If you’ve purchased a Tunnel Rats album or Zane One’s latest offering and have not been able to get a grasp of who this woman is then I have a treat for you. Easily, my most enjoyable, if not favorable interview to date, Zane and I got deep down into it. Folks, what you see is what you get and after the laughter ceased and the goodbyes were said I was left praying that you would read on to find out what struggles, what passions and what history this L.A. Woman has to offer.

Nina del: Well girl thanks for doing this interview with us first and foremost!!

Zane One: It’s my honor. Thank you all.

Nina: I want to start this interview the way I start every interview, what mystery of God is He currently showing you in this season of your life?

Zane: Most def that I am not alone, that I am not in control, that I must trust the process and girl it is hard!

Nina: Amen, good stuff...that process is no joke sometimes huh!?

Zane: (Laughs) No joke at all…man!

Nina: Let’s talk music for a second…

Zane: Word

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Nina: The last Tunnel Rats release was back in 2004 and we’ve been waiting patiently for some new stuff out of the TR camp so what has been going on since then?

Zane: Well...life hovers, so most of us got families and responsibilities, so we kinda got caught up handling business. But we got our new TR record coming soon and its fresh!! We finally buckled down, got to writing together, flew people in and its beyond dope. LPG is back in effect too!

Nina: You heard it here first folks, new Tunnel Rats album coming soon! I cannot wait, but let’s talk about your style. Your style is fresh and set apart. When did you realize emceeing is what you wanted do?

Zane: Thank you!! I started rhyming in ‘89, yup—20 years!!! I never thought of it as a definition of my style, I just know what I like, I know how I hear things, and I hope to not have the same ole cadence on the tunes. I’m a weirdo as it is.

Nina: Your style is unique though and unlike anybody else. If anything, you know how to fuse things together and make it yours.

Zane: My goodness, thank you.

Nina: Let’s talk about the new album…first and foremost I had the chance to review it and I just want to tell you THANK YOU! Not for nothing but the breed of Hip-Hop that you make is desperately needed and it’s a breath of fresh air so thank you!! Secondly, did you peep the review?

Zane: I sure did, and got teary-eyed. I was at a loss for words and that is difficult for me and my big ole mouth!

Nina: (Laughs) You know how us Latinas do... big mouths!

Zane: Man and never learn!

Nina: What did you want to do with this album L.A. Woman?

Zane: At first I just wanted to see if it was even a possibility for me to write whole songs on the dolo tip and I really was excited about working with Dert and seeing what wonderful things could come out of it. Then as the years passed the songs became deeper and more real to me and my heart changed like…maybe my story can actually help somebody or people can just connect with it.

Nina: Amen! How long was this album in the works?

Zane: About 4 years. It was done pretty fast, like in less than a year. The rest was turmoil and lingering.

Nina: We gotta talk about Dert! The man is ridiculous behind the boards! You TR folks stay faithful to him too. What’s it like working with him?

Zane: I had a wonderful experience working wit him. We only beefed like once but he absolutely knew exactly what I wanted to do, my delivery and my style. It was great! He is VERY honest, so you have to have thick skin to work with him. He will tell you straight up tell you what he thinks. He is a genius though; I swear he is one of a kind. And man I'm lucky, every song he did, he made them out of my favorite classic rock/folk tunes so those songs have new meaning to me now.

Nina: Tell me about the hidden track, I got the impression that you weren’t done with that beat (laughs).

Zane: (Laughs) I love that tune. It’s a remake of  “Got What It Takes” on the first Tunnel Rat’s album and I had to have Jurny on it again!! Dert tweaked out Peace 586's old track. I love that song.

Zane One performing "Kingdom"

Nina: That was a dope treat for real but let's talk about Tunnel Rats for a second, la familia…

Zane: Orale!

Nina: Tunnel Rats is probably the dopest group of emcees that are just as tight together as they are solo. You guys don’t stray too far away for guest appearances either, which there’s no need for!! But tell me Miss First Lady of TR how did that all come into play and what’s your relationship like with the rest of the crew off the mic?

Zane: They are all my brothers and sisters. We have each others back retarded!! I knew I only wanted the OG TRz to be on this record. I was pretty straight about that. We have the best discussions, we laugh constantly, we worship God together.

Nina: Amen!! Now Elsie of New Breed is hands down one of the dopest in the game as well, what was that like sharing the reigns with her when she joined the crew with her brother back on the Tunnel Vision release?

Zane: I was so happy. She is hard! And it was so refreshing hearing a dope emcee. It was kinda like a release for me, like not all the pressure being the only girl round all these dudes. I had someone to share it with. She is a wonderful woman, a great mom, a good friend and can last in any cipher.

Nina: (Laughs) I don't doubt that. She's a beast!

Zane: I loved it when we would be on songs together.

Nina: You and I both (laughs), “Ladies” is a classic.

Zane: We also did a song called “Murder She Wrote” and “Out The Box.” No one really heard them. Jamie—Macho’s wife busted on them too.

Nina: You have to leak those sis!! There’s this really great site called DASOUTH.COM where they have leaks daily, hit them up! (Laughs)

Zane: I don’t even have them, maybe Raphi does.

Nina: So how soon can we expect that new TR album?

Zane: Psht! I don’t know, I ain’t doing that no more, I will just say soon.

Nina: Fair enough (laughs). What do you have to say to some who may think there’s a lack of the gospel in your lyrics? What do you have to say to the nay-sayers…who obviously did not just sit in our mini-church services before the interview started (Laughs)

Zane: I would have to say they are right but do I have to say Jesus in every song to be considered a Christian? I really hope folks will understand I am a regular woman, and I am going be honest and speak on what I feel. I don’t do my music just for the gospel market. I do it so the folks who don’t know will see and say dang, she is just like me but there is something different about her.

Nina: Let’s step away from Hip-Hop for a moment…you’re a mother of 4 beautiful children, tell me what are their ages and names and how is it for them having a mom who is a Hip-Hop artist?

Zane: My kids are huge!! Their names are Monet—16, Takoa—14, Miles—12- and Eliyah—10. They think I'm cool but man teenagers suck! They’re amazing. I get stopped daily; people can't believe I'm the mama. We have an ongoing game with the kidders

Nina: What game is that?

Zane: You get a point every time someone says something. The one with the most points is top rank champion. It’s like playing slug bug.

Nina: (Laughs) That’s hilarious. So who is the undisputed champion?

Zane: Takoa, she is fast. She just looks at someone like here we go.

Nina: In addition to being an emcee and mom, you sell bags. Tell me about how that started.

Zane: I started making the bags 9 years ago.

Nina: And how can I get one?! Is it just a Cali thing or what? We need some of that love on the east coast! (Laughs) I write for DA SOUTH and I'm in Philly, go figure!

Zane: I taught myself how to crotchet and started vending and slangin’ my wears. Then the bags evolved. You can peep some bags on my Zane One Bag MySpace. I take orders online or if you’re in Southern Cali, you will find me out and about.

Nina: For the record I showed the pictures to my pastor's wife and she got inspired to do something with her gift...she loves creating designs for stationary amongst so many other things.

Zane: That’s the bomb!!!!! Tell her to keep going!

Nina: You're a mom, an emcee, a bag lad...but who are you really?

Zane: Wow...I'm still trying to figure that out. I know what I want to be and that's better. In all aspects I want to be healed, I want to grow and be mindful. I want to love and show grace to people. I am a miracle, that’s what I am.

Nina: Praise God! Truly, I rejoice in that. Well Zane, this interview was truly a pleasure...you are wonderful, seriously. I don't know you aside from what you put on wax but I feel like I've known you forever so thanks for this interview!!!

Zane: Thank u mama!!! I appreciate the love Philly girl writing for Da southerners!!! (Laughs)

Nina: Any last words or shout outs?

Zane: Thank you to everyone who supported and prayed for me. Love to my kids and fam, TRz, Dert, Props to Tycoon, TJ,and love for my nana bella, we miss you.

Nina: And that’s all she wrote folks…for more information on Zane One hit her up on www.myspace.com/zanelawoman, for more info on her bags hit her up on www.myspace.com/zaneroner and don’t forget to peep the review done by yours truly so that you can be encouraged to pick it up at www.thebus-shop.com!!