‘The Voice of Philadelphia’ emcees Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ tour. Kevin JZ Prodigy told us what it was like to work with the Queen.

Beyoncé’s worldwide “Renaissance” tour, like the 2022 album of the same name, is steeped in Black queer exultation. Perhaps there’s no better voice to articulate the mood than that of Kevin JZ Prodigy, a Philly ballroom legend long nicknamed “the Voice of Philadelphia.” Prodigy emcees the show, chanting, rhyming, purring, cajoling, and commentating throughout.

“You’ve asked for the visuals. You’ve called for the Queen. But a Queen moves at her own pace, b-” Prodigy says in the tour’s intro for “Formation,” his words lighting up the stage. “Decides when she wants to give you a f- taste. So get your fork and your spoon, if you got one.”

Then Beyoncé's voice fills the stadium.

Prodigy grew up in the Raymond Rosen Housing Projects in North Philadelphia; his mother worked as a crossing guard for the city. As a teenager, he was kicked out of Dobbins and then Northeast High School for fighting back in the face of brutal bullying over his sexuality, he said. He ultimately graduated from Daniel Boone, a former district disciplinary school, which he loved.

He first appeared alongside Beyoncé on the Renaissance track “Pure/Honey,” chanting unmentionable words sampled from the 2009 track “Feels Like.”

This spring, Beyoncé's team asked him to travel to Los Angeles to record his voice, which is now featured during the “Renaissance” tour’s opening introduction, as well as in the tour’s versions of“Formation,” “Cozy,” and “Pure/Honey,” a song complete with a mini-ball.

Prodigy has been in the Philly ballroom scene since the late ‘90s, and began commentating, or emceeing in the ballroom style, around 2005. His full name comes from his ballroom lineage: JZ stands for the House of Jordan/Zion; Prodigy is the House of Prodigy, a 20-year-old Philadelphia House which Kevin calls the “mecca of Philadelphia ballroom.” His style is rooted in voguing, ballroom’s genre of dance.

“Nobody had a sound like him — that is like a lion roaring,” said Alvernian Prestige Du’Mure Versailles, the president of the Philadelphia Ballroom Alliance and a pioneer in the Philadelphia ballroom scene, who many refer to as the mayor. Alvernian initially nicknamed Prodigy “the voice of Philadelphia.”

» READ MORE: Legendary: 30 Years of Philly Ballroom

Prodigy’s chosen mother, Madelyn Morrison, who used to go by Aamina when she built a legendary career as a voguer, said early on Kevin was met with opposition by people who were skeptical of his style.

“As we can see, Kevin has truly transcended what ballroom commentating is,” said Morrison. “[Kevin] is like a booming, loud lyricist who creates storytelling that invokes the spirit of vogue.”

Before the American leg of the “Renaissance” tour kicks off in Philadelphia on July 12, we spoke with Kevin JZ Prodigy about his rise, his distinct style, and his Philly roots. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

It was actually an accident. My friend Tyrone Banks (God rest his soul) and my friend Amos “Bub” Little (God rest his soul) were voguing. I was like, “what is y’all doing? I wanna learn.” They took me to a club called Skyline. I was completely captivated by DeeDee Revlon, Niyambi Prodigy, Aamina, and Biscuit Movado.

It was a different type of dance: the grace, the style, the attitude. The conversation of the dance was what captivated me.

Making music and commentating go hand in hand. Vejai Alston is the reason I started making songs. I was taught how to commentate by Dante Movado. I was taken aback; I wanted to learn, so I watched everything he did. I watched a lot of people. But it was hard to get into it — I had to find my own lane. And my own lane was making music and making songs and chants for my friends. Just for my people.

It’s raw. It’s universal. It’s in your face. It’s a lot of emotions. It’s a mood. It’s a feeling: happiness, pain, sadness. My voice and my sound and my music come from emotion.

When I’m commentating a ball, it feels like a lot of work. But it also feels like a major release, especially when I’m into it. Because I see people who feel where I’m coming from, who can feel me and I can feel them.

Because MikeQ [a legendary DJ in the ballroom community who put out the 2009 track “Feels Like” that Beyoncé wanted to sample] told me, and he said, “What should I do?”

I said, “If you don’t send her that damn sample and stop playing with me …” He had already sent it to her.

Then after that, her people reached out to me for the tour. They said, “We need you to come in.” And I said, “Here I come.”

I feel amazed. I am overwhelmed. I am shocked. Beyoncé is a beautiful person. Very humble. She’s grateful for all of her success. She deserves it.

She said, “Do you think you can do this?” I said, “Yes, give me a piece of paper and a pen.” And I wrote it all.

The thing is, I’m an artist. So when another artist wants to collaborate, I get straight to it. I wasn’t nervous. I was shocked. But I said, You know what, let’s get to it. We about to shut it down.

Dreams do come true.

One of my biggest dreams in my entire life happened. Do you know what that was? I met Madonna. Now I have to meet one more person. I met Beyoncé, I met Madonna, I met Rihanna. Now I need Janet.

I don’t know. I just can’t wait.

I will soon.

I don’t know yet.

I don’t know. Honestly, I really don’t know. If I’m there, you’ll see it. But I’m going to the show. I purchased a ticket, I tell you that much.