Keepin’ it crunk & creepy
Halloween bash scares up a good time
By Anisha F. Coleman
For the St. Louis American
It was a ghoulish good time in historic Soulard at “The Funkiest Halloween Party in Town” this past Friday. Thrown each year by publicist Jane Higgins, the party got its name from its interesting guest list and ever-surprising performer line-up.
This year the party was held at Soulard Preservation Hall at 9th & Geyer, which is currently being rehabbed. Despite the active work sites in the hall, the visitors, from age 12 and up, partied hardy. Even adult guests came dressed as witches and go-go dancers, blending right in with the kids.
Much to the delight of the crowd, rising 14-year-old rapper Ricky Fondren performed his single “Pull Up to the Club,” to which the youngsters got crunk on the dance floor.
“I’ve been rapping since I was four. I remember growing up watching my older cousins rap and try to make it into the rap game, but I told myself I was going to pursue it hard and make it,” he said.
“My number one thing that’s been instilled in me by my family is to STAY IN SCHOOL, because my family always told me that there is no way you can make it without an education. That’s the same message that I want to send to the young cats that may be looking up to me one day.”
One look at young Ricky and you can tell that he’s ready to make his mark on the music industry.
“Me personally, I admire Nelly, a lot,” he said.
“I’ve actually been on a couple of his video shoots. Every time I see him, he has his game face on. You can tell that he takes his work seriously, but at the same time, he has fun with it.”
Gabrielle Davis’ latest protégé Dem Girls also put on a spectacular performance. In an era when diva-like attitudes dominate the music biz, this trio draws their audience in with class and sweetness. These young women are 20-year-old Camille Curtis, 20-year-old Helen White and 19-year-old Tinika Dixson.
“We are currently in the studio working on our demo, making it hotter by the day. As for labels, we’re seriously eyeing Interscope,” Tinika said.
“We all have heard that Interscope is known for treating their artists wonderfully and being extremely loyal to their artists. We’ve actually done lots of research on all of the different labels and have had extensive conversations with signed artists from some of the labels, and they all agree that Interscope is the best!”
These girls aren’t sleeping on the hard work it takes to make it in the hair-pulling world of showbiz. They’ve performed at local hot spots such as The Spot and also appealed to the older generation by lacing Spruill’s and Janae’s West with their talent.
Keeping their beauty in mind, they also have a fashion show lined up at the Glass House later this month. They also aim to open for R&B diva Keisha Cole’s upcoming performance here in the Lou.
Later in the evening, St. Louis’ own Potzee & UV gave the audience an unexpected treat, when they bounced on stage performing “Good Evenin’” and the newest smash lighting up the request lines, “Dat Girl.” A couple of the teens hadn’t yet heard the single, but hopped back on the dance floor once the track dropped.
Seventeen-year-old Shelly Lane chimed, “That guy is hot! He has major energy when he gets on the stage and keeps it movin’. When we first heard him on the radio, we thought he was Murphy Lee because they sound alike, but when we saw him at the Nelly concert at the Saavis Center, his style is different and he rocked it. I’m going to grab a couple of autographs from him tonight.”
