The QWEEN BEAT interviews pt 1: BEEK

QWEEN BEAT is the ballroom production family headed up by Mike Q, and featuring some of the most talented young producers/MCs in vogue life. Some of these folks I have wanted to cover here on CVNTY for a while, so I have decided to do a QWEEN BEAT special series, featuring interviews with three of my favourite artists from that camp. 

Kicking things off it's Anthonyy "BEEK" Badon, a young MC/producer beginning to make serious waves with his tracks and mixes. A supporter of CVNT Traxxx since the very beginning, it seems only right to start off this series of interviews with BEEK, and to showcase his mixtape for Brother Sister Records, which features the best of his own producitons and remixes.

Who is Beek?

Beek is a Southern-Raised, Loud-Mouthed, Know-It-All who is always in some type of mess. Beek gets away with most things that I, Anthonyy, can't.

How do you describe what you do? 

I would describe what I do as an “eargasmic experience.”

How did you get involved with the whole ballroom scene? 

Honestly, just like many other people, YouTube! I started watching clips on YouTube and pretty much fell in love with it.

And what do you think of the ballroom scene now in 2013? 

I think it's going just a strong as before.
 
Can you explain for our readers the different types of "MCing" (commentating, chanting, etc) used in ballroom, and how these are different and might have developed? 

Commentating and Chanting are basically the same things. The Commentator is the MC who does the chanting. Chanting is repeating a short set of words.

How did you arrive at your own, quite unique, style? Both in terms of production and vocally? 

Well, I've always had my own personal way of writing and producing my music. But starting out I was afraid of how the world would perceive it. So I listened to other artist's music and mimicked their kick patterns and such. After a while people started comparing Divoli S'vere & I's style, and said we were “too similar.” That was when I knew I had to change it up and be myself.

What is your favourite production you have been involved in? 

My fav production has to be working with Sugur Shane on “Ckuntie”. 

Who are your favourite ballroom MC? 

My Fav is of course: B. Ames, I don't know if she is even considered an MC or not. We'll just call her a vocalist.

How did you get involved with Qween Beat? 

Well, I didn't really know exactly what Qween Beat was before I met my good friend B. Ames. After I started making ballroom tracks for fun he told me about the group of talented ballroom producers that he was apart of and helped me prepare my first mixtape to send to over to MikeQ.

What does Qween Beat mean to you/ how would you describe it? 

I would say Qween Beat is like a family. A family built of different people, from different parts of the globe brought together by their love for fabulous music.

What does the future hold for Qween Beat? 

I see a successful future for Qween Beat. Once everything is right and the ball starts rolling there's no stopping it.
 
Can you explain for the readers what "cunt" means in ballroom? 

“Cunt” is a mindset, a feeling. A feeling of empowerment!

BEEK's mix for Brother Sister Records.



1. Beek - Pulse (Witch Dokter Stomp Remix)
2. Kimbra - Settle Down (Beek Remix)
3. B. Ames - Like, Really Cunt (B. Ames Jersey Club Remix)
4. Beek - Blow Ya Smoke (Higher)
5. French Fries - Yo Vogue (Beek Remix)
6. Beek - Boom-Chiki-Boom (ft. Buddah)
7. Beek - JNGLFeevah 8. Beek - Feel It! [UNRELEASED EXCLUSIVE]
9. Beek - Like This, Like That
10. Beyonce/Kelis - The Naughty Milkshake (A Beek Mix)
11. Britney Spears - Toxic [UNRELEASED EXCLUSIVE]
11. Beyonce - End Of Time (Beek Remix) [EXTENDED VERSION]
12. Beek - Ckuntie (ft. Sugur Shane)
13. Beek x Divoli - Give It To Me Pt. 1
14. $1 Bin x Kilbourne - Hey Hoe (Beek Remix)

SUGUR SHANE [Qween Beat/Got Rush Ent] interview

Part three in an ongoing series on upcoming children.

THIS BITCH RIGHT HERE! One of the first people ever to reach out to Cunt Traxxx in the early days, it seemed obvious to ask Shane when I needed a vocal for my debut EP. A real all-rounder, I sent his busy ass some questions to catch up, and to introduce him to the CVNTY readers...




Who is Sugur Shane?
 
Sugur Shane is an artist, but to break it down, a rapper, house vocalist, and DJ. In any case, not to be confused with a commentator or ballroom artist. Just wanted to clear that up, the mixtape has made some new Sugur Shane fans and they sometimes think I’m just ballroom.

How would you describe your sound?

My sound is dark, grimey and aggressive. Very in your face! You can always catch some shady lyrics in my art.

Who or what is your biggest musical inspiration?

I have a few. 90’s music is a big one, Lil Kim, Gillette, and Biggie. I actually wrote my first rap to Biggie’s Warning. Gillette & 20 Fingers brought the nasty side of it and also enabled me to mesh the genre’s together. As far as house music, Peter Rauhofer & Junior Vasquez were the sole contributors to that influence.

What's your favourite part of making music - djing, performance, production, etc?

I love all aspects of making music. The photoshoots are fun, Production fun  but draining, DJing can be cute, but the ultimate high is performing! I love performing, its better than any drug.

How did you get into the whole house/ballroom scene?

I was first introduced to the ballroom scene by my gay mother Princess Magnifique Royalty. I met her randomly actually when I was at Spirit Nightclub in New York. We clicked instantly and she has been my family ever since. Even with being introduced into the scene and having a gay mother; I still never really became too invested into the ballroom scene. I always checked it out here and there but kept my distance.

You're very prolific - tell us what releases you have just now…

Well of course we have my debut mixtape My Night with Peter & Junior! Which is not going away; Everyone keeps asking me about another mixtape. The mixtape still has a lot of ground work, so we are still pushing it. Aside from that I have some exclusives that dropped: Sexy Heels, Club Kid Cunt, Imma Read 2013 Remix with Queer Hiphop Artist DT. I also have my monthly Sugcast which is a tribal circuit house podcast on Soundcloud.

How did the collab with Schwarz happen and are you happy with it?

He hit me up a few days after I followed him on soundcloud. I live for his production so when he hit me up I was immediately down. Our collab Club Kid Cunt is one of my favorite tracks. That trance kick with the ha did it for me. I wrote that track within a hour, that’s when you know I’m truly feeling it.

You play a lot in your native Philly - how is the ballroom scene outside of New York at the moment? Is it different from NY? 

I can’t speak on the ballroom scene too much, because I’m not that involved. In my opinion the whole scene is starting to be watered down and taken over by vogue fem. I don’t feel like it’s a respected craft like it once was either; It’s not like it use to be. The only difference between the scenes is that it is a lot more dangerous here. Our monthly balls are in the hood, so you always come prepared. I’m not totally talking out of my ass either, because the true legends of vogue would agree.

What has been the biggest influence on you besides music?

Life experience. As I stated Biggie was one of my influences and he was a great storyteller. There’s always something that I may be going through at the time that comes out in my music. Like I said recently I stay Taylor swiftin guys in my songs as well lol. Lately it’s been the hipsters ha.

What's coming up in the near future for Sugur Shane?

I have many projects in the works right now. A new house music single coming out later this year. An EP in the works, of course more music videos. Last but not least I’m working on performing overseas and all over the U.S.

Sugur Shane on Soundcloud.
Sugur Shane's website Sugur Rush.

SUGUR SHANE Qween Beat Attack video:
 


And here it is, the Cunt Traxxx/Sugur Shane collab called “Drop", available as a free download, so GRRRRAB IT. NOW! Rest of the “Death Drops" EP is available to buy on Juno.  

KEVIN JZ PRODIGY "The Ha Session Alarm Vogue"

I HOPE YOU ALL LIKE AN ENJOY THIS, HOW YOU GET THIS IS UP TO YOU. BUT VOGUE DOWN AND GET IN I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY THIS. PART 2 WILL BE ON YOUTUBE VERY SOON BUT VOGUE DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YES KEVIN!!