Jhene Aiko, Teyana Taylor, Summer Walker and Kehlani are all on the cover of the latest issue of Billboard. Inside they discussed a range of different topics, including the state of R&B, being women in a male dominated industry and more.
On dealing with social media scrutiny, Summer Walker said, “I don’t think anything is too much as long as you’re comfortable with whatever you’re sharing. I have a work page and a spam page. I like to use my spam page because it’s fun to debate social issues. It’s a hobby of mine. I learn hella sh*t about documentaries and all types of things from debating with people.”
She continued, “But as a woman who likes to speak her mind, I do think it’s kind of weird that if I show my ass or post a half-naked picture, it’s totally fine. But if I want to speak on systematic racism, religion or politics, then it’s like, 'Wait a minute, you’re doing too much.' They kind of want you to just shut up and sing, which is an issue for me.”
Jhene chimed in, saying, “When I look back at old tweets where I was high or drunk, people took those words and thought that’s who I am. Now I give everyone about 30% and keep the rest to myself. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. So much can get misconstrued when you’re reading words or watching a video clip.”
On navigating a male dominated industry, Teyana said, “If we’re too soft, people feel like they can treat us any type of way. But if we’re too hard, then it’s, 'Oh, she’s too much.' Sometimes you have to be like that — especially with me being a Black woman in the industry since I was 15. When I walk in the room, I’m like, 'What’s up, my n—a? What we doing?' Then they tell you it’s not ladylike. I don’t care what’s ladylike to you. Sometimes you have to be like that so n—s don’t bother you.”
Meanwhile, Kehlani opened up about motherhood, saying, 'It provides a perspective that you don’t get from anything else in life.
She continued, “I also don’t get swept up in things anymore — moments where I’d think, “I’ll quit this sh*t, shave my head, buy a one-way ticket out and not talk to nobody.' I don’t have the opportunity to think like that anymore, and I don’t want to. I have something that keeps me grounded. If all this disappears and I can’t do this anymore, I still have the most beautiful life in the world. As much as people think parents give to children, I think children give us 10 times more.”