Jentina Bares All!
Jentina is a unique name. Where does it come from?
My name is actually… well, if you do a search of my name on the internet, you won’t get my website you’ll just get a load of people from the Netherlands, as Jentina is supposedly a Dutch name. It’s actually my Mum’s name and my Grandma’s name and I was born on my Mum’s birthday and she was born on her mum’s birthday so that’s how I got the name. And when my nan was born they couldn’t decide whether to call her Jenny or Tina, because they liked both names, so they put it together as Jentina. My mum got the same name when she was born, and then when I was born I got the same name as well - It’s a little confusing! So really it’s a Dutch name but I prefer to think of it as a ‘blend’ of the two names in my family.
When did you decide you wanted to be a performer and who were your influences when you were growing up?
Well, I’ve never thought I was the best singer in the world, but I love to rap. When I grew up I used to love Naz and Tu Pac. They were the only two cassettes I had and I used to have to hide them under my bed as my mum used to go mad because of all the swearing in them! I suppose I was about 10 or 11 when I got my first Naz tape and it carried on from there.
You grew up in Peckham. What influences has your background had on your music?
Well, I didn’t grow up in Peckhamm, I grew up in Surrey and then I moved to Peckham when I ran away from home in my early teens. Growing up where there was absolutely no hip-hop culture at all in Surrey, I just made it all up myself. When I moved to Peckham I met my first group of friends and they were all rappers, so I just blended in with them. A lot of people used to say to me ‘White girls can’t rap!’ and all this shit, but that just made me want to carry on more, you know. But I was too busy worrying about trying to survive and not getting locked up for the things I was doing, as opposed to concentrating on becoming a rapper when I moved into town… if you know what I mean!
Who have you been working with on the album?
I’ve worked with Jimmy D and he did a mix for me that was really cool. My little crew of people is really just my manager, David Dorrell, he’s had a massive influence on me and he knows his music. Also Matt Rowe is one of my producers and Jason Cohen. But in the next couple of weeks I go to Miami to work with Beenie Man and Dave Kelly.
Are there artists that you would like to collaborate with?
I would like to, but to be honest… I never think of myself as good as the people I would like to work with, so it would be a bit scary to work with them. If I could work with anybody it would be Missy Elliot – that’s my girl, love her!
How would you describe yourself in five words?
I think I’m very loud, outrageous, busy… I run around like a busy bee! I think I’m funny even if no-one else does! And loving, you know... believe it or not. I’ve got a lot of love.
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