Warning: This episode contains explicit language.
View the full episode transcript.
Qing Qi’s lyrics are explicit for a reason.
She looks at the atrocities that readily happen in this country and all around the world, from bombings to kidnappings, and asks: what’s wrong with saying a few four letter words or euphemisms for genitalia?
Qing Qi also doesn’t shy away from the hardships she’s navigated while living in the Bay Area. She pours her observations and personal experiences into her lyrics, delivering brash bars over bangin’ beats. It doesn’t matter if she’s talking about her “Big D” in a song composed by the late Traxamillion, or if she’s spitting bars over a Trackademicks production, like last year’s release “Do It All.”
Last year she also got into acting, playing the role of Ally in the indie film Donna and Ally. The movie, written by and co-starring Cousin Shy, is a dark slapstick comedy rife with underlying messages that critique the sexist and exploitative nature of our society.
Much like Qing Qi herself, Ally’s character is witty but prone to finding herself in unfortunate situations; luckily her resilience allows her to persevere.
So this week, we talk to Qing Qi about music and movies, as well as the art of using comedy as a stress reliever, and why being real with your children is the best form of parenthood — and she means being really real.
(Qing Qi and the Pu Tang Clan are throwing their annual “Kill Your Lover” party on Friday, Feb. 16 at 9 Lives in Oakland. You can find more information here.)
Episode Transcript
Pendarvis Harshaw, host: Wassup yall, It’s ya patna Pen, Pendarvis Harshaw for short.
Today we’re talking to the one and only Qing Qi. She’s an artist who’s spent time all around the Bay Area soaking up game, now living in Oakland and doing her thang. She’s a talented MC, who has recently hit the big screen while co-starring in the indie film, “Donna and Ally”.
Qing Qi’s character in the film, Ally, much like Qing Qi herself, is clever, colorful, critical and above all– a real one.
Pendarvis Harshaw, in clip: how do you define yourself as an artist?
Qing Qi, in clip: I’m art man. You know what I’m saying? Like that’s it. We all are born as artists. And then, like, society or life or something beats it out of us, right? Well, I’m one of those people, you can’t beat it out of me, baby. You know, like, I’m here for art. That’s me. Like when I talk, when I walk, when I, uh.uh uh uh. You feel me? But I, I want to be a superstar, you know? So that’s the answer to the question. My question to you is, so how many Qing Qi songs are on your playlist?
Pendarvis Harshaw: I want to say two right now.
Qing Qi: That’s two! Too less. Okay. We need at least 6 to 12. All right.
Pendarvis Harshaw: six to twelve.
Pendarvis Harshaw: Yeah, by the end of this convo I not only add more songs to my playlist, I also walk away understanding Qing Qi’s utter disdain for bathrooms and her profound perspective on parenthood… You’re gonna wanna stay tuned!
Where did you grow up and how did you grow up?
Qing Qi, guest: I was born in Palo Alto. My dad’s family, my dad is from East Palo Alto and my mom is from Redwood City. So I grew up in both of those places a little bit, but I came to the city when I was 14. That was home.
We grew up homeless. So, you know, I was kind of living a nomadic lifestyle, always having to meet new friends, go to different schools.
Pendarvis Harshaw: Those experiences can be pretty heavy as a child, and I imagine that it informs your art, your view on society. Your views on family, um, and at the same time, you seem to use comedy as like a valve, like a release. And I’m wondering where would you be if you didn’t have comedy as a valve?
Qing Qi: Killer [laughs]. I’d be a murderer or something. I’ll be, probably in the pen, you know, with ten bitches. You feel me? Like this! Working out on the yard like ‘You got my shit today?’ You feel me?
I think that I probably couldn’t have survived my childhood without comedy. I think, like as an adult now, I’m 30. You know, and I feel like 30 is when you really. Okay, you know, you kind of fucked around in your teens, your 20s, but 30 is when you’re like, let me figure out what I’m doing here. You know, let me try to get on that path.
And I be thinking about the legacy of trauma and sexual violence and domestic violence and, you know, um, institutionalization in my families on both side of my families.
You know, you grow up mad at your parents. And then as an adult now I’m like, ‘damn, like y’all did what ya’ll could to survive.’ And thank God, they’re hella funny people, you know, like, they’re mean, trifling, dirty, shady. Don’t leave $5 around… around them people, but they’re fucking hilarious, you know? So, um. Yeah. We don’t want to know where I’d be without comedy. [laughs]
Pendarvis Harshaw: You didn’t get into arts until you were in your teenage years. What was your introduction to it?
Qing Qi: My family is really musical. Like my brother, he loved Frank Sinatra, my oldest brother.
Qing Qi: Like I used to go steal his CDs from, you know, the big CD cases we had that was like a, it was like a book! He had all the NAS, Jay-Z. He had a Will Smith CD, like, you know, all the all the shit.
I used to always just be influenced by, like, his musical taste, and my mom, Bob Marley, Johnny Cash, like, all the, like, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, you know.
And I would probably say through poetry and writing I started fucking wit it probably when I was in elementary school. But my brother started rapping at the Boys and Girls Club. They had a like fire studio in the Boys and Girls Club, and he was rapping. So, you know, I… a lot of times I’d see my brother do something I’m like, oh, ‘he could do it, I could do it.’
Then I just started rapping. We got a little girl group together. We was writing the songs, you know, and, um, I don’t know, I feel like from starting music, um, like… in the studio at 12 to like 2017, when I really dropped my first project, I was trying to find my voice, you know, and trying to figure out my creative path and then 2017, I found it. [snaps] I ran with it, and now I’m like, on a new exploration, you know, like, as an artist, you always meet yourself every year. You’re a different person, every experience there’s different art.
Pendarvis Harshaw: I love the fact that you said you meet yourself, you constantly meet yourself, and you’re growing and you evolve as a person and as an artist. But before we get there, take me back to when you first started. Do you remember what your goal was as an artist?
Qing Qi: When I first started, my goal was to find an engineer and a place to record that I felt comfortable and safe as an artist. It was so hard for the first years trying to find a studio where I can make music and explore my sound and get comfortable.
Now it’s like, that seems so far away from now, where my mind is and what my goals are now, you know?
Pendarvis Harshaw: With that said, though, in your music. You talk unapologetically about your appreciation for women, your disdain for sexism and double standards, and you regularly crack jokes about, like, masculine tropes and things like that. And so with that evolution that you’ve experienced in your life, what’s your goal now as an artist?
Qing Qi: Challenge myself creatively. You know, like my brother, he always be telling me: “Every morning, get up, move your body in a different way. Like do a weird dance. Listen to a different sound because it affects, like, our brain waves and like our body rhythms. And if you can expose yourself to something different physically or, you know, phonetically, then you can make something new as a musician, as an artist.”
Pendarvis Harshaw: I love it, more evolution. You organize events mostly in the Bay, but often in L.A. as well. You have the recurring event “Pussy Function”, which is a rap party, and then show, and then you have the “Kill Your Lover”, which is an event that you throw around Valentine’s Day. And at these events, you’re mindful to work with specifically women, Black women. And I’m wondering what are the highlights of being deeply involved in this circle of Black women creatives in the Bay Area?
[Music]
Qing Qi: As a little girl, I would look at some women and I would be like, wow, like, look how poppin they are. Like, look how beautiful they are like.
[Qing Qi, in song]
I’ve been up and I’ve been down
I’ve been depressed but I’m okay now
I’ve been doubted and discouraged
I’m just tryna make my way out.
Qing Qi: The number one thing is that I get to experience that every time I throw a show, every time we are in community, like last night we had pussy function and I could stop and do a 360 and be like, oh, boom, she over here is doing this. She does this, she does. And it’s everybody’s hella talented and beautiful and creative and… it just makes me feel like, oh I’m like satisfying that little girl’s dreams of, like, that’s the kind of woman I wanted to be, you know, like, sometimes I stop and I’m like, I am that! Look at all my poppin’ ass friends and look at this sick shit we’re doing, you know?
[Qing Qi, in song]
You gon’ make it to the top
I be like go bitch, go bitch, you got it keep winning
So that’s the number one thing. And the number two thing is being able to pay my people, you know, like, just like when I get paid for my art, like, I could cry, you know, that somebody feels this is valuable enough to give me money that was their time, you know, and their effort, for me to just show up and talk my shit on a microphone. So to be able to give that feeling to my peers, I don’t know, I just, it makes me feel like this is a success.
Pendarvis Harshaw: Like little you is really happy with who big you became?
Qing Qi: Every time I’m sad, I think about where I’ve been before, you know? And think about how 15 years ago you would have fucking, uhhhh, what you would have done to be where you are right now, you know? So…
Pendarvis Harshaw: Yeah, it made me think of little me as well. Dang! Like, now look at me.
Qing Qi: This what you got to do. You got to stop and, like, picture yourself on the beach with little you, and he’s running to you. And he jumps in your arms and you swing him around. You guys are like, ahhhhhh, you know? That’s what you gotta do. That’s how you heal your inner child.
Pendarvis Harshaw: I don’t know if current me could carry little me? [laughs]
Qing Qi: [laughs]
Pendarvis Harshaw: Yeah yeah, um a lot of elements of your life… things you talked about, The appreciation of Black woman sisterhood, of your experiences growing up, of just being in Oakland. They are elements that also appear in the film that you acted in, Donna and Ally, which is written in and and co-stars Cousin Shy. It was recently released. I won’t give away all the details, but again, it’s about friendship. It dabbles in, uh, professional sex work, dominatrix work. Um, it’s about hustling. It’s about Oakland. Uh, how much of this film is based on your real life experiences?
Qing Qi: Well I mean when Shy had come to me about doing the film and I didn’t know her at that time, um, she was telling me, like, “I wrote this. I started writing this character around who I see you as on. It’s like Instagram.” You know, like, that’s how she… she had come across me. Um, so when I was, um, getting into the script, I’m like, ‘oh, this ain’t acting. Oh, man. I mean me and Ally ain’t that different,’ You feel me?
Um, and I never, like, done dominatrix work. But I would say for the most part, all of it is pretty, like, you know, they’re in a group home. I was in foster home.
Ally trying to make it and having to, like, be in Donna’s ear, like, come on, like we the shit. I’m not going down like this. I’m not going out like this!
Donna’s she’s kind of like, a little off, kind of getting fucking shit up a lot, you know, dealing with her own, like, issues, like with the PMDD.
[Movie clip from Donna and Ally]
Donna: “Let me worry about me.”
Ally: “…Not the bitch who was just finna fight Trina over nothing! Look, we can’t fuck this club up, if we fuck this club up, that’s it for us Donna. There’s no give back. It’s done for us.”
Donna: “That’s okay I’ve got it. I can control it. Let me control it. Let me worry about me.”
Ally: “Bitch, let me find out you can control these demonic ass episodes after thirteen years! The fuck?”
Donna: “I’ve been breathing, doing those exercises. Sometimes I sit with my legs crossed, and just sit there and be still and I don’t do nothing…”
Ally: “You mean like, meditate?”
Donna: “Yeah, yeah, sometimes I meditate. I’ve got it. Believe in me, like I believe in you.”
Ally: [sighs] “Okay, I guess.”
Qing Qi: And, um, so, I don’t know, I feel like it definitely, there’s a lot of similarities, but I think it’s such a relatable experience for young women of color from the Bay area in general, because I have so many people coming… people came up to me at the Oakland premiere and the Memphis premiere, crying like, “Man, like I was feeling it.” I’m like, this was a comedy. Like what? Where is the tears? But, you know, it’s just like people seeing their unique experiences, you know, reflected back to them.
Pendarvis Harshaw: Do you have a favorite scene from that film?
Qing Qi: The whole scene of Ally and Donna, when they’re kind of at a point where they’re in conflict and what they both need is conflicting, and they’re kind of getting into it. I hated filming that scene, like I hated it!
Uh, I hate bathrooms. They disgust me. I just like, even my own bathroom. I just be like, fuck, I can’t believe I have to do this so many times a day, you know? And we had to, like, roll around on this bathroom floor near a toilet. Uh uh uh, I was like, uh uh, but I loved seeing it on screen.
[Movie clip, in which Donna and Ally fight on the ground. Donna is crying.]
Qing Qi as Ally: What happened to all your monster strength, huh? You’re just a basic bitch now.
Qing Qi: I don’t know, it also made me feel like me and Shy got closer, you know, doing those scenes, where it was like, we were more serious with each other. We were mad at each other. We are fighting. She pees on me, like, you know. So yeah, that’s probably my favorite. And Shy looked good the whole movie but I definitely looked good during those scenes, you know. [laughs]
Pendarvis Harshaw: You also have a devout following that has a name, a group. What’s the name of the group that supports you, the collective that supports you?
Qing Qi: Pu Tang Clan! You feel me? Eyyyy, Taaang Gaaang!
[Music]
I mean, from the jump, it always felt hella tight, you know, like, um, when we started, we were a group of 10 girls who were all rapping and performing. And now we boil down to like, you know, me and my sister are the solid, consistent two and we have a revolving door of artists and creators that support us and are a part of Pu Tang and, you know, really came into a movement for real. Like there’s somebody in Washington and they sent me their tattoo it says “Tang Gang”. Like, you know, people really go hard for it!
[Music – FWM by Qing Qi]
You ain’t gotta hit licks when you fucking with me
Only bad little chicks when you fucking with Qi
Niggas all up in my phone, bout seven for free
Said they never cop a plea but they do it for me
Qing Qi: When we was at Pussy Function and my sister was performing, she was like, “I’ma say, Pu, you say Tang! Pu!…” And everybody throwing it up, and it just, it just made me feel like, uh, you know, like, it just makes you feel so happy to be a woman and a femme person. And I just love women. Like, I always thought I was gay, you know, like I always did. And I’m not, you know. I aint …I, you feel me? But it’s just, I love women like, they’re amazing, you know? And so, yeah, it’s just it’s constantly just good, good energy.
Pendarvis Harshaw: I love it, I love how outspoken you are and you don’t hold anything back. You’re very clear about who you are, and what you’re projecting, even when you have questions about yourself, you will vocalize that. When I saw you freestyle in 2022, at the second Monday event presented by Gold Beams, your child was there and you didn’t hold anything back, even with him around. What, what does your son make of your performances?
Qing Qi: Well when he came to the Oakland premiere of Donna and Ally and he was disturbed. He was like, you know, the dildos, the…he looked at me, he said, “I hate this. I absolutely hate this.” [laughs]
And he’s proud of me or whatever but um, and when he was younger, you know, he used to go a lot harder with it, like, “Yeah, turn it up, mom!” But now as he’s growing into, you know, he’s a young man, he has his own thing. He listens to his own music. He’s his…he knows who he is.
[Music]
Qing Qi: It’s interesting how like, being so vulgar… Like this lady told me last night at the film festival, the Afro Comic Con Fest Film Festival, she said, “I loved your video. I loved your video. Quite vulgar, actually it was really vulgar,” and she was like, “you know, even if you cleaned it up a little bit, like take all the cuss words out, you could show it in schools.” And I’m just like, “Okay, cool. Like, yeah, what a great suggestion.” You know, it’s crazy how much weight people put on cuss words!
Ya know! When like as we’re chilling, as I’m on my couch, like children are being bombs, you know, and it’s not even like children are being bombed for the first time, you know, and like, women are going missing and like, just mainey shit happens in the world that we support, like, unintentionally or subconsciously or financially every day that you think a kid hearing me say, ‘fuck the DA, the FDA, you know, like fuck a man who give a rapist leeway!’ Like that’s a problem, you know?
So, I don’t know, I just I think it’s interesting that because, like, you can’t be a good parent or a or a respectable or agreeable parent if you’re so vulgar or explicit, you know, it’s like, “Oh, your son’s around. Don’t say that.” And I’m like, ‘No, my son’s around. I have to say that. Come on, Brody, like.’
Pendarvis Harshaw: Wait, say that again. Say that again. Your son’s around. “I have to say that.” Like that is a profound sentiment.
Qing Qi: I’m a profound person nah [laughs]. My son, he sees me every day working hard and putting myself out there for something I believe in and something I love, you know? And in a way, it’s like I’m very much the 4 year old, 5 year old, 12 year old child that, you know, experienced these like crazy traumas, you know, so I’m I’m coming into these spaces as that child a lot of times, like healing myself and, you know, being honest with myself and making space and allowing that child to be present.
When I was growing up, my mom never really told me the truth. Like she used to, I used to walk in on her crying, but she would never, like, sit down and be candid with me or tell me how she felt or how hard it was for her, you know, that affects you as a kid.
It was so hard for me to see my mother’s humanity because she never had that emotional like connection to, you know, like, let me in, in that way. So I always told myself, you know what, I’m going to tell my son… You know, I ain’t telling him all my business, but I’m going to talk to him truthfully. And I’ma tell him, ahh, look, you know, and like, I smoke weed. My son’s always. He told me he’s like, “you are limiting your potential. You need to put the weed down and you need to get to the gym with me.”
And I said, ‘Listen, you are right, but I am depressed and therefore I’m gonna make it to the gym when I can. But in the meantime, I’m finna smoke some weed because it helps me get through it for now. Okay?’ And you know, he understands, like I’ve built a foundation for him. He knows who he is. He knows how to process his emotions. He has space to share his emotions and disagree with me. I’m not always right.
Maybe it’s not something people can believe that you can be like,”Pussy ass bitch. Fuck that nigga there!” And then my son’s like, “Hello? How are you doing? Yes. Nice to meet you. Thank you.” You know, um, but it’s working [laughs].
Pendarvis Harshaw: Parenting 101. I did not expect to get that from Qing Qi but also, that’s exactly what you’re saying! Don’t judge someone from the outside. Really take time to understand the method to the madness, especially in this world that’s so full of madness. And you are keeping it 100 with your son, which, honesty is the best policy, like they always say that.
And so. Yeah. Wow. Well, yeah. I’m sorry, I’m just thinking about how much I shelter my daughter from, like, cuss words or I try, you know, you get uneasy… a romantic scene might come up on the film. It’s not necessarily sex, but it’s like something romantic. You know, you get uneasy when you watch that with your parent. You’re like ehhhh.
And I’m trying to tell my daughter it’s okay to express love when you’re an adult, you know, and of age and can consent. And at the same time, let’s change the channel.
Qing Qi: Right. Right.
Pendarvis Harshaw: But you’re like, nah, let’s talk about it. Let’s be real.
[Music]
Pendarvis Harshaw: What’s next for you as an artist?
Qing Qi: I’m a full time student. I go to Laney College. Shout out to the Peralta Community College network. Um, I’m taking, like, digital media classes, theater, um, you know, script writing. I feel like Donna and Ally was definitely, like, opened a part of my brain that I didn’t see for myself yet. Um, so I’m getting into film, like script writing and shorts and just trying to immerse myself into that world of acting. And, you know, shit maybe do a little play or something.
Oh, and Pu-Tang! I am transitioning Pu-Tang Clan into a cooperative, so we are going to transition to event production and, a creative production cooperative.
Pendarvis Harshaw: Many hats, I can appreciate it. As an artist that’s the way to keep the ball rolling, like constantly, constantly on the move, constantly growing. Of all those things that you mentioned, do any of them make you nervous?
Qing Qi: Money. Like, that’s cra-… It’s crazy that my first answers are money, but being able to show up financially in that way and keep my word, you know, when somebody shares their art or shares space with me is really important to me.
[Music]
Qing Qi: My rent going to have to wait, you know? Fuck rent! Art over rent. By the time they try to evict me, I’m already had pay the rent. You feel me?
Pendarvis Harshaw: We love it. More of it. Um, keep sharing your voice because there’s definitely audiences listening and audiences learning from you. And I’m part of that audience so thank you. For sure
Qing Qi: Right, right. Thank you.
Pendarvis Harshaw: Qing Qi, you are as real as they come. Thank you! Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to chop it up, give some insight that I needed to hear and share your story with everyone on the internet, ever. Yeah.
To keep up with Qing Qi’s events, movies and more, find her on the socials– her IG is allhailtheqing. That’s A-L-L-H-A-i-L-T-H-E-Q-i-N-G.
Find her music on all streaming platforms, keep in mind that her name is spelled Q-i-N-G Q-i.
And if you’re in the Bay, pull up to her “Kill Your Lover” party on Feb 16th at 9 Lives in Oakland.
This episode was hosted by me, Pendarvis Harshaw. It was produced by Marisol Medina-Cadena. Chris Hambrick is our editor. Sheree Bishop is our production intern. Christopher Beale is our engineer. Additional support provided by Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Cesar Saldaña, Ugur Dursun and Holly Kernan.
Thank you all for listening, be sure to tell a friend to tap in, leave a comment, rate the podcast, all of that. Thank you again!
Rightnowish is a KQED Production.
Until next time, peace.
Rightnowish is an arts and culture podcast produced at KQED. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts or click the play button at the top of this page and subscribe to the show on NPR One, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
