Queen of Compton

West Coast rapper Dyamond Watts rises above a difficult upbringing to tell her story—and follow her dreams. 

Compton, also known as "Hub City," has produced some of the greatest rap artists in history: Easy-E, Kendrick Lamar, Ice Cube, and most notably, Dr. Dre.

Now you can add another name to that list: Dyamond Watts, the Queen of Compton and soon-to-be California State University, Dominguez Hills graduate.

Watts' road to graduation certainly has not been an easy one.

The oldest of four kids, Watts and her siblings moved around different foster homes. Her parents lost custody by the time she was eight.

"We were taken away due to my mother's mental illness and emotional depression," Watts said.

One day, Watts was shopping at a local Food 4 Less in Compton with her foster mother. She saw an old neighbor and asked her to let her family know Child Protective Services had taken her and her siblings.

It took a year before Watts' aunt found her.

"My father was on drugs, he also had a criminal background, so they denied him custody," Watts said. "My mother fought hard for me and my siblings; she was also denied. The only one that had a clear record was my aunt Sheree. I will never forget her willingness to take me in."

Watts had few female mentors, but the most important one was her social worker, Alicia.

"I looked forward to her coming because my childhood was rough growing up," Watts said. "I didn't see a lot of women that inspired me. I will never forget that, and I wanted to be who Alicia was to me for somebody else."

In addition, Watts was teased for having dark skin.

"I remember coming home from school telling my aunt that people made fun of me calling me ugly and black," Watts said. "My aunt looked at me with so much love and said, 'You are black, and you are beautiful.'"

Watts didn't know that colorism was an issue.

"My aunt helped raise me. She taught me things my mom couldn't, and I look back to this day and say thank you," Watts said. "I understand there is preference and that's fine, but there's also colorism and it isn't talked about much. It's the same thing as prejudice and discrimination and it's racism, and I don't respect that."

Watts believes this narrative should be erased; it keeps women separated and women are beautiful in every shade.

"I love who I am, my dark skin doesn't offend me," Watts said. "So, for the little girls that are brown, just like me, you are beautiful. Doesn't matter what you look like or what you're built like or what you identify as."

Years ago, before Watts hit a breaking point, she was fighting to get out of an abusive relationship. There were days she went back to the toxicity. During this time, she became pregnant. She knew it was time to make a change.

Determined to take a different route and follow her dreams, Watts walked into Homeboy Industries. This moment became a refresh button.

"I was spiraling down, I thought I had control of my life," Watts admitted. "When I walked through the doors of Homeboy Industries, it was another world that I never knew existed with strangers who instantly became family and a support system that can build a solid foundation for a lifetime. That's what they did for me."

Homeboy Industries, based in downtown Los Angeles, is the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the country that has been providing training and support for over 30 years to former gang-involved and previously incarcerated people.

The organization has helped many change their lives and become working community members. Where others only see criminals, founder Father Greg Boyle sees people in need of help. His goal is to guide the population that nobody took a chance on.

Through the support groups offered at Homeboy, Watts learned accountability and vulnerability.

"I was forced to come face to face with every flaw that makeup and a smile could never hide," Watts said.

Homeboy also provides therapy and financial support.

"Father G himself helped me get tires so that I could drive five hours away for one of my hip-hop showcases," Watts said. "They are the reason I am a returning student at CSUDH since I dropped out."

To support her son, Watts left college years ago to get a job.

"We struggled financially," she said. "Years later, I entered the program at Homeboy Industries. They believed in my talent and leadership enough to create my own internship in the development department for advertising and public relations and media relations."

Homeboy Industries helped guide Watts toward a brighter future for college and music.

She is now in her last few semesters as an AD/PR major. She is also pursuing a career in rap.

Her moniker, Queen of Compton, came from the time Watts ran for homecoming queen at Compton College. For the campaign, she had to come up with a slogan. She wanted to stand out from the other candidates, so she decided to showcase her musical talent.

"If I win homecoming queen, I will be the Queen of Compton," said Watts. "No one has ever called themselves the Queen of Compton—that's who I am, that's who I want to be."

Watts performed and won.

At Compton College, Watts' music instructor taught her about the business side of the music industry.

"It may look pretty, and if this is your dream, you must govern yourself like a business," said Watts, reciting his advice.

With a gift for writing poetry and rap, Watts forged ahead. In the era she grew up in, female rap was celebrated and respected. During that time women had positive messages.

"More importantly they were powerful and had a voice," Watts said. "As a child I had no voice. I looked up to these women, Lauren Hill and Missy Elliot. These women are being heard and they inspired me."

Watts is also interested in writing TV scripts. In 2019 she created her own online reality show, "The Cypher House," available on YouTube. She's hoping the show eventually gets picked up by a television network.

"As a female rapper, I have noticed there isn't a lot of female rappers representing the West Coast at the moment," Watts said. "The show, 'The Cypher House,' came from me doing battle rap every year and wanting to bring attention to female rappers from all over. I wanted the outcome to be a unity for females to come together."

Watts has already made a name for herself.

In 2020, she was called to participate in a battle rap hosted by Drake. She was ecstatic. It wasn't until a limo arrived at her house that she believed the moment was real.

She continues to perform throughout Los Angeles at festivals and venues, such as the Marsee Auditorium in Torrance, one of the biggest stages she has performed on to date. Her music has played on "Making the Band," where two of her songs made appearances.

Despite her rough childhood, she is thankful for the town where she grew up.

"The city of Compton means the beginning," Watts explained. "Compton means home. Compton is the 'Hub.' Compton is like the start square on the Monopoly board. Compton is my throne."