Kold x Windy's secret weapon MissDriDri talks Puerto Rican roots, must-see Chicago spots, glowing up and WE tv's must-watch new series
It’s all types of bragging rights for hip-hop artist MissDriDri in 2023. The Chicago native has ample things to smile about these days with her WE tv series ‘Kold x Windy’ delivering mind-blowing moments on a weekly basis and her handwritten lyrics plus music fueling the scripted series.
The jaw-dropping beauty is much more than your typical hip-hop female rap artist - she’s going beyond the boundaries playing the vital role of creating music and lyrics to go with ‘Kold x Windy’ cast members - and I’m not talking just the roles of Sh’Kia’s Windy and Nijah Brenea’s Kold. DriDri is responsible for piecing together the lyrics of each musician you see on-screen and does it with the heart of Chicago’s drill music in every line.
So with Valentine’s Day hours away and a new episode slated to air this Thursday on WE tv, it’s only right to secure MissDriDri for a one-on-one conversation dishing on everything from deep-dish Chi-Town pizza and must-see spots to her love for New York City’s best borough and Nathan’s hot dogs - not to mention how much she’s glowing up at the start of the new year. Peep some of the key quotes below and keep scrolling to watch MissDriDri let loose.
I think the biggest question everyone wants to know is how do we properly spell your name? I’ve seen all caps. I’ve seen ‘Miss Dri Dri,’ I think I’ve seen it backwards. I’ve seen so many different varieties of your name and I want to clear the record for all the Wikipedia folks in the world.
MissDriDri: It is ‘M-i-s-s-D-r-i-D-r-i.’ So D-r-i-D-r-i has always been my nickname. So DriDri has been my nickname growing up and I started hosting a local Chicago access show way back in the day, channel 19. I know Chicago people are familiar with it and the guy who ran the channel, he was like ‘You know, you’re so sassy. We need to add Miss in front of your name.’ And in that moment, I became MissDriDri and it’s been like that for a minute. No spaces. All one. All crammed in. Just like that.’ … It can be all lowercase but just make sure there are no spaces. And Miss is spelled out.
There’s some Puerto Rican in you too. I don’t think people realize that you’re Puerto Rican. Is there any connection between you and La La because, ‘La La and DriDri.’
MissDriDri: Ohh - you did your research didn’t you! You know what? I’ve been told so much that we look alike. I mean, she is a beautiful girl - that might be my little sister from another mister. Who knows? Shout-out to La La. But it’s no relation. Listen. if she wants to be my sister? Let’s go, La La.
I feel like the Puerto Rican shorties are taking over. We’ve got J. Lo. We’ve got DriDri. And we got La La. That alone? It’s like the new Phoenix Suns. It’s just a complete takeover. Are we keeping it under wraps like, ‘I don't need to publicize I’m Puerto Rican,’ because somebody might look at the comparisons when they see the photos like, J. Lo, La La and DriDri have something very much in common.’
MissDriDri: Yeah, yeah. I like that. That’s kind of dope. I’m actually bi-racial. I never use that as a defining. For me, I’m just DriDri. When people ask me what’s my ethnicity, everything from me is Chicago. ‘What’s your ethnicity?’ Chicago. ‘Where are you from?’ Chicago. I’m definitely not hiding it. If you find out, you find out. It is what it is. It’s not a secret.
WE tv is really stepping it up with a bunch of amazing content. How excited are you to be such a driving force for putting out a lot of great content that’s now being featured on a high scale like WE tv?
MissDriDri: First of all, I’m so thankful to be a part of such a great venture and WE tv is stepping it up a notch. I can’t lie. I was watching WE tv before that because I am a reality TV fiend so I watch ‘Love After Lockup’ and all that good stuff. But I am loving this hip-hop range that WE tv is going after. I have checked out ‘Hip Hop Homicides’ and all of these new demographics. These new scripted shows that are out? Wow. Especially being a part of ‘Kold x Windy,’ there’s no words for me.
I’m just excited. I’m just so thankful to first being able to represent female rap and secondly, to be representing my city. Let’s go! Chicago we up a billion points!
Every bar on ‘Kold x Windy’ is you. Talk about taking on that challenge and how exciting it was for you to be a part of this project and then finding out it wouldn’t be on a small scale but that you would be the heartbeat of this series.
MissDriDri: So that graduated as the series developed because I would just go after and see what it was like, submitting for different characters and by the grace of God, I was able to win them all. I don’t even have no words for how I feel being the sole writer lyrically for ‘Kold x Windy.’ I’m so in awe of the project. Even when I saw the male characters because I had never written for a male rapper before let alone a male character so this was all a new space for me.
But when I saw how it was performed? I was like, ‘Oh!’ Let’s go! I was watching all of the comments and people saying, ‘Your verse was fire.’ Being a part of that I really have no words. I still can’t believe that I did something like that.
Even my mama called me and said, ‘Even that part right there, did you write that too?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah ma, I wrote it all. The intro song and everything.’ She's like, ‘I’ve gotta tell my friends!’ We’re all taking it in.
For the entire interview, kick back and check out MissDriDri dish on Valentine’s Day potential plans, where to ball on a budget in Chi-Town, the best spots for Chicago pizza and more!