Beyond the Pink Ribbon: Honey Dinero on Hip-Hop, Survival and the Fight That Never Ends - October Rawrrzone Spotlight
We first encountered Honey Dinero in 2019 after discovering her on social media, thanks to our friend Wiseguyz Hec and DTF Radio. We've been fans since she released the Pink Honey project, which highlights the realities of breast cancer from her perspective. Upon our first meeting, she was warm and welcoming, and we've supported her ever since. With the growth of the Pink Honey brand and her other ventures, she has proven to be the most impressive person we've ever met.
The Bronx has given hip-hop some of its most unapologetic voices, and Honey Dinero is one of those artists who has never been afraid to stand on who she is.
An emcee, actress, entrepreneur, mother, and breast cancer survivor, Honey Dinero has spent years carving out her place in a culture where women have often been expected to prove themselves twice as much to receive half the recognition. From projects like Pinkhoney and Lipstick & Bullets to her work with Team Demo on B.I.T.C.H., her career reflects a woman determined to protect her creativity, her independence, and her identity.
But behind the music, the businesses, and the larger-than-life personality is a woman whose greatest battles have not always taken place inside a recording studio.
For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Welcome to the Rawrrzone sits down with Honey Dinero for a conversation that goes beyond the pink ribbons, inspirational slogans, and traditional survivor narratives.
She opens up about discovering a lump while on tour, the lasting physical and emotional effects of treatment, and the reality that being declared in remission does not mean life simply returns to normal.
What makes her story even more compelling is that she refuses to allow survival to become her entire identity. She is still an artist with something to say, a businesswoman who understands the importance of ownership, and a Bronx woman who has no intention of letting anyone write the final chapter of her story.
This month's Rawrrzone Spotlight isn't just about surviving. It's about everything that comes after.
1. Before we get into the music, acting, and businesses, who is Honey Dinero when the cameras are off and the microphone is down?
I am the family/friend like family comedian,, Jill of all trades, Chef, magician(I can make just about anything happen out of nothing) , daughter, niece, cousin, mother, godmother, aunt, sister, best friend, body guard/security, girlfriend/ God’s child and so much more … lol
2. Growing up in the Bronx, the birthplace of hip-hop, how did that environment shape your personality, ambition, and creative voice?
There are moments that when I hear specific songs, I can tell you what I was doing at that time I heard the song. Hip hop created moments for me that later in life I aspired to be those moments to others as hip hop was to me . Specifically , summers on the park bench with my friends an I, in matching t-shirts , with our 10 cent letters (FSF - Forever So Fresh) , biker shorts and lotto's with the symbol you can change colors to ; rehearsing songs and dances.
3. You've been part of the underground hip-hop scene for years. What did you have to prove coming into a culture that hasn't always given women the respect they deserve?
That I can be just as hard as the men!
4. Looking back at your earlier career and the 2011 feature Rap Has a Sweet Tooth for Honey Dinero, how different is the woman behind the name today?
Oh wow … well , I am wiser, I am more patient and humbled. I listen and observe more, however I am more assertive and outspoken.
5. Your music has been described as raw, street-oriented, and unapologetic. How much of Honey Dinero is a character, and how much is simply you telling your truth?
100 percent truth, Honey Dinero is the name of my 70’s blaxploitation character … lol . To me Honey Dinero is an oxymoron like Quiet Storm . Honey can be sweet and good for you, it can flow easy and smooth but most will do any and all things to get to the dinero and anything writhing having doesn’t come easy. Nowadays, money is not easily attainable and people will kill for money.
6. What's one misconception people have about you because of your music or public image?
That I am not easy to approach and or cool in real life .
7. Your catalog includes Lipstick & Bullets, Pinkhoney, Retribution, Twelve, Kill Switch 2: The Devil's Rejects, and the HDXMM series. When you revisit those projects, what do they reveal about your growth?
Each album is a time period. Like when I was growing up in the Bronx, I can recall where I was or what I was doing at that time, the same with my albums. I can tell you the premise behind each and what I initiated the recording process and where I was.
8. Your project B.I.T.C.H. has a title that immediately demands attention. What does that title represent to you, and what message did you want listeners to take away?
lol … B.I.T.C.H. A means Before I totally Crush Him Or Her. I wrote this album because after PINKHONEY , I still felt like I did not have the respect I deserved. I felt like some of my peers as well as listeners didn’t grasp the message of PINKHONEY and or like Cancer made me soft. So I adapted B.I.T.C.H. It is the warning before I keep dropping projects to where you can no longer ignore me.
9.As a woman who has navigated both underground hip-hop and business ownership, how have you learned to use your voice without compromising your identity?
YES YES YES !!! I I have had a few opportunities to sigh major deals, but I recognized the predatory nature of some of the major players , 2 high profile in prison, one doing life and one in Fort dix .. lol . At that time, I would go to studio sessions with a pistol in my purse and pull it out like it was a notebook and lay it on the mixing board and say I was ready to work. lol, I was insane and played a dangerous game trying to test these men in these studios. I wasn’t having it. Either, we working or you can throw me out. lol
10. Hip-hop has changed tremendously with streaming, social media, and the demand for viral moments. Do you think today's industry gives veteran underground artists enough recognition?
No, I feel most of the kids today don’t care about their history and to them we hold no value or relevance. Although we’ve been through the wringer and break down the game to them, they don’t care because they allow their fast money to speak for them instead of listening to our experiences.
11.Many people know you as an emcee, but you're also an actress. What initially attracted you to acting, and how did that opportunity come about?
As a kid my god sister and I used to put on for our family. I’ve had to “act” to call out of work or from bill collectors. lol , “act” to not get locked up from police. I feel it came easy, and I would act in my music videos. I feel my music videos were the attraction to go on a do a web series and two short films. I want to more acting .
12. What's the biggest difference between expressing yourself through a song and bringing someone else's character to life?
Great question , song is all me and acting, I would never be a cop . (I was a cop in both short films)
13. Have your experiences as a woman, artist, entrepreneur, and survivor influenced the kinds of characters or stories you want to portray?
Yes ! I think the best acting comes from a character you relate to and or share the same experiences .
14. As a Bronx-born creative, how important is it to see authentic New York stories represented on screen?
Extremely important. They are relatable , you can testify to being present in a space or time. Home is where the heart is .
15. You're associated with Sweet Money Publishing Inc., Illicit Beauty Music Publishing, and the Pink Honey brand. What pushed you to move beyond being an artist and become a business owner?
Ownership is key ! I want back what I put out so being that these are my brands and I facilitate the creativity and product, I want a Roi .
16. Many independent artists focus on getting heard but overlook publishing, ownership, and protecting their work. What lessons did you learn about the business side of music that you wish someone had taught you earlier?
Not easily compromising my value. I wasn’t gullible but early on , the CEO of my label at the time would be like he was saving me because I was a superstar. I thought I was ready and just wanted to be heard, I wanted to rock and perform. I would voice my wanted, to only take his word for it although I felt different. I should have pushed back harder.
17. What has been your biggest challenge as a woman building businesses in industries where men often dominate the decision-making?
My biggest challenge has been the dismissive nature of some not being objectified by others
18. How do you balance being the creative talent with being the person responsible for business decisions?
Funny you should ask, I just had a debacle with my biggest Rap Gawdz event ever, I was enjoying being the promoter and founder ; watching all the people showing up for my event, that when it came time for me to perform, I was tired, I have this boot on my foot(I broke two toes) and my host called my name to come up and perform and I forgot my first song. I forgot I was an artist in this thing … lol . Lesson learned, take the time and switch hats.
19. Pink Honey has a connection to supporting cancer warriors. What inspired the brand, and what kind of impact do you want it to have beyond selling products?
The inspiration came from GOD’s directives and my promise when I first found my lump. I hadn’t been diagnosed yet, but I just knew. God spoke to me as loud as you and I having a conversation and he said I would be ok, then gave me a list of directives. One being to share my story. So I was away from NYC and I was bored in Tennessee , just outside of Memphis and decided to share my journey. People started hitting me up and asking questions so I decided to continue to share my story and journey by showing what foods I was discovering to eat, what supplements that were good, my days in treatment, whatever I went through, I shared and helped others.
20. When you think about generational wealth and legacy, what does success look like for you today compared with when you first entered hip-hop?
Showing my boys that your passion is a gift and to not slight The Creator with the gift that is given. They would be doing themselves a disservice. Also To never stop and find away to monopolize on the gift. 21. You've experienced many battles throughout your career, but breast cancer is a different kind of fight. If you're comfortable sharing, can you take us back to when you first learned about your diagnosis? What was going through your mind?
I was on tour and wasn’t feeling well. I didn’t think much of it. We had a day or two break before we went back out on the road and I was jonesing on the phone and brushed my left breast with my hand and discovered a lump. I ran straight to the dr. I knew it was cancer. Don’t ask me how , I just knew. Long story short, I came back off tour, received my diagnosis and I didn’t have sense enough to know what it meant. I don’t remember feeling anything specifically, I would just show up at my appoints doing what I needed. It wasn’t until well after, I would think, “wow, I really have breast cancer” and I found myself saying that every so often even now. Unbelievable .
22.People often celebrate the strength of breast cancer survivors, but they don't always talk about the fear, exhaustion, or emotional toll. What was the hardest part of your journey that people on the outside didn't see?
OMG, like the changes now, chemo beat me up. I have all kinds of issues. I don’t see well, arthritis, osteoarthritis in both hands, feet, knees and shoulders, neuropathy , chemo brain, black toe nails, exhaustion, you name it, I continue to suffer.
23. Did your diagnosis change your relationship with your body, your femininity, or the way you viewed yourself as a woman?
Yes. I feel like I look Frankenstein-ish and I’m in pain all the time . I have no nipples, I feel my reconstruction is horrible, had I had implants, I would have to have them replace after 10 years which would be July 2029 . I am physically not the same. I’ve had to have a complete hysterectomy because I was highly likely for ovarian cancer. Boobs gone, inner workings gone. . Sometimes it saddens me. But I am alive and still ever so grateful.
24. As an artist and entrepreneur, did you ever feel pressure to keep working or maintain your public image while dealing with your health?
Yes ! Still do to an extent. People say they understand when you need a break, but don’t. Or will move on to another female emcee.
25. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is filled with pink ribbons and inspirational messages, but what do you wish people understood about the realities of surviving breast cancer?
It is still a journey. There are still doctor’s appointments, physical and occupational therapies, ailments and changes, compromised immune systems and mental strains and stress.
26.. What would you say to a woman who has just received a diagnosis and is terrified about what her future might look like?
I would tell her to do what she needs to do to survive. Don’t be scared just be proactive in your care. Get rid of all things stressing, and engulf yourself in all pleasantries, whatever that looks like to her. Get rid of all negativity because right now it is about them and their well being.
27. What does being a survivor mean to you today, beyond the medical definition?
I live in love and what is pleasing to me. Of it doesn’t make me happy or stresses me, I remove myself. And I love easy.
28. Having gone through your own experience, do you feel a responsibility to use your platform to help other women navigating cancer?
YES ! It was a promised I made .
29. How can the hip-hop community do a better job supporting artists and creatives who are dealing with serious health challenges?
We need to have for health fairs and forums /platforms. Hip hop community tends to live in the now and not really focus on health. It’s like this culture can be too cool for health, but will
exploit, drinking, smoking , and drugging.
30. What does Giving Back and Getting Rawrr mean to you ?
This platform is just what this culture needs because it’s more than just tshhe music . Your platform has supported me before the cancer, during and now, means the world to me and anything I can do to help spread the word or volunteer my time, I will.
31.What kind of support do you believe breast cancer survivors need after treatment, when the public celebrations and awareness campaigns are over?
Financial being a big one. There are the doctor’s bills, unless it’s terminal cancer you can’t get ssi /ssd. You may not be able to go right back to work. Or like me, work and then develop issues that prevent me from further working. Support , as in emotional support. When you are under going treatment, you’re treated with extra care and support, almost like you would break if touched. Once you’re in remission, a survivor is not the same, and emotional support is further needed. The journey of cancer is not over with a remission status .
32. If you could change one thing about how society talks about women living with or recovering from breast cancer, what would it be?
I don’t really know how society talks , specially for black women, I wish they would talk more.
33. Your B.I.T.C.H. project with Team Demo was released in October 2025. Looking back a year later, what does that project represent in your career, and how did working with Team Demo push you creatively?
Man , that album was done in 2022… lol it’s was bitch to get mastered finalized and put out. I love Team Demo, those are my brothers. I want to work with them some more .
34. What do you want the next generation of female emcees, especially young women from the Bronx, to learn from your journey?
That they DO NOT have to compromise themselves to make it. All they need is determination, perseverance, and a great team. Unless, they don’t mind, if some of the antics the younger generation participates in , is not them, they DO NOT have to conform to be seen. It may take longer, but it will be worth it. They also should learn entrepreneurship .
35.. When people eventually tell the story of Honey Dinero, what do you hope they say about your impact on hip-hop, business, and the lives you've touched?
That I was the hardest, coldest , MUVA fucka or BITCH to do it ! Lollllllllll
36. Have you come to accept your audience does not want you to retire? How does that feel to have such a strong support system ? Whats next musically for you ?
You've got me laughing …. Yes, I have . Sheesh . This would be a question. I have a couple more albums in me. One person says I haven’t given them an Nas-Illmatic album yet and I agree. Maybe because that would be the final studio album.
37. Finish this sentence: "I'm not just a survivor. I'm a Jeff’s(Jeffers) Kid from 740 E GunHill Rd "
Follow Honey Dinero on Instagram @theofficialhoneydinero
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