Greetings all of you beautiful people out there in the world! I salute you for grinding and doing what you can do to keep a level head in these times. It has been hard for me and i have definitely had ot do a more intensive regimen just to be pleasant which has led me to riding my bike incessantly every day searching for that peace place where i can actually see the thoughts that burn the edges of my reality and push me towards the dreams the drive me. Those frayed edges of reality have always been there. And the ability to see thru the illusion of what is and what is supposed to be represented by the flowery words that surround me only comes when i am in tune and doing the things that allow me to access my special powers of discernment. One of those things for me that has been rediscovered during this time is the bike. I actually am really enjoying the rediscovery of writing and how it is such a therapy for me as well.
Well these thoughts and others propelled me forward to embark on a new project. I sat for a minute and realized that i am actually pretty wealthy. Not in the usual accepted sense of the word, but in another one altogether that might even be more valuable. I have real connections with real people doing incredible work all over the world. And i began to think that if i am having these thoughts, then they must be having thoughts as well. What better place to collect those thoughts then right here on the page of my website livicated to conversation and dialogue? I have called this series The Liberator Talks with the hope that we can have conversations about a myriad of different things and all be inspired to take these conversations with us as we walk thru life with family and friends.
In this series you will hear from different people walking different paths in life. The questions i posed to them are similar with some specific ones written to cater to the work and interest of the interviewee. This is meant to be a jumping off point for future discussions and the hope is that we will be able to do follow up with these initial interviews in an audio and video format.
I am so excited to share the responses that i get. Mostly this first round is stacked with musicians i know who have kept a consistently thoughtful approach to both their lyrics, music and image. I intend to interview more people along the way and peppered into this first group are educators and wellness practitioners. You will hear from the following: people in no particular order. They have each agreed to help jumpstart this project and i am grateful.
Tef Poe, legendary rapper and activist out of St. Louis and an instrumental part of the organizing that took place on the ground there during the Ferguson Uprising of 2014. He is currently one of the organizers of Black Men Build and is involved in countless other projects.
Moe Pope is a local legend here in Boston and was part of the group Mission that saw some success in the early 2000's. He was able to ride that wave into other projects and most recently recorded with the group STL GOLD and was slated to perform with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in May before the Covid madness. He is involved locally on a level that i have yet to achieve yet he is an extremely humble man.
Nancy Tolson is an educator in South Carolina and has been on the front lines trying to secure a more just and true education for not only our children but for all children and has worked extensively in the field of children's literacy and bringing a strong and proud black voice to education. We have not formally met, but we were connected thru mutual friends on Facebook and i have always admired her from afar. I am blessed that she too has agreed to be apart of this first round.
JahDan Blakkamoore is a serious songwriter and vocalist who has been creating incredible music for years. His credits include work with Boot Camp Clik, writing a bunch of the snoop lion album and at the same time putting out his own stand alone music that has taken hm all over the world. WE have lived together, broke bread together, sang together and reasoned together for many years. It is a joy to have him be involved in this project.
Andrew Moon Bain is one of the most prolific producers that you have not necessarily heard of. A cornerstone of the VI roots movement and a visual artist with ties to both Providence and New York communities, Moon has been doing working producing art for most of his life. He has recently left the big city life for the country and is still producing incredible music WE have worked together on different occasions thru the years. I know that we will continue to do so. In fact it is his fault that album was called black gold. He produced the music for that song and it was the last one i recorded. After we finished, it was clear that that would be the title track.
Madgesdiq the Everyday Mystic is a musician residing in the pacific northwest and i have had the pleasure of meeting and recording with him way back in 2010. He is also sitting on a new album slated to release in December and was kind enuff to sit down and take the time to go thru my questions.
This going to be fun. And hopefully thought provoking. I look forward to sharing and reading your comments.
Yours in Struggle
Toussaint