LIL MAMA HOOKS UP WITH AVRIL LAVIGNE

Lil Mama drops a verse for the remix of Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend.”

Rapper Lil Mama is currently featured on one of remixes of Rihanna’s latest single, “Umbrella,” and now she’s landed a slot on the remix to Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend.” Lavigne told MTV.com how the duo hooked up. She said, “I heard Lil Mama was working with one of my producers and that she really liked ‘Girlfriend’ and had done a remix version. I heard about it and thought it would be great to work together, because I think she’s really talented. We’re all really excited about it.”

Lil Mama added, “I submitted the remix ’cause I was feeling her song. She had other offers but decided to go with me, so I feel blessed that I’m the one she wanted to work with……I’m into different types of music, so I thought it was a good opportunity for me. I’m just rapping about the song; I’m sticking to theme. She’s like, ‘I don’t like your girlfriend.’ I’m saying the same thing from a rapper’s point of view. You know how a new person introduces themselves on a track because the world doesn’t know them? I’m still doing that; introducing who Lil Mama is, but I’m also sticking to the topic so it makes sense.”

“Some of my biggest inspiration came from Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Biggie Smalls, Tupac…So many artists who have set examples whether they were singers or rappers, great entertainers, Michael Jackson. The list goes on and on.”

In related news, Lil Mama will release her debut album, Voice of the Young People, in September. The rapper will also be releasing, “Put ‘Em Down,” in the coming weeks as the follow-up to her lead single, “Lip Gloss.”

Lil Mama shared who some of the artists who inspired her to pursue a career in music. She said,