Catch JessB and Half.Queen performing at Red Bull Music Presents: Auckland (Curated by VICE) with Miss Blanks and k2K at Neck of the Woods on Friday, November 16. RSVP here.JessB and DJ Half.Queen are making moves for women in New Zealand hip hop—and they’re doing it together. They work hard, like to show up on time and are aware that their visibility in a notoriously male-dominated genre demonstrates to other women there is no set way to do anything.
Advertisement
Rapper Jess 'JessB' Bourke and her DJ and 'Hype Girl' Shaki 'Half.Queen' Wasasala are a formidable team both on and off the stage, with film graduate Shaki also co-directing Jess's video for her single ‘Set It Off’ alongside Paloma Schneideman. Taken off her debut EP Bloom, the video features Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick, actor/director Madeleine Sami and beauty blogger Kris Fox.For Jess B and Half.Queen, travelling together is a bonus and performing together doesn't feel like work at all. The duo is focused on a joint mission to keep improving as artists while creating space in the music industry for other girls to make their own moves.With a summer schedule that's set to include appearances at Rhythm and Vines, Northern Bass, Wondergarden, Splore and Electric Avenue, VICE caught up with the duo to learn about how collaboration has helped them to cut through the noise of the NZ music industry.
VICE: You both create and perform as individuals as well as together—what’s different about working together?
Jess: I think we definitely have something together—I think there's a level of performance chemistry that you have to have with someone that you’re working with but because we’re just such good friends, it’s just like fun.
Shaki: It comes easy. It’s just a fun time because doing and creating by yourself is good but when it’s someone else who's your mate, ah hello. There’s just an understanding we have.
Jess: I think we definitely have something together—I think there's a level of performance chemistry that you have to have with someone that you’re working with but because we’re just such good friends, it’s just like fun.
Shaki: It comes easy. It’s just a fun time because doing and creating by yourself is good but when it’s someone else who's your mate, ah hello. There’s just an understanding we have.
Advertisement
That's pretty special.
Shaki: Well, the thing is our working relationship is still relatively new, like I just started performing with Jess last year in June/July.
Jess: So the first time she performed with me was for Stormzy, which was in August last year, and then it kind of just went from there. She started coming to more shows and then once she started DJing and was confident then she started DJing this year in March.Shaki, why did you decide to start DJing?
Shaki: I always credit Jess for my DJ journey because if it wasn't for her I wouldn't have seriously thought about doing it. I always had an affinity with music but I'm not instrumentally inclined.How collaborative is your process now, and how does that collaboration work—in terms of making ‘Set It Off’?
Jess: Yeah, that was quite collaborative. It wasn't just Shaki it was Paloma [Schneideman] as well also, so I guess between the three of us.
Shaki: It is pretty collaborative—everything is collaborative, otherwise it’s just stupid.
Jess: I think it helps that the girls know me as a person so I don't really have to explain anything because they already know what I'm going for. It can sometimes be quite hard to translate who you are as a person and what you’re wanting to put on screen to someone who doesn't know you—to a stranger or someone who doesn't necessarily get the vision. With these girls it was just really easy because they already kind of knew. Visually, and with the kaupapa, we were all lined up, so everything just was good and we didn't have any hiccups really.
Shaki: Well, the thing is our working relationship is still relatively new, like I just started performing with Jess last year in June/July.
Jess: So the first time she performed with me was for Stormzy, which was in August last year, and then it kind of just went from there. She started coming to more shows and then once she started DJing and was confident then she started DJing this year in March.Shaki, why did you decide to start DJing?
Shaki: I always credit Jess for my DJ journey because if it wasn't for her I wouldn't have seriously thought about doing it. I always had an affinity with music but I'm not instrumentally inclined.How collaborative is your process now, and how does that collaboration work—in terms of making ‘Set It Off’?
Jess: Yeah, that was quite collaborative. It wasn't just Shaki it was Paloma [Schneideman] as well also, so I guess between the three of us.
Shaki: It is pretty collaborative—everything is collaborative, otherwise it’s just stupid.
Jess: I think it helps that the girls know me as a person so I don't really have to explain anything because they already know what I'm going for. It can sometimes be quite hard to translate who you are as a person and what you’re wanting to put on screen to someone who doesn't know you—to a stranger or someone who doesn't necessarily get the vision. With these girls it was just really easy because they already kind of knew. Visually, and with the kaupapa, we were all lined up, so everything just was good and we didn't have any hiccups really.
Advertisement
What wouldn’t you share you with each other?
Shaki: I’d tell you probably anything.
Jess: Literally, like if I kill someone she's helping me hide the body so I don't think there’s many secrets. I’m a very open person in general with my friends. I don't believe in hiding things. I think friendships are better when they’re transparent.
Shaki: There’s stuff like that I wouldn't go out of my way to tell her. But if she asks me, I’d tell her anything. You don’t know my pin number, but I'll tell you if you ask.
Jess: I know your phone pin though.
Shaki: I’d tell you probably anything.
Jess: Literally, like if I kill someone she's helping me hide the body so I don't think there’s many secrets. I’m a very open person in general with my friends. I don't believe in hiding things. I think friendships are better when they’re transparent.
Shaki: There’s stuff like that I wouldn't go out of my way to tell her. But if she asks me, I’d tell her anything. You don’t know my pin number, but I'll tell you if you ask.
Jess: I know your phone pin though.
All your shows have been in front of big crowd—even your first one. Is it nerve wracking—growing in public like that?
Shaki: Yeah, but I guess showing your stuff in public, any crowd is a lot—especially if it means heaps to you. Yeah, it is nerve-wracking but you get used to it after a while. But if it’s something that’s momentous, it’s like shit, who’s in the crowd?But does the bond between you make these processes smoother?
Shaki: Yeah, so if we weren't together it would be way harder. At Shenanigan Jess was on stage with me and if she wasn't there I would have been having internal meltdowns. We share a common vision, we’re both girls, we’re both mates, we’re both queer, we both enjoy and love the same shit and our values are the same—our politics align, you know, it just works.
Jess: I feel like we share a common vision. It’s like a puzzle piece.And remember, JessB and Half.Queen are performing at Red Bull Music Presents: Auckland (Curated by VICE) at Neck of the Woods on Friday, November 16. RSVP here.
Shaki: Yeah, but I guess showing your stuff in public, any crowd is a lot—especially if it means heaps to you. Yeah, it is nerve-wracking but you get used to it after a while. But if it’s something that’s momentous, it’s like shit, who’s in the crowd?But does the bond between you make these processes smoother?
Shaki: Yeah, so if we weren't together it would be way harder. At Shenanigan Jess was on stage with me and if she wasn't there I would have been having internal meltdowns. We share a common vision, we’re both girls, we’re both mates, we’re both queer, we both enjoy and love the same shit and our values are the same—our politics align, you know, it just works.
Jess: I feel like we share a common vision. It’s like a puzzle piece.And remember, JessB and Half.Queen are performing at Red Bull Music Presents: Auckland (Curated by VICE) at Neck of the Woods on Friday, November 16. RSVP here.