I'm an artist, and people are going to either love me or hate me whatever I do
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Who is she?
We first heard Kelis (pronounced ka-leese) Rogers trying to calm Ol' Dirty Bastard in his 2000 club hit Got Your Money. The daughter of a jazz saxophonist and a member of the Harlem Girls Choir, Kelis, 22, has grown up to be one part R&B singer and three parts diva-in-training. ODB doesn't call her "Thunder Bitch" for nothing.
What has she done?
Everyone from Foxy Brown to Moby has enlisted this New York songstress to appear on their albums, and between guest spots Kelis has managed to release two records of her own. Best known for its single Caught Out There (and its scream-along chorus "I hate you so much right now!") Kelis' 1999 debut, Kaleidoscope, secured three Top 40 hits in Europe and cleaned up on the awards circuit. When Kelis' latest, Wanderland, was released in the UK, she was hand-picked by Bono to open for U2.
Why do we care?
Kelis is hell on wheels, throwing the Sex Pistols and Tina Turner into a blender for a look and sound that pushes the boundaries of hip-hop, giving it a shot of fresh energy it hasn't had since Lauryn Hill.
Playboy: Do you ever get ragged on in hip-hop circles for being too rock?
Kelis: Listen -- I'm an artist, and people are either going to love me or hate me whatever I do. So I'm going to do whatever the fuck I want to do.
Playboy: Your first album made you a full-fledged star in Europe when you were still a teenager. What are the perks of fame?
Kelis: I've been to a lot of places, done a lot of shows and met some amazing people. I just got to open up for U2 last summer, which was great. When we played in their hometown the crowd was so big it was ridiculous.
Playboy: How did you score that opening slot?
Kelis: It was an accumulation of things. For one, I'm a huge fan. So when I found out that we had the same agent, I knew I had to meet Bono. I think he came to one of my shows. When I finally met him, I was like, "Listen, if you ever need anyone to open up for you, I would love to!" And a couple months later I got the call. The Edge's kids really like my stuff, so I think that probably helped, too.
Playboy: We've heard that Bono has a thing for you.
Kelis: For me? [Pauses] I guess he might. I know he has a thing for black women.
Playboy: You recently spent some time in Glasgow. Are Scottish men sexier than American men?
Kelis: You know what? I think kilts are really sexy. My crew members in Europe are from Scotland, and they all have these beautiful kilts. Their moms give them these dope pendants that they put on them to hold it closed. It's just this wonderful tradition.
Who is she?
We first heard Kelis (pronounced ka-leese) Rogers trying to calm Ol' Dirty Bastard in his 2000 club hit Got Your Money. The daughter of a jazz saxophonist and a member of the Harlem Girls Choir, Kelis, 22, has grown up to be one part R&B singer and three parts diva-in-training. ODB doesn't call her "Thunder Bitch" for nothing.
What has she done?
Everyone from Foxy Brown to Moby has enlisted this New York songstress to appear on their albums, and between guest spots Kelis has managed to release two records of her own. Best known for its single Caught Out There (and its scream-along chorus "I hate you so much right now!") Kelis' 1999 debut, Kaleidoscope, secured three Top 40 hits in Europe and cleaned up on the awards circuit. When Kelis' latest, Wanderland, was released in the UK, she was hand-picked by Bono to open for U2.
Why do we care?
Kelis is hell on wheels, throwing the Sex Pistols and Tina Turner into a blender for a look and sound that pushes the boundaries of hip-hop, giving it a shot of fresh energy it hasn't had since Lauryn Hill.
Playboy: Do you ever get ragged on in hip-hop circles for being too rock?
Kelis: Listen -- I'm an artist, and people are either going to love me or hate me whatever I do. So I'm going to do whatever the fuck I want to do.
Playboy: Your first album made you a full-fledged star in Europe when you were still a teenager. What are the perks of fame?
Kelis: I've been to a lot of places, done a lot of shows and met some amazing people. I just got to open up for U2 last summer, which was great. When we played in their hometown the crowd was so big it was ridiculous.
Playboy: How did you score that opening slot?
Kelis: It was an accumulation of things. For one, I'm a huge fan. So when I found out that we had the same agent, I knew I had to meet Bono. I think he came to one of my shows. When I finally met him, I was like, "Listen, if you ever need anyone to open up for you, I would love to!" And a couple months later I got the call. The Edge's kids really like my stuff, so I think that probably helped, too.
Playboy: We've heard that Bono has a thing for you.
Kelis: For me? [Pauses] I guess he might. I know he has a thing for black women.
Playboy: You recently spent some time in Glasgow. Are Scottish men sexier than American men?
Kelis: You know what? I think kilts are really sexy. My crew members in Europe are from Scotland, and they all have these beautiful kilts. Their moms give them these dope pendants that they put on them to hold it closed. It's just this wonderful tradition.
