 What inspires you as an artist? As an artist? Inspiration comes from a lot of different places, but I'm really inspired by just the resilience of black people and women in particular. So when I think about all of the people that I've inspired, they've had to deal with a certain amount of struggle. At least for me, I want to continue to build and try to tell the stories, because sometimes you just get stuck in this struggle and you can't see beyond it. And so when somebody captures it for you, they move away from you. They humanize you with, you know, kind of less than just struggle. Even though struggle is a lot. Yeah. You know, that's what inspires me. Problem is that if I'm inspired for me, like I love the sound, like I love walking down my next 120th Street and like all of the colors, all of the scent, like the graffiti, like all of the head, it's fine. I think. Relationship? Yeah, but I think that's the one thing about how I love it, that when you go down the street, and maybe it's like to all of you, but I think that especially in Harlem, you can see so many kinds of relationships. Relationships like a conversation between the people you're walking, or like, I guess, sitting on the stool, and it's into a group of like, things that you love about me. It's the best. It wouldn't have been like, if it was more close than you thought it would be on the phone. If the presence of the other person is still there, even though like you need to be tenacity. Or if it's you though. Yeah, yeah. You just, you just know, you can find out so much about that person. You know. It's like wanting it because you can hear it. And also, I think that part of that question, like, it being just like a community, where it's just like, it's not even really like you can be like, oh, you just be in those. It's just, it's just, you're just being trapped in, in tune with the environment. So it's not really about being those. It's just about like, it's something unionizing about that. It's just like, you can recognize another individual in the inside, in the inner sense, what it's like. Yeah. It's like all of them has like, a beat, right? Ah, flow. Yeah. That's just like, specific to, I mean, I like this, every city, every neighborhood has a beat. And rhythm, but like, the jumps in me and all of them are loud. Like loud and like, like, I'm like, that type of like, beat. In the language too. Yeah. Language, and like, it's just like, kind of sound like, when you're like, oh, you act like you come home, and you're like, what's going on? I'm like, yo, you're mad at me. You're like, okay, you get it. I love it here. I absolutely love Marla. I feel like, there's always like something to explore. And I feel like I've learned, I've been able to learn, so much about myself being here in Harlem. It's just like, a connection that has made with folks, and like, the willingness of people in Harlem to like, look out for you. Yeah. And, you know, it's the event, and how you're back, and like, want to see you win. It's just, it's just, it's just like, sometimes, even other places, like, people in other places, and this Harlem, and this Harlem, and this Harlem, and it's just like, I'm not used to being in a band, and why don't I support continuous, and, I think that you, like, you are like, want to see like, what you see. I like, still, it was rough, because it was just like, it was a different environment, where it was kind of competitive, and Harlem, it was just like, you do your best, but you do your best, so that you can't bring your community, you know, but you have something to offer to the community. So even though it's like, your best, it's your best to benefit everyone, and that's why you do your best, so that everyone can, can benefit everyone, together, collectively. So you're from Harlem, right? Yes. And, it's interesting, because I was saying to you earlier that like, you're really young, and like, for me, I'm kind of to say, even like, really consider myself an artist. Mm-hmm. And, you, like, I'm wondering like, what's your journey with like, what's your experiences like, and like, what type of support you had, coming up, in terms of like, growing into your artistry? Um, well, I don't know if I can say, I had it easy, but my mom is an artist, so I think definitely, when you have a parent that's an artist, like, being an artist isn't different. Like, it's not like a different thing, it's kind of like, just a way of life, like, it's your personality, it's who you are as your being. Mm-hmm. Um, and so like, my mom used art to raise my sister and I. Mm-hmm. Um, whether it was like, drawing out our feelings, or, um, disciplining us, I know like, for example, drawing on walls, and then my mom was like, oh, you want to draw on walls? You have to, you have to do the whole entire wall. Mm-hmm. And I better not see a white space. Mm-hmm. Like, you have to cover everything. And that broke me in to like, I didn't draw on walls after that. Wow, I thought you were just saying, I was creative. Oh, no, no, I did, I did do that, but I saw the amount of work that it took. Right. So like, actually do that, then it was just like, and she was like, if you do this, you will have to just do the whole entire apartment. It was just overwhelming. It was just like, all right, I get it. You know, which is, it was, it disciplined me to not draw on walls, but it also educated me to how much work it takes to actually like, do work. Mm-hmm. And as an artist, I think a lot of times people are just like, oh, art is so free, but like, to be an artist, you have to be very disciplined and careful with your time. Yeah. There's just so much that goes into that. I think a lot of people think it's just magical. Mm-hmm. I guess, I guess he has magical, but it really, it really isn't. Yeah. The thought, everything. Yeah. But I had like my mom supporting and creating around it too. I think it was just hard not to create and be around her because she like, she's not from Harlem. She came from Cleveland, Ohio, back in like, the 80s, and she came to Harlem to teach art. Mm-hmm. Because there was like, at the time, there was like, a drought of like, art programs. Yeah. And so, that's what she came. Like, that was her way into the community and because I feel like she had, she was offering something that they needed. Mm-hmm. They really were very open to her and plus she was like a mother. Yeah. A single parent mother and I find that problem is very welcoming of like, mothers. Yeah. Like, you know. Yeah. And elders, like they see her and just like, look, this is the way in which she knew that this could be a home for her and her family. Yeah. So, and then, yeah, so, like, I used to go to our art classes with her. Like, this is like, every day. It's interesting because I feel like, it was just like, days. Y'all would have, like, all of us haven't had too many activities now. They're like, art, art, art, art, art, art, art, art, art, art, art, art, art, art, art. All of that. But, like, that is, like, engagement with little bit better. Yeah. Art is an experience of like, interactiveness of communities through art. That just gave me an incredible amount of comfort and like, being an artist and being natural at it, even like, to me, it was like, oh yeah, y'all artists. Yeah. So, really, it was just like, it was, like, I feel like if I would have gone a different route, people would have been like, what? What did I do? Yeah, like, they would have been like, yeah, but you know, it's funny because it's just like, yeah, like, it was just like, how could you choose anything else? Yeah, you know? Yeah. I mean, I think that the beautiful thing about a community is if I would have chosen a different route, I would have got lost. Really? Yeah, like, when I was, I had a thing for, because I wanted to change the world and I was like, oh, now to change the world, I should be a lawyer because you're the more black lawyers. And I went to this, like, like, some institute for the gifted program and they had like, opportunities for like, children to introduce you to law at, from like, a teenage preteen and then, keep going for the program and then, hopefully by the time, like, and I was doing that and I was like, I had to leave my community for that, which was kind of shaky here. What was it? It was a, they had a basketball college. Okay. So I had to go to Poughkeepsie and I was one of the few black kids, you know, that whole thing. But, and then I think that when I went to high school, I did, I did drift for a while. I was not, I went to art high school, I went to fashion industry high school and, and I don't know, it's like, I had a lot of people in my ear and it was just, I got, I got confused for a minute, a slight minute and then my mom just came and you know, I remember we went out for like, sweets and stuff like that and so she just sat me down and she was like, look, like, you have to be your own person, you know, you have to tune everybody out and you need to decide based on what you want because it's your life, you don't have to live it, you don't have to sit with yourself. You don't want to, you know, and I think that another thing about it is is that the money, right? Like artists are just like, oh my God, I'm going to become a struggling artist and I'm not, I don't know if that was too much of my worry or it's just like, more is to make bank, you know? Yeah. But I think that as an artist, I don't know, like you can make bank as an artist too, but it's just something different. Yeah. Yeah. That's funny because like that's one of the things that kind of saved me away from being an artist. Mainly because like, when you grow up, like for me, like growing up without a lot of money, like the last thing I want to do is like, struggle, just struggle. Yeah. Not that, like I value struggle, but I think that like, there's that fear there. Yeah. There's that fear of like living your whole entire life struggling. And like, I can recall being young and like, working on your old projects and loving it. Or like, being in high school and putting together like, production and loving it and the being like, extremely well received. And you know, like just naturally like, gravitating towards music, but choosing, choosing to like, to know that quiet it down. Well, not even quiet it down, but like, decided to say it again, right? Yeah. And so, and doing that, like I spent years of being in the music industry and my time there, kind of like left me with like, it sucked me dry of like my love for the art form. And so when I realized like that was happening, I was like, I have to get out like, there's no, I mean, that was like one of the things that saved me, like I was growing up. So I was getting to the point where you can't enjoy it or you can't, you don't have love for it anymore, love to like the creative anymore. It's tough. So yeah, it seems like a really interesting transition, but I can say that like, my time in Harlem, you know, what brought me to Harlem, hardly being like my roots, like my great-grandfather was, great-great-grandfather was a part of the Harlem Renaissance. And when I first got to Harlem, I would go to the last Folk House often. So like every Sunday, he has folks come by for open house. There should be a bunch of poets, just a bunch of like really creative folk building and like trying out their poems on everybody in the room. And it was just like a community that was already there that I was able to kind of like tap into. And to me that like speaks to what Harlem is and why I choose to like stay in Harlem and why I feel like Harlem is more of a home to me than anywhere else I've ever been, including where I'm from or where I was born. So yeah, I mean, but it's interesting like that difference between, or like that tug of war between like being financially stable and being an artist like there has to be an either or. But I'm like really interested in creating a situation where it doesn't have to be an either or. Like, you know, because art is the baseline of this country's culture. Like the culture is the money. Right? And so in humanity, I don't think, I think that artists play such a crucial role in society. Like even when you study like history, it's just like art can save lives. Art can also corrupt lives. Like it's just like art has so much power. And I don't know who I meant. I think it was spelled against Tony Morrison was saying like, you know, being an artist can be a very dangerous job. Yeah. Because you're literally like, I'm definitely paraphrasing, but you introduce perception of people. Like you introduce how people can perceive things. It's just, you hold a lot of power. Exactly. And because of that, you can either be attacked for it and people will come for you because they understand that you have the power to, like, I don't want to say invade someone's thinking, but to shift in some ways, to shift folks' thinking. So like, even like mobilize people. Yeah, definitely. So, like one of the things we talked about like the life of struggle and you know, like I'm also an organizer and trying to find my voice in that. And I think movement without art is not a movement. At all. Like you're not moving. Yeah. And so just trying to find ways within this current point that we're in. To be able to like utilize art to make folks feel comfortable about speaking out and telling their stories. And like challenging systems. And being innovative. I think that artists have to be innovators especially when you're dealing with movements because I mean, you have to find new ways to buck the system because they're already gonna know, they're gonna know, oh, they're gonna do this like this and you gotta be three steps ahead of the game. And I think that that's when innovation comes into play where it's just like you leave them three steps behind it. Yeah. So. Yeah. Word. You're doing a good job. I don't know what we're gonna ask. More questions? Okay hold on. Can we talk a little bit about this part of this life that we've seen? I haven't seen a lot of artists. Um, yeah. I've been hearing. But what are some of your fears when it comes to like either your power at an artist or just being an artist at general? Oh my, this one's a lot that's going to go out. Maybe there's going to be more and less people. Um, this is really how it is, you know, and, you know, some of the artists I've been seeing all the time and it's just like, you know, they've worked before. Maybe. You know, some of them have done their nice check and an effort. Yeah. And it seems to me to leave, I've been taking years, like, not about like, you know, but really about the artistic part. You know, quite late. Yeah. Yeah. I'm really stupid. It's about me. And we're like, you're my artist. I'm trying to break it into two. So, yeah. This is sort of a particularly an issue. Yeah, I'm sure of what it notes. You know, it's just, you know, it happens a lot. Yeah. It happens a lot. Um, like, I agree that, like, one of my fears as well, it's just like not, I think for me, it's like not, I feel like, there's so, like, somebody's story. Um, and so, like, the stories that I tend to gravitate to, like, dealing with, like, trauma in some way. Uh, and so, like, I just wanted to ensure that I was responsible, completely responsible with, like, book stories. Um, I'm not telling it wrong. That's what I'm saying. I'm not telling it wrong. I'm not walking in with any type of, like, agenda and just allowing the story. I'm allowing somebody's story to, like, be told for what it is. Um, and how is it for them to, like, be proud of it? Yeah. That's like, I think the main thing is often, like, because I wonder what, like, it's just like how do I take something to, like, return it to something without lying about it. Without, like, because I don't want to find my... Yeah, in fact, don't want to cover this up. Like, I'm sleeping like, um, and I thought to, like, actually, I was sleeping. It was just like, everyone was just like, they just said, like, they're soon to be stopped. That is just like, I was in the U.S., but, I mean, it's just like, I mean, I'm not going to find myself crying. I'm just going, I don't really know how I should be able to reply. It's just like, I don't know if I should be trying to try this, but I'm looking at this, and looking at it, I can be like, like, like, people are already experiencing time loss, like, experience. Yeah. Yeah. It's interesting about what's happening today, um, with, um, some other filmmakers about this, like, culture of sharing, um, sharing, like, ops or folks utilizing black bodies, um, how that plays into, like, our mental how to see each other, and to, and a lot of the time, like, when I look at a black person, I see myself. Yeah. And so, it's like, looking at myself being realized, and realized, and realized, and like, not wanting to, it's so easy to like, just go for that, right? Yeah. Um, but like, one, that, that inflicts pain on us, over and over again. Yeah. You know, but to still be able to tell a story of what it is. Yeah. It's interesting. It's just like, I definitely think that with, just to, so many things, I think it's just like, I'm not interested in a line about that. I'm not interested in a line about this, all the details. It is hard, it is hard, with, so many things. Well, I switch to the page, you get your problem in that, it's just like, why, where I'm going? I mean, we start thinking about it. It's like a good, really hard, I mean, so many things. It's like a comment, it's coming from like, that was really hard, to see how it was. Yeah. But it's just like, that needs to be taught because it has to be taught, like kind of to talk to as a part of some of the, yeah. What do you think that also worked? I've never seen it. It's a lot of work on the free side. But it's only been like, to be honest, I'm not going to take it seriously. You know, I mean, I don't know what they're saying, like, bad about the thing. I feel like with this, there's never going to end. This is embarrassing for us. We need to not be the ones in there. The best thing is that we need to always take responsibility, whereas the person is a victim of harm. Just go for it. The victim is the one that sits with the person, and it's just like, how do you release that burden and just love it? I think that's one of the beautiful things about art. It just has the power to create conversations or like kind of brings us the opposite side of the uncomfortable moments of, you know, if it's done right. Yeah, it is. I think a scholar can get a lot of advice about various things. It also has the power to, you know, do something. You know, it's everything. It's just like, you know, if I have something to say, it's so beautiful. Yeah. It's not about the understanding, you know. It's about knowing that there's, again, there's like a lack of struggle. But like, we have, we have like all of the power to be able to push through and fight. We have been fighting for a very long time, and I don't think that, like, we've fought that much to, like, give up, you know. I think it's, I think, a lot of, you know, just the simple practice of being here right now. Yeah. And it's just like, it's always really good that people are studying, and I think it's like, yeah, a lot of people survive. And I think I think that what we learn now is just like, it's always like, are you okay? Are you okay? I think it's like, yeah. It's really so real. It's just really, you know, it's just a case of actually between a lot of people. It's just, because you're so young, it's just a great stuff. It's a great story. It's a great story. It's a great thing. Yeah. Maybe it's just like, it's just happy. It's a great story. Obviously, it's great. But that's the truth. Because you're not going to do it in one place. You know, there's a reason why the most things are added together. And then there's a question. Yeah. I mean, I've been asking all things, even with the interpretation, that we're not going to be there. Yeah. We're always going to be there. And I think it's an improvement. And the organizing part, we choose the art part. We'll work with this. It's like, we have to work together. We're working to put the intellectuals, the intellectuals, there's the organizers, and then there's the artists that all, I mean, if you're doing this in terms of creating a movie, it's really important for you that you're not just like, you're probably making a film. You're not just creating a movie. Well, I mean, art is creating a chance. Yeah. Art is like an artist film. All of this stuff that's happening. Art is like, looking up the panthers and their paper. And just like how creative the paper was. And like the images that you saw. So they would do that for the stay forever, super-ever, with the legs. I feel it! It's so good! Always, that's a good thing. And you know what I mean? It's pretty much like a pool of that kind of energy. The life of a citizen is just a time to organize and sort of have a feeling for them to just go into the room with a peasant going down or running away. We're going to get them adopted just to do that. And because it's just like an elephant or something, you're gonna have to So I think that, I think that that, within that like, or that that kind of being able to take a patient with someone who's mindset was like,