Her hard hitting words hold nothing back as they tell you the truth on what is real in the world today. She expresses what most women go through in their everyday lives through her intellectual words and rhymes. She puts words together that will make you feel the story she is giving and will show you the frustrations that women can go through in the industry of Rap.

Eternia has been in this game for some time now and has captivated audiences all around the world. Now with her new album "Where I'm at - The Setup" she is headed towards blowin' up the mic once again.

I caught up with Eternia and got the info on her new album and the release party that rocked New York all night long.

C.J.: Eternia, tell us about your new album "Where I'm at - The Setup"?

Eternia: It's an accumulation of all the recording I've done since I moved to NYC a year and a half ago. It shows growth and progression across the board (subject matter, tracks, flows, you name it). I love it. I hope y'all do to. It's really a "setup" to the 'real'album, but its 75% original content and I put my heart into it like I would an album … I mean there are tracks on there that were meant for the album, that we ended up putting on there. It's like Talib's "Right Now" … its me right now.

C.J.: What Track is your favorite?

Eternia: Damn that's tough. My favorite VERSE of mine on the whole CD is on the Perfection track with Promise and Grimace Love … ironically the oldest song on there. It's the verse that starts with "4 Am and I'm up Again … in my mind state … mind's race … wonderin' why I'm still strugglin" … that verse is really real to me. I had tears in my eyes when I wrote it, and it was 4am … just so frustrated with it all, you know? But I mean my favorite SONG? Damn that's tough. It's different every day. "You Ain't Real" definitely is one of the most real, personal joints on there, and I'm always attached to personal joints.

C.J.: "You ain't real" one of my favorites, who or what inspired that song?

Eternia: You and I feel the same. I was very tempted to say the name right now … but nah I learned from my dumb Phonte fiasco. REAL TEMPTED tho. I could give a fuck anymore. I really don't. It's a rapper. We dated. He played me. End of story. I wrote the song to get the message to him. Doubt he heard it. God sends everybody to us for a reason. I figure I was meant to learn not to date rappers from that one. So thank you God.

C.J.: Your pictures are showing you in a softer, sexier way. Is this another side to Eternia?

Eternia: I mean - I style myself. The new pictures I styled myself. So it's more 'me' than anything has been before (although I've always had a hand in my styling) the most recent one was … all me. Everyone who knows me knows I don't look like an MC. I don't dress like an MC. These new pics just reflect that I guess … it's all me. Just tryin to bring Eternia closer to Silk I guess (my God Given name)

C.J.: Are any of your songs dedicated to present or past relationships?

Eternia: Most of them (ha). People that are close to me (sisters, best friends) get a kick outta the joints, cause they know the inside story then they hear the song that puts it out there for the world. On the Setup, "You Ain't Real", umm "Hold On" those are about relationships I was in (past tense) but ALLL the songs are about things I have directly experienced, outside of relationships, i.e. "Homebase" … talkin about moving from Toronto, about bein a female in the biz ("I could be naked, rappin, dancin, spins, head and my back … it don't matter, dj's be like 'females sound wack!'"). I didn't make that quote up. One of my boys who runs a record pool told me DIRECTLY that cats in his pool don't even listen to the song when they find out a girl is spittin, just like "I ain't feelin girls spittin, females sound wack" … that's a direct quote. Also happened at an A&R meeting my material was presented at. This shit is actual fact folks, not me crying for pity. I just tell it like it is.

C.J.: Tell us about your Record Label.

Eternia: I don't have my own label. I work with Urbnet Records in Canada. They have the largest canadian hiphop roster in the country. They hold me down lovely there. Still lookin for a potential U.S. situ. We'll see. (www.urbnet.com/eternia if u ain't know …)

C.J.: Who can we look out for on this CD? (Producers, Featured artists, etc.)

Eternia: 9th Wonder, M-Phazes, Frequency, Cincinnati (Ant B), DJ 3D, Tone Mason, Profound & many more on the production Wordsworth, Torae, my sister Jessica Kaya, the Polyrhythmaddicts (Mr. Complex, Tiye Phoenix, Shabamm Sahdeeq), Nick Fury (BET's 106 n Park Freestyle Champ), Freestyle, Ms, Davis, Kenn Starr and many more as features. But the most exciting part to me is the voice messages … same theme as "The Collection" that I continued , for those 1500 people that got the first exclusive mixtape in '05. This follows suit … u gotta listen close … there's genuine messages from, shiieet: Special Ed, 9th, Just Blaze, Masta Ace, Jeru, OC, Tara Chase, One Be Lo, Mr. Lif, Ras Kass, ummmm many I am forgetting. They make my day, nonetheless.

C.J.: I heard you had a release party, how was it?

Eternia: INCREDIBLE!!! It was just on Thurs July 26th. It was a small venue (200 capacity?)but PACKED! Poison Pen hosted, I rocked out with my boy Chesney Snow who beatboxes. It was a success all around I would say. Definite success. Had some surprise people roll thru I didn't expect to see … made it even more worthwhile. More than anything, I was shocked and validated to see how many people in NYC hold me down. It was my first official party of any sort here. Good to see all my efforts haven't been in vain.

C.J.: Your LIVE shows are known to be amazing. Ever feel nervous before getting on stage?

Eternia: Never. Never mentally. Sometimes my tummy pulls funny tricks on me, but I have a bad stomach irregardless. My mind? Never nervous … except for things outta my control i.e. the Sound. I get real tight about that. I'm used to bad sound but still … does it ALWAYS have to be that way?!! shiieet … :-) … at least my release party had decent sound. I always say this: the crowd is surprised that I can rock. I'm not surprised that their surprised or that I can rock. This isn't me proving anything to anybody. This is me being me and the audience bein like, "damn who knew ol' girl could rock like that" … I love that element of surprise. I'm confident about rockin it. I just can't wait for the damn day I rock for packed houses that all KNOW my material already … I'm sick of bein the new girl on the block … can I get some people mouthing my lyrics? ha ha. It has happened. Just doesn't happen with full crowds. YET

C.J.: What do you usually do before getting on stage?

Eternia: Quickly skim thru my set in my head, or with earphones in my CD walkman. Drink Water. Write a set list up for whatever DJ is gonna hold me down, so he/she knows what's what. Try to avoid yelling over loud music for 3 hrs before I get on stage. This isn't about bein a diva and stayin backstage, this is about savin my voice. But I don't always get to do that … this is HIP HOP. lol

C.J.: When and where can we see Eternia?

Eternia: I hope (fingers crossed) to be at Kevvy Kev's anniversary party end of August. But that ain't confirmed yet. I hope/plan to be touring Europe with OC and Reef the Lost Cauze in November … but once again not confirmed. I plan to tour Canada later in Nov for "What's the 411 High School Tour." Last year we did AIDS awareness. It was the most rewarding work I've ever done. And I rock out in NYC at least once a month somewhere … I'm at Sputnik in BK on the 23rd of August I believe. Shit, I always have shows. www.myspace.com/eternia no excuse not to know about em! :-)

That's right and now you've been told twice. Want to know more dates and more about Eternia? Go to her myspace at www.myspace.com/eternia.

NO EXCUSES PEOPLE! Check her out! It is definitely worth it.

Thanks so much again, for givin us a little time out of your busy schedule and I for one can't wait to hear more from you in the future.

This is ETERNIA people. If you didn't know, now you know.

Get her new CD "Where I'm At - The Setup" today!!!

For more info on Eternia go to www.myspace.com/eternia.

C.J. Porter
www.JustOpenTheDoor.com