Re:Generation: OMG Michelle

Dont let the confrontational tone of OMG Michelles single You Dont Know Michelle fool you. For all their talk of pullin hair, poppin nails, and douche-made haters, the five-woman lesbian hip-hop outfitwho collaborate with gay producer DJ Kingdom -- are actually an affable bunch, calling for love, tolerance, and a crunk-flavored revival of New York Citys flagging dance scene. Member Alisa Michelle (a.k.a. Christmas) says she asked her brother to incorporate inspiring hippy shit into the song, which quickly attracted online buzz last year. There is an element of hating on people, but also of being together, like we all love each other, she explains. We want that to be the message, above all the other bullshit. OMG Michelle -- which includes Brooklynites Alisa, Chaydha (a.k.a. Lil' Man), Helen, Melanie (a.k.a. Cocoa Slim), and Tami (a.k.a. Africa) -- began as tight-knit dinner party clan before they caught wind of Kingdoms first mix tape and recruited him to whip up some beats they could rap over. Their first track, the insanely catchy You Dont Know Michelle, was recorded at Kingdoms apartment in one night. And though Melanie says one of her goals is to have a bomb music video, it seems the club-bangers have already achieved it with their clip for the song, a hysterical montage of Full House clips featuring TV toddler Michelle Tanner (played by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen), who, with the help of low-budget computer effects, repeatedly mouths the chorus, Bitch, you dont know Michelle. The group is currently at work on their upcoming album, a mix of 90s rap, electro, R&B, dancehall, house, and club. For behind-the-scenes video footage from OMG Michelle's Re:Generation photo shoot click here. Send a letter to the editor about this article.