Hip-Hop Diva Kherish

Rising out of the mire of mediocrity is no easy business; but hip-hop diva Kherish has managed to do it. After spending six years in a maximum penitentiary for women from the age of sixteen to twenty-two; Kherish knew something had to change when she was paroled.

Despite having to return to the neighborhood that was her criminal downfall as teenager, she looked for ways to change the direction of her life. Kherish earned her GED at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility and upon the urging of her parole officer she enrolled in college after her parole and garnered a Bachelor's Degree.

It was during her college experience that she started writing poems and short stories that eventually led her into the recording studio. Kherish's music reflects the harsh reality of growing up with parents who were drug addicts and her life often spent in foster care because of her parent's inability to take care of her. It is the music of hope and transformation.

With her debut CD, Kherish's strives to promote a positive message. "Life is a Process" is the first track on the album and is the most autobiographical track on the record. It is a story of a young female growing up in the projects, both parents addicted to drugs; as a result she is placed in the foster care system, has encounters with the justice system and turns to the streets where she finds a way to cope with the daily realities of life in an urban environment.

"I write about what I was up against; my experiences, what I saw impacted me in a way that was almost unimaginable other young women should know there is life after the hood-change is ok. The urgencies in hip-hop aren't being addressed; I want to address those urgencies," said Kherish. "It is one of the reasons I speak to women that are incarcerated; young women in general dealing with issues that plague the new generation. There are too many youth incarcerated and placed in mental institutions that are overlooked and misdirected and for those two reasons may never see the streets again."

I spoke with Kherish further about her musical inspirations and aspirations:

How would you describe your sound?