Interview by Billy Jam. From SCENE: The Guardian Guide to Nightlife and Glamour, on stands now.
B.A.S.S. ladies: Pam the Funkstress and DJ Zita, photographed by Keeney + Law
The B.A.S.S. (Bay Area Sistah Sound) Crew, which bills itself as "the Bay's Premier Lady DJ Crew," kicked into gear in March 2008 with its first Everlasting B.A.S.S. party at Milk in the Haight. The wildly popular SF monthly, which prides itself on presenting all-female DJ and promotion talents, has now found a home at the lovely Poleng Lounge. Every fourth Saturday, founding member DJ Zita and Pam the Funkstress (formerly of the hip-hop legends the Coup) serve up a nonstop mix of hip hop, funk, soul, and dancehall. DJ Neta, currently busy being a new mom and finishing her PhD, and promoter Fiyah Lilly are also part of the Sistahood. Over the past 18 months Everlasting B.A.S.S.'s hot guest spinners have included DJ Shortee, Deeandroid, Celskiii, Melina Jones, and Conscious Daughters. On Sept. 26, DJ Similak Chyld and emcee Josie Stingray will join the mix.
SFBG What sets Everlasting B.A.S.S. apart from other parties?
Pam the Funkstress It's all female DJs, all female emcees, and female promoters, too. It's a whole lady thing. And our music selection is a lot different from what you would normally hear at a regular club. I mean you hear the club stuff, but Zita plays a lot of the old school stuff, and I play a lot more of the newer stuff but at the same time I play a lot of '90s. But I don't seem to play music that is derogatory toward women. Like with, say, Too $hort, I will play "Short But Funky" or "Blow the Whistle," but I won't play some of his album classics that I know are hits but are derogatory.
SFBG Does Everlasting B.A.S.S. attract a different ratio of men to women?
DJ Zita Ladies usually dominate the club, which is not at all like your typical meat-market night. There are plenty of men, but there's definitely a vibe of respect for the sisters attending.
SFBG What was one of your best nights?
DJ Zita Our one-year anniversary was truly memorable for me. Through creating a lineup of 10 Bay Area female DJs, plus MC Aima the Dreamer and the Bodirock C.U.L.T.U.R.E. dance crew, we made a leap in forming the foundation of a DJ sisterhood, which is one of my goals.
SFBG Pam, you're a cook and have run a successful Cajun-oriented catering company, Piccadilly Catering (www.piccadillycatering.com), for many years. What are the parallels between making food and mixing music?
Pam the Funkstress Music is almost like food. You're giving people on the dance floor a little taste of this song, a little taste of that song, and you're mixing it up, cutting it up, and you're making it into a whole gumbo, a whole pot of different types of music.
SFBG The Bay Area is more open-minded and gender unbiased than most places. But even here it's still a male-dominated world when it comes to music and clubs. Will there ever be true gender equality on the scene?
Zita: We are still a long way from true gender equality. From club owners and managers to DJs and hip-hop itself, I'm working in a industry that is largely run by men. When you take a glimpse of the big picture, you see men in the highest positions of power running the clubs, running hip-hop, running our country. Hip-hop and the club industry's portrayals of women are also largely negative. What we represent is a strong, positive, female-of-color force in the game.
EVERLASTING B.A.S.S.
Sat/26 and every fourth Saturday
10 p.m., $10
1751 Fulton, SF.
Poleng Lounge
www.polenglounge.com
www.bassladydjs.com
Hear mixes by DJ Zita at www.djzita.com
Tune in to Pam's weekly podcast at bassradio.podcast.com
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