Houston-via-Los Angeles rapper Tiko Texa$ summed up last night’s International Girl Gang Expo in five simple words: “Bad bitches and good weed.” Hosted by Women.Weed.Wifi, an art collective dedicated to female creativity via cannabis, and part of STG’s free Nights at the Neptune series, the combo concert and bazaar offered plenty of inspiration for the 420-inclined modern woman.
Organizers took full advantage of the University District venue’s multimedia potential in the cinema-turned-music club, setting up local vendors inside the hall, projecting visuals on the screen, rocking a DJ between sets, and turning over the main stage to two flavors of female vocal stylings.
Browsers on the hunt for fresh duds, last-minute festival accouterments, or inexpensive art to brighten up the walls had plenty of options. Local pop-up staple Genuine Gem and Tacoma clothier Hall of Fame Vintage were both on hand with summer blouses and throwback ’90s sweatshirts. The three ladies behind hit podcast Hella Black Hella Seattle presided over a whole table of swag, and Women.Weed.Wifi hawked $3 herbal cigarettes for a non-THC smoke break. (Though toward the end of the night I finally caught a whiff of ganja someone surreptitiously puffed inside.) Mixed, UW’s multiracial, multiethnic, transracially adopted student group, sold copies of their latest zine alongside soaps and candles.
Amanya Maloba, Women.Weed.Wifi’s editor-in-chief, showed off some of her intensely introspective visual poetry, essentially spoken word set to a music video-like montage, to much acclaim from a supportive crowd—there was some obvious community-building going on under Neptune’s watchful gaze.
Soon after, undercard performer Blossom took the stage. The Portland-based R&B singer proudly reps her native Trinidad and Tobago, but her soulful voice fought to overcome the deep rumbles of her bass-heavy backing tracks. Barefoot and earthy in ripped jeans, her solo presence struggled to fill the massive stage despite her showing impressive range as she fluttered between neo-soul, dancier numbers, and reggae riddims in a half-dozen song set. Her potential was obvious, though, and I’d swoon to see her play unplugged or with a live band that can soften the volume that pumped over the Neptune’s sound system.
By contrast, Tiko Texa$—a last minute substitute for Brazilian feminist rapper Lay, who was waylaid by visa troubles—took no prisoners as she stormed on stage, roaming from one end to the other in a powerhouse set. “Seattle Fucking Washington” she intoned multiple times, unable to hide her enthusiasm about her inaugural visit to the Emerald City. In a bright blue jumpsuit, she kicked off her silver shoes early in the first song as she hurtled through the dirty South-inflected synths and bass lines of her 2016 Gold Soul EP.
Straddling the MC techniques of trap and grime with a chameleonic voice that can drag like gravel, croon like a blueswoman, or pitch up with a nasal affect, Tiko Texa$ cemented her rising star status. From sex-positive ditties like “Hobby” (chorus: “fucking you like that is just my hobby”) to weed anthems like “Bringing It Back,” Tiko Texa$ brought just the right mix of party music to keep a night of women’s empowerment from veering into the pedantic; it was all about having fun, smoking weed, and getting laid —with women as the protagonists.
And after yet another picture-perfect Seattle summer day, she just may have provided the recipe for the season with “Strapped.” Its chorus: “Drugs at 2 am drinking with my friends / All this summer fun hope will never end.” As the crowd filed out, I’m sure plenty of them headed out to do just that.