Q&A: Rapper Tea Fannie on collaboration, Alberta’s hip-hop scene, and more

Photo by J S L V R.

While the country music scene is best known for utilizing the songwriters' circle format, it should come as no surprise that artists in all genres have a story to tell behind every song they create.

Calgary-based rapper Tea Fannie has become a recognizable name in the Alberta hip-hop scene by over the past few years. The talented lyricist has performed for huge crowds at venues in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto and Calgary, most notably last summer when opening for Princess Nokia during Sled Island.

With a true penchant for collaboration and an onstage charm one can't help being captivated by, it's easy to see why Tea Fannie's career is on the rise.

The latest single “Okay” is a vibe! Did you have the lyrics crafted before you heard the beat? If yes, how did you need to adjust things to fit into the track?

With this one, I didn’t have the lyrics yet! I remember sitting on the stairs at The Wizard's Palace and expressing to Goldenchild that I want to dabble in boom-bap. He just pressed play and I fell in love with the beat right away. 

He sent it to me that night and I wrote and recorded the whole song at home. I think I put it on Soundcloud the next day or two after.

There are some clever lyrics in this song like the line “I’m the whole burger big ‘Berta beef, funny cuz some of ya’ll only bringin' the cheese".What do you think are some misconceptions musicians from other provinces might have about Alberta?

Ha, ha, ha, I love it! I’m also a huge believer that listeners should hear the songs and lyrics how they want to interpret them.

I think that Alberta’s hip-hop scene has been heavily underrated. I’ve been watching the scene grow slowly over nearly two decades, but it’s grown a lot more recently with artists like Mouraine, Sinzere, K-Riz, Half-Cut, and so many more.

This province is carving out its own lane in the hip-hop world. It’s not all country ‘round here, ya’ll!

Photo by J S L V R.

We know you love to collaborate! How does working with other artists help improve your own musical craft?

Collaborating helps me sharpen my steel at every turn. I remember the most challenging collaboration recently was with Samantha Savage Smith. It was not because of anything personal—we’re besties—but because of music technicality.

It’s a folk song that has a seven-beat count as opposed to a four-beat or eight-beat count that's found in virtually every hip-hop song, rap song, and most R&B songs too. Dipping into folk music was a whole new world for me and I just remember I needed to crush this to prove to myself I can truly be the most versatile rapper I know.

The song comes out real soon, it’s getting great reception so far from those that have heard it already.

How does being a queer-identifying person filter into the songs that you write?

I write about my experiences and some of my friends' experiences, so I feel like my queerness just naturally filters into my music.

Lately I’ve been obsessed with mixing genders within one song, so like one part of the song I’ll say "she" and at other times "he" or "they". I have a nuanced view on gender so I would love for my music to make you question how inclusive you really are as a person in today’s world.

What's one song by an independent Canadian artist that you wish you had written?

I’m obsessed with “I Still” by Jared Daniel. I sing it all the time and I only wish I wrote it so I could have credit, but I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

Also, love sucks for me so I don’t think I’m capable of writing a song like this. Ha, ha, ha!  

You played Sled Island last summer, you’ll be doing Folk on the Rocks in NWT later this year, what’s another bucket list music festival for you?

ManifesTO is written on my wall as a vision board goal and I’d also love to perform at SXSW or NXNE…or both!

To be honest though, I don’t think they can top Sled Island. It is mainly because I got to rock that stage at The Palace to a sold-out crowd in my hometown.

The crowd chanting my name outside the venue is what had Princess Nokia pull us back into the venue to have a chance to connect for an hour or so after her set was done. She thought we left, and my city did that for me.  

Sum up this interview in a 2-line verse.

Always loving the questions that you give me,

Lets people get to know me completely.