SACRAMENTO, Calif. — She may only be 10-years-old, but her lyrics and beats are gaining traction on YouTube and winning awards. Her stage name is Boss Tootie and she is Sacramento's newest rising music star.
“I am a big strong independent woman,” she said.
Boss Tootie, aka Tia Olani-Young, is in 4th grade. She raps about a lot of things you would think a 10-year-old would rap about, like magical worlds filled with ice cream. In one of her latest songs, "Say It in Hmong," she raps about her diverse upbringing.
“It was inspired by my culture. I am half Black and half Hmong,” said Olani-Young.
As she gets older, Boss Tootie is realizing the importance of embracing and sharing her experience of growing up in a biracial family.
“She is biracial so she needs to be a reflection of that,” said her father Rinn Zee, who is a rapper and producer himself.
Boss Tootie gets a lot her personality from her mom, but Zee says his daughter gets her rap skills from him. Her musical side is allowing her the chance to learn more about her heritage.
“This is going to create an opportunity for Hmong people to approach her," Zee said, "and in a sense force her to learn more Hmong to be able to have to engage."
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Boss Tootie and her dad collaborate on all her songs. She says her lyrical inspiration comes from her upbringing and how she sees her parents as individuals.
“The crazy part is they are both blind, my dad and my mom,” said Olani-Young.
Growing up with biracial and vision-impaired parents, Olani-Young has gained a unique perspective on life. She’s been raised to see the positives in people no matter who they are, and that shows up in her music.
“I think everyone has some sort of a disability, some form, but when you grow up as person with a 'non-disability' and you go through something, it humbles you and it does something to your mind,” Zee said.
Boss Tootie is about to drop her next music video “Sleep All Day” sometime next month. It’s about resting and taking care of yourself after working hard, and working hard for your dreams is something Boss Tootie believes in.
“Inspirational note: never give up on your dreams and you should keep going no matter who puts you down and what puts you down."
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