The Supernova International Ska Festival takes place every September in Virginia. This year's festivities include a performance by Agent 99, a New York ska band from the 90s that featured Dunia Best on vocals.
Dunia has forged a lifelong career for herself in the ska world, and has continued to perform with groups such as Rude Girl Revue; she's even a previous guest on In Defense of Ska, which is arguably the greatest ska-inspired podcast on the planet (also a great book!)
Ahead of Supernova, Dunia has returned to In Defense of Ska—but this time, she brought her brother Ahmed with her to join the conversation. Ahmed played drums with his sister in Agent 99 and even produced the band's first EP. He bunched around a few other NY area bands in the 90s, even playing with Jeff Buckley and the Fugees, before eventually performing in the Broadway production of STOMP. His work on that show helped him land the role that changed his life, for better and worse: the first fully motion-captured character in history, the infamous JarJar Binks.
But that story has been told. What hasn't been told—until now—is Ahmed's history in the ska music scene. If that's not enough to make you pickitup, er, listen to the episode, then Dunia's captivating history will certainly keep you hooked. Trust me: the American music history deep cuts in this one are genuinely fascinating.
Previously:
• The Mandalorian's big reveal: Jar Jar Jedi
