Even though she signed her first major label recording contract while still in her teens, Englewood, New Jersey’s own Lady Luck, née Shanell Jones, had already been exposed to Hip Hop throughout her young life. Luck’s late mother, then a radio promoter with Sugar Hill Records, was instrumental in breaking “Rapper’s Delight,” and her great-aunt is the imprint’s founder, Sylvia Robinson. Largely known as a battle rapper, Lady Luck – who had a fierce rivalry with Remy Ma in the early 2000s – initially began her ascent into the music biz by freestyling on New York’s Hot 97 morning show, ultimately leading to her inking a multi-million dollar record deal with Def Jam. More recently, and following a severe bout with depression that she has since overcome, Luck won an Emmy for her work on the Bravo network, in addition to having several other irons in the fire for the 2025 season.
First things first, August 11th 2023 marked the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop — What exactly does that mean to and for you?
It’s amazing. It means we survived. The culture is thriving. My mother went radio station to radio station across the country, and convinced them to play the first rap record. We have come a very long way.
To quote the late, great The Notorious B.I.G., “You never thought that Hip Hop would take it this far!” — Was this something that you ever could’ve imagined?
To be transparent, I never thought about it, lol.
What are some of your fondest, most stand-out moments / memories during your lengthy tenure in this thing called Hip Hop?
I am actually still a fan. So, going to concerts or going to performances of other artists I admire or have looked up to makes everything all worth the while.
That said, what are your future plans and / or goals for the 2025 season?
The first thing is to know thy self. My goals this year is to re-create. My perspective on everything in life has changed dramatically within the last 24 months. So, this year is rebuilding and putting the pieces together.
Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?
I want people to feel what I’m feeling. I want emotion to be invoked. So whether that be we cry together, we laugh together. I want us to experience life together.
If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
I don’t really have one Artist off the top of my head because I honestly am amazed by so many different talented people across genres, across the decades. I am really a fan of music in general. So, I would not disrespect all of the people I love by just choosing one.
If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?
Any of these world festivals. I honestly want to perform at one of them EDM concerts. The large amount of people, the energy in there, is just amazing.
On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Hip Hop?
I don’t think anyone is happy with the state of Hip Hop right now. But at this point, I don’t wanna blame Hip Hop or the Artist. It’s the Gate-Keepers. It’s the people in charge. It’s the people who run the streaming services.
What do you feel has and will continue to be the key to your longevity?
Authenticity. And, honestly, it’s the people who appreciate my craft. It’s been plenty of times I wanted to give up and not continue, but it’s people out there who remind me that they appreciate my craft, and that is what keeps me going.
Do you have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from entertainment?
I have so many things I’m working on. From a farm where we growing mushrooms and hemp products, to a spiritual retreat, to a crown company that we custom make crowns. We have a sunglass company. I direct and edit movies and videos. I have my hands involved in a lot of stuff.
What’s an average day like for you?
And, please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans…
I don’t know if this is a gift or a curse, but my days are never repetitive. So, of course, my day starts off being thankful and grateful for all that I have, and all that’s around me. Depends on what time I went to bed last night, if I’m getting straight to working out and meditating. Interacting with my friends has become exclusively online. Because I have them worldwide. So, making a presence known on each platform.
What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?
My favorite part is all of the perks; getting in places for free, being admired, and people showing love for your craft. My least favorite part is all of the hating and all of the fake stuff. People with fake personalities or people who will promise you a bunch of things and then disappear. One thing about this music industry, it is a lot of fake people.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
I would definitely tell somebody to create their own path. At least learn from mine and create your own steps, and do not fall subject to the things I have.
Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?
I see myself on my farm; a flourishing spiritual retreat. I see myself involved in healing across the board.
Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention?
Nope.
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