Second annual Rhyme Fest proves to be an emerging platform for growing number of women in the hip hop community

WASILLA — The second annual Rhyme Fest, a hip hop music festival designed to unite Alaskan rappers under the same roof, drew in more talent this year, seeing a rise of female performers in particular.

“It’s a labor of love,” Devon Shaw, rapper and founder of Rhyme Fest said at the event in Wasilla June 30.

Shaw’s eyes were very baggy and he looked visibly tired. He said that he was exhausted from this jam-packed summer. Shaw’s stagename is “D the Lyricist” as he focuses a lot on lyrical storytelling with his works. This festival was the last stop of his “Into the Wild” tour with his hip group, Unite the North and other rappers like Stevie Leniear, an independent, female rapper based in Anchorage who goes by “Stevie the Blessed.”

Shaw said that there were more performers in general this year and he was impressed by every act on stage. There were significantly more female performers this year, breaking even more ground on the local hip hop scene. Shaw said that six female rappers took to the mic this year, each with their own style, bringing a, “fresher perspective and different outlook.”

“Hip hop as a genre is a male dominated genre with less female rappers in general. They have something to prove because they stick out like a sore thumb,” Shaw said.

Leniear said that she wished that wasn’t the case that female rappers stood out in a traditionally male dominated genre, but to her, it’s all about perspective. She said that standing out was also a chance to break out even quicker if one has the skills to back it up.

She said the timing was “divine” for the ever-growing hip hop scene met with more open minds across the state. She was glad to hear more of her fellow female rappers were “stepping forward and being courageous and being true to themselves.”

“Women are really stepping into their power, including me,” Leniear said.

Last year, Rhyme Fest was a three-day festival but Shaw said he’s been juggling a lot of projects this summer and had to keep it to one day this year. He anticipates throwing another full-weekend festival next year but he is uncertain of what the future holds and what commitments he may find himself in. This is his life though, so he doesn’t mind being busy all the time.

“It’s the community that allows us to do this,” Shaw said.

Shaw’s friend and fellow UTN artist, Justin Odom-Harris, known as “Chose” was overjoyed with this year’s turn out and the overall growth for hip hop and all other creative endeavors across the state.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Odom-Harris said.

Contact Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at Jacob.mann@frontiersman.com.