All Ladies Show Curated by B~Free at Marcus Performing Center Today, Aug. 22
When you think of music, who’s the first artist that pops into your head? More than likely it’s a male artist. According to a Forbes article, women make up 21.7 percent of artists, 12.3 percent of songwriters and 2.1 percent of producers. Yet, woman make up a little over 50% of the USA’s population.
To pay homepage and recognize the great women in the music industry, artist B~Free teamed up with Marcus Performing Arts Center and Hip-Hop Week MKE to host Ladies First: The Women Of Classic Hip Hop And R&B. The show will be held today, Aug. 22, at the Peck Pavilion, located at 929 N. Water St. starting at 7 p.m.
According to the event page, Ladies First will celebrate the work of pioneering female acts from the 80s and 90s that have been a success in the music industry and beyond. Local artists will be performing live songs by MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, En Vogue, Janet Jackson, Missy Elliott, TLC and more.
Artists apart of the show.
Each artist a part of the show has been hand selected by B~Free herself: Auti Marie, B~Free, Brit Nicole, Dailen Harris, Grey Genius, Jayne Joyce, Kia Rap Princess, Kyndal J. Music, Ms. Lotus Fankh, Mudy, Shle Berry and DJ Nikki La Bomba.
“Women are supposed to be thought of” when it comes to music or anything in life, which is why B~Free takes so much pride and honor in curating this show. Although the music is focused on women, the show itself “is for everybody.”
“It’s about if you like the music not just the women, she said.
B~Free understands that people will have criticisms and opinions about why certain artists were chosen over another or why they chose to perform this song instead of that one. Instead of focusing on what could or should have been, focus on what’s going on during the show.
Lots of research and rehearsal hours were put in to create this show. This isn’t the first show B~Free has curated. She also played her part in helping curate and produce for Black Lens of MKE Film, Washington Park Wednesdays and "MJ Uncovered" from Alverno's Uncovered series.
DJ Nikki La Bomba said it’s an honor to be picked by B~Free. According to Bomba, she’s been following most of B~Free’s musical career. As a female artist, Bomba understands the importance of highlighting women in the industry because sometimes it feels like women are forgotten, she said.
This show is just one small step into bringing awarness that women are here, in every aspect and that we’re not going anywhere.
“We have to carve our place into this city,” she said.
First Ladies is a free show. For more information, click here.