Written By: Drea

      Born Samantha James, known to many by her rap moniker, Na’Tee, this Uptown Nola native may undoubtedly be one of the illest Femcees to grace the mic, but many wouldn’t know due to her unwillingness to conform to the double standards and politics of the male dominated Rap game. That hadn’t stopped the 24-year-old former D girl,  who raps about surviving the hardships of growing up to two parents who were addicted to crack cocaine, while having two younger siblings to look after, as her parents dealt drugs and used their resources to feed their habits. At the mere edge of 10, she would experience the loss of losing her father at his own hand, then having to assume the role of sole caretaker of her two younger brothers, while her mother was in and out of their lives. None of these things deterred Na’Tee from becoming popularly known in New Orleans as Na’Tee the Diva, with a reputation for slaying anyone with a full lyrical assault, male or female.

  Today, 3D Na’Tee is seeing some of the rewards of her hard work pay off. From a brief displacement period from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, Na’Tee released her first solo mixtape in 2005, named “After The Storm”. In a 2011 interview with The Fader Magazine, Na’Tee speaks about how the destruction that took place in Katrina, changed  her outlook on life,  and how it  gave her the strength to break free of her crime laden lifestyle and focus on her music career.  After the success of her debut solo mixtape , Na’Tee dropped other mixtapes such as 3’s Company Vol.1: Da Rapper, Da Hustler, Da Diva, Na’Tee, “Heavy Is The Head, That Wears The Crown”, “Guess Who’s Coming 2 Dinner”, and recently the highly anticipated 5th mixtape,  “The Coronation”. Na’ Tee, queen of the BMB movement  (Business Minded Bosses) is on the rise. Whether it’s the endorsement of super Producer Timbaland, after Na’Tee released the “Switch” track on “Guess Who’s Coming 2 Dinner”, which was a combination of Timbaland tracks she rapped over, and shot a video where she directed and edited footage. Gaining the respect and a permanent ally in Timbaland, he offered her a production deal with his company, Mosley Music Group. It’s been a long time coming for The Nola Diva. Starting out as an unknown artist peddling her CD’s in club parking lots,  and mailing her cd’s free of charge for Myspace friends. The 24 year Raptress is finally getting the shine and buzz she so rightfully deserves. With hits such as No Love, Lil Kim, Goal Digga, from her latest project “The Coronation”.  It’s official, Na’Tee is a CERTIFIED spitta.  All hail the Queen??

DR readers what do you think?? Check out video for ‘No Love’ off “The Coronation”.

Follow Na’Tee on Twitter at @3D Na’Tee