I want to say that the first time I experienced Queenkillahbee was at the first Mxlan when I was still in college. It's an experience I won't forget overall. Speaking to Andres, Tigers Blood, and even Chico from Craft Cultura when they bring up Betty aka Queenkillahbee they always have something to say. The way she built herself. How she worked and crafted her sound/style as a DJ. How they all have a story to tell as it involves Betty and the way she involves herself in the community. I may have experienced Betty at Mxlan years ago, but the stories told and the new sets experienced last year and this year have been amazing. I personally don't know a lot about "perreo" and reggaeton, but it's like Don B and Alvaro from STRGHTFWRD have told me. When it comes to DJing the artist puts a lot out there for the audience and even if at least one person goes home thinking back on the set or wondering on the sound and wanting to hear more then that's good. On 7/28/22 Mxlan day 2 Queenkillahbee was the DJ and it was another fun and amazing set as I the crowd enjoyed themselves as they danced as well. This is feature is on Betty, @queenkillahbee
Before we begin we learn a bit on what Betty has been enjoying as of recently "Lately I’ve been enjoying getting into a healthier food routine? Trying to get healthy, pay attention to my body, and eventually into working out again. Also getting back into video games again. During the quarantine I got into some and then got busy, but I’m finding some time to get back in, find some time for myself." I'd say that putting yourself first is important I mean it's self-care! Even if it's a moment to relax, but I feel the same way with the way that I work. I would like to just watch a movie or play a game although the thoughts on what I could be doing kick in, but when you get that moment of peace/relaxation it just hits on a whole different level. She continues by mentioning a few shout-outs " Shout out to all my reproductive justice hotties. I know they’re putting in the work and doing all they can for us to have access to safe abortions."
We start off by asking Betty what kind of DJ/artist would they consider themselves as along with any name they would give their style as she says
"I don’t exactly label myself as anything, I just do it for the culture, my community. I like playing music that I like and I think people would like to hear, as a response to the location that I’m playing in. I enjoy when music brings you back to a part of your life that you miss, or when the music makes you feel a type of way, sometimes a way you’ve never felt before. It’s like painting a picture with a playlist, playing with genres and tracks, subject-matter, almost like each set in a different exhibit of feelings expression" As Betty mentions "I enjoy when music brings you back to a part of your life"along with "it's like painting a picture with a playlist" as I use Mxlan day 2 as an example. The songs played I haven't heard in a good while. There was one song that played which caused me to turn to my friend telling her "you showed me this like months ago" and it brought me back to that moment in time. There was another song Atrévete-Te-Te by Calle 13 which reminded me of when I first saw and listened to the song on tv. After the first moment I saw it I always hoped it would appear again even if it was just for a moment! Besides my personal moments I noticed the quick expressions on people and sudden movements to dance to the different songs/sounds. As the songs transitioned so did they. As Betty mentioned "I just do it for the culture, my community."
What is it about "perreo" and "reggaeton" that Betty enjoys? What about it catches her attention?
"I really enjoy the attitude that reggaeton brings, especially when it’s hard-hitting and some even sounds violent af. For example, having Wisin yelling at you que te salgas si no estas bailando con ella, and contrasting with Yandel in the same song. I got into playing this music after some big CDMX inspo and because I felt mad seeing that I, other women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community didn’t have a space to go dance and have a nice night out without getting touched, ogled at, harassed, and worse. I felt like playing and dancing to music that’s about sex, drugs, violence in our own space was our own way of combating machismo & social inequalities and creating a loving space for people to be able to explore their sexuality and gender identity and expression. I feel like it was sort of a little cultural renaissance at a time when reggaeton and other latin music was still very much looked down upon. I know I got told ‘no reggaeton’ when getting asked to DJ, which I thought was weird, but okaaay. My goal was to have a place with reggaeton, perreo, cumbia, dembow, and more and have people from all the different social circles that were downtown, and I feel like it’s just getting there with reggaeton and perreo being more accepted now(thanks 2 Benito)." As Betty mentions "I know I got told 'no reggaeton' when getting asked to DJ" it reminds of college when downtown spots would mostly play the top 100 billboard hip hop/rap songs from what I remember, but it wasn't something that got me moving or excited. I was in radio in college so working on playlists for the websites we included some of the same songs. It's pretty weird when shouldn't it not have been looked down upon to play latin music? I started listening to more Spanish music these past 2 years and I do agree with Betty that it does have an "attitude" and it can come off a little "violent" haha, but do we exactly have a space for "reggaeton, perreo, cumbia, dembow, and more" as she adds on by saying "I, other women and members of the LGBTQIA+" to go dance and have a nice night out without getting touched, ogled at, harassed, and worse" which having and creating a safe space is important especially with these sounds in one area where people could just enjoy! We can't always just have a hangout at our house with a playlist when we could be having DJs blasting "reggaeton, perreo, cumbia, dembow, and more."
When did Betty first started DJing? What was she DJing? What was she doing when she first began leading to where she is now? How has she seen herself progress?
"When I first started DJing I would play mainly hip hop, rap, and cumbia. A Lot of 2000s rap and a lot of Future. My first dj ‘gig’ I did was a y2k night at Yerberia Cultura like in 2015, just djing off my laptop program, no money, no sync, what the heck is a bpm, just vibes, haha." I mean I still don't know what a bpm is, but I'm learning! As she continues by mentioning "I definitely have progressed. Every gig is more practice and there is always something new to improve on and something new to learn. I love hanging with DJs because we can always talk and ask each other questions and give each other advice. As a DJ, there’s a ton of things you don’t see us doing or worrying about and I think only other DJs would know what’s up with that issue. I think I’ve still improved a lot in technical mixing, key mixing, and mixing genres. Also, I learned how to say no more often, big improvement, imo. I think production would be the next thing I want to learn and hopefully progress there too." I will agree that learning to say "no" can be tough, but I'm glad to know. It was something hard for me as well, but it's been helpful. I mean as the viewer yeah I'm listening to the set, but I'm always looking at the hands of the DJ because I'm just curious. Twisting of the knobs and the buttons being pressed, but there's obviously way more to it than that as she mentions " technical mixing, key mixing, and mixing genres" especially if it's a themed gig I can only imagine. Talking to Alvaro about his first gig he mentions "I had no idea what I was doing or how I was supposed to dj that night, it was eye opening for sure." Which brings me back to what Betty says "I definitely have progressed. Every gig is more practice and there is always something new to improve on and something new to learn" and that's how it be. We have our firsts and we go on from there!
Could Betty tell us where she first DJed at? If so, where was it and what does she remember about it? How is this compared to her most recent DJ session?
"I’m gonna say there’s two firsts. One time at Yerberia, it was like 3 or 4 of us making our playlists for a y2k night. I had just ripped traktor thanks to Diosdelghetto and Paulmethazine and just played off the software on my laptop, no controller. Way before this, at house parties and after shows, we would just 'dj,' it was really just playing a playlist off of an ipod or off of itunes, but everyone would dance and go hard, but the silence in between songs was always bad, lmao, so I at least transitioned, badly, with no silence. I only wish I had that confidence now, haha. No skills back then, no controller, once again, just vibes." I mean that's how we learn isn't?" Even with "no controller" she still had the "vibes." When I was the dj for radio events we had the slider for transitioning songs on the mini board? Controller? The cool dj machine, but I didn't know how to work with genres so I just played local music majority of the time and songs I really enjoyed from my anti-pop playlist haha and I dropped the speaker one time, but it didn't break! We kept going! Betty continues by sharing their other first moment
"The other ‘first’ was at Suerte’s OG sideroom. Paulmethazine and Diosdelghetto dj’d there every last friday of the month, I believe, they were Soma Sound. That was when Paul asked me if i wanted to learn how to dj, I said yes, and then he told me to make a playlist, and I showed up with it, excited to see what he was gonna teach me. But no. He loaded my music and threw me on the decks to figure it out. I was shook, didn’t know what to do, but I didn’t completely fuck up, I had people dancing either way, so I did something right." Man that's like when you're family members asks if you know how to swim and you say no so they just throw you in the pool type beat. I remember the side room for sure. That really did bring back memories. I mean with these experiences to how Betty mentioned earlier "I definitely have progressed" and we love to read that! May she continue with her growth and keeping the crowds going!
How does it feel to DJ and just having control of the crowd with what you're doing?
"It’s definitely easier said than done, but when you have the people dancing it’s the best feeling. Each space has its own vibe so you gotta figure out what fits that spot, but I also like to remember that it’s me and if I’m dancing and having fun, that’s usually a better result. Sets never bang if the DJ isn't having fun." Hmmm that's actually interesting "sets never bang if the DJ isn't having fun" which yeah that does make sense actually. I saw Betty smiling while djing at Mxlan the other day so that definitely means it was a "bang" haha. If you weren't able to catch Betty this Thursday she'll be djing again Saturday at Mxlan, but it doesn't stop there! Keep an eye out for future Queenkillahbee sets!
What sort of feedback have you received when it comes to your work?
"My fav feedback was when my now-mentor told me he saw me dj and could hear that I definitely didn't know how to dj, but I still did pretty good. After they taught me, then I could definitely understand what they meant and I haven’t gone back to sucking…yet. I have people tell me they like the music that I play because it’s different, and that's actually another reason why I started djing, because I would go to all the different bars and would just hear the same songs over and over again and I just wanted to hear something else, so I had to do it myself." I mean I haven't gone to downtown bars/clubs in awhile due to the music. It's the same thing especially if it's songs I hear in my car. I mean now I'm listening to dj mixes on soundcloud in my car because it's different. Whenever I go see a dj it's always something new and different as well. I even get to learn about new music too!
What can Betty tell us about "perreo peligroso" ? What were y'all set out to do with this event? What does she remember most about it? Will there ever be another "perreo y peligroso" type of event? If you could host something like this what would it be and who would you involve?
"I wanted Perreo Peligroso to be a whole ass recurring event, I think we did 3 parties, but none beat the first one. We wanted it to be a party where we could go in and just dance, drink, and have a good time, w/ no men bothering us. We charged men only, and women were free, which is literally all “ladies nights” but present it a different way and you get the pushback lol. We dropped the event video and flyers the day before, and we still had an amazing turnout. I remember a group of girls just throwing ass in a circle and hyping each other up, and men just standing by the wall, a bunch of guys I had never seen before in my life. All the lights were red and minimal, just how I had pictured. I don’t think I’ll do another one.. We only did them bc it was experimental and free, we thought it would be a one time thing and didn’t even think it would be successful, tbh. I wanted to bring in other artists and djs for these parties and drag queens. Our last event was JOTX and it was like a week before quarantine, and just haven’t planned anything like that since. A lot of things changed in just 2 years." Talking to Andres and Tigersblood and asking them about "Perreo Peligroso" they told me "that night at Yerberia was a legendary night to remember. The sweat, the music, the lights, the environment. You just had to be there." I can only imagine it. Especially with the flyer and the title "Perreo Peligroso" asuu makinaa. I may not have been able to experience, but hearing about it and imagining it sounds crazy! Especially with the idea behind it being a party but "w/ no men bothering us. We charged men only, and women were free, which is literally all 'ladies nights' but present it a different way." I mean this like what Betty mentioned earlier "I, other women and members of the LGBTQIA+ to go dance and have a nice night out without getting touched, ogled at, harassed, and worse" while men did pay a fee it was "ladies night" and that night was theirs in its entirety.
When it comes to "Oops, I forgot to press record!" mix, what does Betty enjoy about it? When working throughout this mix, was there anything she added or did that just made it feel "right" to her? If she could play this at any club or setting where would it be? Where could she envision yourself playing this mix as she says "I enjoy mixing different genres and making reggaeton fit into any environment I’m djing at. This set was for The Dungeon when I played for Touching Infinite in April and I love djing with Lil Duende, Leather Zaddy, and DJ Seifer, I really enjoy our chemistry at shows. I actually recorded this set at the show, and I literally forgot to press record, como siempre, but I remembered a couple songs in. I made this mix there, I’ve used the songs at Bearded Lady, anywhere people will vibe to the darker sounds of it." I haven't experienced a Lil Duende set yet! He plays today at Mxlan day 3, but at Mxlan he is Lil Angelito for the day! Gotta keep it family friendly. Ohhh so the mix is actually longer, but she actually didn't press record I literally though it was a cool title! Wow I had no idea haha. Now I wonder how it actually started.
If Betty could be on a line up with any artist whether being local/non local who would it be and why along with a location? Theme?
"I would just liek to bring all my dj friends from all over and have us all play together, idc where, preferably outdoors tho. Flores Negras, Amores, Murda Weapon, bring back Paulmethazine, Dj Actbadd, bbycat. Friends i have dj’d with and others I haven’t. There’s so many ppl I’ve met on my dj journey to name, and I can’t make up my mind on this, sooo try again later, thanksss. lol." Fuck it, it's going to "bang" either way! Just one giant set list with the homies! One giant mix at the end for soundcloud as well.
As an artist being a part of mxlanfestival "breakthrough stage" what does this mean for Betty? Is there anyway she's prepping herself up for the festival? "Being part of the breakthrough stage makes me feel as a local like our city actually gives a damn about us, me and the other djs included in this. It’s the biggest festival mcallen has and the coolest, btw, so seeing myself on this stage lets me know I’m doing something right, and I don’t just mean that for my own personal gratification, but after I played the 2019 MXLAN, I would bump into kids and the new gen adults that were there and they told me how they loved seeing me up there onstage. It’s really about representation. I can’t wait to see what the little girls that took pics with me after my sets are doing in 5-10 years from now. I hope I can inspire them to take control and create for and represent their hometown. It really feels good to be backed up by my scene, people I’ve grown up with, and people that will be the next gen." I continue by asking are you excited!?
I’m really excited about this year’s festival and so glad to be back, and not to say I’m not nervous, but it’s cool having experienced being on a stage like this for my people and now being able to do it again, this time, having improved in my process and techniques."
It really is the biggest festival mcallen has and it's pretty coo! I'm still kinda tired from standing on day 2 of mxlan, but that won't stop me from going again. I wanna tear up reading about "representation" it reminds of me a poem every time Ashlee Haze - For Colored Girls feel free to check it out. It's as Betty mentions "I can’t wait to see what the little girls that took pics with me after my sets are doing in 5-10 years from now. I hope I can inspire them to take control and create for and represent their hometown." It's that representation, as mentioned earlier "I just do it for the culture, my community." For me it's just having beers with Andres and Tigersblood it's like the older brothers I've never had. With what they teach me and represent for the community as well. I find representation very important and being able to talk to someone as well.
What is it about DJing that Betty really enjoys? "I really like making people feel a certain way with music. It’s literally like painting a picture for you and you can let your imagination run wild with it. Maybe you’ve heard the song and it takes you back, maybe you hear something new and it opens up your mind and just inspires you in a way you’ve never felt before. I would like to one day curate something in a gallery and create an installation where you just get transported to a different time and place. Bring in some feelings I’ve had when listening to certain songs and djs and just share it with my own people." I feel that way when listening to Don B's summer throwback mix. I feel that way listening to Queenkillahbee live. The songs that really throw me back and I'll have a memory just hit me that I think about it for a moment. I remember one time at UTRGV there some an event inside the ballroom. People were reading their poetry that involved home cooked meals such mole, tamales veracruzanos, and fideo. While there was no food I was able to smell it like it was just there and it made me feel like if I was with my mom. Just like the music that Betty puts out that makes me remembers it is also the words of others that have given me that experience as well. It's things that really bring it out of you.
Betty shares her thoughts on the local valley scene,
I think it’s growing and it's good to see some of the scene vets playing alongside the newer up and comers. I love how everyone takes care of each other and hope it keeps growing in that aspect. So much talent needing to be showcased, I’m sad I can’t attend more shows. I’m still dying to see the blow up dollz play
Along with one final comment,
Thanks for the interview! Not v often I get to talk about my work and art, and sorry I took so long, hahaa. Just want to add that if there’s something you want to do, fucking do it. If you feel you can’t fit in, make your own space, work with others, and don’t let anyone else tell you that you cannot do it. Literally never give up on yourself. It’s too easy to quit, y duele más cuando no hiciste lo que quisiste.
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