Pauline Bennett, who also goes by the stage name of Jazzi P, is a British DJ, dance teacher and rapper from Wolverhampton. She had a No. 6 hit as a featured artist on Kylie Minogue’s 1991 song “Shocked”, and also participated in Bog Brother : Power Trip in 2014.
Pauline has taught dance since the age of 11 creating a nightclub performing group at aged 14. Her rap career began with her dance group “The Brutal Ladies” in 1984 and she was the first female hip hop/jazz DJ on a local pirate radio station, playing local clubs until she entered the DMC Rap Championships in 1988 and was spotted by Les Adams a.k.a. L.A. Mix. In 1989, she featured on L.A. Mix’s UK No. 25 hit “Get Loose” and the following year she had a solo hit with “Feel The Rhythm”, which charted at No. 51 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1991, Jazzi rapped on the DNA song “Rebel Woman”which sampled David Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel” and charted at No. 42 on the same chart.
Around the same time, DNA remixed Kylie Minogue’s “Shocked”and added a rap part written and performed by Jazzi which was subsequently released as a single. It charted at No. 6 on the UK Singles Charts, becoming Minogue’s thirteenth consecutive top ten hit with Jazzi also performing the track on Top of the Pops.
Many electronic tracks have gone on to sample Jazzi’s acapella’s, most notably in 1994 when Chris & James sampled “Feel the Rhythm” for their UK No. 74 hit “Calm Down (Bass Keeps Pumpin’)” and which was further sampled in a myriad of dance floor hits.
In 1991 after buying herself out of her record deal, Pauline returned to teaching dance and building Wolverhampton’s first community dance studio, Sweatbox. She continues to write toplines and perform within the hip hop / electronic scenes, has DJ residencies at Purity Bar and Venue in Wolverhampton as well as at the British Ironworks in Oswestry and most recently performed at the Music and Media Platform Awards in Milton Keynes.
