Old White Women

originally published February 7, 2007

Hip-hop duo Old White Women comprises (L to R) Louis Weekley and Matt Williams.

Danger Mouse notwithstanding (and does that even count anymore?), Athens hip-hop is a relatively small blip on the national radar (relative to, say, Wyoming-based black metal). That said, the members of Old White Women bring an aptly lo-fi approach to their beats, rhymes and lives. Sometimes known as MC Audrey Hepburn (AKA Louis Weekley) and DJ Elizabeth Taylor (AKA Cubenza, AKA Matt Williams), the duo sports a handle that's only two-thirds ironic: the dudes are, after all, young, male and Caucasian. Old White Women is a boisterously cutting live act, with the former half of the duo leaping across the stage manically and the latter standing in the back manning some kind of beat equipment.

Make no mistake, it’s far too energetic to be corralled in with the chin-stroking “backpacker” rap scene. Their recent pairing with “Frankenstein-rhyme” emcee Rorshak has proved to be a formidable combination, as seen at a recent Repent show under the moniker Deaf Judges.

Flagpole

What's your take on the Athens hip-hop scene?

Louis Weekley

Don't get me wrong, there are some folks in town I really enjoy, appreciate, care about and make an effort to go check out when I can. In fact, I'm friends with most of the kids in the hip-hop scene. I just feel like I'm on some other type of shit… I'd rather make someone laugh, or show off some dope-ass beat, or throw out some ill wordplay rather than plead with some Athens hip-hop townie boy to throw his hands up. I don't give a fuck what you do with your hands.

Flagpole

What’s that guy in the back doing, exactly?

Louis Weekley

He's kind of a fucking space cadet, which lends to the idea of him just standing around noddin’ his head onstage, but the fact that he's such a space cadet also brings this out of the ordinary psychedelic quality to a lot of his music.

The "hip-hop" music he's been making for the bitches is definitely non-traditional rap, including the samples he uses, instruments he uses, and the way he usually goes about making the actual songs. We are trying for that underground cutie lil' hip-hop sound as far as the lyrics go, and I hope that his beats give off that same cutesy, off-the-cuff flavor.

Flagpole

What advice can you offer to someone learning to freestyle?

Louis Weekley

I think having a couple of friends around that are also into trying to rap is a really important thing. Next, trying to say whatever the fuck you feel like, whether you're copying someone else, or using someone else's lyrics, or whether you're repeating a bunch of dumb-ass shit over and over again. Just try to stay lucid and fluid even if you're not rhyming.

Also, what's probably just as important as anything else is your confidence level.

Flagpole

What can we expect from Old White Women in 2007?

Louis Weekley

Well, we are trying to mix out the rest of our first little six- or seven-song EP called Lil Ronnie. We are trying to mix it ourselves with Matt's shoddy-ass computer programs and it seems like such a daunting, never-ending, never-good-enough task that we keep dicking with.

Hopefully we can have a solid, semi-professional-sounding product to start pawning off to the peasants. Although we are going for that do-it-yourself feel for our first release, we don’t want to rush into anything and end up with something we're not proud about.

Jeff Tobias

Spotlight is a biweekly feature looking at newer or emerging local acts.