Attorney Street › Attorney Street Press: Jasmine Solano

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Jasmine Solano – “Coco Puff”

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Jasmine Solano – “That’s Not It”

“..Punanny, Electric” that is, NYC party promoting connoisseur, poly-rhythmic femcee, phenomenal, crazy dope DJ, producer of illyness – Jasmine Solano. Her resume makes you want to sign up for the next Boston marathon, if only to not feel like the fckin slacker you can be.

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AS: Of these few characters, which do you feel best represent an intelligent, fly, no nonsense, fun loving, down-ass, lady; Cat Woman, Olive Oyl, Wonder Woman, Storm or Betty Boop? Why?

Well I can tell you that Cat Woman is my favorite. I’m not sure she’d be considered “fun loving” though

AS: As a femcee, DJ and shindig promoter you wear many hats. Being a creative undertaker of this magnetism gives way to many possibilities. Have you ever thought about competing in a DJ battle while performing in concert, filming and directing your own music video and promoting a series of parties all at the same time? =)

Ha! I feel as though I’ve actually done that! One night, at my monthly party, “Electric Punanny” that I do with Melo-X, Roxy Cottontail & Photo By Tone, I had to DJ then perform my two singles on the mic, organize my videographer to tape the whole thing and spent two weeks promoting with email blasts, tweets & word of mouth. Everything crosses over and these all-in-one crazy nights do exist.

AS: How important is your apparel to your artistic visual representation?

It’s interesting because my apparel is just as influential as anything else. It’s not a surprise that we are a world of visuals – and people remember what they see just as much as what they hear and feel. To me clothing has always been an art. My apparel allows me to express the eclectic hybrid of a person I am: a mash up of multiple generations and various cultures.

AS: Name a few colloquial terms that you want dead and buried, for example, grind, grinding, hustle, hustling, hustler or swagger, swagger-like. Just to name a few lol

“Twittah that.” But I do approve of “Tweet, tweet.”

AS: Your musical and lyrical agility is apparent via live performance. Tell us more about your visual production expertise. What role do you play as a creative force in the Trigger Happy production agency?

Wow, thank you. I love the way you word everything!

I worked for a production company called Triggerhappy since its establishment in 2006. I was the Production Manager and it was the best job in the world; coolest boss, most creative projects and got plugged right into the world of production. Kareem Johnson, the VP, became my mentor and taught me how to produce professional, industry music videos. And Aahmek Richards, the CEO, allowed me to have a ton of managerial control & input. One of my favorite videos that I produced was Va$htie’s CRS Video as well as her video for Kid Cudi’s “Heaven @ Nite” which was never released. The job was always 10-20 hour days, a constant grind and the time of my life <3

AS: How does your production work inspire other outlets of expression?

My production work inspires my other outlets of expression ENTIRELY. I’m always thinking of the music video while I write a song. Always thinking of the flyer when I create a concept for a party. Always thinking of a strategy to videotape while planning an event. I try to tap into my art form from all angles.

AS: What do you think the possibilities are of the Brooklyn party scene popping off to the same full throttle extent that the downtown Manhattan scene is?

It exists already! Brooklyn holds loyalty. There are a bunch of weekly & monthly parties that people attend FOR YEARS. Tuff Tuesdays @ Bembe is a great example. On top of that a lot of monster parties exist in Brooklyn, especially in Bushwick. Those are the parties that people flock to from out of state and reminisce on for weeks after; the warehouse rave parties, the rooftop magazine parties, the grimy loft house parties. Most of the BK parties are crazier because there are less restrictions on how the party goes down.

AS: What are you hoping to accomplish with your EP release? Are you creating a lane for a new sound, representing for a new breed of femcee? What do you envision?

I really just want to connect with as many people as possible + have my lyrics translate on a super, personal level.

AS: If the whole entire world were a record, and you were the DJ on deck, what noise would you fade out, what noise would you fade in? And what sounds would you scratch out completely?

I would fade out auto tune.

Fade in roots reggae.

And scratch in some Teddy Pendergrass.

AS: Tell us more about your School Daze and its impact on your life’s work. How was your High School experience? College? In retrospect what are the moments, during that time, that have helped shape who you are now?

My school daze were amazing. In high school I was friends with so many different crews: the hippies, the break-dancers, the punks, the nerds, the bitches. I had a blast. I was never in band but used to get the band teacher to let me use the band room after school. I’d get my friends, Darren (beat-boxer) + Joe (drummer) to have sessions with me. We’d freestyle and mess around for hours. Then, we’d perform our freestyle mashups at open mics.

Into college, I was always freestyling with the boys. Attacking ciphers, spitting all kinds of shit. I also started DJing on the radio as soon as I got to school, age 17. I DJ’d at WERS 88.9FM for four years. First spinning hip hop and later getting my own show. I won several awards for my show, “The Secret Spot” one of them being “Best Female Radio Personality of New England” in 2006.

My youth has completely shaped who I am now. And I love to reminisce.

AS: This space in the interview is for you to leave your final thoughts. You can leave us with a quote, question, public service announcement or your super hero calling card. The choice is yours.

You can check me out as the Host/DJ of FRANK RADIO on www.frank151.com. Also stay tuned for my new tracks coming out produced by Chuck Inglish (The Cool Kids), Nire and Junior Sanchez. And a big, personal thank you to Attorney Street for wanting to Q&A the gyal