Welcome to Zora’s Super Short Show, where I watch or revisit short films and review them. Here is a little bit about me as an introduction: I’m a Black woman, poet (Drunk Monkeys’ regular audience may remember my feature back in August), and cinephile. I chose to write about shorts in this column because as film fests have gone digital I’ve had more access to the form and realized they really aren’t talked about enough.
I struggled with choosing which short would be centered in my first column because there are so many that deserve a spotlight, but I decided on Badassery, a short that focuses on three women DJs in the Toronto music scene in 2016. This year we’ve witnessed the dominance of women in hip hop. Megan Thee Stallion, Saweetie, and of course Cardi B have thrived while serving lewks, whereas their male counterparts continue to give the same so-tired-it-can-barely-make-it-up-the-radio-charts beats with even more forgettable lyrics . This prominence is hard earned given the genre’s misogyny and the understood rule that only one woman was allowed a come-up at a time. It feels timely to revisit this short.
In Badassery, three black women DJs (Cookie Doh, Killa Kels, and Lissa Monet) try to create and sustain space for themselves in a misogynistic environment where only one female DJ can come-up at a time. Having been in the Toronto music scene for years, directors Sunita Miya-Muganza and Sarafina McIntosh made this short to shine a light on women who have moved the Toronto music scene forward. The short lands at twenty- two minutes and acts as a summary for these three women’s careers. DJ Cookie Doh is the rookie of the three, whereas DJ Killa Kels and DJ Lissa have deals with Nike and run their own booking companies.
What I found most compelling about this short documentary were the differences in the Hip Hop scenes in Canada vs the States. Even though Toronto Hip Hop has taken off due to the popularity of Drake and his label OVO, Hip Hop is still seen as a niche in the predominantly white country of Canada. Holding space as a DJ is difficult because, like the rest of Hip Hop, it is a male dominated field, and yet these women continue to innovate. Lissa spoke to the eclectic tastes of Canadian party goers and how that made it easier for her to be accepted as a woman DJ versus the segregation within the United States, and how that makes people more set in their music tastes. Simultaneously, there are significantly less systemic resources. There aren’t as many Hip Hop radio stations for them to be invited to for sets, nor are there as many Hip Hop labels overall and those that do exist aren’t bringing women along. As a result, Lissa has co-founded a company that focuses on booking DJ's for both corporate and luxury events.
What these DJs have in common with the American rappers is their dedication to craft and creating a space for their own success without their male peer’s approval. Cardi B rose from srtipper, to Love and Hip Hop star, to successful rapper. Those years of working on Love & Hip Hop allowed her to create name recognition and public investment in her career, and it paid off. She did not wait for opportunities, she created them. Before releasing her highly anticipated Fever EP., Megan Thee Stallion consistently did free styles on the radio circuit and built hype with her trademark Hot Girl Summer. Both have used social media incredibly effectively.
Social media has also aided Killa Kels, Cookie Doh, and Lissa Monet in building an audience. However, the celebrity treatment that comes with social media fame can be a hindrance. What the women note within the short is that first and foremost, DJ's provide a service, and the pressure of celebrity can get in the way of that service. Despite this issue, one very visible benefit of celebrity is that social media has allowed these women to define what their performance of womanhood was outside of the Madonna/Whore dichotomy. Killa Kels spoke to the importance of redefining what motherhood looks like as she pursues her dreams.
What has been central to all these women’s experiences is the need for more structural support. Killa Kels talked about how important it was for her to attend summer training in order to develop her skills. DJ Cookie Doh spoke about how career started organically and what it means to grind for your own opportunities. Lissa’s company LUXELIFE SOUND uplifts women in the corporate and luxury sphere. Seeing these women speak to their experiences I was left to ask, What can the music industry do for them? While these women are clearly baddasses because they create their own opportunities, what would make these opportunities sustainable is systemic support from Hip Hop Labels and radio stations? While Hip Hop Radio stations maybe limited in Canada, international brands and acts have taken notice. Lissa has opened for Beyoncè. Killa Kels has a deal with Nike, but what of the other women DJs and Producers trying to make it? There is a demand for women DJs just like there is a demand for women rappers, and it's high time the music industry paid attention.
