She’s Wildewoman #4: Chaka Khan
By Allison Parssi
The first time I heard of Chaka Khan was October 20, 2018. I met a good friend at The Whistler for our favorite all vinyl disco dance night, Le Freak (sadly no longer happening). The DJ duo always kept their sets incredibly tight and the energy high. These nights were always popular, but this night was packed. Everyone in the bar was there to dance. After our first couple of hours, drenched in sweat, we took a break to grab another round of drinks. While waiting at a bar, in reality still dancing, an unfamiliar track with a corresponding video started playing. I couldn’t look away from the sparkling costumes and elaborate dance moves. I called it to the attention of my friend and all I could hear her shout was “Chaka Khan.”
The Queen of Funk got her start in music at an early age. Born Yvette Marie Stevens and raised in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, Stevens was surrounded by family who loved jazz music. She and her father were frequent visitors of the free-jazz jam session at Hyde Park’s The Point. Although her career would lead her to funk and disco, jazz music proved to be a lasting foundation. By the time she was 11, Yvette and her sister Yvonne (aka Taka Boom), formed their first band the Crystalettes. This Motown inspired group morphed into Shades of Black in 1968, when the two sisters joined the Affro-Arts Theater. It was here where she was given the name Chaka.
Chaka Khan moved through Chicago performing in several smaller groups. After Shades of Black she joined the R&B group Lyfe, which led her to becoming the lead singer of The Babysitters after the death of the former frontman, Baby Huey. Though most of these projects lasted only a year at best, during this experimental time Khan was able to hone her voice and perfect her energetic stage presence. Her efforts did not go unnoticed. In 1971 she was recruited by Paulette Williams to be her replacement as the lead singer of the Chicago funk band Rufus. The band signed to ABC Records and released their debut, self-titled album in 1973. The record gained little traction, but once again Khan’s vocals held their own and caught the attention of Stevie Wonder. Wonder wrote “Tell Me Something Good” specifically for Khan, which was released the following year and became Rufus’s breakthrough hit.
Throughout the 1970s and all the band’s name changes, Khan continued to sing and arrange music with Rufus. Her involvement started to wane as she began pursuing her solo career, leaving the group completely in 1982. While still officially with Rufus, she released her timeless crossover disco track “I’m Every Woman” from her debut album Chaka (1978). The song became an instant success. Selling over a million copies, the single helped the album go platinum, held a prominent position in charts internationally, and led to her first Grammy nomination as a solo artist. The world was ready for Chaka Khan and she proved that she needed no introduction.
To say the rest is history would not do this Chicago legend any justice. Despite her battles with her record label and her struggles with addiction, she soared into stardom to cross genre barriers and write history. Her talent led to collaborations with Prince, De la Soul, Guru, and many others. Her cover of Prince’s “I Feel for You,” featuring Grandmaster Melle Mel, made her the first R&B artist to release a crossover hit featuring a rapper. Her career showcased her ability to musically shapeshift, which was made especially apparent on her 2019 record Hello Happiness. Released twelve years after her previous album, Khan with producers Sarah Ruba and Switch (from Major Lazer), pulled from the best of her funk and disco days to make an incredibly relevant dance record. Going on to influence major artists like Janet Jackson and Mary J. Blige as well as current emerging acts like Crazy P and Adeline, Chaka Khan continues to shine.
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This Week’s Resources and Links:
We Got Next. - A recent platform and educational resource for women, trans, femme, queer and BIPOC DJs
We Are The Womxn by FKA Twigs (a short film)
Ric Wilson Is on the Brink of Stardom by Hugh Brooks
Music 45: Who Keeps Chicago In Tune 2020 by Robert Rodi
Before It Was Called EDM, It Was Called House Music, and It Was Black and Gay AF: 15 House Songs You Should Know by Gran Varones