"I suspect we're named after a porno," says Heddie Leonne, the front woman for one of Olympia's wildest and most original acts, Night Fox. "I don't know where the name came from, honestly. Originally we were called Jesus Pieces but then Chonie (Night Fox's beatsmith) demanded we be called Night Fox."

In case you've been wondering what all the commotion is about, in the summer of 2009 an electro/Barbie doll/ hip-hop group hailing from Olympia was born - Night Fox. I had a chance to sit down with Leonne last Thursday at downtown Olympia's well-sanitized establishment, The Reef, to find out a little bit more about this trio, which also includes Chonie Diego (producer/Ableton master) and DJ Scout (DJ/teen heartthrob). 

Leonne explained that the sound Night Fox was originally going for was, "music for planes going down, with old ladies sitting next to young men both looking at each other and saying ‘Let's do this.‘" What Night Fox ended up with, though, was some extreme dance party music that has nothing to do with Nicki Minaj at all. 

Leonne, a female rapper, says it's been a decent challenge in a hip-hop world ruled by males. "Females have been discriminated against for years and it can be really difficult. I either get hated on for no reason or people tell me I'm like REALLY good after I know they didn't even see me perform. It's kind of annoying. The worst part is because I'm a female I feel like I get too much credit."

Leonne is no stranger to being on the big stage as a female musician, though. Her other group, the Nextdoor Neighbors, placed second at the 2008 EMP Sound Off music competition in Seattle. Leonne classifies the Nextdoor Neighbors' sound as more "electro-folk-hop." Although they've gained a huge following since Sound Off, the project is currently on hold.  Leonne says Kathy Cote (the other half of the Nextdoor Neighbors) is the most talented musician she's ever worked with but right now she wants to focus on Night Fox. 

That sounds like the good ole fashion DIY work ethic Olympia artists have always embraced. Hmmmmmm ... I'm on the brink of potential stardom?  I think I better put that on hold and start from scratch again. 

Leonne admits her ultimate goal is not to become rich and famous but to just party, give people something to talk about (including herself) and to grab the attention from the local community. 

"I wasn't getting much attention and I really needed to get laid somehow," she says. 

What's a good way for her to fulfill her needs and to entertain the hell out of people, leaving both guys and girls in a puddle of their own drool? PARTY MUSIC!

I can guarantee you the rapper/singer/ classical guitar player/Sean Connery impersonator (better known as Heddie Leonne) and her two sidekicks in Night Fox will not disappoint. 

Hip-Hop 4 The Homeless

with Night Fox, Afrok, XP, Sista Hailstorm, Josh Rizeberg, Collective Love Unlimited, Hollywood Kill Krew and Never Sleep,
Saturday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m., $5 or donations
The Loft on Cherry, 525 Cherry St., Olympia