After playing Homo A Go Go this summer and putting out the Microphone Influenza mixtape, Philadelphia's Benni E is one of the hottest rappers in queer hip hop (or hip hop in general!). She was cool enough to let us ask her some dorky questions and more importantly, offer up a song or two!
Check out the interview and jams after the cut!
YC: So, you've been releasing songs since at least a year now, but when did you first think "i can do this!" and start rapping/making music?
BE: I started professionally in November of 2007, after connecting with DJ Bunnystyle of Plastic Glamour Studio. Everything took off from that point. Before that I was writing all the time and doing spoken word events in Philly.
YC: If you weren't you and you heard your music, how would you describe it and which song do you think would be your favorite?
BE: i'd say this person is fun, but has a message. The beats she chooses are relevant but not stuck in trends. I would describe the music as heartwarming, energetic, creative, and inspiring.
YC:You've worked with Shunda K, DJ Kotchy, and one of our faves, Sgt. Sass...who are some of your dream collaborators?
BE: Some of my dream collaborators on an int'l level would be, Danger Mouse/Cee-Lo, Just Blaze, 9th Wonder, Pri the Honeydark, you know folks of that calibur regarding producers. I'd love to do some work with folks like Imogen Heap, CLP, Lady Xtra, Erase Errata, and just wonderful artists making music/art that is life changing. I'm really open to collaborations with everyone to be honest. I just really like to make music.
YC: You recently played Homo A Go Go and have played a bunch of shows all over the place. What can we expect from you going into 2010? Do you have an album in the works/will you be touring?
BE: Well I'll be touring next year definitely. The kinks are being worked out now. I'm in the midst of working on my second mix tape entitled The Ninth Oz Child. That'll be out by 2010. And God willing the album will be done for next year as well, but I want it to be good, so i go back to the drawing board often and rework songs.
Benni E - I'm Good
Benni E w/ Fur Salon - Nu Skool Krush
Benni E
Benni E
After playing Homo A Go Go this summer and putting out the Microphone Influenza mixtape, Philadelphia's Benni E is one of the hottest rappers in queer hip hop (or hip hop in general!). She was cool enough to let us ask her some dorky questions and more importantly, offer up a song or two!
Check out the interview and jams after the cut!
YC: So, you've been releasing songs since at least a year now, but when did you first think "i can do this!" and start rapping/making music?
BE: I started professionally in November of 2007, after connecting with DJ Bunnystyle of Plastic Glamour Studio. Everything took off from that point. Before that I was writing all the time and doing spoken word events in Philly.
YC: If you weren't you and you heard your music, how would you describe it and which song do you think would be your favorite?
BE: i'd say this person is fun, but has a message. The beats she chooses are relevant but not stuck in trends. I would describe the music as heartwarming, energetic, creative, and inspiring.
YC:You've worked with Shunda K, DJ Kotchy, and one of our faves, Sgt. Sass...who are some of your dream collaborators?
BE: Some of my dream collaborators on an int'l level would be, Danger Mouse/Cee-Lo, Just Blaze, 9th Wonder, Pri the Honeydark, you know folks of that calibur regarding producers. I'd love to do some work with folks like Imogen Heap, CLP, Lady Xtra, Erase Errata, and just wonderful artists making music/art that is life changing. I'm really open to collaborations with everyone to be honest. I just really like to make music.
YC: You recently played Homo A Go Go and have played a bunch of shows all over the place. What can we expect from you going into 2010? Do you have an album in the works/will you be touring?
BE: Well I'll be touring next year definitely. The kinks are being worked out now. I'm in the midst of working on my second mix tape entitled The Ninth Oz Child. That'll be out by 2010. And God willing the album will be done for next year as well, but I want it to be good, so i go back to the drawing board often and rework songs.
Benni E - I'm Good
Benni E w/ Fur Salon - Nu Skool Krush
Benni E
After playing Homo A Go Go this summer and putting out the Microphone Influenza mixtape, Philadelphia's Benni E is one of the hottest rappers in queer hip hop (or hip hop in general!). She was cool enough to let us ask her some dorky questions and more importantly, offer up a song or two!
Check out the interview and jams after the cut!
YC: So, you've been releasing songs since at least a year now, but when did you first think "i can do this!" and start rapping/making music?
BE: I started professionally in November of 2007, after connecting with DJ Bunnystyle of Plastic Glamour Studio. Everything took off from that point. Before that I was writing all the time and doing spoken word events in Philly.
YC: If you weren't you and you heard your music, how would you describe it and which song do you think would be your favorite?
BE: i'd say this person is fun, but has a message. The beats she chooses are relevant but not stuck in trends. I would describe the music as heartwarming, energetic, creative, and inspiring.
YC:You've worked with Shunda K, DJ Kotchy, and one of our faves, Sgt. Sass...who are some of your dream collaborators?
BE: Some of my dream collaborators on an int'l level would be, Danger Mouse/Cee-Lo, Just Blaze, 9th Wonder, Pri the Honeydark, you know folks of that calibur regarding producers. I'd love to do some work with folks like Imogen Heap, CLP, Lady Xtra, Erase Errata, and just wonderful artists making music/art that is life changing. I'm really open to collaborations with everyone to be honest. I just really like to make music.
YC: You recently played Homo A Go Go and have played a bunch of shows all over the place. What can we expect from you going into 2010? Do you have an album in the works/will you be touring?
BE: Well I'll be touring next year definitely. The kinks are being worked out now. I'm in the midst of working on my second mix tape entitled The Ninth Oz Child. That'll be out by 2010. And God willing the album will be done for next year as well, but I want it to be good, so i go back to the drawing board often and rework songs.
Benni E - I'm Good
Benni E w/ Fur Salon - Nu Skool Krush
I look like a chubby Jake Gyllenhaal
I have to thank my gal pal Angel for introducing me to Das Racist. When I first heard them, I was pretty blazed, smoking a Benson & Hedges, sippin some pop and kickin it. And then the music started playing. I asked her what the hell we were listening to? IT was total out of body experience. And "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell" is now the official summer jam of 2009, joining the already sublime "Heavy Cross" Fred Falke remix.
The production is something to be desired, but fuck it. If the song gets stuck in your head, it's there regardless. Plus they're kind of hot in that I'd-fuck-them-and-not-tell-anyone kind of way. They are a great addition to hip hop, for me at least, joining Sgt. Sass and Benni E. I smell a tour plan.
Das Racist - Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell
You can also just download their EP "We Made It" over HERE.
I look like a chubby Jake Gyllenhaal
I have to thank my gal pal Angel for introducing me to Das Racist. When I first heard them, I was pretty blazed, smoking a Benson & Hedges, sippin some pop and kickin it. And then the music started playing. I asked her what the hell we were listening to? IT was total out of body experience. And "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell" is now the official summer jam of 2009, joining the already sublime "Heavy Cross" Fred Falke remix.
The production is something to be desired, but fuck it. If the song gets stuck in your head, it's there regardless. Plus they're kind of hot in that I'd-fuck-them-and-not-tell-anyone kind of way. They are a great addition to hip hop, for me at least, joining Sgt. Sass and Benni E. I smell a tour plan.
Das Racist - Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell
You can also just download their EP "We Made It" over HERE.
I look like a chubby Jake Gyllenhaal
I have to thank my gal pal Angel for introducing me to Das Racist. When I first heard them, I was pretty blazed, smoking a Benson & Hedges, sippin some pop and kickin it. And then the music started playing. I asked her what the hell we were listening to? IT was total out of body experience. And "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell" is now the official summer jam of 2009, joining the already sublime "Heavy Cross" Fred Falke remix.
The production is something to be desired, but fuck it. If the song gets stuck in your head, it's there regardless. Plus they're kind of hot in that I'd-fuck-them-and-not-tell-anyone kind of way. They are a great addition to hip hop, for me at least, joining Sgt. Sass and Benni E. I smell a tour plan.
Das Racist - Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell
You can also just download their EP "We Made It" over HERE.
Girlzzzz Talkzzzzz
Sgt. Sass is a gay hip hop duo from Philadelphia, PA. Consisting of MC KD and MC DT (with DJ boXX), Sgt. Sass have been pounding out jams for a few years now, dropping the "Double S 4 Mayor" mixtape and now the "Body Rock" EP. Young Creature caught up with MC DT to catch up on what's happening (DT and myself met through Livejournal circa 2002...something like that). Warning: the conversation consists of talk of Chris Brown, weed, and other non sequiturs.
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Young Creature: so when are you touringggg
DT of Sgt. Sass: ummm we are going to california soon. and honestly, we've been so busy on this side with finshing up the cd and playing in the north east. it's been exhausting.
now, we have a weekly party to do starting on thursday...
YC: how long have you been working on it so far
DT: we worked on body rock for a year and a few months
YC: yeah that's like you have to maintain a crowd. so are you guys gonna be djing and like, playing a few sets here and there or is it a theme night
DT: a bit of both. we're mostly leaving the djing up to our dj lol. booking other queer and queer friendly artist. we have leif on thursday. he's simply amazing
YC: lol right? you should have like, little contests. like bobbing for apples and winning a signed ep or something
DT: that sounds like a great idea, actually it'd be cute real real cute
YC: like sgt sass' hipster hoedown
i like themes like that. and i think that's why i really like sgt. sass cause it's thematically consistent
definately, challenging oneself to think beyond the obvious
DT: it's just more interesting that way. i mean i love rapping just street things. everyday life but gotta keep it interesting you know exactly.
YC: definately, and i think that's why hip hop is so interesting, cause it's an exaggeration of everyday life. like i don't really care about doing the dishes you know
and i think that's why i love like, foxy brown, lil' kim, the cool kids, cause it's this sense of bravado that isn't really prominent in other genres
DT: omg i heard julie ruin at the club last night. your last statement just made me think of it... you know the dishes part
hahaha
YC: breaking dishes always makes me think of trina for some reason.
DT: not rihanna?
YC: lol over herrrr
DT: i know that's right. where were those dishes when chris brown was wildin out
YC: right? punch him right back!
DT: i know that's right. benni has this one lyric in a new song that goes yous a biter like a Chris Brown fighter
YC: seriously, how is he still famous.
DT: i dunno if i would do a chris brown diss
everyone knows he's horrible but yet he's still famous ugh
YC: i'd just be like, "your head is really big, not conceited, like genetically"
DT: and your teeth too
YC: he is our generation's donkey kong. oh gosh have you guys tried using video game sounds in your songs? like who usually comes up with a beat
DT: ummm. it really depends who we are working with. like demonstrate and drop was mostly daquan and steven bloodbath
hanging out and messing around and i always had the idea of celebrity skin in a dance song
YC: i really hate you guys for making that. when i first heard it, i was like oh shit a fucking hole sample!
DT: we didnt have our dj in new york last night and i couldn't find the instrumental and we couldn't do it !!! at a gay punk club like they nneeeded that
YC: that would've been awesome, cause you guys are total gay punk
DT: we are! andrew from limp wrist bboked us and we're opening for pansy division soon
it's like a punk rock dream come true
YC: gosh i remember we met through like, livejournal, and a majority of the conversations were focused on making some musical difference and here you are today lol
DT: YEAH. i never thought it would be through the tunes im making today but i guess it makes sense and it def works. always saw myself in a punk band but like you said we are a gay punk band
YC: i mean punk for me at least is about the message first and i mean, for myself, there hasn't been any gay hip hop around
so you can be proud that you're the first gay rapper i know
DT: awww!
YC: of like, 2
DT: who's the other one?
YC: ..myself
DT: i wanna put the demonstrate remix on the internet you should do it for realz
YC: no i'd have to get really stoned to do that again. i find my speaking voice to be real annoying. like have you ever listened to yourself talk? it really blew my mind how different i sounded than what i imagined
DT: took me a min to really like my voice but i think it works for D and i. him taking on the sgt. roll and me the sass roll.
YC: haha is that how you sort of imagine yourself. like are there designated roles, whatever they are, in the band
DT: it just kinda hsppened like thst you know. he's more gangsta and im more bratty
YC: from all the years rocking out to bratmobile i imagine
...at some point, I called him the black, gay Allison Wolfe...
YC: do you find any of the issues that were prevalent from riot grrl making the transition into sgt sass. cause like, when i first started solo stuff, i knew my instruments and like, production were going to be extremely limited so i made the decision to expand thematically to avoid boxing myself in
DT: that's a good question. i think it's a bit easier for us to play a straight male crowd then they could but i think at the same time that straight male crowd kinda thinks of us as a novelty act in the same light most straight male punks did riot grrrl acts
hahaha i read the question wrong...it wasn't really that hard because D and I knew we had to start somewhere with production just to make that point of being serious about this project. so it was lofi for us until people came along to help us more professionaly
YC: it's almost for me, listening to the record, that like this is everyday life. cause you know how it is, we all love to talk ourselves up and whatever, but to someone i think looking from the outside, it's really weird. cause we don't hear gay rap in the mainstream and when it happens it's like, some white dude on snl or whatever. and for people who don't get it, it becomes in their mind novelty. because it's weird, that there hasn't really been a huge blow up of it in indie culture
which leads to mainstream. so thematically and visually it's super foreign
DT: right. but there are so many queer rappers on the come up that soon it will make that transition from indie to mainstream like last night in new york, last offence (who was in the spin article and interview about gay rap like a month or two back), king jabber, and sonny lewis came out to support us
YC: do you guys have any aspirations for mainstream
DT: for me, if it happens - it happens
YC: see i didn't even know there was a gay rap underground. it's like discovering how good twilight is i just didn't know
DT: yes! mondo homo just happened which is a queer rap festival similar to homo a gogo
YC: see i didn't even know what mondo homo was
DT: we got invited at the last minute next year tho
YC: see that's super exciting, the touring. do you guys wanna tour at any point?
DT: we're working on it. i really wanted the west coast to work out but with everything else going here on the east, its been super hard to concentrate on that. we are however working on a florida tour with ricky diamond - he's this hiphop electro artist we played with recently and we totally connected with him
DT: i can't wait for california
YC: what are you guys doing out there
DT: homo a gogo!
YC: you know what, i knew that, tish posted the homo a gogo line up on the blog
DT: omg link me i wanna see everything like id ont even know
YC: ugh it's being slow fuck the world wide web fml
DT: oh sweet im playing with hunx and benni that day too
YC: ooooh nomi lamm
DT: legends with legends in the making
YC:i saw her open for tracy + the plastics one time, and she stopped a song cause people were talking and she couldn't concentrate. and she HAD to be paid attention to. it was amazing i was like, you DEMAND RESPECT BITCH I LOVE YOU
DT: i miss tracy adn the plastics like wynn girl 6 years ago inspired me so much
YC: she had a freak out on stage that night too. she like, stopped the show to talk about art and like, someone told her essentially to shut up and sing and she freaked out on them
DT: yeah i saw her do that hear toobut it was pissing me off because kids were just like talking and talking
YC: you should stage a freak out on stage
DT: i should lol
YC: see i love that stuff just like, i love the theatricality of shows. which is why i love the ssion cause they used to dress up as barn animals and jump rope with a plushie snake. like would you ever add a theatre element to your shows
DT: we plan on it. dynamic duos in history. dress up like bonnie and clyde. me in a dress, of course
YC: omg calvin and hobbes
DT: if our dj comes, dress up like nirvana or some dumb shit like that yeah crazy stuff like that we got it up our sleves
YC: see if i ever play live, i want an accompanying puppet show
DT: that sounds nice like crazy nice
YC: you can steal it
DT: when are you going to start?
YC: i dunno i have mad stage fright it'll happen whenever lol i'm real bad at that
DT: nah i thought i was too. you are a sag it comes natureal
YC: oh that's right fellow sag. it says on the www that we like traveling, getting to the heart of the matter, freedom, laws and meanings, and the general 'feel' of things. and it also says we dislike off the wall theories, being tied down domestically, being constrained, and being bothered with details. wait when is your birthday
DT: december 16
YC: you have the same birthday as benjamin bratt, paul van dyke, kaine of the ying yang twins, flo rida, and major lols scott storch. lol walt disney's wife lillian died on your birthday
Sgt Sass - Demonstrate
Sgt Sass - Body Rock (ft. Benni E)