Ever seen a 5-alarm blaze? It flames high and ferocious, dwarfing everything in sight, but starts with slow methodical smoldering. Right now Khia (pronounced Ki-ya) is burning up the music scene with her single "My Neck My Back" [Lick It] rocketing towards #1. But her rock-solid foundation from years of skill crafting ensures the spark will never die.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, raised in Tampa, Florida Khia has been writing and singing rap, R&B, and gospel all her life. She danced tap, African, and was a boisterous cheerleader. She performed at school, in talent shows and parades, and never failed to use her home as a stage when all else failed. Khia breathes to entertain through music.
Khia's hip-hop career sprouted with her ear to the pulse of club trends. She bartended in Tampa's pace-setting Club XS, home to Wild 98.7FM, and the perfect venue for exploring crowd-moving vibes. It didn't hurt that her friends were the top local DJs and producers, and for years she had been writing music for other groups. When Khia's mother met an untimely death in 2000 from kidney failure, it was a wake-up call to focus on herself and present her own talents to the public.
Khia honed her verbals so carefully that the Thug Misses album flowed effortlessly from her lips in just 1 days recording time. Says Khia of the album, "It's dedicated to my mom, I am seeing the rewards of her advice." Khia released Thug Misses independently with Don Juan, her best friend, DJ and producer. They passed it to DJs, sold it from car trunks, and it quickly blazed through underground radio. Khia was in demand with no video, no Top-40 radio play, no promotion, just skills.
"My Neck My Back" is currently #30 on 's Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums and constantly firing up the ladder. "My Neck My Back" is the first cut on the soundtrack for Fox TV's "Dark Angel" sharing the roster with veterans Public Enemy, Q-Tip, MC Lyte, and Samantha Cole. Of course Khia does more than hold her own, spitting confident lyrics for the sistas who demand full sexual satisfaction while lacing a body-snapping beat for everyone in the club. The video, recently added to BET into medium rotation sets the tone as the ladies summer anthem of the year. "'My Neck My Back' is the song for the summer," says Khia, "the house party, the BBQ by-the-pool, makin-me-feel-good stuff."
Despite the phenomenal success of her first single, Khia is quick to note that Thug Misses is more than just "My Neck My Back" "The music is me, a variety of sounds for different times, guys, girls, black, white, it's real and it roars." Khia draws on her performance talents to give a live-show unlike any other in today's posture-filled hip-hop world. She doesn't just stand around with her homies, or rely on flashy dancers, sets, and costumes. She brings her own style and passion for the spectacular, and truly leaves her heart on stage. "The album is not all 'My Neck, My Back,'" she says, "it's got a little thug, but it's got some real sit back and listen to stuff."
Khia is officially out of control, her record is barreling up the charts like a heat-seeking missile, but like all long-time pros she remains focused. Her second album is already done and she's formulating ideas for the third. She continues to write for other artists, because she has a gift and can help folks achieve their musical dreams. She also has her sights set on acting, further expanding her performance arena. Khia has the soul of a superstar, the bonfire can only get bigger.
