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Born Rekha Malhorta, DJ Rekha grew up in Flushing and graduated from Queens College. She helped bring South Asian techno music to North America via Basement Bhangra, one of NYC’s longest-running club acts (1997-2017). She was also the associate producer for the NPR series A Feet In Two Worlds and the co-creator of a theme to Padma Lakshmi’s Hulu cooking show Taste the Nation.
Now, she’s returning home and bringing the beats!
Basement Bhangra Beyond is in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on Saturday, July 20, from 5 pm to 9 pm
DJ Rekha will share the stage with Priya Ragu, a Swiss singer-songwriter born to Sri Lankan-Tamil parents. The show is also the NYC debut of Lady Pista, a Toronto-based pioneer of multi-genre mixing of South Asian beats with Western-inspired instrumentation, and Ami Dang, a sitarist and vocalist from Baltimore.
On the following night, July 21, D.M.C. & Friends is at the same venue — which lies near the New York State Pavilion and Maloof Skate Park –– and also runs from 5 pm to 9 pm.
Queens-bred Darryl McDaniels went by the name “D.M.C.” and partnered with Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell and Joseph “DJ Run” Simmons to form Run-D.M.C., the first rap group to achieve mainstream success, starting in the 1980s. He’ll host a night of Hip Hop with Yonkers rapper Jadakiss, who is known for his distinctive gravelly voice and unflinching hardcore rhymes, The Hoodies, and Statik Selektah.
Both concerts are free as both are part of the 38th annual SummerStage. Sponsored by City Parks Foundation, SummerStage — which is really Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage — is New York City’s iconic outdoor performing arts festival. This summer’s schedule features 85 free and benefit shows in Central Park and 13 other public venues across the five boroughs.
Top image: The King DMC; bottom image: DJ Rekha