WHEN THE QUEENS CAME TO TOWN… and ruled shit!

When Trinere reached out to invite Angel to her Queens of the '80s & '90s Dance Party, Angel didn’t hesitate, not even for a second. And this was before she found out who the other Queens would be…

Safire, Betty Dee of Sweet Sensation, Lisette Melendez, and of course, Trinere. It wasn’t just a concert, it was a coronation. A gathering of royalty. A celebration of women who carried an entire generation on the power of their voices and hearts.

The show took place in a charming corner of Southeastern Los Angeles County, in a city called Downey, California. A place rooted in history, home to the Apollo space program and one of the first McDonald's ever built, and still in operation.

But on this night, it made history of a different kind. The kind that touches the soul, reignites memories, and reminds us why this genre we call Freestyle is still very much alive.

The Downey Theatre on Firestone Blvd was the perfect home for this celebration. Intimate, two-tiered, with not a single bad seat in the house.

We arrived early to avoid the infamous LA traffic, and I did what I always do before a show, I stepped out onto that stage, looked out over the empty seats, and said a quiet prayer to the gods of the house. It’s my way of thanking the space.

Angel shared a dressing room with two of her closest sisters in music, Betty Dee and Lisette Melendez. I've known these women for years, and their bond is real.

Between glam touchups and catching up like teenagers at a slumber party, the energy backstage was electric. I found myself...

Continue reading in Issue #41 of The Freestyle Blast Newsletter