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Hip-hop group “Wheelchair Sports Camp”

Dec 08 05:31

Oh man. I think I’m in love. I just discovered jazz-hop/"krip-hop" trio Wheelchair Sports Camp, fronted by Kalyn Heffernan, an amazing 24 year old woman with osteogenesis imperfecta, thanks to this fab article in the Village Voice (a NYC paper you should def bookmark). Kalyn, along with her friend Abi and her brother Issac, make up Wheelchair Sports Camp, coined after the teenage disability camp experience that if you’ve been through it, you know why it’s a hilarious band name.

In order for ANY music group to get big in the industry they need a hit. That’s how it works, right? Well, obv that’s yet to happen (cause in that case you would’ve heard about them by now), but Wheelchair Sports Camp (WSC), who call Denver home, jams and fingers-crossed, they’ll eventually release a hit that the masses will fall in love with (with "I Smell Funk" a strong contender). If you have even the slightest TOLERANCE for rap music, please please check out their music at the end of this blog <g>.

As for Kalyn, there hasn’t been a amazing frontwoman like this in a longtime. Maybe it’s because she’s so strong - proud and queer, a part-time graffiti artist, marijuana activist, lovingly foul-mouthed - but the layers to Kalyn definitely give her the required enigma neccessary for any successful front person. Kalyn’s high, childlike, fast-spitted monotone rhymes coming out of her tiny 53 lbs frame are so awesome…it‘s no wonder they’ve received interest from Shady Records, and are already booked to perform at the South by Southwest (a music and film festival in Austin, TX) next year.

I think what I love most about Kalyn though, despite rocking hardcore, is that with every show her group performs, she completely shatters the way people perceive people with disabilities.

To see if WSC is playing a show near you visit their site: Wheelchair Sports Camp

- Wheelchair Sports Camp on Facebook

- Kalyn cameo in Lady Wu-Tang's rap video “Protect Ya Neck”

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By Tiffiny Carlson

Tiffiny Carlson Disability buzz, travel, fashion and dating — fun things to amp up everyday wheeling life.

Tiffiny Carlson is freelance writer and writes the “SCI Life” column for New Mobility. She's also a C6 quad from a diving accident that occurred when she was 14 years old. A lifelong resident of Minneapolis, Tiffiny has been a writer in the disability community for over 10 years and writes for several publications and blogs, as well as her personal blog BeautyAbility. Her work has also appeared in mainstream publications such as Nerve.com and Playgirl.