girl, so I was like ya know what, "That Girl" is going to be the title. I'm not sure what the next on will be. Not yet at least.

D: Okay, we'll wait and see.

Ms. Toi: Yeah.

D: Is there anything else you want to say? That's all I have.

Ms. Toi: Man, San Diego, y'all show me so much love, that I got so much love for real, that I will be there soon, as soon as possible to come show y'all me live and direct. I am a little under the weather, so sorry if y'all heard me coughing while doin' my thing. But I've been working hard, movin' into my new house and I got so much love for you guys. And I hope you guys continue to give me love and play the album.

D: Yeah, definitley.

Ms. Toi: Much love, and y'all stay up and play That Girl.

D: Definitley! Get Better and good luck on everything you're doin', and all your projects.

Ms. Toi: Thank You!

D: Good Night, Drive carefully.

Ms. Toi: Okay! Good Night.

D: As we get in to right now, the latest single from That Girl, here's "Can't None Y'all", Ms. Toi.

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