Tell us a little bit about your journey and when you became invested in Entertainment, Natural Medicines, Sensuality and Healing?
Growing up in LA, I’ve always been exposed to the entertainment industry and seeing all the Hollywood sets and random entertainers over my childhood. I think it was just a natural attraction. I was raised by my grandmother, great grandmother, and later down the line, my mother. These women were always brewing up natural healing concoctions with herbs and other natural elements. My grandmother would boil eucalyptus for me as a child to help me with my breathing. So when I started to explore these remedies myself, it was a natural part of my journey. Being a medicine woman is in my blood. I come from a long lineage of powerful women who understood how to self heal and heal their families.
As far as my path to sensuality, now that was certainly a journey. It definitely took me some time and learning to fully understand what that meant for me and how to truly embrace it, especially coming from a family rooted in the church. Once I understood that sensuality was a form of divinity, it’s been a major part of my lifestyle and daily ritual.
When we’re you initially interested in music and music artistry? What’s next for you there?
Since I was very young, I’ve always been interested in music, making music, listening to music and utilizing it as a medium to heal.
Listening to songs as a kid, I always challenged myself to create my own version of songs with words that made me feel empowered and encouraged. I always liked how powerful Whitney Houston’s voice was, she felt like an auntie to me. I knew I could always turn to her music to help me overcome certain things in my life. I liked the way certain people like P. Diddy, Jay Z, Master P, Rhianna created powerful legacies for themselves and their family through music.
I always knew I’d be on that level. Although I’m really great at making music for myself, I’m also pretty good at being an executive producer and bringing dope artists together to create beautiful music for the world to enjoy. I’ve always embodied that mogul energy and so my vision has always been to bring a strong feminine presence to hip hop and restore the balance.
“I truly believe that if we heal and elevate hip hop, we can heal and elevate our culture. Someone has to lead the way.”
How did you come up with your stage name The Rap Priestess? — Speak to us about your genre.
My stage name is Lizzy Jeff. Rap Priestess is one of my titles, which was birthed through my initiation into music, inspired by my own spiritual journey and ascension. My music is a sanctuary for myself and anybody who listens to it, it feels like church. A Priestess is rooted in her divine gifts and aware of the power she possesses, especially as a leader and inspiration. I’m a healer, intuitive, guide, and temple keeper. I embody the energy of the Rap Priestess on many levels. I’m highly intuitive and connected to my natural cycles, in harmony with the earth. These are all of the various elements and energies that I embody in my raps, as I rise higher in my purpose as a powerful storyteller and leader. I create music that honors the womb and empowers the divine feminine energy to rise.
What kind of impact would you say music and entertainment has on the culture and our lifestyles? — How have you enjoyed connecting with your fans through your work?
Music has a powerful impact on culture, just look around. That’s why I take my music very intentionally and with ultimate care. My music often times serves as a guide or recipe for people on their healing journey, so I understand the power of my work. I see how it’s transforming people worldwide and raising entire generations of children.
I’ve enjoyed connecting with my fans and am very inspired by them. When people share their feedback and love for my music and what I represent, they always share with a heart of deep reverence, gratitude and love. That’s a powerful thing to experience. Sometimes I feel like a religious figure the way people approach me to share how my music has transformed their entire lives.
How do you manage to balance all that you do creatively, while still being the solid influencer that you are?
Since I deal with so many different people in so many different places in all of the work that I do, receiving a lot of different energies…Balance is key.
Balance for me looks like:
Setting personal boundaries and respecting them,
Taking naps,
Drinking green juice daily,
Eating alkaline fruits and vegetables
Stretching my body,
Spending time in nature,
Being mindful of who I spend my time with,
All of these various rituals give me the space I need to reset my mind and activate deep layers of clarity on how I need to proceed next on my creative journey.
Tell us how you feel about Cannabis and please share any exciting updates or news you have regarding this!
Cannabis is medicine. Cannabis is inspiration. Cannabis is thought provoking. Cannabis is a powerful spiritual tool. Cannabis is a beautiful guide that embodies divine feminine essence. I love cannabis and appreciate the beauty and creative inspiration she provides. I bathe in it. Sip on it. Massage my temple in cannabis infused luxurious oils. I love smoking on a nice sun grown strain and kicking back, just chillin and writing music. Im currently working with a really dope herb brand based in LA, on my first official pre roll collection coming in early 2023. These rolls will be infused with the most beautiful intentions and affirmations and also be part of a really dope music project I’m finishing up. Stay tuned!
The world is finally opening up to the Cannabis world in an embracing way; how do you feel about this? What are your thoughts on the politics behind it vs the actual value?
About damn time.
Cannabis is the gateway to the universal healing we’ve been calling in for a long time. I believe that this sacred plant medicine is going to change the entire planet, especially by creating generational wealth and reparations for our people and those who have lost their freedom because of non violent cannabis charges. Educate yourselves. Tell your stories about how cannabis has impacted your life and normalize it. They invested a lot of time and money into brainwashing us to believe a false narrative about cannabis, but no more. Cannabis is sacred, Free our people!
As far as sensuality, what do you wish more women of color knew about it? Share some advice for the sisters in this arena!
Sensuality is abundance.
Sensuality is power.
Sensuality is creativity!
Sensuality is a gift from God!
Tune into your sensuality more deeply and watch how the universe grants your every desire. If you ask me, Activating your sensuality is the portal to manifesting your deepest desires. How can we embody our sensuality even more?
We deserve love. We deserve pleasure, healing and luxurious experiences. The more we embody that energy, the more peace we bring to our lives.
We are big on encouraging WOC to embrace their femininity, because it gets tough when you are constantly required to “be strong”. What is femininity to you?
Femininity is God.
Femininity is grace and glory.
It’s the way we smile at life when we feel thankful. It’s the way we wear our favorite silk robe, beautifully draped off of one shoulder. Femininity is flow and ease…peace of mind. Femininity is running a sacred bath, infused with rose petals, herbs, oils and Goddess intentions. Most importantly, femininity is allowing ourselves to be soft, to feel safe and secure in our own power, free to exist in pure womanhood.
What is the Zen & Kush Movement? How can our readers get involved?
Infusing the elements of erotic art, culture, plant medicine, and community, Zen & Kush is an elevated lifestyle brand & after dark event series that I’ve been curating for the past 7 years. It’s a beautiful, expanding collective of prolific creatives, healers, medicine people, revolutionary artists, and community leaders.
This year alone, I’ve taken these Zen & Kush experiences to over 25 different cities worldwide. In each and every city, the people are pulling up by the dozens, with all the love, ready to share their gifts. It’s a wonderful thing to witness and experience, The tribe is very strong. This vibe is alive and thriving, and people worldwide are showing how much they rock with this movement and desire this type of experience.
Follow @ZenandKush
Visit ZenandKush.com
Sign up for my newsletter
Let’s stay connected!
We love your style! — What can you say about your style? Where does your inspiration come?
Royalty! High Priestess Energy. A fusion of Erykah Badu mixed with Lil Kim, with the elegance of Billie Holiday and the gangsta bitch retro energy of Pam Grier.
In the 90’s, if you ask me, my momma was the flyest lady on the block. The way she wore her hair, the earrings, the energy, the colors and the overall confidence mixed with the street smarts…always inspired me.
My grandmother, Geneva, from New Orleans had a very enchanted style. She used to rock these super fly matching windbreaker outfits and a matching silk scarf on her head, and I just thought she was so feminine and beautiful all the time. I remember this one time she escorted me to the homecoming dance when i made the royal court, and she wore this absolutely stunning royal blue skirt suit with pink and yellow flowers embroidered on it with her pretty curly wig… I was just always in awe of her grace and style the whole night. I come from a beautiful lineage of fly women. Don’t even get me started on my stylish Auntie and her all white fits with the big beautiful Afro!!
My style is a direct reflection of my energy and what I represent. I like to balance my feminine and masculine energy when I dress. I’ve been an athlete my entire life and always used to rocking basketball shorts and a fresh pair of J’s. Now that I’m evolving as a woman, having more fun in my femininity, I’m exploring all the lovely ways to express myself.
I love shopping,
I love designing my own looks.
And from time to time, I truly enjoy working with stylists and designers to bring certain looks to life. Yasmeen Sa’eedah has custom made plenty of gorgeous, staple pieces for me to add to my growing collection of vintage style robes, kimonos and trench coats.
Afro poppin, silk robe draping, gorgeous lace bra with the glistening cleavage, Aaliyah inspired sweatpants and some fly ass sneakers is always a go! When I’m performing or speaking on stage, I always go for the most royal & inspiring High Priestess fashion statements.
What’s something you wish you could tell your younger self, right now? — And why this?
Stop trippin and worrying about what anybody else says or thinks about you. You know who you are a Queen, walk in that.
Shine in that.
And most importantly, never forget your worth.
Tell us a Story about a time you had to speak up for your beliefs when they weren’t so well received?
The many times I’ve gone into all white spaces to have deep conversations about anti racism and micro reparations in the cannabis industry and wellness industry. Speaking on behalf of the thousands of people that look like me, my cousins, my uncles, & my aunties that have been incarcerated for non violent cannabis charges. As much as certain people in the industry talk about change and claim to be on the right side of history when it comes to social restoration, it’s important for me, as a leader and voice in this industry, to have conversations around accountability and ensure change is actually happening. These conversations can feel uncomfortable for many people, but how the hell can we move forward if we don’t talk about it?? Sometimes, I’m the only person that looks like me in a room full of hundreds of people, speaking on reparations and social justice, especially around cannabis. It’s important for me to protect my energy and layer up before and after I enter these spaces.
If we left it up to the system, up to the people that control the industry, there would be no Black owned businesses or high level positions available at all. So much love to people like Cannaclusive, Supernova Women, Josephine & Billies, Simply Pure, Elev8, Gorilla RX and more, that are doing work everyday to ensure this industry is thriving and inclusive.
How do you feel about Liberation as it pertains to the WOC Community? What does it mean to you and what’s the significance?
Liberation is a lifestyle.
The path our grandmothers and great grandmothers paved for us is wide open and we now exist in a time where we can stand boldly in our power as women.
Liberation looks like:
REST. (Follow @thenapministry for more inspiration),
pussy power all day,
Breast feeding in public spaces,
Taking up space,
Society respecting and honoring Black women,
and most importantly
Black women existing freely in our bodies and feeling safe in our rituals
At what level is your self-confidence? What fuels it and what advice can you give other women on building and maintaining self-confidence?
Self confidence is something I’m working on every single day. It requires Daily practice and intention.
Lizzy Jeff
Confidence looks like:
Mirror work in the mirror every day.
Speaking life into yourself.
Eating clean and taking care of your temple.
Expanding your mindset by reading, having elevated dialogue with people you are inspired by and studying. Self knowledge is self confidence.
What’s your take on the power of storytelling? How has it impacted your life in general?
Storytelling is a form of spell work. The power of words are real. Storytelling has been a gift passed down from generation to generation, especially in a world that is hell bent on keeping us away from our true history and origins. It’s important to keep our history and legacy thriving through the stories we share with each other and the world. My elders have been sharing stories with me about our family since I was a young girl and it’s most certainly something I will continue to do, especially through my music.
Not only from a generational stand point, I find the power of storytelling very necessary for us to manifest and speak life into our desires and the life we wish to live. You are what you say you are. So, what story are you telling about your life and who you are??? Be mindful of the story you share and watch how your life begins to shift to match that energy.
Who have been some of your role models or successors that you’ve looked up to along your journey?
My mother.
My auntie.
My grandmother.
My father.
Nina Simone.
Billie Holiday.
Josephine Baker.
Assata Shakur.
Tupac Shakur.
Nipsey Hussle.
Angela Davis.
Betty Davis.
Erykah Badu.
Lorraine Hansberry.
James Baldwin.
Lauryn Hill.
Ida B. Wells.
Rhianna
Do you have any upcoming projects or events you’d like to share with us?
My new album, Prophecies of a Rap Priestess, Vol. 2 🌹 is droppin worldwide just in time for the new year.
Can you please leave us with some advice that the next woman can use, who is trying to soar in a space that is less embraced and less traveled!
Stay hydrated Queen and take care of your mental health.
Lizzy Jeff
Keep yourself physically healthy while you continue to break barriers and ascend on your spiritual journey. Remember the power of your pussy and how much you’re able to create for you, for your family, and your community just out of thin air. The power of God exists inside you and there’s absolutely nothing you can’t achieve. Do your spirit work daily and continue showing up fully rooted in your femininity as you gracefully glide into this next chapter of your life. Everything you seek is seeking you Queen.
COVER CREDITS:
Interview: Brittany Miller @mrsbrittmiller
Hair: @edgyebthemodelhairstylist and @mrsbrittmiller
Makeup: Natasha J Clutch Co. @clutch_co
Wardrobe stylist: Yasmeen Saeedah @yasmeensaeedah & Lizzy Jeff @lizzyjeff
Apparel: Yasmeen Saeedah @yasmeensaeedah
Creative Director & Graphic Design: Brittany Miller @mrsbrittmiller
Photography: Dope Shots Photography @dopeshotsbyprecious