Last month, local artist Yasmin Radbod released her new self-titled EP in conjunction with her music video “Da Omniverse”, along with a live radio show on WLVS at Listen Vision Studios. The MC is known on the scene as her last name RADBOD. She describes her music as “womyn empowerment and hip-hop with funk undertones”.
When asked about her name, she says: “I thought for a while about making an MC name that was exclusive to me, you know, and not use my family name, but it’s too perfect. It represents a lot about me—I don’t use it to brag I have a ‘rad body’, but it’s ironic in a great way since I don’t care if someone does or doesn’t like my look and/or my body.”
RADBOD has been writing and singing songs since she was a child. During college, her spoken word prowess blossomed into a love for rapping. Her goal for her musical journey is “to never stop making music and never stop being creative.” For her, it’s the only thing that she needs to accomplish in her life.
And, the local MC has a passion for the word “womyn”. She feels that it’s a word heading in the right direction. “You gotta start with something the people can relate to. ‘Womyn’ isn’t radical and it hasn’t gained a good or bad reputation in today’s world, so it’s there for the taking, and I’m taking it all the way. It fucking annoys the shit out of me to see ‘woman’ even in a sentence. Seriously!”
RADBOD can be found performing at several locations over the next month. She’ll be live in concert on March 16 at Tropicalia, 2001 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C at 10 p.m. Layla Lounge in Northeast D.C. will host her show on March 23 at 7 p.m. And, on March 24 she has a chance to open up for Young Thug if she wins the Next Up Showcase at Touché located at 1123 H St. NE, Washington, D.C.
“You can go after anything in this life and you don’t have to sacrifice who you are to get it. You have to protect yourself,” says RADBOD. “You have to love yourself. And above all you need to trust your instincts and don’t give in to the short term temptations that can ruin a dream.”
To stay up-to-date with RADBOD and her upcoming shows, follow her on RADBOD’s Twitter.
