Ethel Cee

Underground MC Sprung from the Spoken-Word Scene


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Published: Oct 17, 2007

Michael T. Regan

When I approached Ethel Cee about being featured in this Music Issue, her emotions went from shock to excitement to a chilled, relaxed vibe. "Cool," she decided finally. "I don't feel I did anything paper-worthy before."

Let's see, this year alone she's opened up for Sean Kuti, Little Brother, Rah Digga and recently recorded a segment for Bahamadia's upcoming DVD.

Paper-worthy? I'd say so.

Before getting into who Ethel Cee is, you'll first need to know who she's not. Being a black female MC in the underground automatically makes her stand out, but she doesn't make that the foundation of her music.

"I don't get caught up in all that, really. I understand how important it is, but it is not a crutch. I can't be the face of black female MCs everywhere, or even the face of hip-hop. When I go onstage I need to represent myself," she says.

Her peers know her as one of the hardest-working MCs in Philly. Originally from Mount Airy and now living in West Philly, Ethel Cee saw her career blossom when she became a regular at the Painted Bride's spoken-word and slam nights. This was around 2001, when the thriving Philly neo-soul scene was led by names like Jill Scott and Ursula Rucker. Cee befriended another MC named Nikkie, and together they formed the duo, Versus, who mixed rap, singing and spoken word to spit out political and social issues.

"I didn't know who I was back then, really," she laughs. "Once I joined Versus, it all started moving pretty fast." Later she became part of the Squadzilla collective, who performed and promoted projects together. Currently she's building her name as a solo artist and one-third of the Nuthouse crew with established artists Dave Ghetto and Fel Sweetenberg. "In Nuthouse, I can still concentrate on Ethel Cee while also doing projects with Dave and Fel," she says. "Both have a natural swagger about them that translates so easily and clearly onto a track. ... They push me to be better than I already am."

After all these creative transitions, Cee came to realize hip-hop could be a permanent outlet of expression for the rest of her life. "Those were all positive stepping stones for me. Being around all those people taught me the importance of writing and rehearsing. They helped me to become a seasoned MC," she says. "The girl who is Ethel Cee has independence and a completely different confidence that wasn't there before — it's empowering."

While she performs frequently, and can be heard on various mix tapes, it's her solo album, due out spring 2008, that will officially introduce Ethel Cee to the masses. Her lyrics are a reflection of her life, experiences and travels, so she's taking her time making sure it truly represents her. "I'm not just going to put out anything to have something out there," she says. The as-yet-untitled CD will include production by C-Rock from Diverse Soundscapes. There's talk of getting DJ Skipmode from Ill Vibe Collective involved, too. Everything else is still being worked out, or she's just keeping hush-hush about it.

Taking risks is her priority. For example, the beats she chooses to rhyme over aren't strictly hip-hop; there's also break beat, house and electronic. Her flow tends to lean on the smooth side (credit that spoken-word background), but on some rhymes she gets aggressive. "I tend to write better when I'm angry. It would be a gross misrepresentation if you heard the same thing from me all the time. I decided when I went solo that if this is something that I'm going to do for a long time then I have to challenge myself and do something that is going to keep my attention. It's important for the crowd to be enthralled in what I do, but it's more important for me to be enthralled in what I do."

She runs down her roster of performances and hosting duties for the next three months and it made me tired just listening. With a smirk, she says, "I'm not here just because I'm cute."

(d_dyer@citypaper.net)