Where are all the female producers? The director of Lady Beat Makers, Vol. 1 (Femmixx.com), Tachelle “Shamash” Wilkes embarks on a passionate journey to answer this elusive question. Wilkes is a Hip-Hop artist and journalist with an impressive resume stemming from opening for KRS-One to contributing articles to Vibe Magazine and holds an MA in Literature from Brooklyn College . Wilkes is not only a voice in the struggle for adequate female representation in the culture and the home-grown, 30-minute documentary highlights five female producers. Lady Beat Makers opens with a gaunt yet striking Reggaeton artist/producer/owner of Night Owl Studio out of New York, Josie Carr, riffing about her discontent, not only with the lack of support for females within the industry but the lack of females grinding as producers in the industry. T.C. Lewis is a violinist who can adapt to almost any instrument put before her, dabbling in everything from gospel to funk. She independently released a Christmas album, Holiday Heat which sold impressive volumes in weeks. Indian born Shakti began as an engineer and plans to shock the world with a fusion of global sounds. She co-owns Global Soul Entertainment. Jewel Browns beats are ridiculous and she runs her production company, Love Productions out Jersey City. Meanwhile, Beat Battle champ Diverse is a growing perfectionist, winning two titles and has appeared in countless urban magazines such as Grind Mode. These women are interviewed with their equipment in close proximity and beats ready to sound-off. They all share a love for the art of producing. They are here to tell the world all about Lady Beat Makers bringing heat. Beatmakers is not a filmmaking triumph but it’s evident that the piece is about the movement—no posturing.
