Kevin Jz Prodigy | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Philadelphia |
Genres | Ballroom |
Instrument | MCing |
Years active | 2002-present |
Kevin Jz Prodigy is a Ballroom commentator, [1] music producer and singer from Philadelphia. [2]
In 1997, he discovered the Ballroom scene when friends took him to a club. He then learned how to vogue and joined the House of Movado. He started making music and commentating at balls in the early 2000s. [3]
Prodigy's songs “Here Comes the Hurricane Legendary Katrina” and “Bam Bam Shawam” have been popularized by TikTok. [4] In 2020, he launched the #IAmAWomanChallenge [5] to encourage Ballroom dancers to post videos while the clubs where they usually performed were closed. His song "FA FA FA FEMININ" was used in the film presenting Mugler's Spring/Summer 2022 collection. [3]
He was featured on the song Pure/Honey on Beyoncé's 2022 Renaissance album, has lent his voice on her tour [6] [ clarification needed ] and he is featured in Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé. [7]
Prodigy was a commentator on the first Equality Ball organized in Las Vegas on August 27, 2023. [8] [9]
In 2023, a recording of his voice appeared on Madonna's Celebration Tour during the song Vogue. [10]
Vogue, or voguing, is a highly stylized, modern house dance originating in the late 1980s that evolved out of the Harlem ballroom scene of the 1960s. It is inspired by the poses of models in fashion magazines.
"Vogue" is a song by American singer Madonna from her soundtrack album I'm Breathless (1990). Written and produced by herself and Shep Pettibone, it was inspired by voguing, a dance which was part of the underground gay scene in New York City. The song was released as the lead single from the album on March 20, 1990, by Sire Records and Warner Bros. Records. "Vogue" is a house song with influences of disco, which contains escapist lyrics describing the dance floor as "a place where no boundaries exist". Its middle eight features Madonna name-dropping several actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood. "Vogue" was later included on three of Madonna's compilation albums: The Immaculate Collection (1990), Celebration (2009), and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022).
The Ballroom scene is an African-American and Latino underground LGBTQ+ subculture. Its origins can be found in drag balls of the mid-19th century United States, such as those hosted by William Dorsey Swann, a formerly enslaved Black man in Washington D.C.. By the early 20th century, integrated drag balls were popular in cities such as New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. In the mid-20th century, as a response to racism in integrated drag spaces, the balls evolved into house ballroom, where Black and Latino attendees could "walk" in a variety of categories for trophies and cash prizes. Most participants in ballroom belong to groups known as "houses", where chosen families of friends form relationships and communities separate from their families of origin, from which they may be estranged. The influence of ballroom culture can be seen in dance, language, music, and popular culture, and the community still exists today.
How Do I Look is a 2006 American documentary directed by Wolfgang Busch. The film chronicles ball culture in Harlem and Philadelphia over a ten-year period.
Kevin Burrus, also known as Kevin UltraOmni is an American mentor, speaker, LGBTQ activist, and film producer who founded the ball culture House of Omni in 1979–which was renamed the House of UltraOmni in 1990–and has chapters across the country. He has become an authority on ball culture and has spoken in interviews about the movement. Omni is also the assistant director for the documentary How Do I Look, produced by Wolfgang Busch which aims to correct misperceptions about ball culture.
Founded in 1982, the House of Xtravaganza is one of the most publicly recognized "houses" to emerge from the New York City underground ballroom scene and among the longest continuously active. House of Xtravaganza members and the collective group is recognized for their cultural influence in the areas of dance, music, visual arts, nightlife, fashion, and community activism. House of Xtravaganza members continue to be featured in popular media and travel the world as ambassadors of voguing and the ballroom scene.
Purple Crush is an American dance music act consisting of married couple Isla Cheadle and Jared Selter. They met at The California Institute of the Arts, where they studied dance and music, respectively. Purple Crush was formed in Brooklyn, NY, where they also started their record label, Crushed Records. Purple Crush is known both for their choreographed live show as well as their pop songwriting and music production.
Jose Gutierez Xtravaganza is a dancer, choreographer, and recording artist. He is one of the most widely recognized personalities to emerge from the NYC ballroom scene of the 1980s. He is best known for his work with Madonna.
The House of Aviance is one of the "legendary/iconic" and major vogue-ball houses in the United States, with its base in New York City. It was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1989 by voguer/dancer, record label owner (CEO/A&R), nightclub host, music artist and secretary Mother Juan Aviance—one of the nightlife personalities of New York City. Since its founding, the House has played an integral part in U.S. and world ball culture, especially U.S. nightlife.
Mother Juan Aviance is an American secretary, voguer / dancer, music artist, nightclub host / promoter, record label owner, and CEO / A&R. He is the founder and "Mother" of the House of Aviance, one of the legendary houses that emerged from the U.S. ball culture in the 1980s, a House which is still active in New York City." He is also founder, CEO and A&R of Aviance Records, LLC, a multi-genre record label that promotes new and upcoming artists. He is regarded within the ballroom scene and is "House Mother" to the nightlife personalities and recording artists Kevin Aviance, and Erickatoure Aviance.
Tiffany Monique Ryan is an American singer, songwriter, and background vocalist. She has performed as a background vocalist for Beyoncé as one of "The Mamas" since 2007 and is currently the Vocal Director and Lead Background Vocalist for the Renaissance World Tour and a member of Beyonce's background vocalist quartet, "Pure Honey". Tiffany released an EP, Nemesis in June 2010 and followed with various single releases in 2011 and 2016. She is an 8-year esophageal cancer survivor.
Michael Cox, known by the stage name MikeQ, is an American DJ, musician, music producer, and prominent figure in the ballroom community. He is the founder of the record label Qween Beat. In 2020 MikeQ was the DJ for HBO's Legendary.
Renaissance is the seventh studio album by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. It was released on July 28, 2022, by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. Her first solo studio release since Lemonade (2016) and the first installment of her trilogy project, Beyoncé wrote and produced the album with Nova Wav, The-Dream, Symbolyc One, A. G. Cook, Honey Dijon, Beam, Tricky Stewart, BloodPop, Skrillex, Hit-Boy, No I.D., P2J and various other collaborators. Beam, Grace Jones and Tems appear as guest vocalists.
"Break My Soul" is a song by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. It was released on June 20, 2022, through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records as the lead single from her seventh studio album, Renaissance (2022). The song was written by Beyoncé, Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Jens Christian Isaksen, and her husband Jay-Z, and produced by the former four. It samples Big Freedia's 2014 bounce track "Explode", written by Freedia and Adam Pigott, and Robin S.'s house song "Show Me Love", written by Allen George and Fred McFarlane.
Dashaun Wesley is an American dancer, actor, choreographer, and ballroom performer, MC, and commentator. He is known for hosting the voguing competition series Legendary and for his appearances on the television series America's Best Dance Crew and Pose. He is often called the "King of Vogue".
"Cozy" is a song by American singer Beyoncé. It is the second track on her seventh studio album Renaissance (2022), which was released on July 29, 2022, through Parkwood and Columbia.
"Alien Superstar" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé. It is the third track on her seventh studio album, Renaissance (2022), which was released on July 29, 2022, through Parkwood and Columbia.
"Energy" is a song by American singer Beyoncé featuring Jamaican rapper Beam. It is the fifth track on the former's seventh studio album Renaissance (2022), which was released on July 29, 2022, through Parkwood and Columbia. The song serves as an interlude between "Cuff It" and "Break My Soul".
"Pure/Honey" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé. It is the fifteenth track on her seventh studio album, Renaissance (2022), which was released on July 29, 2022, through Parkwood and Columbia.
The Renaissance World Tour was the ninth concert tour by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. Her highest-grossing tour to date, it was staged in support of her seventh studio album, Renaissance (2022). The tour comprised 56 shows, beginning on May 10, 2023, in Stockholm, Sweden, and concluding on October 1, 2023, in Kansas City, Missouri. It was Beyoncé's first tour since the On the Run II Tour in 2018, and was her fourth all-stadium tour.