In June 2017, I sat down with South Philadelphia’s own Lee Mazin on Scoop B Radio Overtime. At the time, the Delaware State University graduate was navigating a high-stakes transition from being the “First Lady” of Meek Mill’s Dreamchasers label to carving out her own path as a powerhouse independent artist. Today, in 2025—as we see the massive explosion of female rap into the global mainstream—Lee’s 2017 reflections on “raw and real” sisterhood serve as a buttoned-up masterclass on the importance of community in a competitive industry.
Reflecting on that dialogue today, Lee didn’t just see a TV show in Oxygen’s Sisterhood of Hip Hop; she saw a platform for genuine empowerment.
The Anatomy of the Grind: Psychology to the Studio
One of the most compelling parts of Lee Mazin’s story is her academic background. A psychology major who graduated during a recession, she used her “people skills” to build a brand that resonated far beyond Philly.
“I was moving the very same way before I signed to them [Dreamchasers], so I just decided to cut the ties,” Lee told me about her move to independence. “I still consider Meek to be good people… but I really just wanted to be independent.”
In 2025, Lee’s “independent first” mentality is the gold standard for modern artists. Her 2017 EP Tens and Fives and the subsequent The Level UP project were early proof that a college-educated, self-managed artist could dictate their own terms in the hip-hop landscape.
Sisterhood Over Scripting: “We Still Have Each Other”
Reality TV is often criticized for manufactured drama, but Lee insisted that her time on Sisterhood of Hip Hop provided a rare look at the actual labor behind the music.
“It’s just raw and real… you really get to tap into our lives like not just the personal, but you get to see the studio sessions… you see what we going through building a team, moving independently,” Mazin remarked.
Perhaps most importantly, she highlighted the solidarity that existed when the cameras stopped rolling—a sentiment she shared alongside Audra The Rapper during our session.
“At the end of the day, we still have the support from each other and you get to see all of that. We’re giving you the real insight on our journeys.”
Looking back from 2025, this “support system” is what has allowed so many women in the genre to thrive despite the industry’s historical gatekeeping. Lee Mazin wasn’t just there to win; she was there to ensure her “sisters” didn’t lose.
The “Empowered Music” Legacy
Mazin’s 2017 tour of area high schools, where she focused on female empowerment, cemented her as more than just a rapper—she became a mentor. Her tracks like “Walk In” and “Back It Up” provided a sonic backdrop for a generation of young women looking for a balance of strength and sexuality.
As Lee famously put it on Scoop B Radio:
“We’re giving you the real insight on our journeys.”
That journey led her from South Philly to the national stage, proving that whether she was analyzing minds in a psychology lab or analyzing bars in the studio, Lee Mazin was always in control of the narrative.
