Katey and new fan Andy Schwartz at SXSW 2010 (photo courtesy of Andy Schwartz)
If you're a fan of
bounce music or
sissy rappers in particular, then you almost certainly know who
Katey Red is. Born
Kenyon Carter in 1981, Katey came up in the notorious
Melph. Katey dropped
Melpomene Block Party on
Take Fo' in 1999 and made history as the first
openly gay rap star. Now's your chance to make history by helping to fund Katey's first music video. Click
here to visit the
Kickstarter page. There are a variety of incentives to give in addition to helping rectify the great wrong that there are no Katey Red videos up till now.
Big Freedia and Katey Red
The director is David White. According to the page, "
David S. White is the primary videographer for
Preservation Hall Jazz Band in
New Orleans and recently completed shooting and directing a music video for
Shamarr Allen. He is currently the
Director of Photography for
Bayou Maharajah, a feature-length video documentary on the life and music of New Orleans piano legend
James Booker. He has also shot
Dr. John,
Allen Toussaint,
Tim Robbins,
Soul Rebels Brass Band,
Del McCoury,
Charles Neville,
Cosimo Matassa,
Harry Connick Sr,
Bunny Matthews, and many others. His most recent short film,
Cell Phone Psycho, has been making the rounds at film festivals across the United States, including the
New Orleans Film Festival." [bold text is my emphasis]
For some reason, the Bounce scene, born nearly 20 years ago, seems to be undergoing a minor critical reassessment as it inspires curiosity in a new generation of fans amongst the young, the Euro, the old and new. I can only guess why. I suspect that part of it is a development of the ongoing, time-delayed, middle class fascination with vulgar, good-time booty, that, as with booty bass, gogo, ghettotech and juke house before, takes a little longer to catch on beyond the music's traditional base. Or perhaps it’s just the curiosity factor due to the prevalence of so many openly gay rappers, who have been the subject of articles in The Village Voice, The Guardian and The New York Times -- although their readers are unlikely to run out and buy the latest Sissy Rap record. There was even a piece on Bounce for NPR’s stomach-turning attempt at hipness, What's the New What? ...Just the title of that show makes me feel like I've been kicked where it hurts.
On the other hand, sites like Louisiana Rap, Nola Bounce and Twankle and Glisten have done a good job in documenting the scene and suggest a much deeper, more honest appreciation that makes me happy. I'll be honest, the idea of a politician claiming to like Bounce would make me die a little inside. Yet, I’d love it if all these underappreciated, undercredited artists who made Bounce happen got some well-deserved acknowledgment and attention. With films like Ya Heard Me documenting the scene and Youtubers like 1825 Tulane Ave and Whatheallman tirelessly keeping Bounce in your ear, I guess I can live with the idea that some ironic, comb-over-wearing member of the Dumpster Click is going to be into it too. Anyway, for the time being, if you look up "New Orleans Bounce" on Youtube, you're (currently, at least) unlikely to be confronted with the image an American Apparel/Vice Magazine disaster doing the Eddie Bow.
Take Fo' Records is a little known (outside of New Orleans) music label that truly broke ground with its motley roster of artists and progressive attitude, yet it's never received adequate recognition for its pioneering role in music. Whereas New Orleans's other big labels: Big Boy, Cash Money, Mobo, Parkway Pumpin', Untouchable, Tombstone and No Limit all seemed to consciously project a hard-as-nails image with tales of slangin', bangin', head bussin' and wig splittin', Take Fo' welcomed gangstas but also ball busters, dancer-cum-rappers, party starters and probably the first openly gay rapper. Despite the possible negative associations that might come with being part of this hip hop Island of Misfit Toys, the rappers on Take Fo' seemed unbothered and showed up on each others' albums in a show of courageous support.
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