My grandmother can never really teach me anything because she skips steps. Awkwafina grandmotherskipstep Change image and share on social
My every birthday wish was, 'I want to someday be on TV.' Awkwafina birthdaysomeday Change image and share on social
I like to rap about things that are funny but mostly things that are relatable. I remember there was this one song with Ja Rule, and I forgot, exactly, but it was with Ashanti, and there's a line in it that was like, 'She hit me up on AIM.' But that wasn't the actual line; it was something else, but I was like, 'Oh my God, he uses AIM!' Awkwafina actualaimashanti share on social
I remember watching Margaret Cho with my grandmother on TV. She was my hero, not only because she was funny, but because she showed me that it's okay to be yourself, that it's okay to be a brash yellow girl and to be a strong and brave woman. Awkwafina brashbravecho share on social
Rap was started by black people and, thus, is at the foundation of black culture. So people cannot always wrap their minds around someone like me being inspired by it. But if you listen to the things we're saying, they're authentically us. Awkwafina authenticallyblackculture share on social
If you don't address race, then people are like, 'Why don't you talk about the elephant in the room?' But you have to do it right. It can't be gimmicky. Awkwafina addresselephantgimmicky Change image and share on social
More than anything, I'm an American kid, and my music reflects that more so than being an Asian-American. I think it's important but also something that can detrimental to your career if celebrated too much. Awkwafina americanasiancareer share on social
I started with me as Awkwafina reciting 'Othello' monologues, and I'd send those to my friends. It started like that, and then it went into more music-y stuff. Awkwafina awkwafinafriendmonologue Change image and share on social
I have lived in this city my whole life and have seen the way gentrification has changed it. I'm not necessarily against transplants, as 75 percent of my good friends, roommate, and boyfriend are not native New Yorkers. Awkwafina boyfriendchangecity share on social
If women dabble in rap but they're not rappers, to get from dabbling to doing it is really difficult, confidence-wise. Awkwafina confidencedabbledifficult Change image and share on social