feature: dj sky/ 211 girls guest mix
We caught up with the 211 Girls last Friday at the Prince of Peckham. The all female DJ power team that's blaring casual corners around London have jumped on the pam pam blog for an exclusive guest mix. The dream team duo are Sandra and Safiya who are both successors in the music and fashion industry and have successfully hosted events around South and East London. Both are founding editors of the 211 Girls blog and frequently update their visitors with events and collaborations. Recent features include a review on the Slowthai gig and an interview with artist and poet, James Massiah. Read our full interview below. You can check out their soundcloud here and for all information about upcoming events, check out @211girls on instagram.
Q&A with Sandra Omari and Safiya Yekwai Who are your biggest music influences?Safiya: Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliot, Ms Dynamite and Kanye West are all artist that I’ve grown up with and can remember the first time listening to them all. They all have such iconic sounds and artist that really push the boundaries. I love the activism spirit within all of them, the way the use music to move you not only to dance but to think too. Sandra: My biggest musical influences are Janet Jackson, Brandy, Gwen Stefani, Giggs and Kanye West. I'm a big fan of all their individual styles and contributions to music. I feel like they are all icons in their own right and have influenced different generations.
Do you have a go-to genre/decade that you never seem to get tired of?
Safiya: Early 2000 Hip-Hop artist like Cameron, Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes and Ja Rule are artist I love playing and always gets the crowds jumping. Grime is also another genre I love as its really the sound of my childhood. I lived on channel U growing up, Felt so good seeing young black youth from the ‘Endz’ on TV. Sandra: I am a big sucker for 90's R&B and hip hop. It was the last era of real superstars and big budget videos. The fashion of the time was dope too and has made a comeback. Big box braids are in again and I've seen a few guys wearing ski masks as accessories lately. I'm also really into the UK rap/afrobeats scene at the moment. I always have to drop some Giggs, J Hus, Lotto Boys and Yxng Bane in my sets. The UK is on fire right now!
What was your first memory of music?
Safiya: I always remember listening to music my older sister was into, She loved R&B girl groups like SWV, TLC and Jade, I remember her recording the interlude of ‘Don’t Walk Away Boy’ as our home telephone answer machine message. Sandra: I was a hardcore rap fan when I was a kid, because of my dad. My party trick at the age of 6 was to list every member of Wu Tang Clan...plus their alter ego names.
If you could only pick three albums to listen to for the rest of your life, which three would you choose?
Safiya: Dizzie Rascal - Boy In The Corner, Amy Winehouse - Back To Black and Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra. Sandra: Brandy- Never Say Never, Sza - Ctrl and Dizzie Rascal - Boy In The Corner
If you could pick anybody in this world to collaborate with. Who would it be and what would you do together?
Safiya: Rihanna, I love her Girl Boss mentality and how she is just an all-round creative. She has great, style, vision and conviction for everything she does. I think she is sick, if we had the opportunity to work with her it would be a sick Fashion, Music mash up event. Sandra: I would love for 211 Girls to host a stage/tent at a festival. We would curate a sick line up and bring all the vibes!
What projects are you excited for in 2018?
Safiya: We have a lot more exciting features coming up on 211girls blog, we will also be covering a lot of festivals this summer and will be monthly residence with Prince of Peckham. Also looking to Dj a lot more during summer! Sandra: We are getting into the world of promoting, which is really exciting. Our last party in Peckham was a shut down and we have a few more 211 Girls parties coming up this year - not to be missed! Also, hoping to collaborate with more brands and interview more artists this year. Another thing I'm really looking forward to is Hip Hop Hype Ibiza 2018! I'm heading to Ibiza this year with all female DJ crew Rock The Belles. We are taking over Ibiza Rocks for 4 days and 4 night (9-13 Sept) and its going to be very sick!
Tracklist:
- Ms. Dynamite- Dy-Na-Mi-Tee
- Erykah Badu- Love of My Life (feat. Common)
- Mahalia ft. Little Simz- Proud Of Me
- Sade- Your Love Is King
- Etta Bond & Raf Riley- Loophole
- Total Ft. Missy Elliott and Timbaland- What About Us
- Lauryn Hill- Doo Wop (That Thing)
- Missy Elliott- Get Your Freak On
- All Saints- Bootie Call
- Aaliyah- Try Again
- Spice Girls- Holler
- Mura Musa Ft. NAO- Firefly
- Ms Banks- Day 1
- RAYE ft. Mabel & Stefflon Don- Cigarette
- Little Simz- King of Hearts (feat. Chip + Ghetts)
- IAMDDB- Ooo
- Flohio- Hype
- Mis-Teeq- All I Want
- Azealia Banks- Neptune (Feat. Shystie)
- Nipah- Selfish (feat. Leo Luchini)
- Sweet Female Attitude- Flowers (Sunship Edit)
Image Cred: @lucyb93 and @safiya_yekwai