Miz Korona

If award-winning Detroit emcee Miz Korona had followed the rigid rules shes been given since her childhood, she would have never opened up for hip-hop icons like Scarface and Run-DMC, or freestyled alongside Eminem and Xzibit in the blockbuster film 8 Mile. A cowardly music industry would prefer she either rap about sex or keep her lips sealed, but she spits blistering bars without compromise. I have a no-holds-barred approach: Youre going to respect me, Korona insists. If you stand firm, you make people pay attention. She began to make her rounds at city hotspots like St. Andrews Hall and Detroits legendary Lush Lounge, where she would showcase her skills and network with the citys movers and shakers. Her formidable delivery and sharp punchlines helped her establish a huge following. But most moviegoers remember her from her portrayal of Vanessa in 8 Mile, the blockbuster film starring hometown hero Eminem. In the scene, she freestyles alongside Em and multiplatinum-selling artist Xzibit, each of whom play plant workers on lunch break. In years since, she has won Detroit Music Awards (Best Hip-Hop Artist) and Detroit Hip-Hop Awards (Best Female Artist three years in a row), and appeared on albums by Detroit staples and artists around the world. But the industry sees Miz Korona staking her claim the way the real greats do: product. Her official debut: The Injection. shows versatility as well as cocky confidence Do That For Me and the pitfalls of inner-city living The Real Nightmare with equal candor. But The Injections shining moments appear on songs such as the single Like A Zoo, and Playground which pair pounding production with her equally formidable rhymes.