Vibe.com, January 21st, 2005
I got into a lot of fights in middle school," Brooke Valentine says with a sly giggle, as she relaxes in a plush condominium tucked away in the Southern California community of Woodland Hills. Though it's hard to imagine this petite, doe-eyed songstress fighting anything more than a bad cold, her boisterous Lil Jon-produced debut single, "Girlfight," featuring Big Boi and Lil Jon, suggests otherwise. "But I don't want people to hear the song and feel like they have to physically fight someone," says Valentine, 19. "It's about expressing that emotion. My music is the way I fight. It's my release."
Eager to avoid the drab life that her Houston neighborhood offered, Valentine set her sights on fame at an early age. While acting was her first love, singing in the church choir introduced Valentine to her other passion. But it wasn't until 1998, when local producer Deja added Valentine to his girl group, Best Kept Secret, that she began working toward her dream.
Valentine's mother was so unhappy with her daughter's career plans that she kicked her out of the house at around 16. "My mom never wanted me to sing, but she always pushed me to do something," recalls Valentine. "I've always been on my own pace, so I had to step out the box and go for it."
And go for it she did, performing on the club circuit at home and abroad. When Deja, who was writing all of the material for the girl group, challenged them to create their own sound, Valentine was the only one who passed muster. "Only the strong survive, and Brooke is a soldier," says Deja of his pupil. And now that she is capable of composing her own songs, he says, "there are no boundaries." Valentine's debut on Subliminal Entertainment/ Virgin Records, Chain Letter, offers more than just a host of crunk & B anthems. From the soulful Southern groove "Cover Girl" to the vivacious bounce of "Blah Blah Blah," featuring the late Ol' Dirty Bastard, the eccentric mélange of R&B;, hip hop, rock, and pop exemplifies the maverick approach that's gotten her to this point. "I've always had a mentality to rise above mediocrity," says Valentine. "Now more than ever, I see myself in the circle of the elite." That's enough to make any mother proud.
Watch Brooke Valentine's video "Girlfight," featuring Lil Jon and Big Boi
