Vanessa Renee Reece (born November 11, 1990),[1] better known by her stage name V-Nasty, is an American rapper from Oakland, California. She is best known for being part of the group White Girl Mob with Kreayshawn and Lil Debbie, and for collaborating with Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane.[2] Reece released her debut studio album with Gucci Mane titled BAYTL in 2011 through 1017 Records and Warner Bros. Records.[3][4] In 2013, she signed a record deal with independent label Pinnacle Records and started working on her second album, as well as a reality TV show.[5] In 2014, V-Nasty released a Mixtape titled "11Lem"[6] along with a new single titled "Tweekin".[7]

V-Nasty
Birth nameVanessa Renee Reece
Born (1990-11-11) November 11, 1990 (age 34)
Oakland, California, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper, singer
Years active2009–present
LabelsPinnacle

Biography

Reece grew up on the 35th block of East Oakland in a neighborhood known for dealing drugs and a high crime rate.[8] She was born to a white mother and a Vietnamese father.[2][9] Reece had a rough childhood – she was skipping classes, stealing alcohol, and was in and out of jail. She attended Skyline High School before dropping out of ninth grade. While in sixth grade, both of her parents were arrested. During her teen years, Reece has had various jobs, including working in a chocolate factory called Grand Avenue Chocolates.[10] At 15, she gave birth to the first of her two children.[8] Reece was inspired by her cousin and her child's father to start rapping. She started freestyling around 2009, and later, after gaining some popularity, realized she could pursue a career in music.[2]

In January 2010, Reece was caught committing a robbery at a Pick-n-Pull store. During a chase with the police, her car's transmission broke and would only go in reverse. She was arrested on robbery charges. She was released after a short prison sentence but was arrested again after committing another robbery in July.[10] She was then sentenced to serve six months in Alameda County Santa Rita Jail. Reece was released from jail in December 2010, while remaining on probation.[8]

Reece met rapper Kreayshawn, after confronting her following rumors that she had made Reece's cousin start taking drugs. After the rumors turned out to be false, the two became friends and started performing together. They created the group White Girl Mob, together with Lil Debbie. In April 2011, Reece released her debut mixtape, Don't Bite, Just Taste, recorded in one day and consisting entirely of freestyles.[2] Reece was arrested again later in 2011. Shortly after, Kreayshawn started a campaign "Free V-Nasty" in support of her fellow rapper.[2] When Kreayshawn's video for "Gucci Gucci" became popular, Reece's alias V-Nasty gained fame, because of the lines: "I'm yelling 'Free V-Nasty' 'til my throat is raspy."[9]

In 2011, Reece was contacted by Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane who offered her to collaborate on an album. Before the release of the project, she was approached by several record labels, who offered to sign her, but she declined, feeling not ready for a major deal at the time.[9] Her debut studio album with Gucci Mane, titled BAYTL, was released on December 13, 2011, through Vice Records and Warner Bros. Records. BAYTL was produced almost entirely by Gucci Mane's frequent collaborator Zaytoven and features guest appearances by Mistah F.A.B., Berner and Slim Dunkin among others.[2] Gucci Mane called it "by far ... my most controversial mixtape to date" and commented that many people would be surprised by it.[11] The album was preceded by the single "Whip Appeal", which premiered on November 2, 2011, and was released officially on November 18.[12][13] On December 16, Reece was in Atlanta, shooting a video for the song "Push Ups" with Gucci Mane and Slim Dunkin. The latter got in an altercation with rapper Young Vito and a fight broke out, resulting in Dunkin being shot dead. The video shoot was cancelled, and Vito was arrested on murder charges. He was later acquitted of murder but convicted of aggravated assault and gun possession charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison.[14][15][16]

On March 2, 2012, Reece released her second mixtape Doin' Number$, featuring guest appearances from Mistah F.A.B., Roach Gigz and Erk Tha Jerk.[17] In March 2013, Reece performed at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival. In April, after parting ways with Kreayshawn, she signed to Las Vegas-based independent label Pinnacle Records in a highly publicized $750,000 deal. She also started working with American Idol host Ryan Seacrest on her reality TV show.[5]

On her 24th birthday, she released a new Mixtape titled "11Lem", along with a new single titled "Tweekin". On February 16, 2015, she posted a short clip of the music video which has yet to be released.

Personal life and influence

Reece has stated she is influenced by Too $hort, 3X Krazy, Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, Webbie, Lil Boosie and Mac Dre, and listens to a lot of Bay Area music.[2] Producer Zaytoven compared her style to that of Gucci Mane, saying "she'll get in trouble, she don't care about what she say, she just bein' free."[18]

Controversy

Reece has been criticized for the use of the word "nigga" in her songs, although she defended it as being used in a friendly way and part of her city's culture.[19] Rapper David Banner released a song condemning her actions,[9] while Mistah F.A.B. came to her defense, stating that Oakland has a culture of its own and claimed Reece and her group White Girl Mob are a product of that environment.[20] Rapper Fat Joe also defended her, stating that "if rappers use the word, and rap music is for everyone, then it's misguided to lash out members of other races who pick up on it" and claiming that the word is not viewed as racist nowadays.[21]

In November 2012, Reece accused Soulja Boy of being a "fake ass industry rapper" and compared him unfavorably to his girlfriend Diamond of Crime Mob.[22] Soulja Boy refused to engage in a beef commenting: "What would I look like fighting with a girl?"[23] Her ongoing feud with her alleged ex-boyfriend Magneto Dayo seemed to have been over when they collaborated on a song entitled "Hate u"[24] (the breakup) but the fire was once again lit when she threatened him in an interview saying, "I'll kick his ass" and denying ever lying about the paternity of her child. Magneto Dayo retaliated with a song called "OJ Simpson" in which he claimed she turned her back on him and others that were there for her before her fame.[25]

Discography

Collaborative albums

Title Album details
BAYTL
(with Gucci Mane)

Extended plays

  • 2013 – The Words I Wrote[26]

Mixtapes

  • 2011 – Don't Bite Just Taste[2]
  • 2012 – Doin' Number$[17]
  • 2014 – 11 Lem[6]

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Album
"Whip Appeal"
(with Gucci Mane featuring P2TheLA)
2011 BAYTL
"All the Money"[27] 2013 The Words I Wrote
"Tweakin"[28] 2014 11 Lem
Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"Gotta Ball"[29] 2012 Lil Debbie
"Gotta Ball (Party Animal Remix)"[30]
"On My Shit"[32] 2013 Westtsew, Mistah F.A.B.
"Heaven Or Hell"[33] 2014 Kurt Diggler

Guest appearances

List of non-single guest appearances
Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"You Already Know Me"[34] 2010 Kreayshawn Kittys x Choppas
"Summertime"[35] 2012 Somethin' 'Bout Kreay
"If I'm Wrong"[36] H-Ryda, Kastro H Ryda vs. The Planet

Music videos

List of music videos, showing year released and directors
Title Year Director(s)
"Let's Get Faded" (with Gucci Mane) 2012 Mr. Boomtown[37]
"Gotta Ball" (with Lil Debbie) Grizz Lee[38]
"Fuck Your Face" 2013 Jonathan Andrade[39]
"On the Hood" 2016 AD Films[40]

References

  1. ^ "California Birth Index, 1905–1995". Family Tree Legends Records Collection (Online Database).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Ahmed, Insanul, Who Is V-Nasty?, Complex, retrieved August 9, 2013
  3. ^ "Gucci Mane & V-Nasty – BAYTL". discogs.
  4. ^ "Gucci Mane, V-Nasty Releasing Collaboration Album 'BAYTL'". MTV. Archived from the original on November 28, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Kangas, Chaz. "V-Nasty, Having Split With Kreayshawn, Talks About Her "$750,000" Deal". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on June 27, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "11 Lem". datpiff.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  7. ^ "New Music: Tweekin by V-Nasty". November 6, 2014.
  8. ^ a b c Haithcoat, Rebecca. "V-Nasty as She Wants to Be". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  9. ^ a b c d Fleisher, Adam (December 13, 2011), V-Nasty: "If I Can't Say the N-Word, Then Nobody Should Say It", XXL, retrieved August 9, 2013
  10. ^ a b Haithcoat, Rebecca, V-Nasty on Jail, Being Pregnant at 15, and Why Oakland Is Not Where It's At, LA Weekly, retrieved August 9, 2013
  11. ^ Gucci Mane and V-Nasty Collaborate For 'BAYTL' Street Album, Release First Single, Vibe, November 23, 2011, retrieved August 10, 2013
  12. ^ Whip Appeal (feat. P2theLA) – Single, iTunes, November 19, 2011, retrieved August 10, 2013
  13. ^ Moore, Jacob, Premiere: Gucci Mane f/ V-Nasty "Whip Appeal", Complex, retrieved August 10, 2013
  14. ^ Kaufmann, Gil, Young Vito Acquitted Of Slim Dunkin Murder, MTV, archived from the original on March 1, 2013, retrieved August 10, 2013
  15. ^ Young Vito Indicted for Slim Dunkin Murder, Rolling Stone, March 22, 2012, retrieved August 10, 2013
  16. ^ Hyden, Steven (December 19, 2011), "Atlanta rapper Slim Dunkin murdered before a video shoot", The A.V. Club, retrieved August 10, 2013
  17. ^ a b Martin, Andrew, Mixtape: V-Nasty "Doin' Number$"
  18. ^ Stovall, Calvin. "Zaytoven: V-Nasty Reminds Me of a Young Gucci Mane". BET. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  19. ^ "V-Nasty Defends Her Use of the N-Word". XXL. November 10, 2011. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  20. ^ "Mistah F.A.B. Volunteers to Mentor V-Nasty and Kreayshawn". XXL. March 23, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  21. ^ Ugwu, Reggie. "Fat Joe Defends V-Nasty's Use of the N-Word". BET. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  22. ^ Ugwu, Reggie. "V-Nasty Takes Aim at Soulja Boy on Twitter". BET. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  23. ^ Rogulewski, Charley. "Soulja Boy Takes the High Road in V-Nasty Beef". Vibe. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  24. ^ "Hate u"
  25. ^ "V-Nasty's Alleged Ex Fires Back With Song Referencing OJ Simpson - Los Angeles - Music - West Coast Sound". blogs.laweekly.com. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013.
  26. ^ "The Words I Wrote". iTunes Store. October 16, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  27. ^ "All the Money – Single". iTunes Store. August 19, 2013. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  28. ^ "Toys Used for Pleasure, BDSM Swing & Seeking The Ultimate Orgasm". blkdmnds.com.
  29. ^ "Gotta Ball – Single". iTunes Store. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  30. ^ "Gotta Ball(Party Animal Remix) – Single". iTunes Store. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  31. ^ "Hate u (the breakup) (Featuring V Nasty & Magneto Dayo)". Amazon. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
  32. ^ "On My S**t (feat. Mistah Fab & V-Nasty) – Single". iTunes Store. April 23, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  33. ^ "Kurt Diggler – Heaven Or Hell ft. V-Nasty". April 2014 – via YouTube.
  34. ^ "Kreayshawn – Kittys X Choppas". discogs. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  35. ^ "Somethin' 'Bout Kreay". AllMusic. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  36. ^ "H Ryda vs. the Planet". iTunes Store. August 7, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  37. ^ "Let's Get Faded". January 9, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2013 – via YouTube.
  38. ^ "Gotta Ball". July 30, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2013 – via YouTube.
  39. ^ "V-Nasty – Fuck Your Face". March 22, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013 – via YouTube.
  40. ^ "V-Nasty – On The Hood(Official Music Video)". May 12, 2016 – via YouTube.