Reflecting on the Hip-Hop Feminist Lyrics of Amil’s “I Got That”

by Nadirah Simmons

Any mention of Amil ignites a fire under me that’s reserved for only a handful of other Hip-Hop acts. If you’re following the right people on social media, you’re bound to come across the widely shared meme of her from Backstage, in which Dame Dash proclaims “she’s ghetto, but she has a runway quality about her. And if you shuffle Jay-Z’s discography on your favorite DSP you’ll hear her spitting verses on some of his and the Roc’s biggest hits, like “Can I Get A…,” “N*gga What, N*gga Who (Originator 99)” and “Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up).” However there’s one song that exists in Amil’s catalogue that stands out as one of my favorites by affirming my position as a Hip-Hop feminist and providing an anthem for women empowerment: “I Got That.”

“I Got That” is the second single from Amil’s debut studio album All Money Is Legal (A. M. I. L.), and is the first single on which Beyoncé performs solo without the other members of Destiny’s Child. Amil opens the song by rapping: 

Plus, I got my own bread
You ain't gotta wave dinner over my head
I got that
And you can't leave me stranded
'Cause I got a ride back, and besides that
What chick you know got cock, Glocks back?

In ‘Using [Living Hip-Hop] Feminism: Redefining an Answer (to) Rap’ by Aisha Durham, she draws from the work of Joan Morgan-who coined the term Hip-Hop feminist-and contends that the philosophy is a “cultural, intellectual, and political movement grounded in the situated knowledge of women of color from the post civil-rights or Hip-Hop generation who recognize culture as a pivotal site for political intervention to challenge, resist, and mobilize collectives to dismantle systems of exploitation.”

Amil positions herself as an autonomous woman who can get it on her own and challenges sexist narratives that often appear in the lyrics of men who rap that depict women as reliant on them for success. What’s important to note as well, is that Amil doesn’t shame women who want the opposite. And in Hip-Hop feminism it’s important to acknowledge the philosophy as one that allows Black women to support feminist agendas while also employing different modes of expression within the genre. 

On the second verse Amil acknowledges her position in the rap game might invite in men who are interested in being with her sexually, saying “Ever since cats found out I ran with the Roc/They wanna take a closer look, wanna examine the box…The way I be dressin', dudes wanna toss the salad.” On the song Amil uses her lyrics to challenge hegemonic masculinity, explicitly highlighting sexual acts and challenging patriarchal scripts that exist to dictate what women can or cannot say about sex.

It is this kind of Hip-Hop feminist critique described by Marlo David in her essay, “More than Baby Mamas: Black Mothers and Hip-Hop Feminism,” that provides Amil and other women who rap with a “way out of the mire of postmodern detachment to invite women and men to get down to the business of bringing wreck against the social forces that control their lives.” 

This control is clear in the video as well, with Amil, Beyoncé, and Eve-who makes a cameo-gliding from scene to scene and spending time in the office, in the store, behind the wheel of expensive cars, and at the club. If the lyrics weren’t enough, watching the visuals makes it clear that the ladies “got that” forreal.

Amil exited the rap game after the release of her debut and only album, citing her disdain for the spotlight and entertainment industry as the reasons behind her departure. In 2011 she told Vibe Magazine:

“I’m happy for the time that I had, but [the entertainment industry] is not for me. I enjoy recording, thats always a passion, but as far as going hard with a recording career… at this point no. I’m an old head. My whole life is so different now. But I’m in a beautiful place and really just enjoying myself.”

Wherever Amil is at right now, it’s important that she knows “I Got That” deserves to sit alongside tracks like “U.N.I.T.Y.,” “Let’s Talk About Sex,” and “Ladies First” in the canon of Hip-Hop feminist anthems. It’s a song that asserts her right to pleasure and financial independence as a Black woman, and knocks down the walls that uphold systems of oppression involving race, class, sexuality, and gender. It’s self-expressive. It’s honest. And it’s enjoyable. It’s Hip-Hop feminism at its core.

beyoncé and amil, a moment! pic.twitter.com/gzLw1SdrUw

— nadirah (@hinadirah) August 30, 2020

Eve And Trina's Verzuz Reminded Us How Necessary Women Are To Hip-Hop

by Brooklyn R. White

On June 16, Verzuz, the battle that began as a head-to-head for the most groundbreaking producers in Black popular music, welcomed two titans--Ruff Ryders’ first lady, Eve, and Miami-based Billboard chart-topper Trina. Both icons, who catapulted in the late 1990s, took to the stage and reminded fans why they fell in love with their signature styles. Indirectly, it was an indicator of all that women have contributed to rap music. 

Who’s that girl? E-v-e, the self-proclaimed pitbull in a skirt. The only woman Hip-Hop artist who ran with Swizz Beatzs and DMX and one of the most multifaceted stars of the millenium. (I mean, who else, other than Queen Latifah, has the capacity to meander from rap, to sitcoms, to films, to a daytime talk show? I’ll wait.) In her earliest work, she was tied to the happenings of the inner city, showcasing the sometimes bleak realities in her music, but acknowledging the sunnier moments as well. Her first two projects, collectively containing songs like the Grammy-winning crossover joint, “Blow Ya Mind” and the poetically weighty “Love Is Blind,” ascended the Billboard Top 200 Albums list, with her first making her only the third woman in rap history to do so. Her later singles and guest appearances were just as red hot, too. If you haven’t heard her opening and closing bars on Amerie’s “One Thing,” you’re sleeping. 

Her Verzuz opponent wasn’t really a rival---Eve and Trina refer to each other as “sister” and have worked together in years past. So the jolting tension of say, Gucci Mane and Jeezy’s battle, was not present. The two women released their debut albums, Da Baddest Bitch and Let There Be Eve… roughly six months apart but they vastly differed in content. Trina emerged guns blazing, following in the tradition of Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown and generating spoken raunchfests. With memorable quotables (“I'm representing for the bitches/All eyes on your riches/No time for the little d----”), she helped make space for a new generation of fully empowered, cheeky women who knew the impact of their words. 

Trina brought a distinctness to the table though, her accent, tone, and delivery made her roots unmistakable. Like, “Nann Nigga,” as a phrase is deeply meridional. It was indicative of the way she would mandatorily present herself moving forward. With six albums to her credit, and a handful of mixtapes and EPs, she is certainly one of the most consistent figures in rap, possibly a suitable rival for Juicy J in that regard. Like him, she has also embraced the artists who follow her, as she was an early supporter of the City Girls. Trina is the connective tissue to the women who preceded her, too. 

This most recent Verzuz marked the first time two women rappers were up against one other. The previous women included were soul singers and the other rap battles had been reserved for men. More of these kinds of matches are certainly needed, just to simply honor the rich legacy and continued artistic relevance we have. We were and have been present since Hip-Hop’s beginning, please make no mistake about it. We wrapped fingers covered in gold rings around microphones and battled with the best of them (no, seriously---Roxanne Shante was slated to be crowned the best freestyle rapper in the world but was sabotaged because of her gender). Women highlight rap’s tendency to be casually misogynistic in speech and other glaring issues existent within the genre. Our balance, insight, and outlooks prevent Hip-Hop from losing dimension.

There is no Hip-Hop without women. But you knew that though. Watching Eve and Trina run through their hits was a treat, but furthermore evidence that women have held their own. Even when being backed by a man was a prevalent entry point into the music industry, it was up to us to maintain momentum and it’s clear that we did. So when you’re writing your books, engaging in hot takes on Twitter and creating those ridiculous lists of the 50 greatest rappers of all time, remember the women who gave Hip-Hop its flavor.

And while I have you, let’s start the campaign for Missy Elliott to have her own Verzuz.

La La Anthony: Solidifying Power and Loyalty

By Kimberly Denise Williams

In real life and on television, La La Anthony is known for her loyalty, fealty, and being best friends with some of the biggest names in the industry. Her most popular acting role to date, playing Lakeisha Grant on Power, was the loyal friend to the lead character, Tasha St. Patrick. Online, Anthony is often seen with her besties, a rotating group of other high profile women. In many of her upcoming roles, Anthony is poised to star as even more strong, powerful characters. And with over twenty years in the entertainment game as a DJ, personality, producer, author, clothing designer, and actress, the Hip-Hop veteran has proved that same devotion is the key to long standing success. 

Born Alani Vasquez in Brooklyn, NY La La identifies as Afro-Latina with Black and Puerto Rican roots. If you read  and watch any of her interviews you’ll see that Anthony represents New York to the fullest, and speaks of the city with the adoration native New Yorkers are known to bestow on their home. While a high school student in Atlanta, she interned and hosted her own radio show Future Flavaz alongside Ludacris. From there, her career grew. She attended the legendary Howard University in Washington D.C., where she was a DJ for the campus station. She held a few more radio jobs, before her career defining role as an MTV VJ. In a 2020 interview with Essence Magazine, she said that’s how many people still identify her “Oh that’s La La from MTV.”

On Direct Effect, an MTV countdown show of the top five most requested rap and R&B videos, La La showcased her skills interacting with both the audience and high wattage entertainment celebrities, conducting interviews about their lives, career trajectories, and current projects. On TRL, La La served as a VJ, playing the ten most requested music videos of the day and interviewing both artists and actors along the way. As a host on both shows, La La would go on to interview some of the biggest names in music including JAY-Z and Beyonce, and actors and actresses like Will Smith, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Angelina Jolie.

Her talent as an interviewer was undeniable, influencing the development of Direct Effect Presents: Fashionably Loud, where La La hosted alongside model Molly Sims and highlighted the latest in fashion and music, possibly foreshadowing her own career turn in the fashion industry as the designer of her own clothing line, which debuted at Lord and Taylor. Her versatility and commitment to hard work didn’t stop there, with La La going on to host more shows and specials like MTV’s Spring Break, and even helming her own reality shows with La La’s Full Court Wedding and La La’s Full Court Life. 

That twenty something La La Vasquez from MTV is now power icon, Alani ‘La La’ Anthony who is committed to pursuing her passion, acting. Her role on Power is only part of her acting resume, with roles in a wide cross section of projects from silver screen hit Act Like a Woman, Think Like a Man and the sequel, sweet family movie Holiday Rush, BH90210- part of the Beverly Hills Franchise, SHOWTIME original series The Chi, to voice acting for the animated show The Freak Brothers. She’s also set to star in the upcoming show Black Mafia Family, as well as play legendary Def Jam executive Tracey Waples in Wu Tang: An American Saga.

The work doesn’t stop off the screen either. She’s acted in Off Broadway plays and co-produced Danai Gurira’s acclaimed Broadway show “Eclipsed.” She’s adept at using various media formats to push issues and ideas that affect large groups.  As an Afro-Latina, she has consistently advocated for her people. She’s appeared on magazine covers for both Latina magazine and Essence, highlighting her place as a woman at the intersection of both communities. She’s partnered with Special K several times on health initiatives, and this summer she is working with the cereal brand to encourage women to run in conjunction with the national running group Black Girls Run. She has also consistently advocated for her people and celebrated the Afrolatinidad, appearing on magazine covers for both Latina magazine and Essence and highlighting her place as a woman at the intersection of both the Black and Latin communities.  

There’s a lot more in the works, and in conjunction with several heavy hitters. JuJu, a horror comedy described as “Mean Girls meets The Craft,” will focus on the struggles high school students face and is being worked on in collaboration with Issa Rae, The Shade Room’s Angelica Nwadu, and Thembi Banks. She is also working with longtime friend and collaborator 50 Cent on a limited tv series on the Cyntoia Brown Long story. She’ll play a role in the Netflix  adaptation of Tia Williams’ The Perfect Find alongside Gabrielle Union, Aisha Hinds, and Janet Hubert. 

No matter which medium she’s making moves in, Anthony is a Hip-Hop veteran who continues to put on for the culture everywhere onstage, on the screen, and on the page-and yes in all her bff’s Instagram stories too. 

Is Image Everything?: on the Photos Complimenting Pop Culture's Biggest Moments

by Brooklyn R. White

Picture this. The City Girls, heirs apparent to Salt-N-Pepa (though more lyrically aligned with Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown’s would-be duo), bent at the waist, peering back through gapped legs, ready to twerkulate. Their bodies draped in a form fitting, black leather and sheer combo, feet elevated by glass heels. The ladies’ hands are accented by multi-inch, hot pink acrylics and are gripping their butts, thighs, the back of their knees and their ankles (thanks to Photoshop, of course). The sex appeal trancends states of matter---it’s powerful enough to fill the air and drip down to the floor at the same time.

Though the “Twerkulator” art is a home run, it follows a classic formula. Over the past 40 years, Black women’s album covers, single art and posters have shocked and satisfied fans, attaching an instantly recognizable image to music. 

The art for “Twerkulator.”

Millie Jackson is the mother of women in rap, making it fitting that her artwork be just as riotous as covers of the women who were inspired by her. Jackson began performing in the 1970s as a soul and country artist, stumbling into a career after being dared by friends to hit the stage. She didn’t have any technical training, but she made some more than solid cuts (her “If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to be Right” cover is the biggest), and drew attention for her bawdy interludes and album artwork. Some of her more memorable images include 1983’s Extra Sexual Persuasion, which featured her with red nails, waved hair and a crystal ball that highlighted her breasts, and Back to the S--t! 1989’s Back to... showed her sitting on a toilet with her panties pulled down.

Jackson ruled during the day of vinyl. Back when a hot cover was enough to catch someone’s eye and sway them into purchasing your music. Though her no holds barred music did rock and was indeed a direct predecessor to rap, her cover art set her apart. You knew what you were getting into from the visual alone.

Millie Jackson’s Extra Sexual Pleasure cover art. Shot by Chuck Stewart. 

Back to the S--t!, 1989.

We inhibit a world that emphasizes what can be seen. This is why songs skyrocket when TikTok challenges are introduced and more anciently, why there was a connection between cave paintings and shamen. The appeal of Instagram relies on people’s deep connection to images. Other social platforms are not too far off either—dating sites encourage users to share photos of themselves, archival Instagram accounts are solely dedicated to stills from notable Black films and Facebook teems with screenshots of written posts that have been turned into more alluring graphics. We are drawn to the fueling of our imagination, or at least we think we are. 

“Sometimes viewers don't know what's creative, and that can have an effect on the talent you're with and that can push you into a tiny bubble,” said Marcelo Cantu to PAPER Magazine in 2017. Cantu is the photographer behind “Twerkulator,” Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP,” and Megan’s Good News. “But on the other hand, you have so many artists who have been able to navigate amazingly.”

Megan Thee Stallion’s cover art for Good News. 2020. 

On navigation, another raunchy sista, Lil’ Kim, broke societal barriers with a single poster shot by Michael Lavine. During a 2019 appearance on an Uproxx podcast, the rapper reminisced on the image chosen for the promotional art for her 1996 Hardcore album, calling the portrayal “cute” and “classy,” as she mulled over the oft-imitated squat pose, Patricia Field bikini with a  matching duster and her knowing gaze. Kim said she initiated feminist calls to action, vicious prison fights, and verbal attacks from activists, all because of the artwork. The impact was bigger than she could have imagined—the pose has been recreated by some of the most-discussed figures in popular culture, including Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian and Nicki Minaj. The album is now double platinum, 25 years after its release. 

Read our celebration of Lil Kim’s career here. 

Lil’ Kim’s Hardcore insert poster. 

The single art for “WAP” was just as much of a head turner as it’s sister photo, “Twerkulator,”  but it had a bit different purpose. For the shot, Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B faced away from each other with stacked updos and their tongues seductively hanging out. The artists’ nails peeked into the frame as they cupped their breasts. Unlike with the City Girls’ art this was all we had until we heard the single in full. Truthfully, the controversial song and video content far outweighed any discussion about the image, but it was enough to inspire a beauty trend and restart conversations about the innovations of Black beauty methods. In the beginning though, the meaning of “WAP” was a true mystery and we relied on the art for hints. It will stand the test of time because it plays into our love for nostalgia and a retroactive passion for the vulgar. 

The cover art for “WAP.”

Like music, art is simply expression. Historically, Black women’s most honest expression has been heavily filtered due to the intersection of our womanhood and Blackness. We’re ridiculed for sexual openness, though in reality, we are blueprints of feminism, embodying the scholastic without consideration. The images synched with our music are classic upon release because they are sometimes exactly everything we’re vilified for—raw, hot and in-your-face. What a beautiful resistance. 

How Kelis Gave Us A Glimpse Into A New World with 'Kaleidoscope'

Kelis photographed by Jonathan Mannion (1999)

by Gina Physic

On her debut album, the “Caught Out There” singer blended hip-hop and R&B, among other genres.

In the moments before the turn of the century, Kelis burst into the industry screaming, quite literally. In her debut single “Caught Out There,” from the studio album, Kaleidoscope, Kelis was herself, unafraid and ready to meld genres in a frantic time that desperately needed new energy. With her single, and the album as a whole, Kelis repackaged sounds familiar to hip-hop, R&B, rock, and funk, forever transforming the former two.

While Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Got Your Money” is one of Kelis’ best known hooks (the track samples “Cold Blooded” by Rick James), it, nor “Caught Out There,” was her first step into the music industry. After graduating high school, Kelis was featured on “Fairytalez” by horrorcore rap group Gravediggaz. But even before this, the singer played violin, saxophone, sang in the Girls Choir of Harlem, and grew up with a musician father. She often would share that she found inspiration in everything---and it was this love, plus past experiences with music, that made Kaleidoscope as impactful as it was. 

During a 2021 Sundance Film Festival panel on speculative fiction, the self-proclaimed “foremother of Afrofuturism”, Jewelle Gomez, stated, “For us, the past is more than prologue. The past is a really deep stew that we are cooking in and we cannot go anywhere without the aroma of that past.” The same was true of the sound Kelis introduced as a signee of Virgin Records, which was also the home to other genre-blending Black performers like Janet Jackson and Aaliyah. She was unlike anything hip-hop or R&B had seen before---experimental, while leaning on some of the very sounds that helped to birth both hip-hop and R&B: jazz, gospel and disco. With the help of The Neptunes, who fully produced Kaleidoscope, she was able to forge a new sound that remained in conversation with the sounds of the past.

Songs like “Ghetto Children” (the first track N.E.R.D appeared on) offered a futuristic and playful take on 80s rapper Slick Rick’s “Hey Young World” while laced with Kelis’ effortless, honey-dipped vocals. With “Roller Rink,” she took listeners bouncing on a psychedelic ride through space over a sample of Al Jarreau’s “No Ordinary Romance.” Kelis was repackaging an existing musical lexicon to formulate her sound, and as a result, bridging the worlds of hip-hop and R&B. 

Shortly after Kaleidoscope was released, Kelis completed a promotional stop on the BBC’s Later… with Jools Holland, a show she frequented since her work was received warmly in the United Kingdom. In the 2000 interview, she explained why she called her album Kaleidoscope, saying “Well, I mean, just think about what a kaleidoscope is. It’s a really great blend of many different things and together they’re each individual pieces, but when you put them all in one… it’s a big picture.”  During the interview, Holland also noted a conversation he had with Kelis’ band, sharing that they were heavily influenced by Willie “The Lion” Smith, a jazz and stride pianist who was a predecessor of composer and bandleader Duke Ellington. The band was also inspired by James P. Johnson, “The Father of Stride Piano,” and Jelly Roll Morton, who is widely recognized for aiding in the evolution of ragtime into jazz. 

Jazz, with its reliance on improvisation and sample-ready percussion, lent its back to the building of hip-hop, directly playing a role in the sonic territory Kelis explored. 

Beyond Kaleidoscope, when Kelis toed the line between hip-hop and R&B, she was part of some of the most influential collaborations across the genres, establishing a formula that would dominate radio waves and later, streaming platforms.There was a time, as she recalls, that she was a “feature girl on every hook there was.” From her offerings with Foxy Brown, to Angie Martinez, to Busta Rhymes to her former labelmates, The Clipse – Kelis left her mark. Her music has since been sampled by James Blake, Xzibit, The Internet, Disclosure, and when it isn’t directly sampled, it’s referenced heavily. 

Much like the lineage from which Kaleidoscope pulled, Kelis’ own influence is sprawling. Her early musical contributions bridged a gap between hip-hop and R&B, encouraging change and inspiring a generation of music makers. But of course they did, since she came in the game telling us that the good stuff was right here. 

LaToiya Williams’ Undeniable Star Power

by Nadirah Simmons

A quick Google search on the relationship between Hip-Hop and R&B will affirm that it is a tight one, from the inception of new genres like New Jack Swing and Hip-Hop Soul to the increased presence of Hip-Hop and R&B collaborations. And anyone who is a fan of Hip-Hop knows the right collaboration can take a song from good to great. Enter Los Angeles-based songstress LaToiya Williams, whose unique voice and work with heavyweights like Snoop Dogg, JAY-Z and Busta Rhymes cements her as a Hip-Hop staple.

Originally a Gospel singer, LaToiya found herself singing background for Gladys Knight and Yolanda Adams before meeting Snoop Dogg. She appeared on his 2002 compilation album ‘Doggy Style Allstars Vol. 1,’ an offering that included the standout track “Fallen Star.” On it LaToiya lamented the broken promises of a lover.

“You promised me Saturn, Venus and Mars/But all I got was bullshit and a fallen star (Fallen Star)/Out of this world, galaxy so far (So far)/Constellation tells me it's not from the heart,” sang LaToiya over a G-funk beat. In combination with lyrics rooted in Soul and R&B tradition, Williams masterfully delivered a ballad on love and heartbreak that encouraged a two-step and self-reflection at the same time. The accompanying video-just one of two shot for the album-paid homage to the 70s and Soul music of the past with a set reminiscent of Soul Train.

She would go on to lend her vocals to JAY-Z’s “All Around The World” from ‘The Blueprint 2,’ Anthony Hamilton’s “My First Love,” Young Buck’s “U Ain’t Goin Nowhere,” and the soundtracks for movies like “Baby Boy” and “Soul Plane.” In 2018 Williams released her first full full-length album ‘Blue Rose,’ a project she described as therapeutic:

“[It] starts off as we’re a happy couple. We’re doing well and then in the middle of the CD, it changes. I find out that he has a wife somewhere. I find out that he has a family. That’s where the Blue Rose comes in. That’s where the sadness the color blue comes from, that pain of me finding out the guy that I’m with is actually married to someone. Every single last song is true to life and it’s true to my life. Literally, this ‘Blue Rose’ album is a book about me and my feelings and what I been through in the last 10 years without being signed to Snoop Dogg and the stuff I’ve gone through with my man. So, it’s all true.”

The truth, honesty and authenticity in LaToiya’s voice guarantees that any song she is on will hit you right in your soul. So whenever we talk about Hip-Hop and R&B collaborations, LaToiya must be in the conversation. Her voice was the glue that pieced together cuts by the biggest rappers in music.

The Joi of Freedom

Source: alljoieverything.com

by Brooklyn White

Joi Gilliam is a conscious rock star. Unbound to the beaten road of pop’s trendsetters (constantly producing content and publicized struggles with sonic evolution/personal growth), she’s walked tall during her 25+ years in the music industry and shows no signs of slowing. “I get excited to pull the machete out and clear my own path,” she says in her official bio. “After all of these years, music is still a lifeline to sanity, memory, and inspiration for me. It’s the most powerful medium, for better or worse. I hope you feel what I’m doing.” Not only is Joi deeply felt, she is admired by many and her album ‘The Pendulum Vibe’ proves she is a staple in avant garde soul focused on liberation.

The singer/songwriter is a proud Tennessee native, which is made apparent by her use of the alias “Tennessee Slim Kitty.” After leaving Tennessee State University and moving to the everlasting musical-hotbed of Atlanta in the early 1990s, she crossed paths with Dallas Austin, the producer/songwriter famous for his work with TLC, Boyz II Men and Macy Gray. Together they crafted Gilliam’s 1994 debut, ‘The Pendulum Vibe,’ a cult classic adored for its feminist themes, over the course of three weeks.

“She is the truth and the most famous person I know,” -André 3000

Black feminism, particularly sexual liberation, equality and freedom from archaic ideas of womanhood, have been further explored by newer singers like Teyana Taylor, Jazmine Sullivan and Ari Lennox, with the former’s emphasis on maintaining personhood while raising a family echoing Gilliam’s. But at the time of Gilliam’s ascent, mainstream R&B was still very much married to the blues (and truthfully, cash) and while that can be looked at through a feminist lens of its own, the one used to observe Gilliam was rather limited. After issuing her debut, she was implored to be more like R&B’s biggest commercial successes, but thankfully, she pushed back and continued to allow her sense of self to guide her.

Source: alljoieverything.com

On ‘The Pendulum Vibe’s’ “Freedom,” she spoke specifically about the oppression that Black women face.

“You thought that I would never wise up/And I showed you what a Black female can do her thang/You cannot continue to keep me oppressed/'Cause I ain't goin' out like that,” she sang over the jazz-inspired cut with canned vocals. Less than a year after the song’s release, it was re-recorded for the Panther soundtrack and featured over 60 Black women in music, including Aaliyah, TLC, Mary J. Blige and SWV.

Gilliam delved into sexuality in her song “Narcissa Cutie Pie,” a loud and proud anthem about bisexuality. “I tantalize, I mesmerize, I can do whatever I want to...The other side is calling and I want to go with you,” she sings, referencing a potential sensual encounter with a woman. At the time, popular songs about queerness from Black artists were not overwhelmingly common, further setting Gilliam apart and helping her carve out her own lane as an artist and a sensual being. Decades after the song’s release, you’re much more likely to hear Black women explore their sexuality on record (Victoria Monét, Janelle Monae). 

With her debut, Gilliam showed posterity how to address the worst of society’s conditioning without coming off as contrived or preachy, which tend to have serious overlap. Though she’s underground, Gilliam is the “most famous person” Andre 3000 knows, she was tapped to assist D’Angelo on his most recent tour and has even inspired Madonna. Her honesty remains refreshing, her freedom is well deserved.

A Requiem for Party Spaces of My Past

by Summer Jones-Oden

I love a good party. You know the ones where EVERYONE is dancing and singing out loud? Maybe a couch stand or two? No pretentious bottle service or restrictive dress codes, just a good old-fashioned party. 

I haven't seen or heard music outside of my house or in a car in over a year. No concerts, lounges, bars, parties or functions with a DJ. I never thought I’d ever type those words-much less say them out loud-as Hip-Hop has been my source of joy for as long as I can remember. I have a very personal connection to a few spaces where I always felt safe and seen as a Black woman who loves the fellowship that music brings. So when I started jotting down notes to prepare this piece, memories of the Summer of 1994 came rushing back. 

At that time I was preparing for my senior year of high school while working a part-time job ridiculously optimistic about the next phase of my life. A chance meeting with a coworker’s daughter would change everything. Enter Club Fever in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

“The Underground at Club Fever” was the 18 to enter, 21 to drink Friday and Saturday night Hip-Hop, Reggae and R&B party presented by the legendary DJ Storm. My friends and I would usually arrive around 10pm to stand in unbelievably long lines to enter the basement-level space. Upon entering we’d be shoulder to shoulder with friends from all across the tri-state area, and the energy truly encapsulated what it meant to enjoy Hip-Hop in the early 90s, when the genre had started to take on a life of its own. DJ Storm kept the crowd engaged and rocking with everything from Black Moon to Buju Banton. Ciphers would go on by the bathrooms. Dance battles would break out in the middle of the club frequently throughout the night-the kids from Philly would always win.

Club Fever began to book Hip-Hop shows that hosted artists like Da Youngstas, Mobb Deep, members of the Wu-Tang Clan, The Boot Camp Clik and an infamous New Year’s Eve show that featured the Notorious B.I.G and a newly signed group that he formed and mentored, Junior Mafia. The security was friendly but tight, much like that one uncle you knew not to test. There were never any fights, with small skirmishes being quickly de-escalated so the party could continue. And continue it did, until it was time to go home and drag ourselves up that stairwell and do it all over again next weekend. 

In the summer of 1998 I turned 21 years old and was now freed from the shackles of the obviously fraudulent ID card that I had been flashing at the door up and down what was then called Delaware Avenue. Today the location goes by the name Columbus Boulevard, home to the Penn’s Landing waterfront area and many restaurants, bars, clubs, parks and the pier.

The clubs that lined the aforementioned pier put Hip-Hop at the forefront each and every weekend. A personal favorite spot of mine, especially during Greek Picnic Weekend, was Bahama Bay, a tropical tiki bar-themed indoor and outdoor space where DJ Kool would film the video for the classic “Let Me Clear My Throat.” Just down the street was Vegas, a mildly upscale Las Vegas-themed club that hosted some of Philly’s most notable NBA and NFL players. Just across the street was the grittier Gotham Nightclub, a converted warehouse with impeccable acoustics. The opportunities for partying were endless, and at the age of 21 I had the freedom to go wherever I wanted to without breaking into a cold sweat at the door as the bouncer looked back and forth from me to my fake ID.

My newfound freedom also found me in New York City, traveling there most weekends with friends and making it back to Jersey by Monday morning. One particular weekend provided me with my most memorable moment of my 21st year of life and remains the only time I wish we had phones with cameras back then. A chance encounter with some women who lived in the same building as I found me in The Tunnel. The night remains a blur to me-hence the desire for camera phones-but I can recall a few things: the line to get in was extraordinarily long, it took forever to get in and inside there was literally no room to move around, much less dance or get a drink. About halfway through the night Funkmaster Flex announced DMX to the stage, and what resulted was an energy unlike anything I had ever experienced. On the train ride back to Jersey I couldn’t wait to get home and tell everyone I had been to The Tunnel and saw DMX perform. The release of the “Get At Me Dog” video affirmed my recount of the night’s events at the infamous club. I never went back, although I often wished I had. But these days I’m mostly just grateful for the experience. 

My 23rd year of life placed me back in Jersey with the homegirls I had known since I was a teenager. Yet things were different, the kind of different you would expect as you age deeper into adulthood. We weren’t the same people with the same freedoms we had at 15. Some of us were traveling. But we were older, with jobs, bills and obligations. And as a result life became a little slower. The desire for the raucous clubs we were used to frequenting had dissipated and began looking for more laid back spots. That’s when we discovered the Five Spot.

Nestled in an alleyway in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia, The Five Spot was a jazz club, restaurant and lounge. It was the first place I would hear a Roots record played not in my own home. The space also marked the first time I heard Erykah Badu and India Arie sing and Jill Scott recite poetry. Tuesday nights were reserved for The Black Lily, a hub of sorts where women vocalists, lyricists and musicians came to hone and perfect their craft. The vibes were celebratory of the expression of Black women and dedicated to creativity. The DJs had the freedom to play whatever they wanted and on any given night you’d hear everything from the Stylistics to Mos Def. 

The Five Spot, photo source: Haute Girl Fresh

On February 3, 2007, The Five Spot burned down and the landscape of the Hip-Hop genre and nightlife were changing quickly. The same could be said when it came to the parties I wanted to attend. I was not interested in the huge, shiny clubs where everyone was dressed to kill and barely broke a sweat. I longed for something more intimate that reminded me of the old days at Fever and the eclectic mix of Hip-Hop, Classic R&B, Breakbeats, samples and Reggae I grew up on. Fortunately, Philly remained a progressive and creative nucleus and many of the promoters and DJs knew there were people who would dance to JAY-Z, Fela Kuti and Prince in the same night. A few months later I bumped into an old friend who invited me to a party and promised me “a good time where people actually danced.”

I passed Fluid Nightclub a hundred times and never once thought to go in. Located right off of South Street in Philly and across from a tattoo shop, the entranceway and sidewalk were always crowded with a friendly and eclectic mix of people who greeted you when you walked by. However when my friend said he’d meet us at the door I was a little skeptical. My friends and I made our way up the stairs and heard a 90s R&B song blaring out of speakers that seemed too powerful for the small space. Again, skeptical. Nonetheless, I found the person who had invited me to the spot behind the bar. (I’ll never forget the moment, because it was located in an enclave that was tiled an iridescent blue to resemble water.) He took our drink orders while we stood around checking out the club making small talk. It was at that moment that I looked over at the DJ booth and saw “Questlove.” I began softening up. Perhaps I would have the good time I was promised after all.

In what seemed like minutes after this realization, people began to trickle in by the dozens. It seemed like everyone knew everyone, greeting one another with kisses, daps and hugs. The energy was contagious and it was all gathered in this one place that felt like it was just for those of us who had the privilege of walking up those stairs. There was no place else like this on earth. Later on in the night a new DJ by the name of Mike Nyce stepped behind the booth and  welcomed us to “Tastytreats each and every Saturday at Fluid Nightclub.” Throughout the night he transitioned flawlessly through Classic and 90’s R&B, Boom Bap, Jazz, Funk, Breakbeats and House as Stacey would walk around and thank people for coming and occasionally join us on the dance floor. On any given Saturday night you could find guest DJs like Premier, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Pete Rock, Beverly Bond, Aktive, J.PERIOD, Rich Medina, Ultraviolet, 9th Wonder and Jazzy Jeff behind the booth and the small space packed to capacity.

goodbye Fluid. : ( #ASadDayInPhiladelphia

— B.R.O.theR. ?uestion (@questlove) February 18, 2013

Fluid closed on April 6, 2013, a few months before my 36th birthday. The memories of the parties, nightclubs and moments that defined my teenage years and my 20s and fulfilled me in my 30s are some of my most cherished. Now, at 43, the global pandemic has taught me not to take for granted all the social experiences I’ve had where I felt safe and seen as a Black woman who loves Hip-Hop culture. And if i could, I’d do it all over again. 

At least until 10pm.