It’s no secret we here at Colorlines.com are big fans of Big Freedia, the star of New Orleans’ bounce hip-hop scene.  We featured Freedia (pronounced "FREE-da") on our list of openly queer rappers earlier this year, the New York Times also followed the artist around New Orleans last year. But Freedia’s finally hitting the road and going on a national tour, where you too, can shake to "Azz Everywhere."

For Freedia, the journey into hip-hop started nearly 15 years ago at the Walter L. Cohen High School in New Orleans. There, the future star was enlisted as choir director for three years — while still enrolled as a student. After high school, she performed backup singer for Katey Red, bounce music’s first openly gay rapper. But these day’s if you’ve heard of "bounce" or "sissy bounce" music, chances are it’s because of Big Freedia.

Her hits include "Rock Around the Clock," which begins with a sample from the Bill Haley classic but moves to a relentless beat that sounds and feels like it’s going faster and faster. Which brings us to the show-stopping hit song "Azz Everywhere." This is the song you want to see her perform live. The title of the song says it all.

Big Freedia performs in Los Angeles tonight, then Las Vegas before moving West. For more dates visit bigfreedia.com

Tue  7/12/2011  •  Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex with Limp Wrist.
Thu  7/14/2011  •  Las Vegas, NV – Beauty Bar
Thu  7/21/2011  •  New Orleans, LA – BOUNCE VII at Republic
Fri  8/5/2011  •  Stockholm, Sweden – Sodra Teatern
Thu  8/18/2011  •  Brooklyn, NY – House of Vans
Sat  8/20/2011  •  Richmond, VA – Best Friend’s Day
Wed  8/24/2011  •  Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
Thu  8/25/2011  •  Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
Fri  8/26/2011  •  Phoenix, AZ – Brick
Sat  8/27/2011  •  El Paso, TX – M’s Lip Lounge
Fri  9/2/2011  •  Paris, France – Social Club
Sat  9/3/2011  •  Amsterdam, Holland – Valtifest
Thu  9/8/2011  •  London, UK – Hoxton Bar & Grill
Sat  9/10/2011  •  Portland, OR – Dante’s
Fri  9/23/2011  •  Lexington, KY – Cosmic Charlie’s