Get to Work, KC!

http://www.nerve.com/screeningroom/music/theroots/

In this link, ?uestlove from the Roots says some interesting things about women and hip-hop and the fact that it's a man's man's man's man's world.
Which reminded me that I wanted to post a recap of last weekend's Twin Cities Hip Hop Fest in Minneapolis. Why are the two related? Oh yeah. Chicks.

See, there are TONS of women in the Twin Cities' hip hop scene. Like, onstage. Singing. Rapping. Not just busting ass on the dance floor or supportiing their boyfriends...not that there's anything wrong with that. But it was refreshing. We probably saw five or six female-driven acts over the course of two days. Not only did it bring out the lesbians in full force (lots of those in Minneapolis too, apparently...something to do with the cold? And, you know, fur?), but it brought a much-needed balance to the whole vibe. In addition to the acts on stage, the Minneapolis free weekly, Citypages, was running a music feature about a three-MC girl group that week...meaning there were MORE talented musical girl acts that weren't even there.

Coming back to KC, it's painfully obvious that our scene is a sausagefest. And you can't blame our male hiphop groups for that...it's not as though anyone's wrestling the mic away from female MC's. We just don't seem to have any. And I, for one, welcome the sight of some KC girls getting off their asses and trying their hands at lyricism, singing, hell, get somebody onstage to clang a triangle. It might be just the thing to wake the sleepy Peanut up.

Relatedly, I was impressed by how many acts showed up to perform with live bands, a la the Roots. Here in KC people get away with rapping over a Discman, and in Minneapolis they come packing horn sections, bongos, drummers, keyboardists, bassists, guitarists....AND a goddamn Dj in the back.

Not trying to diss our scene...I'm just sayin'.