Charmaine Is Poised For A Takeover with 'HOOD AVANT-GARDE'

by Nadirah Simmons

Zimbabwe born, Toronto-raised rapper Charmaine is a woman to watch out for. In 2020 she released her debut single “BOLD," which now sits at 1.9 million streams and has earned cosigns from Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1, the legendary Fatman Scoop and COLORS Studios. Additionally, Complex named Charmaine as an artist to watch in 2021, she’s been tapped as a Spotify RADAR artist and just a few weeks ago she was selected as a First on SoundCloud artist which highlights musicians from across the globe, even celebrating the announcement on IG Live with Rico Nasty. We caught up with her last week on IG Live to talk about her success, her debut EP HOOD AVANT-GARDE which is out today, women in rap who inspire her and more.

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The Gumbo: Your latest single “WOO!” is the follow-up to “BOLD,” which released this past Fall and now sits at 1.9 million streams. You’ve been co-signed by Ebro on Apple Music 1, Fatman Scoop, COLORS Studios, and then this week you’ve been named one of the ten artists to watch for in 2021 by SoundCloud. You are out here! 
Charmaine: I’m tryin’, I’m tryin’! [Laughs]

How does it feel to release your debut single in a pandemic and get 1.9 million streams? That is...wild.
It is very wild. I believed in the record and it was definitely my first choice to debut it. But, I had no idea that I would get the kind of response I got, especially now. So, I’m just really humbled by the fact that everyone’s fucking with it like that. I’m just like, “Ok, I mean, maybe I did something now! Maybe I did something!” [Laughs]

I feel like oftentimes, over here in the States, everyone kind of looks at [Canada] like, “Oh my God! Canada, there’s Drake and there’s all these different things that are happening over there.” Talk to me a little bit about the music landscape in Canada and how it shaped you and your sound.
Canada has some amazing artists. That’s bottom line. So many talented people are over here. Of course we have the Drakes, and The Weeknd, the Biebs, you know what I mean? But I feel like a lot of, like, the really dope artists are not given the platform or the spotlight that they need and that’s something that I really would like to change. Because I feel like if people actually got the backing and the opportunity to showcase themselves, we’d have so many more Canadian artists blowing up, and I don’t understand why yet. I’m hoping that’ll change in the future but, yeah. [Laughs]

Look, I love that...I wanna know, when did you know that you wanted to rap and enter this space?
Ok, so this was a complete accident! It wasn’t pre planned, it wasn’t thought out. One day, I was in the studio with my production team. We already had finished the songs that we were supposed to finish for that period. And we had a couple more tracks left to do, and one day I just walked in and my producer was like, “Yo, you wanna try rapping?” I was like “...Yeah, sure. [Laughs] I guess.” I’ll try anything once, because you never know. It could work, it could not. I don’t really care, but it just happened to work and it happened to work a lot better than I expected it to. I feel like I actually love rapping way more than I love singing now, which is kind of crazy but it was a complete accident. It was a complete accident. [Laughs]

And now we have “Woo”, and I just wanna say the opening of “Woo” is so explosive:
“Yeah, he know he just a number and he’s cool with that.” What was your thought process when creating this particular song?
Honestly, I was just really missing going out with my friends and going out to clubs and just enjoying music as a whole. So, I just wanted to make a record that sounded like that. That gave me that same feeling that I would get when I would go out with my girls. On top of that, just kind of mocking men and, you know, just having my way with them and doing whatever I want and it’s just kinda like...if you don’t give me what I want, when I want it, how I want it, I will find somebody else to do it. But, in the meantime, I will be partying with my girls. [Laughs] You know what I mean? That’s really how that one came around.

Between the lyrics in your songs and some of your previous interviews that I’ve watched, you really are standing so firm and tall in your autonomy and represent for Black women, letting us know that we can do whatever we want, we can act however we want, and we’re not worried about what someone might say or think about how we need to be presenting ourselves. Has that been something at your core you knew had to be in your music?
Oh, 100%. You know, it took me a while to get the place that I’m at right now within myself and you know, growing up we’re always told we have to fit this certain mold. We can’t talk too loud or we can’t have our hair too bright, we can’t do all these things and then, just like, who said that? Nobody said that. That’s not a written rule or a law. I refuse to abide by that and I just want other Black women to feel the same way. We don’t gotta do shit anybody tells us. We can do whatever the fuck we want and you can either take it or leave it but we’re not gonna change ourselves to conform to whatever imagery or idealistic concept you think we should be.

Absolutely, I love that! I want to move on and talk about your debut EP [HOOD AVANT-GARDE]. Tell me more about it.
So, the whole concept of this EP was just to redefine what it is to be a renaissance woman. Typically, you see imagery, like, you see this white man in the middle of everything as like the leader, the power, the hero, the person who’s doing everything, you know, great. And everyone around him, especially the women are being subjected in some type of way or objectified and I was just like, “Nah, what can we do to redefine this?” So, what we did is take that concept and flip it. Now, it’s about women being in the forefront, it’s about a powerful woman being in the forefront and in the center. It’s about redefining what it means to be a renaissance man...Nobody has heard anything like this before and we took our time to make sure that every record was perfect, from the instrumentation to the lyricism to the cadences. Every little element is so thought out and I feel like the world is really gonna respond well to it.

Now, I wanna switch gears a little bit. I feel like I know what you’re gonna say ‘cause I was reading all of your stuff, so I might already know the answer to this. But, I wanna know: who are some women in rap that you look up to?
You already know what I’m gonna say for sure! [Laughs] Cause I’m kind of giving her vibes right now, so definitely, hands down, Missy Elliot by far. [Laughs] And I think, at this point, it’s evident and people are picking up on that and, I don’t know, there’s just something about the way that she’s creative and she’s not afraid to push the envelope. She plays around with her appearances. The visuals are crazy, the talent is crazy, the production is crazy, like, she is just a legend in my books, and I’m pretty sure in anybody else’s book. If not, you trippin’! [Laughs] So, hands down Missy. I mean I also have other inspirations such as Lil’ Kim, Da Brat, Queen Latifah, Foxy Brown. And, like I also draw influences from southern rap, like Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz, Lil Scrappy, Dem Franchize Boyz. So, like, it’s a whole mixture of a lot of things going on. [Laughs]

Another question that I wanted to ask is: what advice would you have for younger Black women who are looking to get into rap?
I think it’s as simple as just start. Start! Don’t be afraid of failure because you only grow from failure and then you can adjust as you go along and try different things. But just start. Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Don’t be afraid to walk into rooms and into spaces and  demand your respect because you deserve that respect. And, you ain’t gotta listen to anybody who has anything negative to say about you! Honestly, just focus on the people who are supporting you. Focus on the people who are speaking life into you and bringing that positive energy into you and I promise you the opportunities will just start to come to you. But, definitely have confidence in yourself. Understand that you’re a bad bitch and you are talented and you can reach big levels, you just gotta put your mind to it.

How do you prioritize self care in the midst of making music and recording videos and just working?
I’m working on it! [Laughs] I’m not the best at doing that right now. I’m trying to. What I have been doing lately, though-like, it sounds terrible but it’s completely fine with me. I’m ok with a little toxicity in my life-whenever I’m not working I’m probably just watching Netflix, eating Captain’s Boil like I don’t care. [Laughs]

What’s Captain’s Boil? Is that seafood?
Yup!

Ok, hold on, timeout! I love seafood boils. Where is this at? Like, this is in Toronto? Where?Yeah, there’s multiple. Like, there’s a lot of different locations around the city and the GTA. Thankfully there’s one that delivers close to my house. There’s one that delivers close to my brother’s house and I’m usually at either/or place. So I just be ordering me some shrimp, you know what I’m saying? Some crab legs, a little seafood fried rice [Laughs] And just binge watching Netflix.

Yo, can I tell you at the beginning of the pandemic...all of my friends know, like I have a problem. Everyday I’m like, “Y’all wanna get a seafood boil?” They’re like, “Nadirah, no. We’re not going every single day!”
I wish somebody would tell me to stop eating it! Like, no. I would rather cut you off than to cut out the seafood boil. Like, no.

[Laughs] Well I’m super duper excited for your project and I am gonna finish off with a question that we ask everyone that we talk to, which is, “When did you fall in love with hip-hop?”
I fell in love with hip-hop when I saw Lil’ Kim’s “Jumpoff” and heard Lil’ Kim’s “Jumpoff” video. I mean, I was too young to be listening to that anyway, but I was in the living room like [hums “Jumpoff”]. I was like, “Yo, why is this so fire?” [Laughs] Yeah, so from then on…

Listen HOOD AVANT-GARDE here: https://charmaine.lnk.to/hoodavantgarde

Brandy As The Star Card

by Omega Agee

Brandy, an Aquarius born on February 11, has embodied the star card from the early days of her fame to her cemented place as an R&B legend.

The tarot is a deck of playing cards created in the late 14th century, most likely in Italy. Originally used to play the bridge-like card game of tarrochi, tarot cards evolved for use in divination in the 18th century. Unlike astrology, which predicts human behavior and what happens on Earth based on the position of the planets, tarot offers a highly personalized reading from a spiritual guide. According to clairvoyant healer Molly Burkett, “[tarot] cards reflect your highest potential, your deepest insecurities, and your greatest strengths, and show you the pathway to balance." In traditional tarot, when the star card is pulled upright it represents hope for the future, inspiration, optimism and creativity, much like Aquarians themselves. 

The star card signifies inspiration and the ability to have an effect on someone’s feelings, character, behavior or development. Rolling Stone describes her ascent as “meteoric,” with her self-titled debut album selling over six million copies worldwide and spawning three top 10 singles with “I Wanna Be Down,” “Baby” and “Brokenhearted.” Fans clamored to support the artist, whose success was aided by her youthful presence and technical skill as an artist.

“As sappy as some of it was, there was maturity to it too, as if tokens of wisdom fell into a batch of diary entries,” wrote Clover Hope in a Billboard retrospective for the album’s 20th anniversary. Brandy had a unique aptitude for sharing general experiences, but imbuing them with such feeling that they feel personalized for each listener. 

Brandy has been a staple in Black girls’ childhoods, whether we were sitting cross legged while watching her star in the 90s show Moesha or singing our hearts out to her music. Yet even before the release of her debut album and show, Norwood’s role as Danesha Turrell on the short-lived ABC sitcom Thea made it evident that she was a star. In 1993, television critic Greg Dawson described Brandy’s role on the show as the “sweet, cerebral sister” who contributed to a “terrific, talented cast” filled with heart and soul. Brandy’s early career catapulted her into lifelong stardom, and set the tone for a future that would continuously build upon her talents. 

Creatively, Brandy has experimented with the intent to push R&B into new territory. She has been lovingly coined “The Vocal Bible” due to her stacking of  harmonies that served as backgrounds, her effortless vocal runs and her tone. Moreover, she has proven capable of innovating within music while remaining true to her own style by utilizing her unique approach to crafting harmonies. On her fourth album, Afrodisiac, Brandy worked with Timbaland to create a body of work whose sound was unique and distant from other R&B music.

“Afrodisiac is that rare album in which a pop star kicks her brand to the curb. Instead of default ballad after default ballad, Timbaland and Milsap provided a series of stuttering, burping productions in which Brandy's vocals swerved and bounced like velvet superballs,” said Noah Berlatsky of The Atlantic.

Today, the Vocal Bible’s innate ability to deliver her signature vocal arrangements over any beat and within any genre remains intact. Look no further than her most recent album, B7, and her prominent use of falsetto on personal favorite songs “Rather Be” and “Say Something,” for support of her long-standing reign of success. It is this kind of creativity that is emblematic of what the star card represents, and its connections to the innate innovativeness of Aquarians.

Source: Amazon (Tarot Card Notebooks)

On top of the star card’s many meanings, there is a part of that card that offers up an obvious means for interpretation: its design. The image on the star card displays a woman pouring water out of two jugs into a pond as the star shines on her—the same symbol that represents the sign of Aquarius. If we know the star card to reflect, as Burkett said, your highest potential and your greatest strengths, then we can imagine the water on the card to represent Brandy influence, and her ability to pour into and inspire others. Artists like Jazmine Sullivan, India.Arie and Kehlani have been candid about Brandy’s influence on their own careers. Brandy’s multi-generational impact is on target for the star card, leading the way with her talents.

Traditional tarot offers insight that enables people to recognize their greatness, and through the star card we are able to learn about our hopes for the future, what inspires us, what encourages our optimism and what sparks our creativity. In the case of Brandy, the star card is not only strongly connected to Brandy’s albums, movie debuts, and even tv shows, but also her ability to connect with the masses is what sets her apart.

Black House, Black Joy: On The Home of the Jersey Sound

by Jamara Wakefield

430 Broadway Street is an unassuming location in downtown Newark, New Jersey. But for lovers of House music, this site conjures memories of an era that continues to influence musicians today. It is the former address of Lincoln Hotel, the home of the Club Zanzibar. This nightclub not only changed the history of the Jersey Club sound, but also fostered a community of people who continued to dance, fellowship, and express joy together for over four decades. 

Zanzibar first opened its doors in 1979. Three years later, DJ Tony Humphries began his residency there and, along with others, helped "spawn the sometimes raw but always soulful, gospel-infused subgenre" of house music known as the Jersey sound. Humphries’ sets blended R&B, soul and gospel lyrics into their mixes, a technique that is still largely popular today. When asked about the emergence of the sound in Jersey at the time, Humphries told XLR8R, “There were a number of house producers coming up; I liked quite a few of the records. there was a certain groove I would try and build, using records to bridge to others, a vocal to an instrumental and vice versa, keeping a flow—I liked how that built the dancefloor.”

This sonic revolution was furthered by advances in sound technology, specifically that by Richard Long of Richard Long & Associates (RLA). RLA developed, designed, and installed the cutting edge sound system at Zanzibar, which is credited for making disco spaces the “immersive audiotopias that they were.” This meant that Jersey was now able to offer a sound experience equal to that of other popular dance clubs, like Chicago’s The Warehouse and Studio 54 in New York. Performances from Chaka Khan, Patti Labelle and Grace Jones, coupled with a sound system that allowed party goers to not only hear the music clearly but feel the vibrations coming from the speakers, helped the Zanzibar create a full-body experience that remains sought after within the House Community.

Tony Humphries playing at Zanzibar New Jersey.

This importance of community was apparent not just in the sound, but in the guests who frequented Zanzibar. 

The Queer Newark Oral History Project (QNOHP)  reports that LGBTQIA+ friendly club spaces in Newark date back to the 1930s. Over half a century later, the Zanzibar was continuing the tradition of inclusivity and in 1988, American drag performer Paris Dupree held her now-famous Paris Is Burning ball at the club. The ball was documented by Jennie Livingston for her 1990 film( also called Paris Is Burning) and gave straight, mainstream America a glimpse into the lives of the queer Black and brown community. Additionally, Dance Music Hall of Fame inductee DJ Larry Levan, an openly gay man who was also active in the drag scene, was the opening jock for weekly gay nights at the club. Zanzibar wasn’t just an immersive music headquarters, but also a communal sanctuary for Black and Brown LGTBQIA+ people where their bodies, voices and lives were valued.

Grace Jones at Zanzibar, date unknown, by Vincent Bryant.

Memories of Zanzibar live in the hearts and minds of Jersey House heads. Annual summer events, like the Roselle House Music Festival in Warinanco Park, the Weequahic Park House Music Festival, and the Lincoln Park Music Festival in Newark, serve as unofficial "Zans" reunions. And a connection to Zanzibar is the cultural capital that proves you are a part of the rich history of House. 

Alice Jenkins, of mother-son dance duo Alice and Charon, remembers sleeping in between the speakers at the club to rest before getting back on the dance floor. “Zanzibar was something I couldn't believe,” she recalls. “They were playing disco music but with a different flavor.” 

Zanzibar sits at the intersection of music history, Black history and Jersey history.  

When I think about Black joy, I consider the resilience of New Jersey’s Black House community. This legacy runs parallel to the decades-long struggle by Black people and our allies to end institutionalized racial discrimination and disenfranchisement in the United States. This history is the story of a community that is self-sustained and created space for those who are outcasts. Zanzibar is one house but the entire community is a place many call home.The festival cultures, the clubs, the virtual DJ sets, are Zanzibar’s most obvious legacy, proving that community is alive. It has a heartbeat, it has a pulse.

Learn more about supporting the Black House, Black Joy film here.

Bake: From "the Book" to Booked and Busy

by Kaz Gratz

         Music unites people from all over the globe and lifts our spirits. Even in a global pandemic, you notice people of all ages staying connected by posting their favorite dance moves on TikTok and other social networks. Every culture and section of the world has their own unique sound that moves the natives. Dance is deep rooted in spirituality, culture, and wellness. You may know a bunch of popular dance styles, like the Cha-Cha, ballet, salsa, or breakdancing, but not where they began. In New Jersey, Jersey Club Music is that sound urging not to be forgotten.

         Jersey Club music originated in Newark, NJ in the late 90's/early 2000's. Pioneers like DJ Tameil, Tim Dolla and Mike V were inspired by Baltimore Club, house music, and Hip-Hop to create this new genre of swift upbeat tempo, bass drops, and repetitive, catchy lyrics. These songs often come with instructions to certain original dance moves like: the sexy walk, slow motion, rock your hips, or sharp bounce to name a few. It was originally called Brick City Club, after Newark's nickname Brick City, but was changed to Jersey Club when producers all over the state chimed in to amplify its sound.

         DJ Bake, a young producer from Trenton, has been instrumental in revolutionizing the genre and helping it transcend state lines. At the start of his career, he called himself DJ Stackz. He changed it after his friends in high school started calling him Bake (after his last name Baker). His DJ tag, Bake from the Book, was borrowed from North Jersey slang around the beginning of the Facebook era. With 70.8K YouTube subscribers and over 15 million views, he is just one of the many producers who’s used the internet and social media to help popularize Jersey Club Music all around the world. I spoke with Bake about the start of his DJ career, the challenges of being a DJ in a pandemic, the future of Jersey Club music, and more.

Kaz (KG): When did you start DJing and why?
Bake (B): I started DJing around 2010, but I took it more seriously in 2013. They used to have these firehouse parties in Trenton, but I was too young to go. They were in high school already and I wasn't. I thought if I started DJing maybe they would let me in.

KG: What does Jersey Club music mean to you?
B: I've met so many people because of Club music. Not even just in Jersey, I've met people from Philly who make their own Club music and Baltimore too. It's not really what it means to me, it's more like that's what I stand on.

Honestly, it's a lifestyle.

KG: I like that answer a lot. I grew up listening to Jersey Club too and learning all of the dances. We’d watch the videos on Youtube and then be doing them at the next party. It literally is a lifestyle for many of us. How do you think Jersey Club Music has evolved over time?
B: It's getting bigger and bigger. A lot of famous people are kind of copying it, but it doesn't sound right because it's not coming from somebody from Jersey. They'll get a Hollywood producer to try and imitate it. I feel like if that's happening, then it's soon to be its own genre. A known genre. Right now, it's very international but people in America aren't really seeing it yet. But famous people are definitely watching.

KG: Let’s talk about the evolution of the sound. How’s it changed over time?
B: The sound definitely did change from when DJ Tameil first bought club music to Jersey, to like Jayhood, to me, and to the newer producers. It’s way different. I call it childish club because it’s basically for dancers and teenagers. We don’t play that in the club. But I’ll play that if I’m DJing at a sweet sixteen or something. It’s way faster, there are mad chops, more added on sounds and stuff like that. It’s way different but, that’s the new generation of music. Everybody respects everybody’s craft. I’m still going to do my thing and keep my flow. They got their own wave.

KG: You touched on this earlier and I really want to circle back. What do you think of Jersey Club music being used in mainstream songs?
B: I feel like they should come to Jersey. It's not hard. Nobody out here in Jersey who makes Club music is too famous that it would be hard to get in contact with. I feel like artists should just come here and grab somebody. It'll start a chain reaction. Everybody who makes Jersey Club Music rock with each other, so if one person goes, they'll collab with another person. Now that's two people with their name out there. It'll just start a train, but they don't want to do that. They just want to get people to imitate it, and it never sounds right.         

KG: With that in mind, what do you think the future of Jersey Club looks like?
B: Internationally, Jersey Club is already big. People in China and Japan dance to it and shout us out when they play our songs or dance to it. I feel like it's America that is stuck outside of the box. But I can't blame them because every part of America has their own type of music. Sooner or later, it'll be everywhere. I think Florida is the only place that imitates our music, but they still give us our shout-outs and they add their own flavor to it. Everyone else acts like they don't like it. In the next 5-10 years, I promise you it’s going to be a mainstream genre. It’s going to be way bigger than it is right now. I feel like famous people are going to come to Jersey to get producers to make songs for them. People are going to want their songs remixed in Jersey Club. It’s already getting there now.

KG: We are already seeing that type of shift happen. Who would you say are your biggest music influences?
B: I'm going to stick to Club music on this. Number one, would definitely be DJ Sliink. It's crazy how I grew up listening to him and kind of imitating his style, but then when I got to college I was at his house making music with him. That was a crazy moment for me. Can't forget DJ Jayhood. I'm going to say a couple younger guys too, like Carvell on the Beat. I was listening to him before I met him, now that's my best friend. Those three are definitely my top. It's always fun working with other DJs, it's like a creative bubble. None of us really have the same style, it's fun combining our styles together and making music from scratch.

KG: A little earlier, you said that the virus was your biggest overall challenge right now. How specifically has the virus impacted your work?
B: When the virus first happened, I probably didn't DJ for like 3-4 months. No cap. Then I guess places started adapting to it like us DJing on Zoom, Facebook live or Instagram live. Then Instagram started flagging us for copyright issues with certain songs, so it was just making it corny. Then it got to a point where I wasn't touching my DJ equipment for weeks. Then it opened back up a little bit, there were a lot of rules, but it hasn’t been the same. I feel like since January, the party and club scene hasn't been the same.

KG: You bought up an interesting point about DJs having a following earlier. Do you  think that social media impacts your work?
B: Yes. That's where DJ's have to promote themselves. I feel like social media has watered down the DJ world. Now anybody can jump on there, go buy some followers, and call themselves a DJ.

KG: I never thought of it like that. We talked a bit about some of the negatives, but what does success as a DJ look or feel like to you? 
B: I’m also an event planner. When I throw my own event and someone tells me it's legendary, that’s success. Or when people go home and tweet or post about it and leave all good reviews. When I sell out also, that’s success to me. Another example on the DJ side, when I’m booked for an event - let’s say I’m DJing a 60 year old birthday party and everyone leaves happy, that’s success to me.

KG: It’s so dope how you basically taught yourself how to DJ and produce. I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who don’t even know where to begin. Do you have any advice for anybody who’d like to start DJing?
B: Just do it. Don’t think about it, just do it. It might be hard, but with time and practice you’ll get it. In my city, there’s a lot of older DJs. I became a DJ at a young age. I felt like nobody wanted to deal with me because they were older and I was a kid. I literally stayed in my basement everyday and just learned. To the point where now, those same older people are giving me my props.

KG: I just have one last question to wrap up this interview. What would you say to anyone who doesn't like or recognize Jersey Club as a genre?
B: That's BS! At the end of the day, there’s a thousand genres out there. America only acknowledges certain genres, which is why we have to break those boundaries. Jersey Club's been going on since the 90’s and it's still going strong. So it might be slow, but we're definitely going up! 

Listen to his music here:

https://www.youtube.com/user/DJBakeMUSIC

https://soundcloud.com/djbakee

Jersey Sound and Jersey Club Music: Two Generations of New Jersey Culture

Downtown Newark, New Jersey

by Ayanna Costley

If you were to visit 430 Broad Street in Newark, NJ, in 2021, you would be met by the Rutgers Business School looming in the near distance, bus stops, and the light rail station. There would be no way for you to know that the location birthed the house music known as Jersey Sound just 41 years ago. Two decades later, at the turn of the millennium, a new generation of DJs and producers created yet another revolutionary sound, Jersey Club music. While Jersey Sound followed cues from Chicago’s house music innovations in the 70s, Jersey Club music looked to Baltimore for inspiration in the early 2000s. These aren’t disconnected moments in history. Both Jersey Sound and Jersey Club Music represent generations and city-defining sounds that stand the test of time. 

In 1979, 1500 patrons arrived at The Lincoln Motel on Broad Street for Club Zanzibar’s Labor Day Weekend grand opening. The club, outfitted with vines, velvet, flowers, and even live tigers, created the perfect backdrop for the bold, eccentric fashions of the late 70s and emerging 80s. Zanzibar’s sound was an undeniable product of the 80s as well with DJs spinning sophisticated, soulful disco like MFSB’s “Love is The Message.” Everyday people flocked to the club as an escape from the realities of life. Celebrities like Kool & the Gang and Tasha Thomas also frequented the club, with Gerald T premiering “Rapper’s Delight” for the first time on the east coast at Zanzibar’s opening:

“Joe Robinson hands me a record, and I’m like, ‘Let me see what this record is.’ So I put it on to listen to, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God!’ At the time I was listening to it, I was already playing Chic’s “Good Times,” and when it got to the breakdown, it was just like this new record! I mixed the new one in when that breakdown came on, and the place went berserk.”

Not relegating itself to the dark shadows of neighboring NYC, Club Zanzibar emerged as a vibrant hotspot home to Jersey’s own house music, the burgeoning Jersey Sound. The subgenre positioned soulful lyrics and vocals atop pulsating, electronic production, departing slightly from the funk-disco heavy electronic house music born out of Chicago’s Warehouse club. Resident DJs like Hippie Torrales, Gerald T, Larry Patterson, Tee Scott, Davis Morales, Larry Levan, and Francois K all left their mark on Zanzibar and house music, but Tony Humphries, my mom says, “was a legendary DJ.” He would use house records as “mixing tools” and “bridge records” because they were easier to blend and mix, saying “If I was going to play Aretha Franklin or something, and wanted to play Luther Vandross after that, I would use a house track to get from one to the other. I would almost always go from vocals then tracks, tracks then vocals – it was easier to blend with those Thorens.” It was his relationship with Abigail Adams, owner of Movin’ Records, and Shelton Hayes, one of the club’s managers, that helped birth what they titled Jersey Sound.

City officials and real estate developers demolished Club Zanzibar in 2007, highlighting Newark officials’ and land developers’ complete disregard for the city’s culture. Former Newark Mayor and current U.S. Senator Cory Booker delivered the first blow to the cultural landmark, noting, “We’re going to see an incredible new light shine from this site. But right now, I have a lot of built-up energy that I need to unleash on this building.” Booker believed destroying the physical structure, although rampant with drug users and riddled by violence for years, would help revamp Newark’s image to benefit gentrifiers, downtown college students, and workers commuting from NYC. I argue that transforming the motel into a community art center honoring the advancements Club Zanzibar and its history would have done wonders for the Newark community instead. Nonetheless, the erasure of historically and culturally significant landmarks from our physical space makes documenting and collectively coming together to share this history extremely important.

At the turn of the new millennium Jersey Club Music emerged out of the same regional space. Originally called Brick City Club as a nod to Newark’s nickname, the music was pioneered by DJ Tameil, Tim Dolla, and other DJs/producers who took direction from the quick and aggressive sound of Baltimore club music. Social media’s rise helped spread Jersey Club music videos beyond state limits, often racking up thousands and sometimes even millions of views. Artists filmed their videos at home, in basements, parking lots, and even during parties in warehouses. Songs, sprinkled with sampled adlibs from hip-hop and R&B, built on hard drum kicks, and featuring catchy vocals that often called out dance moves, took over. One of the earliest songs that I remember is Tim Dolla’s “Swing Dat Shit.” I didn’t know if people around the country were dancing to it, but it didn’t matter because the city tuned in. 

From spending hours alone learning the dances at home to showing those same moves at school talent shows or parties, Jersey Club music gave the youth autonomy to create their own culture in the same way Jersey Sound had years prior. It spread to those in other regions listening to the music, learning the dances, and even adopting the music’s characteristics to make remixes of popular songs. For my eighth-grade graduation party, my parents hired DJ Jayhood as the entertainment/DJ. In Newark, that was the equivalent of having a huge, mainstream rapper or artist at your party. 

In recent years, Jersey Club has received praise and celebration from mainstream Hip-Hop and R&B artists. Whether through mutual collaboration, such as Missy Elliott working with Jersey producers in 2014, or mainstream co-opting, namely DJ Khaled and Drake’s hit record “To The Max” bearing undeniable similarities to DJ Jayhood’s 2007 “Heartbroken” remix, or Ciara’s “Level Up” which repurposed DJ Telly Tellz’s “Fuck It Up Challenge,” it is clear that Jersey Club wasn’t just a moment in time or history, it is a movement. But those artists rooted in the history and culture of Jersey Club, not just the techniques, are responsible for its explosion and export from Jersey to the world. UNIIQU3, a pioneer Jersey Club artist, started out DJing in local parties before becoming the first Black woman DJ to play at Holy Ship!, an annual electronic music festival. She’s booked gigs at Afropunk, Coachella, and even international events. In 2019, she helped launch PBNJ, an international club music sandwich made in Philly, Baltimore, and N.J., whose events highlight emerging, local talent in the club music scene, sharing east coast club culture with the world. 

Most recently, Cookiee Kawaii gave her viral song, “Vibe (If I Back It Up), the video treatment, racking up two million views on Youtube, and maintaining virality across social platforms. Watching Cookiee Kawaii and her dancers sexy walk and rock their hips in a cinematic video transported me back to middle school when Ms. Porsh called out these moves on songs with DJ Lil Man and DJ Jayhood. 

Imprinted on Newark’s memory and legacy, these two generations of club music have forged themselves as legitimate, generation-defining sounds, heard and celebrated not just locally, but around the country and the world. My parents had Jersey Sound, and I’ve had Jersey Club, so there’s no telling what the next generation will create out of Newark and New Jersey. The legacy is strong, and despite attempted erasure and appropriation, it will undoubtedly continue to be home-grown for generations to come.  

The Unsung Women Innovators of Jersey Club Music

by Flisadam Pointer

The rebellious child of House music, New Jersey Club should stand as one of the most widely-recognizable and unique contributions from the state. The impact of the genre founded in the early 2000s has spread far beyond the confines of the Garden State. Music that at one point was only being played by local DJs at underground house parties now finds itself on international music festival stages and in songs by artists like Ciara and dvsn. In fact, the genre is just as much of a style of music as it is a culture. However in what feels like an intentional act, mainstream coverage of Jersey Club often omits the major role women have played in it.  

The contributions of DJ Tameil, Tim Dolla, Mike V, DJ Frosty, DJ Lil Man, and DJ Wallah cannot be understated. DJ Tameil, Tim Dolla and Mike V are the forefathers. DJ Frosty served as a bridge between adult and children listeners. DJ Lil Man mastered video content and helped transition events from home basements to large venues. And DJ Wallah dominated the radio airwaves in a way that had not yet been seen. But as often happens within Hip-Hop, Rap and music at large, the work and talent of the women within Jersey Club music are pushed to the background. From vocals to production to event promotion, women from the Garden State are not an aside in the history of Jersey Club music, but instead important contributors who deserve to be celebrated. Here are some women you should know.

UNIIQU3

DJs and Producers

From creating original songs, producing mixes, live emceeing at parties and ushering in the next dance craze, DJs are the heart of Jersey Club music. Women Hip-Hop DJs such as DJ Cocoa Chanelle, DJ Diamond Kuts, and DJ Lazy K amplified and supported the genre, but it wasn’t until UNIIQU3 entered the scene that there was a woman on the boards who focused solely on Jersey Club music. Dubbed the “Jersey Club Queen,” UNIIQU3 has played festivals like AfroPunk and Coachella and headlined international shows, playing a huge role in spreading the genre across the globe. UNIIQU3 is also a producer, vocalist, dancer, digital innovator and businesswoman. When she’s not creating music she’s hosting her Twitch show UNIIQU3’s Club Chronicles, hosting workshops to educate POC & LGBTQ+ creatives on DJ etiquette and managing their business with her outreach company BE UNIIQU3, or building what she calls an “international club music sandwich” of Philly, Baltimore and New Jersey DJs with her event company PBNJ. 

“I definitely wanted to become a DJ because I did see a lack of women behind the booth at the parties I would go to. I Googled Black women EDM DJs and would find nothing. So after I learned [how to DJ] I made it my mission to [be that representation]," said UNIIQU3. 

She also discussed how heavily DJs relied, and still do, on the attendance and participation of women partygoers. Prior to her arrival the men who DJed utilized commands like “ladies booty bounce to this” and drops like “hit it to beat” to encourage women to shake their behinds or men to dagger them. UNIIQU3 intended to “set a new vibe” during her sets and create a space for women to reclaim their bodies and autonomy on the dance floor, “I would call the girls into the circle! I was over the misogyny. Tired of the girls being told to booty bounce for the enjoyment of the guys.” 

When asked about her legacy she replied, “honestly, I still have so many more things to do. This pandemic has forced me to slow down from touring. I started [my career] wanting to make an impact on my community. So everything I’m doing now, in terms of production, is to help women who want to learn [how to produce themselves]. Nurturing my girls here [at home].”

Ms. Porsh

Vocalists

Vocalists with Jersey Club Music serve as the unofficial ambassadors of the culture. Known for classic tracks “Rock My Hips,” “Get Up On The Wall,” “Can’t Bounce Like Me,” and “Sexy Walk” Ms. Porsh was the first woman recording artist to receive featured vocal credit in Jersey Club music, opening the door for acts like Cookiee Kawaii to come nearly a decade later. 

“I didn’t realize the trail I was blazing back then especially as a junior in high school. I didn’t have any management or any representation. I was just recording [music] and putting it out. Now that I’m older, had I had the opportunity to hire someone I would have seized a lot of opportunities that were available at the time and progress my career further,” said Ms. Porsh. 

When discussing her signature vocal stamp, she credits DJ Lil Man for giving her popularity a boost: “I said it one time. He took the vocal and locked it in the vault. Later placing it on all the tracks [we created together].” 

We also discussed the lack of other credited women vocalists, to which she replied, “I wish there would have been more us! We could have teamed up and did great things. Female unity would have been great for the culture.” And when asked about what she would like to see in the future for Jersey Club music she replied, “I would love for Jersey to receive its credit. Mainstream artists will jump on a Jersey record but we won’t get our just due. We don’t get the recognition for the sound.”

Cookiee Kawaii

Cookiee Kawaii burst on the scene with her single “Vibe,” an infectious cut that took the world and TikTok by storm and is Jersey through and through. We talked about the lack of women vocalists within the genre, saying "there weren’t that many females that really dominated in the club field. I definitely looked up to K Swift because she put on for Baltimore club music heavy, rest her soul. UNIIQU3 also put on for the ladies. Others were Ms. Porsh and Double C Chanel (formerly Empress Tokyo) as they were the heavy hitters of club vocals before I really seriously started doing music. The fact that I now have the opportunity to be the front runner in Jersey Club is a blessing."

When it comes to her future in music and the future of Jersey Club, Cookiee shared the same sentiment as Ms. Porsche: "I honestly just want to put Jersey Club into the same conversations with the other bigger genres. To be recognized for what it is and how influential it is. It's a genre that can stand up with pop, EDM, and techno. The world needs to see there’s a whole culture behind Jersey Club music."

Dancers

Self-taught dancers played a huge role in Jersey Club’s wildfire-like-reach on social media, with many spending hours on YouTube to learn the latest dance moves in time for an upcoming party. The Sexy Walk, one of the most famous Jersey Club dances, is a blend of Harlem’s heel-toe and Chuck Berry’s duck walk and also the first dance move in the genre created and credited to a woman. Originated by Ashley Ford and later popularized by Miss CTE (for then-popular dance crew Chuck Taylor Entertainment), how convincingly the dancer could exude confidence while executing the move, neck snaps and head rolls. Although not exclusively a dance crew, West Side High School’s Kick Up Girls, also contributed to the Sexy Walk’s popularity. Today the most popular women dancers include Pack Rat, 3l3v3n, Quee, Danielle Morina, Ke Ke Nia, and Coach Neyy.

Kiyante Grant

Event Promoters/Street Teams 

The rise of Jersey Club music’s popularity meant promoters needed venues for the next big party and street teams on the ground to spread the word. The first all-women-led street team that doubled as a dance crew was founded by UNIIQU3 and called The Viixens. Irvington native Kiyanté Grant founded the first all-girl-led event promotion company Lady Rock Star (LRS), hosting self-funded teen parties at small venues across the city. When asked why she founded LRS she replied, “my initial objective was to earn extra money. In all honesty it wasn’t until after our first teen party that I realized how much more significant what we were doing actually was! We were packing out venues, selling out tickets, being a part of photoshoots... completely violence-free. Reflecting on it now what we’ve done was legendary for 14+-year-old girls.”

Although Grant is no longer in the event promotion business when asked what she would like to see next she quickly said, “the future of the Jersey Club music scene deserves the full participation of women just BOLDLY this time around.”

Space Owners

Many event spaces weren’t willing to open their doors to the genre’s young demographic. The first large scale facilities to do so were the Newark Public Library’s (NPL) main branch and the historic venue Newark Symphony Hall (NSH). Then library director (2005-2015) Wilma J. Grey was a fierce advocate for the city’s youth and found it imperative for them to have a safe place to enjoy themselves. NSH events manager and avid House music lover Marie Thompson made it her mission to do the same. When asked about the role women played in the genre she answered, “the Jersey Music Scene has been a male dominated industry since its inception. Very few women break into the good ole boys club of Djing, promoting, owning record stores, production, and sound. I was fortunate to break into the game as a promoter and host of a monthly party [Deliverance] that garnered at least 500 people a month." The East Orange native turned that passion into a career.  “I parlayed my love of planning and great events into a full-time job at Newark Symphony Hall,” continuing, “if the floor could talk it would tell you stories of young and old dancing and falling in love with this thing called Jersey House. The Terrace Ballroom had become known for some of the most epic college and house parties.”

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So, what’s next for the genre and the next generation of women curators? The lifeblood of the Jersey Club music heavily relies on social gathering and with the coronavirus restrictions that is not possible at this time. However, the pandemic hasn’t seemed to stop the genre by any stretch of the imagination thanks in part to applications such as Thriller, TikTok, and Instagram. There is a new wave of women in the Jersey Club music scene currently creating a presence online that cannot be denied. The culture is alive and well and the women are coming for what’s theirs.

PAP Chanel Talks About What Lies Ahead For Women In Hip-Hop

by Brooklyn White

PAP Chanel says that rapping has always been "in her, not on her," as she began reworking classic nursery rhymes at age 11. "It all grew from when I was younger and I would just write down different rhymes,” she said to The Gumbo via Zoom.

Years later she's grown in her skills, dropping an EP in 2018, The Definition of P.A.P and most recently her debut mixtape, Pretty and Paid. Pap named the project after an acronym of her moniker "P.A.P,” which stands for “pretty and paid.” The mixtape includes seven songs and only one feature, as she wanted to work on her own sound with this tape. "I know a lot of people were anticipating my new project," she said, speaking on the gap between her releases. But she maintains that she wanted to "put it on hold" to make sure the rollout was fitting. "I waited a year and a half and I don't have any complaints,” she added.

The mixtape’s sole feature is Blac Youngsta. The Memphis-based rapper approached a song she had already written for the project, “2 Way Street” and added what PAP called “the icing on the cake.” For production on Pretty and Paid, she worked with J. Reid, who has credits with talents like Lloyd, City Girls, Salma Slims, Lil Baby, Lil Wayne, and one of PAP’s idols, Nicki Minaj. "Every time we work together it's magic," PAP said of her relationship with Reid. The two met before she moved to Atlanta and gained the following she has today, and he was among the first to support her saying, "he liked [her] sound and flow."

As far as future collaborations go, PAP says her main goal is to work with more women in the industry. "I feel like times are changing for women,” noting how the competitiveness usually associated with Hip-Hop’s best performers is fading, as she sees multiple women on the Billboard charts at the same time. “Back in the day, they always used to put them against each other," she says, referring to the feud between Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown. PAP wants to do her part to change that narrative, saying "It's still so much more work to be done and I think we're off to an amazing start.”

With the year winding down and COVID-19 lockdowns seemingly imminent, the rapper shared plans of releasing a deluxe version of Pretty and Paid with more guest features. She’s in what she calls “study mode,” a time she’s using to experiment with new sounds and alter egos. PAP also teased a forthcoming lipgloss line, due out soon. At the end of our call, she tells us to “be on the lookout” for all that she has coming next. 

From King DeLarverie to Queen Latifah: Stormé DeLarverie’s Impact on Gender-Bending Fashion

by Amanda Wicks

Let my mama tell it, I was never going to “catch” a man. She thought I would grow out of my love for wearing oversized clothes and running with my older brothers as I transitioned into young adulthood, but I never did. My image didn’t mesh well with her idea of what a man wants but I had no desire to change. Not only did I abhor the idea of living my life just to appease the male gaze, but my mama was also loud and wrong. 

From Janelle Monae tippin’ on the tightrope in her well-tailored pant suits to Aaliyah being everybody’s 90s crush in her oversized Tommy Hilfiger gear, Black tomboys are gender-bending phenoms, defying the feminine-masculine binary. Though this seems normal in Hip-Hop culture, these women occupy a space that had to be carved by somebody, and one of the Black women who set the foundation for people like Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, TLC, and MC Lyte is the force known as Stormé DeLarverie. 

A quick Google search of DeLarverie will garner countless hits for articles, but they’ll most likely be about her notoriety as the spark that ignited the Stonewall Uprising, the catalyst for the  gay rights movement in the United States. While this is a grand claim to fame, her impact on Black women and fashion is often overlooked because of it. 

Born in 1920s New Orleans to a wealthy white father and a Black mother who was his servant, the soul of jazz was infused into DeLarverie’s life at a very young age. Her life centered a love for entertaining as she wowed crowds doing everything from riding horses for the Ringling Brothers Circus to touring with jazz bands. Even then, while she presented herself as stereotypically feminine, her deep baritone voice both captivated the audience and transcended their understanding of what a woman should be. 

by Amanda Wicks

DeLarverie’s world shifted in 1995 when she made her way to New York City and joined the Jewel Box Revue, a female impersonator company,as the only woman and MC. She invigorated the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem night after night and helped cultivate a space where everyone, specifically the LGBTQ community, could be safe and free. The creators of the Jewel Box Revue actually prioritized hiring an all gay staff since the other revues of the time weren’t as “gay-friendly.” They were known for being no-nonsense about homophobia while touring, offering protection to those who simply wanted to enjoy the show. The world outside those doors showed no mercy, however, and DeLarverie had to grapple with that reality. 

In her decision to become the first, and only, drag king in the company, DeLarverie was urged to reconsider. In an interview, she recounts this distinct moment in time when she says, “Somebody told me that I couldn’t do it, [be a drag king], and that I would completely ruin my reputation and that I had enough problems being Black. But I said I didn’t have any problem with it, everybody else did.” Despite pushback, she went on to do whatever the hell she wanted and became the star of the show. 

Ironically, though, it wasn’t her masculine attire that garnered negative attention, it was her feminine street clothes. Between the 1940s and 60s, law enforcement drew upon legal codes against costumed dress, otherwise known as “masquerade laws,” to target the LGBTQ community, effectively arresting people for cross-dressing. Sexual deviancy and cross-dressing went hand-in-hand in the eyes of the law and the laws were their way of ridding the streets of “bad” people. DeLarverie was detained twice for dressing as a drag queen, so even when her garb “matched” her gender, she was seen as a threat to social normativity. 

DeLarverie’s entire being represented a life suspended between masculine and feminine. Eventually, she became known for her butch attire. Well-tailored suits from London and men’s black leather jackets were her staples; still, however, the people closest to her asserted that DeLarverie maintained a stereotypically “womanly” presence. Her partner of many years, photographer Diane Arbus, captured one of the most well-known images of DeLarverie eloquently titled “The Lady Who Appears to be a Gentleman.” As noted in Arbus’ biography by Patricia Bosworth, Arbus once wrote, “[Stormé] has consciously experimented [with] her appearance as a man without ever tampering with her nature as a woman.” In this case, DeLarverie’s “womanly” nature was her inclination to help others. She was known by many as a caretaker of sorts, nurturing and protecting those around her.  

Though one’s gender and sexual identity is often reduced to visible markers such as physical features and clothing, DeLarverie created a tension between perception and reality by tearing down the false dichotomy of masculine/feminine. Her suave yet tough exterior coupled with her gentle and loving nature subverted all understanding of what it means to be “ladylike.” DeLarverie’s unapologetic presentation of self is a manifestation of the Black feminist radical tradition that reimagines what resistance looks like. When tracing a history of rebellion, grand gestures are most applauded (I’m talking violently overthrowing slavery and leading a whole bus boycott), but it’s the resistance in the everyday that inches us closer to being able to live freely, especially for Black women. 

DeLarverie chipped away at respectability and the patriarchal standards for Black womanhood simply by showing up and showing out in her menswear. Her attire didn’t render her less of a woman, instead, it accentuated her feminine prowess—turning heads with an ethereal beauty while exuding a depth and strength that nourishes and fortifies. On the shoulders of her resilience and courage stands a whole generation of Black women who aren’t afraid to be tomboys. Whether rocking a red lip and a tuxedo, or some lip gloss and baggy jeans, they defy societal norms and still manage to be the baddest. As written in a poem dedicated to DeLarverie, “Sometimes war paint is made by Maybelline, and sometimes the King is a woman.” Gender-bending women in Hip-Hop and beyond can stand a little more firmly in their true selves because King DeLarverie stood firmly in hers.