RAHBI's "STRANGE" Returns: A Heartfelt Tribute to Black Music, Culture and Atlanta

Episode Transcript

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[00:00:00] Intro Theme (Music by Danya Vodovoz)

[00:00:30] Introduction and Excitement for Virgo Season

DJ Sir Daniel: Welcome back to another episode of Queue Points podcast, dropping the needle on black music history. I am DJ Sir Daniel.

Jay Ray: And my name is Jay Ray, sometimes known by my governments as Johnnie Ray Kornegay III, and I am so excited.

DJ Sir Daniel: You have very good reason to be excited because J Ray, the weather has cracked. There's a shift in the atmosphere in just a few days. It'll be Virgo season. That's one. Okay. Shout out to us Virgos, it's Virgo season. And then two, right here in Atlanta, it's the highest of all high holidays, Labor Day weekend will be upon us.

Jay Ray: Mm hmm.

[00:01:13] Introducing the Legendary RAHBI

DJ Sir Daniel: I can't think of a better way to usher in Labor Day weekend than celebrating it with the musical genius of our guest.

Jay Ray: Ah, there are so many things that we can say about the, the legend, bonafide legend. People throw around that title a lot,

DJ Sir Daniel: A lot.

Jay Ray: but the, the, the guest we are bringing up on the stage today has sang down, performed down, leaped all over the stage, given us visuals for years.

DJ Sir Daniel: little over a decade. I

want to say more than a

Jay Ray: oh more and

DJ Sir Daniel: artist,

Jay Ray: as a solo artist,

DJ Sir Daniel: that out. So without further ado, are we ready to do this?

Jay Ray: bring up the legendary,

DJ Sir Daniel: The rock star

Jay Ray: the rockstar RAHBI is here on Queue Points.

DJ Sir Daniel: on cue

RAHBI: Oh yes. Oh yes. Hello beautiful people.

DJ Sir Daniel: Listen, RAHBI, I just want to, okay.

[00:02:24] RAHBI's First Memory and STRANGE Origins

DJ Sir Daniel: So I, you know, I got to share a memory. My first memory of RAHBI. It was in 2009 at Smith's Old Bar in Midtown Atlanta, um, opening up for none other than Janelle Monáe. And when I tell you, when I say RAHBI is a rock star, I don't throw around the term rock star because a lot of performers don't Understand how much real estate they have on stage.

RAHBI is fully aware of the real estate that he has on stage and that makes him a bonafide rock star. So that was my introduction to him was in 2009, a Smith's old bar. He was opening, you were on tour or opening for Janelle Monáe. And I was just enthralled from that moment. So I am honored to be, have this opportunity to chop it up with you and to talk about.

STRANGE Let's talk

RAHBI: yes. My baby.

DJ Sir Daniel: Let's get into it. So tell the people about STRANGE. It's going down at the terminal West on August 31st here in Atlanta. And this series has evolved over the years. Which number is this?

RAHBI: I kind of stopped counting numbers , because I, I just got, I got, I got a little confused. I, I don't even know, but it has been going on since around 2008, something like that. Something like that. And, um, and STRANGE was birthed out of, um, frustration. Um, it was like a lot of new artists, um, on the music scene, on any music scene in any city, um, you know, you have your, uh, circuits and circles of, uh, you know, this is the in crowd.

If you want to be on a dope show, you got to be a part of this crowd. And so that's what I was going through as a new young independent artist, um, in Atlanta. And I just got tired of number one, having to pay to play, um, having to sell all these tickets to perform. And once you do all those things, the stage is raggedy.

The lights don't work. Three people came and you did all this amazing rehearsal to perform for chairs. And I said, you won't get me too many more times, you know what I'm saying? So, so. So me and Kimberly Nicole was like, I don't know if you all are, well, you should be familiar with Kimberly Nicole, the

rock ballerina.

Me and Kimberly was like, let's put our money together, the little bit that we had,

and create our own show. And we called it Strange Fruit, and the very first one was at the Apache cafe. And, um, yet Kimberly, so me and Kimberly came together to, uh, Yes, to just provide a platform for ourselves instead of this is what I don't like when people do sometimes and I just encourage them to instead of complaining about things and saying this is messed up.

This is crazy. How can you fix it? You know, or how can you create the change you would like to see? In the world, in your life, in whatever you're complaining about. You know what I'm saying? So that's what we did. We created a solution to that thing and birth on STRANGE for artists that just wanted it to be seen, you know?

Yeah.

[00:05:36] The Atlanta Creative Scene and Inspirations

DJ Sir Daniel: you know, that speaks to, uh, quality in a lot of Atlanta artists. Like you were recently on an interview where you, you paid homage to an Atlanta legend, Jasmine Bonet, and you were sharing a story about her. And I just, just share with the audience really quickly about that magic sauce. of being an Atlanta native creative.

RAHBI: I will say Atlanta has so many different types of brilliant black folks, you know, specifically black folks. And, um, so it's the South, right? So the South, we all go to church. So you got your singing gospel artists. That's just. Amazing. You know what I'm saying? So I was inspired by my grandfather and going to church at this, we still have devotion at our church to this day in 2024, where you had the deacons, uh, you know, testimony service audit.

We don't do praise and worship. You do praise and worship our church. It ain't gonna go over too well. You better get your down home, spiritual sounding song and get with it or they gonna just look at you and stare. So I come from that, but then I come from, like I said, It's a rich, uh, musical theater, um, community in Atlanta and specifically because of a few individuals, um, Freddie Hendricks, who started the Freddie Hendricks Youth Ensemble of Atlanta.

Um, and he just started doing some very edgy plays with kids where he couldn't, he started at Tri Cities High School, but the plays were so, they talked about HIV and AIDS and, uh, teen pregnancy. And, you know, when you're in high school, it's, it's Parents are like, wait a minute, we can't be talking about all this, all this stuff in school.

So he started a company outside of the school called the Freddie Hendrix Youth Ensemble of Atlanta. And, um, my dad used to take me to see their plays starting in seventh and seventh grade, you know, so they were my original superstars. I wasn't looking at people on MTV and, and BET for inspiration. I was looking at these kids here in Atlanta, Georgia.

And when I got to Georgia State University, one of those kids was in my class and I was like, You're from YA! Oh my God, you're a star. You know what I'm saying? And so she has, her name is Ipe Okumabwa, and she started a theater company at Georgia State University, um, with the Dr. Sherelle Luckett. And that was birthed out of frustration as well, because at that time, Georgia State, We just had a white theater company that wasn't doing no black plays.

We wanted to be seen. So these two, uh, beautiful black women, um, from East Point freshman, uh, started their own company there at Georgia State University. Uh, I'm trying to make the quick, the quick story. I did that play. Freddie came, I joined YAA. So I'm, I'm seeing all that to say I was inspired by musical theater in Atlanta, Jazz and Bonet.

We have some of the dopest, uh, uh, transgender. performers in Atlanta. Jasmine Bonet, Stasha Sanchez, Raquel Lorde, Nyesha Dupree, the Empress of Atlanta. RuPaul started out in Atlanta. Let's, let's be

DJ Sir Daniel: be clear.

RAHBI: Um, so, so it's just Jasmine just, you know, and all the amazing labels from the Face Records. Um, rowdy records, so so deaf records, um, Dallas Austin.

I mean, just everybody. So I was inspired by mainstream music in Atlanta. So all those areas, I just, that's, that's my Atlanta experience. And I put it all into my music. You feel gospel, you feel drag, you know, you know, you know You feel, you feel musical theater. You feel classical. I'm classically trained at Georgia State University.

I have the vocal performance. performance major. So I'm just pulled from all my, I was in the jazz choir at Georgia State. So here's jazz influences. It's like I'm just staying true to my african american experience.

[00:09:28] Preparing for STRANGE 2024

Jay Ray: What can folks expect? What you got in store for folks for STRANGE this year? What, what can folks expect? Cause you always are giving the folks something, something new. What, what you, what you got going for them this year?

RAHBI: Well, I'm very excited about my set design this year because, you know, that's my musical theater influence. So the set design is building and building and building because, you know, in the, in the beginning of the days, me and my friend, Dr. Sherelle Luckett just had to put our money together and go to Michael's and throw glitter on everything because we just. We had no budget, but baby, let's we was like, Hey,

DJ Sir Daniel: Let's put some streamers on this.

RAHBI: listen, but we, I finally got to a point where I hired this amazing, um, set designer. Her name is Charlie and we assembled a beautiful team. So the stage is going to look like a beautiful, we going to the jungle, um, this year as far as, so when you walk into the terminal west, you will walk into the jungle and with your waterfalls.

And yeah, I don't want to say no other things, but it's just going to be. So beautiful. And as always STRANGE is ultimately, um, inspires people to, uh, embrace their light and their superpower. You know, whatever that may be. I want you to look at me and be like, you know what? He's so fearless. He's so amazing.

I'm going to go out there. I'm going to be that chef. I'm going to, I'm going to be that football coach. I'm going to be that. the first black president of the United States. I can do this. You know, you know what I'm saying? So, um, that's what STRANGE is it's all about.

Jay Ray: Mmmmhhmm.

RAHBI: Oh, and also, I don't know. People know that this is the 40th year anniversary of Prince's Purple Rain album.

So there will also be a tribute to a to Prince, uh, in the in the show this year.

Jay Ray: Sybar on that vein, your, uh, version, you have a couple of versions that I've heard that you do of when doves cry that are some of the most

RAHBI: Uh huh.

Jay Ray: versions of that song. So

RAHBI: Thank you. I

Jay Ray: love, um, on that.

RAHBI: hmm.

Jay Ray: No problem. So, you know, RAHBI, you are a light and it's true. So when you talk about beautiful people, right?

Like you just attract. Now I'm not talking about beautiful physically. I'm just about beautiful all around like these lights that also are with you and you get a chance to see these lights on stage. So I remember going to a RAHBI performance and getting introduced to Willie Hinn for the first time and that would not have happened had I not been at a RAHBI show, right?

You know where there are these these folks where you just kind of are always Having these amazing folks on stage with you So when you think about STRANGE and this year and you know taking folks to the jungle What do you want folks to to like get from that? Why did you decide to take them to the jungle this year?

What were you feeling?

RAHBI: say last year when I did it, it was a little different because I've just, you know,

Jay Ray: hmm.

RAHBI: I'm in a spiritual transition phase of my life. So, um, I, I, one of my last photo shoots, I was in front of a, standing in front of, I don't know if you've seen it. I had the green hearts on my hair and I was in front of a big green circle.

And I was talking to a friend of mine. He's like, you know, that's the, uh, that's the heart chakra right there. I was like, well, I don't really know a lot about chakras. Like what, what, what, what is, what do you mean by And, you know, just the more your chakras are aligned, you're just more of a. spiritual balanced, um, being, and it has made me really dive into that even more.

And, uh, honestly, when I did. And really focus really on the heart chakra and which is symbolizes love. And when I made sure that all of my actions or try to stay mindful because it's not always a good day, you know, but you always got to kind of like you take your car in for a tune up, you got to tune up your soul and your chakras and stuff.

So, I just try to stay mindful of all um, my actions being aligned with love and respect for God. Love and respect for myself and love and respect for others. And when you do that, you allow the Holy ghost to lead you and dwell within all of these that you do, you know? So that strains was a very special STRANGE for me and everything was green.

We were wearing green, green in my hair, green, light, and green. We came out to like a, a house version of the, um, the green sequence from the weeds, it was just very, very intentional with that. And so with that, so yeah,

DJ Sir Daniel: You know what? I listen, I love all of that. I love intention intention as sidebar as Virgos green is green is very synonymous with earth and as earth signs, that's, that's a

RAHBI: Oh, yes.

DJ Sir Daniel: to say that. So,

RAHBI: Oh, yeah.

DJ Sir Daniel: something that, um, that I love, um, especially about this year with STRANGE, this year is going to be a family affair.

You talking about playing Johnny was talking, Jay Ray was talking about playing. We don't play enough this time. You're playing with your brother.

[00:14:30] RAHBI's Family and Creative Collaborations

DJ Sir Daniel: And I think, I think that is so, it always fascinates me when people find out that your brother is Zoie, who people know from social media for a while and out, what, what was that like saying?

You know what? I want you to, to, to open up this show and let's combine our superpowers this year.

RAHBI: Well, I don't know if people know, but Zoie has hosted a few STRANGE shows before, you know, um, but but it's always fun. It's it. That is one of his superpowers. He knows how to get a crowd height like it's just people just when they're around him. You just have a good time. I've had other hosts before and they do a great job, but there's nothing like you.

When he's on that stage, it's like your best friend is on stage and just kicking it with your best friend and people are like, that's why you've seen influencers come and go, come and go, because it's not truly their passion. My brother has been ever since elementary school, having those big VHS recorders, creating stuff.

skits and plays with him and my sister dressing up as men and women, both of them, you know what I'm saying? And then like, they didn't have a crowd or anything, just two people, so like, he would act like it was a movie and it was over. He would take the table placement, and this is my hand, he would take it down like the curtain was closing,

Jay Ray: love it.

RAHBI: for the play, and then to symbolize people leaving the theater.

Him and my sister would just keep walking by the camera like, bye, bye, bye. But that's just, uh, that shows you how brilliant his mind is. You know what I'm saying? So that's just his passion. He's so brilliant. And however I can support him, I'm going to, he's, he's about to release a new YouTube series called the realm, which is just like STRANGE promoting artists, um, and their music on, uh, on, on the, On the internet side of things.

And um, yeah. And I'm helping with that, with creative direction on that show. So, you know, he hosts STRANGE and I help him creative direction find the artist we created. We just recorded the theme song together the other day. And, um, yeah, we're just gonna keep inspiring these people together.

DJ Sir Daniel: You know, it's gotta be, that's got to be a special kind of gift, uh, like a gift from, from the most high to have a family of. creatives, right? And you all got to play with each other and support with support each other with your talents as the elder statesman in Atlanta now.

[00:16:54] Advice for Aspiring Artists

DJ Sir Daniel: Um, Like, what do you, what do you say to the up and coming artists that are trying to get their footing and even have an inkling of an idea to create an event like a STRANGE, and we know how daunting it is.

Like you said, sometimes when you start off, there might be three people there. Uh, no, I know. So like what, you know, what is your sage advice? To these young people, to the younger up and coming creatives that want to put, put in the work to make something like this happen.

RAHBI: Well, number one, to do something like, like a STRANGE and be like the promoter of it and creator of it, you gotta be a leader first. You know what I'm saying? You gotta, you gotta be able to work hard. You gotta be able to have vision. Um, you had to be able to figure some things out, you know what I'm saying?

But I think even more than that, you have to be a, a nice person. You know what I'm saying? You have to be a nice person because starting out you're going to need a lot of favors.

Jay Ray: Yeah.

RAHBI: You know what I'm saying? You got from artists, from set designers, from hair, costume, can I, all that. And if people don't like you and your energy,

DJ Sir Daniel: You know what?

We don't

Jay Ray: to him. RAHBI. Talk

to

RAHBI: I have a lot of creative, I have a lot of creative, I have a lot of creative friends, but I have, that like me, you know what I'm saying?

And they want to come help, you know what I'm saying? So that's really why a lot of stuff, cause I still, at this point, I don't have the money of a major festival, but I, I I'm Thank God I'm able to start giving my friends something, but in the beginning we were just all having fun because they just liked my ideas, you know what I'm saying?

So, um, yeah, I think number more than all of it this you have to be a good a good person

Jay Ray: Mm mm RAHBI, you just preached to the people. And I, and I will say, and I think I said this to Sir

RAHBI: Oh, let me say one more thing too. One more thing, I'm sorry. And whenever you touch any stage, show the fuck out. Show out. You know what I'm saying? So people be like, You know what? Whatever this guy does, I need to go and be a part of this. I keep hearing he is destroying stage. He or she, they are destroying stages.

You know what I'm saying? So, don't ever half step. I don't care if it's one or two people out there. You better perform like it's your last performance. You know, so, yeah. I

Jay Ray: I have a story that I'm going to tell the story and then we're going to talk about that very thing.

[00:19:23] RAHBI's Performance Preparation

Jay Ray: Um, so my, my RAHBI story happened before I met you RAHBI and I had just moved to Atlanta. So this is like 2010 and my best friend actually shout out to Joshua, um, was like. You have to see this artist in Atlanta.

His name is RAHBI. I went to a show. He had wings. There was glitter. He was singing. It was amazing. So whenever RAHBI is doing something you need to go. So your reputation as a performer. And Joshua's a music dude, right? So he's like, so one of the things you need to do is go and see this dude because he's going to do this now.

Let's let's, let's, let's spend some time here. So your mic is always on. You also are also. All you're very, like Sir Daniel said at the beginning, you have a understanding of and command of the stage that you're on and you use it. I have recorded you up on, I didn't even know you was going to get up on the speaker and do the thing like in the crowd.

So there's like me under the camera and you're like on top of me. And there's like, and I'm like, I didn't know that was going to happen. That is a lot of work physically. So can you talk about how you prepare for performance physically and also vocally? How do you protect this instrument? Because that's also really important too.

How do you do that?

RAHBI: Yeah. Well, you hit on a lot of things, uh, demanding, uh, just the, the, the tension from all the, the audience. I think that a lot of that came from my grandfather again, like pastors, they're basically like rock stars, you know, good ones, you know what I'm saying? Good, good, good ones are just rock stars. You know, my granddad real flash with all the jury and you know, so the church helped with that.

Um, and then, like I said, I started singing, um, in seventh grade, but like, In high school, I was in all kinds of choirs and, uh, college. I was a part of choirs. And so I always do my warmups. They always tell you, keep your throat wrapped up, you know what I'm saying? And when you have a show coming up, don't be screaming.

Plenty of rest, plenty of water. And then I also musical, musical theater come from musical theater. We rehearse for hours, you know, so we're always moving our bodies and stretching. And, and there is no, like a lot of times you don't always have a mic, you know? So you have to always, so I learned how to project and really just give like.

100 percent all the time, you know, so, um, so that, uh, what else was about to say? Oh, and so since I'm, since I'm not doing musical theater all of the time, I go to the gym at least twice. I know it's not a whole lot, but at least twice a week, I go to a class and a step class, which helps me with my cardio.

And my dad, my dad went to college on a track. So I'm like athletic anyway, you know, I just use it on stage. So when you see the big jumps I do on stage, I got the thighs and the legs of my dad. I just use it on stage, you know. So, yeah, I'm just kind of I'm built like that as well. I like I like moving. I don't feel good when I'm just standing still.

I just get bored. And I got I'm a little vain. You know, so I want to look good. I want to look good in my outfits.

just like what Beyonce was talking about, when it's time to perform, I work out, I cut out red meat, uh, sugars, all that stuff. I gotta be fine cause I gotta get in my fit. I gotta get in my fit.

Jay Ray: Go ahead sir,

RAHBI: If you're a serious artist, you know what I'm saying?

DJ Sir Daniel: right. And I

RAHBI: not to knock anybody else out, you know, that's for me. You know what I'm saying? Cause they're the people that's That's presenting amazing looks in other ways. Yeah, that's it. I mean, Yeah

DJ Sir Daniel: to say is that that's a healthy. Um, that's a healthy desire when you are a performer and a rock star, because you are presenting and if you, and you're projecting what you're feeling, and if you're not feeling good, then people are going to pick up on that.

And then who's going to want to be around that?

RAHBI: Cause I like to get naked on stage

DJ Sir Daniel: Well, then there's that. So we, so

RAHBI: to get naked the way I want to get naked.

DJ Sir Daniel: so listen, RAHBI told y'all, don't bring the, leave the kids at home. This is a grown

folk show. This is a grown

RAHBI: Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah.

DJ Sir Daniel: And I, and the only other thing I was going to say is they're not. I just don't feel that there are, there are not a lot of rock stars around.

And when we say rock stars, we're not just talking about one, uh, genre of music. I'm talking about people who encompass, who embody the energy. That are energy guys, like I just saw Missy Elliot a couple weeks ago, there aren't, there aren't any rock stars anymore. And so if you want to see a rock star and living in living color, you all have got to come out to STRANGE and check out RAHBI.

Jay Ray: Absolutely.

[00:24:47] Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Jay Ray: RAHBI, August 31st, STRANGE will go down terminal west in Atlanta. Go ahead and talk to the beautiful people listening or watching Queue Points about why they need to be in the building. Let them know RAHBI.

RAHBI: Because STRANGE is a reflection of you. You know what I'm saying? A lot of times as leaders in this crazy world, we feel very alone. You know what I'm saying? Like we feel like there's nobody else like us. We look, we look at things. Totally different differently because we are leaders. We are those strange individuals with those brilliant creative ideas in, in rock and soul and hip hop and journalism and fashion design.

And, and STRANGE is where you could come and see yourself and be like, Oh, I'm not, this is, this is my community. You know what I'm saying? So come to STRANGE and get recharged and go and just. Continue to fearlessly embrace your light That's why you need to be there.

Jay Ray: Folks. You are so welcome. Thank you so much for coming and checking out Queue Points for all of y'all that are tuning in. Y'all know what to do. Make sure one, first and foremost, if you get tickets to see STRANGE on August 31st, do that. Also, if you can hear us, if you can see us hit the subscribe button, wherever you are, visit Queue Points.

com where you can sign up for our newsletter and check out all of our other content. And you can visit our store at store. Queue Points. com. We love you and we appreciate you.

DJ Sir Daniel: Absolutely.

RAHBI: me so much

DJ Sir Daniel: Oh, totally listen. It has been our pleasure. And like I always say every week in this life, you have a choice. You can either pick up the needle or you can let the record play. I am DJ Sir Daniel.

Jay Ray: I am J Ray. That folks,

RAHBI: I'm,

DJ Sir Daniel: is Rob.

Jay Ray: you are

DJ Sir Daniel: the beautiful RAHBI. And this has been Queue Points podcast, dropping the needle on black music history. We will see you on the next go around. We'll see you at STRANGE.

Jay Ray: Peace y'all.