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DEEJAY’S: A MALE DOMINATED INDUSTRY?
June, 2021
For decades, we have only known men to be disc jockeys aka djs. In every genre of music ;men have dominated the deejaying scene. By the late 90’s many women joined this industry ran by men. Two very influential female DJ’s to the EDM and trance music culture are Sandra Collins and Charissa Saverio (DJ Rap).
Sandra Collins ;deejay, record producer and remixer got her start here on the West Coast in Phoenix,AZ. She later moved to Los Angeles and worked in trance. Collins performed for 80,000 people on the opening night of Woodstock in 1999. She also was the first female deejay to be featured in the Influential Tranceport recording series.
Charissa Saverio, known by her stage name Dj Rap, is a British drum and bass, house music and electronic music producer and DJ. Her most successful work is in traditional electronic music. She has been voted the #1 female DJ in the world by Shejay.
There are a number of other females DJ’s out here, and in the years to come I know more women will be taking on male dominated positions in the music industry.
-Yanni Mackins
The 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards
September 2018
Hollywood’s most notable actors and actresses came together at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles for TV's greatest night, the 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards. "Game of Thrones" led the nominations, with 22 in their favor. Colin Jost and Michael Che of "Saturday Night Live" hosted this year.
The nominees for “Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series” were: Matthew McManus American Vandal- “Clean Up” American Vandal is a true-crime satire that explores the aftermath of a costly high school prank that left twenty-seven faculty cars vandalized with phallic images. Tom Rob Smith, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story- “House by the Lake”The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story is an anthology series centered around America's most notorious crimes and criminals. This one in particular takes a look inside the murder of famous fashion designer Gianni Versace and his killer Andrew Cunanan.
Scott Franks Godless is about the 1880s American West murderous outlaw gang leader Frank Griffin hunts for ex-protege Roy Goode. Frank's chase leads him to La Belle, New Mexico - a town inhabited, after a mining disaster, almost entirely by women. David Nicholls- Patrick Melrose; Patrick Melrose is a 2018 five-part drama miniseries starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular Melrose. The show is based on semi-autobiographical novels about Britain's upper class by Edward St. Aubyn.
David Lynch and Mark Frost, “Twin Peaks”; Twin Peaks is a crime drama mixed with healthy doses of the surreal, this series is about FBI Agent Dale Cooper, who travels to the small logging town of Twin Peaks to solve the murder of seemingly innocent high schooler Laura Palmer. William Bridges and Charlie Brooker, Black Mirror- “USS Callister”. "Black Mirror" is a contemporary reworking of "The Twilight Zone" with stories that tap into the collective unease about the modern world. The winner of the Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series category was: William Bridges and Charlie Brooker, Black Mirror- “USS Callister”.
The nominees for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series were: Donald Glover, Atlanta- “Alligator Man”, Stefani Robinson, Atlanta- “Barbershop”, Atlanta is an American comedy-drama television series created by and starring Donald Glover, who also serves as a writer and director. Atlanta portrays two cousins navigating the Atlanta rap scene in an effort to improve their lives and the lives of their families. Alec Berg and Bill Hader, Barry- Chapter One: “Make Your Mark”, Liz Sarnoff, Barry- Chapter 7: “Loud, Fast, and Keep Going”, Barry is an American dark comedy television series created by Alec Berg and Bill Hader. It stars Hader as the eponymous lead character, a Midwestern hitman who travels to Los Angeles to kill someone and then finds himself joining the local arts scene.
Amy Sherman-Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel- “Pilot”. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is about a housewife in the 1950s who decides to become a stand-up comic. Alec Berg, Silicon Valley- “Fifty-One Percent”. Silicon Valley is an American comedy television series created by Mike Judge, John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky. The series focuses on five young men who founded a startup company in Silicon Valley. The winner for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series was: Amy Sherman-Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel- “Pilot”.
-Yanni Mackins
Rap: As I Know it.
January 2020
Entry 1:
I remember my first time hearing “Protect Ya Neck” by The Wu Tang Clan. In my friends garage one day after school. It was like a switch went off in my soul or spirit signaling that this was something important to me. Ever since then I feel like I have been nothing but obsessed with 90’s Rap & Hip-Hop. From the beats to the lyrics to the personas that these artists brought to the table, I was utterly in love with the sound. At this point I needed to hear more; not just from Wu-Tang but I wanted to hear other artists similar and different.
I honestly can’t even remember where I heard this song but I just remember thinking how lively and vivid they were with their words. I felt like I was there with them and could vividly imagine the story they were telling. The song was “Passin’ Me By” by The Pharcyde. The vibe and feeling that song gave me and still does give me was pure nostalgia from a time before me. I think that’s the craziest part about it because I was born in 1997 and majority of the songs I listen to are from the 90’s era. I envy my parents because they had the privilege to live in a time where Rap and Hip Hop was at its greatest peak.
Rap as a whole will never be able to be groundbreaking as it was then. Thats why I appreciate it so much. As a female in this era I do feel like an oddball because of my music choices. I think it is kind of intimidating especially to men that my musical catalog is so extensive. I’m not listening to your average music artists of today. You get in my car you’re bound to hear anything honestly. When I think about the state of music today, I feel like it is doing exactly what it is supposed to do and that is evolving. Today’s youth is obviously going to like music from today’s artists. I do believe artists today do lack individuality though. That is what primarily set artists apart in the 90’s. That is what made them marketable, which is why they were successful and still are. Im not knocking any artists from this era because that is just how things are now. Very different.
I wouldn’t call myself a Rap or Hip Hop historian because I’m still discovering songs that are absolutely mind blowing and I’m like “where has this been all my life?” I would consider myself a Rap enthusiast though. Because I don’t think there is anything in this world I feel more connected to. Once I realized I could combine my passions for music and journalism, I knew that was my calling in life. And here we are.
-Yanni Mackins
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