Curator Spotlight: Kathia Woods Presents "Check the Rhyme 2" ft. Rah Digga, Bishop Lammont, Lyric Jones and More

After such a poppin' show last year, it's only right we have Check The Rhyme 2 join us again for the A3C Festival! Presented by The Dimas Group and PC Radio, this show is a celebration of Hip-Hop bridging the gap from the new to the traditional music. It's celebrates the true essence of Hip-Hop culture and community without judgment nor boundaries, where this year, you can find artists such as skilled MC's Rah Digga, Bishop Lammont, Shabaam Sahdeeq and Lyric Jones.

Although Hip-Hop may appear as another male dominated industry, don't get it twisted! Kathia Woods is another female curator taking over A3C this year and mastermind behind the official Check The Rhyme 2 show.  It's been a journey for her as she started The Dimas Group  in 2014, solidifying relationships with a variety of artists in major regions such as Washington, DC, Brooklyn, NY and Atlantic City.

We had the pleasure of catching up with Kathia Woods to discuss what  it really means to be a curator in modern times.  She spoke on building her brand, breaking new artists and what it takes to put on a successful show. Let's see what the boss lady had to say in her interview.

How did your showcase come together for A3C?

We did one last year. We had so much fun so we decided to do it again. The idea is to combined up and coming artists with established artists.

What do you look for in rising artists to determine if they have that “it” factor?

Can they perform and do they have good music? Just because someone has lots of clicks or followers doesn't make them a good performer or their music hot.

How do you feel about the title "curator" being used so freely in media and marketing today?

I hate it. I always say there is a huge difference between folks that plan shows to create a vibe for the audience and folks that just want to use shows to raise funds and be seen. You can put on a great show and make money but one should never sacrifices the integrity of the show in the name of a check.

What are some things that someone putting on a showcase may overlook that are crucial to the how's success?

Be mindful of your budget and your logistics. Plan accordingly and make sure everyone on your team understand the mission. It's OK to have fun but it's still a professional show.

To what extent does the showcase lineup reflect your personal taste?

Very much so. I would be never put anything on stage that I didn't believe in or can't defend.

How do you handle the egos of artists/managers on the day of the show?

That can be challenging but I try to be upfront, fair and firm. No is your friend and boundaries have to be set in a professional manner. Often folks think when you're a woman that you're automatically a push over. Incorrect

How will you Measure the success of your showcases?

I measure the success of the showcase by two things did the audience enjoy themselves and did the artist have a good experience everything else is cherry on top.

How does building your personal brand translate to curating events?

It definitely opens more doors when you can put A3C on your resume. It lets folks know your serious and can handle doing a show away from home.

Breaking new music is a major part of A3C showcases. How do you shed a light on new artists without alienating your core fanbase?

Our show is a perfect example. We have newer artist combined with more established artist such as Rah Digga, and Bishop Lamont. They may come for these two but while they are waiting for them to perform they are introduced to Yani Mo and Apollo Ali etc. Our audience knows we are going to give them a good musical gumbo.

TO CATCH THESE DOPE ARTISTST AT CHECK THE RHYME 2 PURCHASE YOUR A3C PASS TODAY!