In 2006, Black Girls Rock! launched at a small art gallery in Brooklyn, New York, as an awards show to honor hip-hop pioneers DJ Jazzy Joyce and MC Lyte. The follow year it moved to Lincoln Center in Manhattan, and in 2010, Viacom began airing the awards on BET.
This week, “BGR! Fest” hits D.C. at the Kennedy Center from Thursday through Sunday.
“I wanted to create another platform to be able to elevate the voices and the art of so many women who still don’t get the opportunities to have their work showcased,” said founder Beverly Bond, who told WTOP she started BGR! Fest in partnership with the Kennedy Center four years ago.
The event kicks off Thursday with a free Millennium Stage show from L.A. harpist-singer Kayla Ortiz at 6 p.m., followed by an opening night party dubbed “Black Girls Bond” at Studio K at 7 p.m.
“That will kick off with Mumu Fresh, who is from D.C., and also D.C.’s all-girl go-go band Be’la Dona and Ty Alexander out of Baltimore, Maryland, as well as DJ Aktive, who is also Janet Jackson’s DJ, and myself — I am a DJ. In fact, some people thought my first name was ‘DJ.'”
The lineup continues Friday with “Who Rocks Next?” at 9:30 p.m. at Studio K.
“These artists are not always new, sometimes they’re regrouping,” Bond said. “We have a really strong Philly night. A group out of Philadelphia known as AAries has a new project coming out. … Another artist who has revamped her career is Res. … Then we have this new artist Kenya Vaun out of Philadelphia. She is going to be one of those game-changing artists.”
Saturday brings another free Millennium Stage performance by D.C. group The Amours at 6 p.m., followed by the main-stage “BGR! Concert” in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall at 8 p.m.
“We have Jade Novah, who is an artist-comedian, she’s really, really creative and super dope; Alice Smith, who’s from D.C. and is just a powerhouse, phenomenal, four-octave vocalist; and Estelle, who is an incredible artist and rapper … a British powerhouse,” Bond said.
Saturday night brings the “After Dark” show “Black Men Rock” at Studio K at 9:30 p.m.
“We’re celebrating the contributions of male music artists,” Bond said. “One is the indie-rock artist, Bazaar Royale, who also happens to be my husband, but he’s been a rock-hip-hop artist signed to DMX for a long time and is continuing to do his whole ghetto-metal movement. We also have hip-hop luminaries, the legendary group Dead Prez headlining that stage.”
Finally, Sunday moves to The REACH for the “BGR! Fest Film Forum: A Soul Sunday Movie Matinee” with a free Q&A and screening of “Giving Hope: The Ni’Cola Mitchell Story.”
“It’s a story about her life as an author and inspirational speaker who, after experiencing sexual violence as a young girl, founded this organization dedicated to helping other at-risk girls,” Bond said. “We’re doing a talkback with the cast and creators: Ni’Cola will be there, Tatyana Ali will be there, the director will be there, a great way to wind down your Sunday.”
Listen to our full conversation here.
