Ne' Richa

Growing up in a tough neighborhood with a single mom, Natalie Richmond learned early on how to be strong and resilient.

Those are qualities she espouses on "L.F.C." (Late 4 Class) and her just released, five-song EP, "Delux." As one of Erie's relatively few female hip-hop performers, she's determined to blaze a trail.

"I'm all about being a strong, independent woman," said Richmond, 25, who performs as Ne' Richa. "Growing up in a single-parent family household, I've seen my mother having to sacrifice and be strong. To bring me up in the projects, (she) made sure I was raised with some sort of foundation.

"So, I'm all about empowering our women. A lot of them are really doing it just by themselves. I want to be the one who helps them get along."

She helps by writing encouraging, hopeful songs, like "Flights (What We Do)."

"I'm all about positive music," Richmond said. "All the gunplay and all the drugs -- I'm not all about that in music. I want to write that type of music that anyone from the age of 5 to 95 can enjoy and it's going to hit different markets and different ears in different ways and teach."

She soaked up message music when she was young, especially albums by Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley. "I think (Marley) drove the (idea) even more that you can use music as a vehicle for getting the word out and a message out," she said.

As she got older, she followed KRS-1 and 2 Pac. Today's hip-hop, she said, wallows in negativity and despair. "It's like no one's enjoying their youth anymore. I want to get back into enjoying life, you know."

Richmond's songs are spare, slinky and beat-driven.

"I want to re-incarnate old-school hip-hop," she said. "A lot of songs, if you listen to them, have elements from'80s and '90s hip-hop -- from the beat themselves to a lot of 808, the old percussion beats you might have heard in the days of MC Lyte, Queen Latifah and those types."

She writes and produces herself; she's not part of an Erie crew. But she's building fans through her live shows and her radio show. Her alto ego is DJ Nilla on "The Lounge Spot," which airs on WERG-FM (90.5) on late Fridays from 2 to 5 a.m. She plays old-school hip-hop, neo-soul and R&B, plus local rappers and singers.

"A lot of people are like, how do you do it?" she says, of spinning so late. "Monster! (But) it's a lot of fun. I get a lot of late-night callers and they show their appreciation and dedication, sending shout outs to loved ones."

"Delux" is the first of a three-part series; the next two arrive in late September and late October.

"I wanted to do the EPs because you don't see that much in hip-hop, short albums that have a cohesive sound."

In Erie, you don't see many female hip-hop performers, either.

"I think that's what attracted me to it, as well," she said. "It was such a small, small market. I thought, 'Let me try to put my sample in. For some strange reason, Erie (isn't) as strong a market for females. I think that needs to change. There are a lot of females who need that inspiration, they need that leadership."

Ne' Richa hopes to be that guide. - GoErie

Hip Hop/R&B artist, Ne' Richa, made her debut in the Summer of 2011 with her self-penned declaration, L.F.C. (Late 4 Class). Driven by lyrical neo-soul and "beats for the street", the album proved to be a high mark on the young emcees' resume. One year later, Ne' Richa is ready to disprove the theory of "sophemore jinx", & The Moxy does just that. Taking a cue from her predecessors, she strives to push past her debut, both creatively and skillwise. As the album's title suggests, she aims at leaving you impressed with her audacity and willingness to try new concepts. Ne' Richa successfully intertwines a raw street appeal with a universal approach, while introducing a paradox of relevancy & nostalgia. It's time for Hip Hop to take on a new feel, and Ne' Richa is in the driver's seat.
Album highlights include the metaphoric "Detox", in which Richa depicts herself as an "addict for music", as she likens her passion for rapping with drug use. On "Respect" & "HurtPiece", classic-era Hip Hop sounds are irrefutably standing front and center as Ne' Richa flows in effortlessly. She experiments with an overseas vibe on "Keep It Movin'", on which she tells the audience, "I'm keepin' my cool, keepin' my luster, keepin' my fresh". It's almost a chore in itself to actually spotlight one song as a "standout", as they all have their own special nuances. One thing that is certain, however, is that Ne' Richa refuses to let up. Her moxy is definitely her will to succeed. - Newswire