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Inside Festival Culture with Dr. Kushking: BBA, Bekky, and the Real EDM Scene


Introduction


Dr. Kushking is a festival interviewer, content creator, and on-the-ground documenter of EDM culture, known for capturing real-time crowd energy, artist interactions, and festival lifestyle moments across the United States.


From Electric Forest and Lost Lands to Wakaan Festival, Dancefestopia, Secret Dreams, Cyclops Cove, and Hulaween, Dr. Kushking has become a familiar face within the festival community.


Through his content and the growth of the Big Butt Association (BBA), he blends media, fashion, humor, and community storytelling into a unique movement centered around connection and authenticity.




What Festival Culture Means


According to Dr. Kushking, festival culture is all about energy.


"It's what you put into it and what you get back. It's the vibe, the people, and the experience you create for yourself and others. It's not just music—it's interaction, connection, and being present in the moment."


For him, festivals are emotional, chaotic, hilarious, inspiring, and layered experiences where people express themselves freely.


"You've got people expressing childhood memories through adulthood lifestyles. That's what makes it so wild."


Every festival carries its own personality.


"Lost Lands, Wakaan, Dancefestopia, Electric Forest, Cyclops Cove, Hulaween, Secret Dreams, Forbidden Kingdom.... they all bring different energy. The common thread is always the people and how they interact."



What Makes a Festival Crowd Special?


For Dr. Kushking, a great crowd isn't measured by size—it's measured by awareness.


"A special crowd is one that's aware of each other. People who actually talk, interact, and see one another instead of just existing next to each other."


He believes the way people carry themselves contributes directly to the overall atmosphere.

"You can't always judge a book by its cover, but energy gives you a hint. Confidence in this scene is just being the best version of your vibe wherever you go."


Being helpful, aware, approachable, and open to interaction creates the experiences people remember most.



A Festival Memory That Never Left


One of the most memorable interactions of his festival career happened years after it originally occurred.


"A guy came up to me and started talking about something we experienced together at Electric Forest in 2017."


At first, Dr. Kushking didn't recognize him.


"Then he mentioned it, and everything came back instantly. It felt like time collapsed for a second."

The experience reinforced how deeply shared festival moments can stay with people long after the music stops.



Capturing Real Moments


As a content creator, Dr. Kushking focuses on authenticity above everything else.

"I try to make people comfortable fast. It's just natural conversation. I'm not forcing anything. I let people be themselves."


His favorite content often comes from spontaneous moments.


"The wildest content comes from unplanned moments. Real reactions. Real opinions. Real energy."

While interviews and surveys have their place, he believes genuine emotion is what creates memorable media.


"When you catch somebody in a real emotional moment at a festival—that's gold."



What's Missing From Festival Media?

While content creation has exploded within the festival scene, Dr. Kushking believes something important is sometimes lost in the process.


"A lot of people are creating content now, but not everyone is capturing real moments anymore."

He points to over-produced content as one challenge.


"Sometimes things become too polished or too staged. The raw voice gets lost."

His goal remains simple: capture experiences as they happen.



The Birth of Big Butt Association (BBA)


Big Butt Association wasn't created through a business plan or marketing strategy.

"It happened naturally. It wasn't forced. It just made sense with the vibe I was already in."

Today, BBA represents much more than a slogan.


"It's humor, identity, and movement. It doesn't take itself too seriously, but it still means something."

What Is BBA Energy?

"BBA energy is confidence, humor, and being yourself without caring what people think."

At its core, it's about acceptance and community.


"You can agree to disagree and still enjoy each other's presence."


What Is BBA Fam?

"BBA Fam is family."


Whether someone attends festivals alone, with a partner, or with a large friend group, BBA aims to create a space where everyone belongs.


"It's people who want good energy, no drama, and real connection."



The Story Behind Bekky With A Big Butt


One of the most recognizable symbols associated with Dr. Kushking is Bekky With A Big Butt.

The story started unexpectedly.


"She was just something sitting in my room for years."

Before attending Wakaan Festival, he jokingly invited the character to join him.


"I looked at it and said, 'You want to come with me?'"

From there, people began interacting with Bekky at festivals.

The name emerged naturally.


"Someone said 'Becky with a big butt,' and it instantly clicked."

Today, Bekky has become a recognizable personality within the BBA community.

"There have been seven versions. Right now, I'm on Bekky number seven."



Why People Connect With Bekky


According to Dr. Kushking, the appeal comes from nostalgia.


"It's funny, it's cute, and it taps into childhood memory energy."

Many people immediately connect with the character because it reminds them of something familiar.


"Everybody had a toy, stuffed animal, or something they connected with growing up. When people see Bekky, they just get it."



Festival Fashion & Self-Expression


Fashion plays a major role in festival culture.

"It's extremely important. It speaks before you even talk."


For Dr. Kushking, festival outfits aren't about money—they're about expression.

"It shows personality, creativity, and confidence."


One of the wildest outfits he's ever seen was a fully covered flower costume.

"It covered everything except the face and hands. It was insane."




Building Community Through Small Interactions


One message repeatedly surfaced throughout the conversation: community matters.

"Some people go to festivals alone and never really connect with anyone."


That's why simple interactions can have a lasting impact.

"Just saying hello, giving someone a compliment, or noticing them can completely change their experience."


For those who already have strong festival friend groups, he encourages gratitude.

"If you have friends, you're blessed. Some people don't have that."



The Future of Festival Culture


Dr. Kushking sees growth happening throughout the scene, but also change.


"Big festivals bring in more mainstream crowds, and that changes the vibe sometimes."

As the culture evolves, he believes smaller festivals play an important role in preserving community values.

"Smaller community-based festivals help preserve the culture."

He also hopes to see improvements in attendee experience.

"More water stations, more shade, and more support for smaller artists."




Rhythm & Bass Culture


One area experiencing major growth is rhythm and bass music culture.

"The rhythm scene is huge right now."


For fans of mosh pits, heavy drops, and high-energy performances, it's become one of the most exciting spaces within electronic music.


"It's one of the strongest growing parts of the scene."



Favorite Festival Energies

Some of Dr. Kushking's favorite crowds include:


"They all have their own identity."

While many attendees chase rail spots, he prefers different perspectives.

"I'm usually either in the mosh pit or in the back of the crowd."

For him, both daytime and nighttime sets offer unique experiences.

"They're completely different, and both are perfect in their own way."



Essential Festival Item


When asked for one festival essential, his answer was immediate:

"Water. Always water."



What's Next?


Looking ahead, Dr. Kushking plans to continue expanding his presence across the festival landscape.

  • More festivals

  • More interviews

  • More content creation

  • New clothing concepts

  • New vending booth experiences

  • New community-building projects

He is also actively interested in working directly with festivals as a media partner, capturing live crowd reactions and authentic attendee experiences.


Final Message

"Shout out to Electric Sunshine Cult & all my vendor homies, DJs, and festival families.

Keep doing what you're doing.

Be safe out there.

Much love to everyone."


Connect With Dr. Kushking


Conclusion


Dr. Kushking occupies a unique space within festival culture—part interviewer, part storyteller, part community builder.


Through his work documenting festivals, building the Big Butt Association movement, and creating memorable experiences with Bekky With A Big Butt, his mission remains rooted in authenticity.


His message is simple:

Connection matters. Presence matters. Community matters.

At the end of the day, festival culture isn't built by production stages or massive lineups—it's built by people.

And as Dr. Kushking puts it best:

"It's always about the energy you bring in and the energy you leave with."

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