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Gina Genius and Gina Bling of Team Gina take audiences back to the '80s. (Photo by Kyle Johnson)
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HOME > SOVO SCENE > MUSIC
By: ROB BECK
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“TWO HYPER FLY LADIES with verbal dexterity and excellent taste in shoes.”
That description, from lesbian hip-hop duo Team Gina’s MySpace profile, sums up the musical pair perfectly. They're just a couple of hot chicks known for hotter rhymes, crazy dance moves, and a spectacularly retro fashion sense.
The duo — also known as Gina Genius and Gina Bling — first burst onto the Atlanta scene with their appearance at last year’s inaugural MondoHomo festival. They return for a July 9 performance at Mary’s with some fresh moves and a new album called “Products of the ‘80s.”
“We love playing Atlanta,” says Gina Bling. “The fans there are so wonderful, and the community’s been so supportive.”
They won’t soon forget the warm Southern welcome the first time around, especially from a group of adoring ladies known as the Feminist Outlawz.
“They had a huge banner waiting for us at our first show, and they are totally rad,” Bling says. “They showed us all this warmth and support, and we didn’t even know anyone in Atlanta yet.”
Gina Genius says she looks forward to repay that kindness with a hot new show.
“We just can’t wait to try to rock Atlanta in a different way,” she says.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE TOUGH for Team Gina to accomplish. The duo’s new album — available at Team Gina’s shows until it hits online outlets such as iTunes in August — finds them covering new sonic ground.
According to Bernadette Patterson, a.k.a. DJ Va Jay Jay, the person responsible for bringing Team Gina to Mary's, the album marks a tighter, more melodic sound for the hip-hoppers.
“It’s so different from the first one.,” Patterson says. “There’s a little bit more singing, and the music’s a little tighter.”
Team Gina say they don’t have a hard time pulling all their influences —from Cyndi Lauper and George Michael to Kris Kross and M.I.A. — into a cohesive sound.
“I think it actually comes very naturally for us,” Genius says. "When we first met, we had this whole list of things that we had in common. To some people, it might seem like these varied things that have nothing in common, but we definitely love stuff that’s both campy and smart.”
NEVER SEEN TEAM GINA perform? Patterson advises you to get ready for a great show.
“They definitely do a really great throwback to the '80s with choreographed dances,” she says. “It’s just fantastic.”
The Mary's show also serves as a benefit for Leah Helfen and Amy Sarrell, two Atlanta lesbians injured in a recent automobile accident.
Also taking part in the event are Thieves, Fingers, Amy Kasio, and DJ Va Jay Jay.
“Mary’s is this gay, eclectic, hole-in-the-wall bar, and I just feel like they definitely embrace everything that Mary’s is,” Patterson says.
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