Local hip-hop duo makes plans to travel to Atlanta, opens for Lil Wayne

When you first see a photo of female hip-hop duo Stylez & Swagg, you can’t help but notice the young ladies’ striking beauty. But after one listen to their tracks, you get the sense these are two serious women on a serious mission.

That mission is to become the next big thing in female-fronted hip-hop.

Stylez & Swagg consists of Sharice McKinney (aka "Stylez") and Patrice McKinney (aka "Swagg"), age 23, identical twins born just 12 minutes apart. You may have heard them called Tha Twinzz, which was the duo’s original moniker. (Patrice says they changed it to add a little spice to their name.)

Catch the ladies at the Breslin Center Sunday, opening for mega- rapper Lil Wayne. Popular local hip-hop group Capital Cities’ Finest opens as well.

Although Stylez & Swagg have been making music since they were 8 years old, their journey into the music business is only one of their many successful endeavors. Stylez is also a beautician, and holds an associate’s degree and a certificate in fashion and design. Swagg played basketball for Michigan State University for two years, then transferred to Eastern Michigan University to play the courts and finish her bachelor and master’s degrees.

"Education has helped us tremendously in our music career because it has helped prepare us for many experiences, some that are still to come," Sharice McKinney said. "We utilize both of our backgrounds to the best of our ability when it comes to our music and everyday life."

Yes, these ladies are smart, business-savvy and full of ambition and drive. And that measures up to tracks that are tough, commercial and filled with personality. The duo offers something for the guys (the track "So Hott"), something for the strong-willed ladies (the jewel "Independent Ladies") and, of course, some clubbers to get loose and dance.

One song with meaning behind the beats is titled "Get Out of My Way."

"Well, as usual, you have the few people that don’t want to see you succeed and try to get in the way of your success," Patrice McKinney said. "So that song was basically to everybody, telling everybody to get out of our way, because we are on our way to the top, and we are not playing any games."

True, Stylez & Swagg are not playing any games. - especially when it comes to their future in the music biz. The duo’s new CD, still untitled, will be out in June, and the ladies have written all of the tracks on the CD. June also brings big plans for the ladies to pack up and move to the hip-hop mecca of the country: Atlanta, Ga.

"Atlanta is a big music city, and there are a lot of record labels and big names in the music industry located in Atlanta, so it will definitely benefit us to be right there in the mix of things," Sharice McKinney said. "We have already accomplished some things nationally just being in Lansing, but not enough, because we are always hungry for more."

To check out tracks from Stylez & Swagg, visit www.myspace.com/thatwinzzmusic.