Queen of Bounce

Like most things born from that steamy milieu called New Orleans – jambalaya, jazz, voodoo – the musical style called “bounce” could only have come from a city which also regularly hosts impromptu processions of marching bands led by decked out Mardi Gras “Indians.” Bounce began in the early ‘90s as a variant strain of rap – actually, a variant strain of Southern rap – that utilizes a throbbing beat distilled from a 1986 song, wedded to the vocal styling of Mardi Gras Indian call-and-response. It’s basic, raw, and wildly infectious. Katey Red first stepped into this scene in 1998 while rapping at a party near the housing project where she grew up. The reaction to her performance was amplified by the fact that she was openly homosexual. Bounce had never seen anything like this, and it would never be the same. Flamboyant in her personality and lyrics, Katey’s reputation spread like wildfire from one project to the next, and soon she was a bona fide hometown hero. These days, she is often called the “godmother” of bounce, having helped bring other artists onto the scene such as Big Freedia and Vocah Redu. While they make names for themselves on the Internet and in places like New York, LA, and San Francisco, Katey holds it firmly down in New Orleans, never forgetting where she grew up, promoting young bounce artists, and encouraging the community to get involved in music and stay off the streets.

Learn more about Katey Red and New Orleans bounce HERE.

Produced by Callie Barlow / Photography Direction & Filming by Ralph Madison / First Camera by James Roe / Second Camera by Hubie Vigreux / Grip, Camera, & Swing by Chris Martin / Audio by Kevin Hughes / Edited by Amanda Larson / Music by John Camp / Production Assistance by Justin H. Miller / Special thanks to Allison Fensterstock, POOF! The Pop Show at WTUL, and The Roots of Music