Electric Hawk: Discovering a Welcoming Community With Bass n Babes
By Seradopa, Electric Hawk writer
Our database shows a new community being developed on the West Coast – Bass ‘n Babes. A rising community whose main goal is to create a safe environment for the femme and queer audience to enjoy themselves in the bass music scene. Away from the normal patriarchal standards based in the EDM scene, Bass ‘n Babes is helping to empower a new collection of rising talent from all realms. And we got to unlock the files with the founder and organizer, Baby Kush, to tell us more about them below!
Origin of Bass ‘n Babes
“It’s my goal to foster a community of femme and queer artists that uplift and empower one another and create a space in the EDM and bass music scene outside of patriarchal and heteronormative standards. Bass ‘n Babes has connected me to so many amazing women and queer people, and I am so so grateful.”
– Baby Kush
seradopa: Where did the name Bass ‘n Babes come from?
Baby Kush: I had that idea super early on. I was trying to figure out if it should be “Babes ‘n Bass” or “Bass ‘n Babes,” and I felt like Bass ‘n Babes flowed better! When I was thinking about a queer EDM night, some of the other things I thought of were more specific to women or more specific to cis women or certain types of queer groups. I wanted it to be more general and inclusive. It felt like, “Okay, babe? Anyone can be a babe. Anyone who’s respectful of the queer scene can be a babe!” So, I wanted it to be inclusive in that way. And not just for queer women or just for women, but including non-binary and trans people as well!
seradopa: What is the mission statement for Bass ‘n Babes?
Baby Kush: The mission statement has two parts. The first part is to build the queer and femme presence in the bass music scene. That comes with creating a space for ravers and people who like to go out. We’re creating an explicitly queer-inclusive, safe space for ravers. Also, uplifting queer and femme artists, like providing opportunities to DJs and producers that are traditionally overlooked or not booked as much. That’s our mission statement!
seradopa: Every time I think about the California scene, my immediate thought is Insomniac and Brownies & Lemonade. And there’s not a ton of representation within these lineups. But you’re trying to showcase it better. However, it’s also a different style of music they spotlight, rather than with you and bass music.
Baby Kush: Yeah. In LA, the house and techno scene is really popular. I know in Denver, where you’re based, bass music is everywhere – which is awesome! But in LA, it’s very house and techno. For me, it’s getting to be more bass. There are bass music events. Actually, Space Yacht is doing its first experimental bass night, which is cool that it’s on their radar now! But there are just way fewer bass music events here, as well.
seradopa: I noticed Bass ‘n Babes started in November 2022 and has been in operation for a little over a year now! Assuming it started just with you, how did it grow from being more than just a one-person team to what it looks like today?
Baby Kush: In the beginning, my business partner, who I was working with with the first event series we started. Then, I broke off to run Bass ‘n Babes and it was just me. As each event went on, I would find new people to work with who could help add to the production or help set up. It has been cool to see the events team grow!
Also, booking different DJs each time, they’ll be like, “Oh, I also do visuals,” or “Oh, I also know someone who does this.” It’s great to see that team come together! That is another aspect that allows me to do the warehouse events. Now, I know people willing to work doing visuals for me. I have more bartenders who I can hire or more people I can hire to do security or work my door. I have that community and team of people who are interested and willing to help, which allows me to do more and work with different venues!
seradopa: So, within that year, are there any favorite memories that have occurred throughout your first year?
Baby Kush: Each event is its own amazing set of memories! I’ve done ten events, eight at club-type venues and two at warehouse events. Those warehouse events are special. People can sense the vibe is different. Not that the other ones aren’t amazing, there is just a different element about how this space feels. All except one event, I always am the closing DJ. Although the audience is smaller, it’s fun to play to that core group of people who stay until the end. Another reason I started the event is because I wanted to play queer parties. But there are no queer parties that are going to book a bass music DJ. So I had to start one so I could play those parties. That was a motivator for me as well!
seradopa: And how about lessons learned in your first year?
Baby Kush: This is my first time working as a talent buyer, making contracts with people working with venues. A lot of the stuff I am learning as I go. One thing specifically, I have a lot of goals and dreams and like artists that I want to book. But I’m also operating from the stance where I’m an independent event producer. Every time I do an event, it’s my finances on the line. It can be stressful because I’m putting in all this work and spending this overhead for the event, and I wonder, “Will people come?” or “Will I make my money back?” Plus, I have goals for artists I want to book. I start reaching out, and then I realize I don’t have the funds to book this person yet.
Also, how to be professional when making offers and how do I acknowledge that interest in someone, but expressing, now might not be the right time, because I can’t afford your full booking fee. Then similarly, when negotiating with venues, it can be hard to stick to what you need. Sometimes, it can seem there’s a shortage of things. I’m learning to negotiate better and draw the line, like, I want to do my event here, but I can’t if you charge me over this amount. I have a great vision, and sometimes, learning to execute it takes a couple of tries.
seradopa: Have you personally seen the impact made amongst the developing artists or a small boost of courage you’ve given others in that scene?
Baby Kush: One of the biggest things that’s cool to see is how people like to get connected through Bass ‘n Babes. From the artists I’ve booked, where it was their first DJ gig, and then they met other artists who are involved in events and get put on other shows, that’s been really cool to see. My roommate, for example. I booked her for my third event, and it was her first booking in LA. Now she’s my roommate! That’s always been the mindset that it’s more than just an event; it is a community. And that’s important to me! Many people have told me they’ve never felt as free or safe in a space as this event. This is awesome to hear!
seradopa: You mentioned that the rave community doesn’t create explicitly LGBTQ-safe spaces. Can you expand on that? What do you believe is a way for others to help create these spaces in their communities? Are there any brands/promoters/production companies you’ve loved working for over the year that help promote a safer environment within the industry – whether on the dance floor, backstage, or FOH?
Baby Kush: I feel that raves and festivals are more accepting than other types of nightlife. In the rave community, people go there to feel free and express themselves – rave fashion is a super big thing! End of the day, that’s a huge similarity to the queer community. Queer people are just looking for a place to go and feel safe to express who they are. The rave scene is similar because it’s very be yourself and we will accept you. But as I said, that still exists within a heteronormative culture within a patriarchal culture.
The EDM scene is very much managed and booked by men who book more men. While it is an inclusive space, it’s not as explicit – simply, all I mean by that is stating that this space does not tolerate hate speech, harassment, or sexual violence. This space is a safe space for the queer community.
One great example is Zingara posted about her tour with a slide about consent at the shows and how consent is mandatory. She posted a slide like if you see something, say something. I haven’t seen many artists do that. When I saw that, I thought, “This is so cool that she is drawing explicit attention to being safe at shows.” Not only safety when we think about how to keep ourselves safe, but accountability regarding consent is mandatory. And how to keep your friends safe. She’s a great example in general. Also, for a lot of her support artists, she has booked women for that tour, which is super awesome. She’s doing the damn thing, talking the talk and walking the walk. We love to see it.
seradopa: What do you believe has been changing for the better, and what needs to be improved/changed immediately in our industry? How could we better build a supportive community within the electronic scene?
Baby Kush: I forget what account posted it; maybe it was EDM Maniac, but they showed that there has been progress in more women getting booked on lineups. And that’s great and true! But that doesn’t mean we’re where we need to be or stop pressing to go further. While there has been that growth, sometimes people use that to say, “Oh, well, now we’re good!” And that’s not true!
When we’re talking about booking women, that’s super important, but also something that still isn’t as talked about as much is more women behind the scenes. More women who are doing the talent buying, more women who are producing the events, more women who are working in production. Having women, queer people, and BIPOC people behind the scenes as well makes it more comfortable for the artists who are diverse as well. The attitude shift that comes with that is really interesting. Especially seeing the pushback on the reels that I have made. People like to justify why there are no women or whatever, and it’s interesting to see that attitude still exists.
I’m always fascinated that people will say – “Oh, it’s about the sound, not about what their gender is.” And I don’t think they understand that what you’re saying then is that men have better-sounding music than women. Because otherwise, why is there this gap? There are women who make great music and have that sound. They haven’t been given the same opportunities to grow. Then people will say, “Oh well, there’s not as many women on this lineup because there’s not as many women who are DJs.” And I’m like, okay, but that’s still a problem because of gatekeeping, lack of access to this community, and not feeling supported. People will use these different excuses to stop the conversation.
We can go deeper into where the problems are and how to move forward. Just continuing to have those conversations will help a lot because people try to stop them.
seradopa: Lastly, what should people expect from the collective this year and the overall future?
Baby Kush: We’re making the switch towards warehouse events and late-night weekend events. And then, for me, that does mean fewer events but more thought out and intentional. We will be doing a 4/20 event, and I’ll be doing a Pride event in June. Then, after that, for this year, I’m still figuring out what that will look like!
I actually just got an amazing opportunity – a scholarship to an intro music production program, Icon Collective. I’m super excited and starting that in July. That might mean I take a break from events during that time to focus solely on music production. After we find what that balance looks like, my goal is to at least have quarterly events.
Then, going forward, I would love to expand and bring events to other cities like San Francisco, San Diego, and Denver. That’s the ultimate dream, along with just growing the event. There are so many artists I want to book who I can’t yet, but, hopefully, one day, like Sharlitz Web, Sonorous, and obviously, Zingara would be incredible to have, too. So those are future long-term goals. And then for me too, if I ever reached the point in my own artist journey to end up touring, it’d be cool to have a tour that Bass ‘n Babes is the event!
