I grew up listening to a lot of rap music. My dad's a DJ from Brooklyn, and he's a very soulful guy, so he always spun a lot of hip-hop, and that's where I get a lot of my hip-hop influence.
My real, full name is Chelsea Chanel Dudley. In my opinion, Chelsea Dudley does not sound like a rapper. So I was like, 'You know what? Imma drop both of those names and just go by Chanel.'
I would say Tupac influenced me the most to start rapping, but as far as a female icon that I've looked up to since I was six or seven is definitely Gwen Stefani.
I don't just rap - I sing and I dance as well.
I don't think a lot of people know what a real artist I am. I don't think they know I write my own music.
Music is what I do pretty much all the time. I'm always in the studio. I'm always rehearsing for shows. Always doing shows.
You can have opinions, but it doesn't mean they're right.
I write all my own raps myself, 100 percent. And it feels good to be able to say that.
I think hip-hop doesn't give women as much of a chance as it gives guys.
It's hard being a woman in the hip-hop game, but I'm lucky to have good people around me who have had my back.
I feel like the red-headed stepchild of Young Money.
I've been on MTV for so many years. They're so stupid and, like, disrespectful and rude.
When I first started rapping, I was like, 'I'm gonna be, like, the female Eminem.'
These people that watch our MTV shows, they're not music fans. They're people that are lazy on their couch and want to watch funny videos or whatever.
I've been on shows that are very comedic and happy, and you really only get to see one side of my personality. They're not shows about my life or my music, or my struggle or anything like that. They're shows where you pretty much see me laughing and smiling all the time.
I'm really excited about 'Love & Hip Hop.'
You don't ever have to feel pushed into anything.
I know what it's like to have guys make you feel like you need to flirt with them or be sexy or hook up with them or something, and you don't have to do those things. You just have to be strong and stand your ground.
I'd rather be busy, working non-stop, than being bored at home, you know?
