Big Freedia to release bounce music workout DVDs
theGRIO Q&A - The rapper recently sat down theGrio to talk about his new show, his biggest fans and why Bounce music cannot be defined...
Big Freedia, New Orleans rapper and bounce music icon, recently had his hit show Queen of Bounce renewed for a second season.
The emcee kicked off his inaugural first season in Herald Square by having a mass twerkoff that would go on to be a Guinness world record.
The rapper recently sat down theGrio to talk about his new show, his biggest fans and why bounce music cannot be defined.
theGrio: Congratulations on your show being renewed for a second season! How has your life changed since you let the cameras into your world?
Big Freedia: Thank you. The first season was all a learning process for me. I’m going into the second season a whole lot more prepared and with a mindset about what I want to accomplish for the show and the message I want to deliver to the people, so season 2 is a stepping stone to keep building my brand and to keep moving things forward with Big Freedia Enterprises.
Twerking has made become a household word due to celebrities trying, and sometimes failing, at the dance. Is twerking a word that’s become played out?
We don’t use twerking out here in New Orleans we say wobble, we [say] wiggle, we do it all. That is just one of the phenomenal words, there is much more you can do in the bounce culture. It’s also amazing that this dance culture has picked up around the world and has gotten the national exposure.
Do you cringe when bounce culture isn’t properly represented?
Not really because they can’t explain it the way I can and they can’t deliver they can’t deliver it the way I deliver it because I was born and raised with it.
The bounce is my culture. People who try to appropriate different cultures, they have to live it and experience it, and they can’t do it a few times and get it down pat. This something I’ve been doing for a very long time.
Who is your biggest fan that you were surprised you had?
I’m so overwhelmed by all the people that I didn’t know was [sic] checking me out.
Beyoncé, Solange, Fantasia… there are so many people checking me out and plugging me in putting things out to represent New Orleans.
Big Freedia breaks Guinness World Record for twerking
Do you believe in bounce music gets a bad rap because the dancing can be considered to be too sexual?
If there is one thing out there in the media that I always want to clear up is that bounce music is for everybody. It’s a fun dance, you can make it funny, or sexual in all type of ways. It’s just what people perceive in their minds and how they want to accept it.
It’s not called sissy bounce. We don’t separate it its all one style of bounce. There’s no gay bounce, no straight bounce, it’s all just bounce.
I don’t want them to identify me as sissy bounce; I want them to recognize me as a bounce artist. My sexual preferences don’t have anything to do with my music. My music speaks for itself. My character speaks for itself, my aura. You don’t have to put a tag on me with my music.
What else can we expect from Big Freedia in 2014?
People can be on the lookout for all of the new projects that I have, my new album the work out DVD. You can learn the dancing, burn calories and get in shape and have fun all at the same time.
Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce will return to Fuse this June.
You can check out Kyle’s musical coverage on theGrio music page, and follow Kyle on Twitter at@HarveyWins.
