The term Afro-Punk, one might think its associated with a genre, however, speaking to music artist, Tamar-Kali, it’s more than a genre, it is a culture and a lifestyle.
Being one of the key figures in the lifestyle, Kali just released her latest album “Black Bottom.” Kali allowed Rawe to ask her some questions about the misconceptions associated with Afro-Punk, the inspiration behind certain songs on her album, as well as her love for hip-hop.
Bella: Stereotypically, “punk” music is thought to be a genre of white, grunge artists, has it been hard for you to be an African American in the Genre?
Tamar-Kali: I think more over; it’s been more difficult in regards to gender than race. Because more then anything, I guess it’s clear that there’s stereotypes around Rock and loud Rock in particular that it’s a music endured by predominately Caucasian people, if not all. There’s really a lack of prescene or understanding the women are involved.
Bella: You’re an Afro Punk artist, whom I know myself and others aren’t too familiar with the genre. How would you define it and how’d you get started with it?
Tamar-Kali: Well, there was a film called Afro Punk that was a documentary about black kids in the hardcore Punk Rock music scene. And from there a trademark lifestyle brand grew out of that, but that’s like a lifestyle platform. The music genre is based on the composition of music, the instrumentation, and the core progressions, not rifts. So, in that regard, Afro-Punk would not be a genre because Afro-Punk reflects or describes people who are African American who don’t necessarily fit the stereotype in terms of the music they listen to or activities that they are involved in.
Bella: So in regards to your new album, “Black Bottom,” I was reading that “the album is no mere piece of alliteration, but a reflection of where she found herself after a particularly disheartening period,” what was this moment that influenced this album?
Tamar-Kali: Not so much a moment, but a period. Where it was like I found myself, in a place I never expected myself to be where music is concerned. You figure once you figure out that’s what you want to do that’s where you want to be, you express and the rest is history. But for me, making the transition, from doing it just because it’s fun and it’s what I love to do, making that transition from just doing it because that’s how I am, like how you socialize or your scene, to doing it professionally, and making the decision that this is how I want to support myself through my art it’s a very difficult transition, and it’s fought with a lot of self doubts and frustrations. I think it kind of marks the journey, and the transition in a way, and the different things that were happening to me like emotionally, atypically, and physiologically as a result of making that decision.
Bella: A lot of people who have a dream, like in your case to be a musician, allow the self-doubt to keep them away from their dream. If you had to give anyone any kind of advice what would you tell them?
Tamar-Kali: It’s so weird, because I don’t think I could so much give people advice because its a work in progress, and the learning curve is wicked when your well being is on the line. In terms of like these are real things trying to figure out how you’re going to feed and shelter yourself while working out living through your art. So I don’t feel like I’m at the place to really give advice because I’m still a work in progress. I’m still working it out as I go. There’s road maps for certain things but in terms of your own specific individual experience there’s no map, you’re creating the template as you go. So, I guess honesty is a good thing and what I mean by honesty is being truthful with yourself on what it is that you really want and not getting wrapped up in doctrines these ideal personable but really like getting down with yourself and figuring out what I want, my goals and what I’m comfortable with doing to achieve it.
Bella: For those who don’t have your album what can they expect from it?
Tamar-Kali: Some really rocking rifts, and progressions and some serious singing I guess. I definitely put my heart into it, you know? I think the production sounds great I love my co-producer and I’m very happy with how it came out because the engineering is awesome. I hope that there will be people blasting it in their car really allowing it to take them where they need to go.
Bella: I have some specific song questions. One of the ones I really liked was “Warrior Bones.”
Tamar-Kali: Yeah! That’s my favorite. (laughs)
Bella: That’s your favorite. What’s the message behind this song or what were you thinking when you wrote it, because it’s a pretty deep song?
Tamar-Kali: I was just in an emotional place it’s like, I try to explain that the album is a progression like I start first with just my frustration with “Pearl.” Then kind of getting super depressed with it and then deciding, getting the strength and the resolve to say, I’m going to dig myself out of this hole and this depression, and then with “Warrior Bones” it just being a call to action. “Warrior Bones” is kind of like taking stock of what’s going wrong, acknowledging what it’s going to take. We need to remember what was good as opposed to just floating through life., because right now there’s not going to be a revolution if everyone is sedated and waiting on someone else to rescue them. Not going back to frustration, but acknowledging that I might go through all these changes as an individual, but, in order for change to really happen you need your greater community to be with you, and I’m not just talking about the people that look like you or sound like you but like the world at large you know?
Bella: And another favorite I had was “Run Home,” because I like the lyrics and I like the beat. Was that song as fun recording as it sounds?
Tamar-Kali: I mean it was super fun to play, because it’s just crazy and I get to go crazy (laughs). So it’s definitely like a relief but it’s serious, you know? And when I perform it, it could get really intense because it’s like a call to arms. But in terms of like energy, and like the stuff I liked about going to shows it definitely has that kind of spirit about it. It definitely feels good so I get what your saying, and I’m glad that was translated with it being recorded because that’s always one of my concerns that you don’t really feel how it’s felt when it gets compressed into the tape or whatever.
Bella: Also, I know the first song I heard from the album was “Pearl” featuring Jean Grae, what are your feelings about hip-hop as far as favorites?
Tamar-Kali: Well, I was born in Brooklyn and hip-hop is basically a part of my experience and my life. What was very common for me and most of the people I grew up with was that we listened to both, you know? Not like you had one or the other like there are definitely a lot of contributions on both sides. New York you know, in the days like the late 70’s and 80’s it was like the punk-rockers and the hip-hoppers who hung out together, so it’s nothing new to have a love of the genre because it kind of started that way and it still feels like that in a lot of cases. So yes I do enjoy hip-hop. For me, one thing because it used to be multi-generational like when you go back to like the Jungle, or stuff like that with like The Sugar Hill Gang the early stuff was multi-generational so you had mothers, uncles, and kids and sometimes grandma and grandpa all engaged enjoying this music together and then when it started becoming really separated for me, I think about the 90’s. Like for a minute, I stopped listening all together because it went somewhere else it kind of went west and that’s where I fell off. It wasn’t until I heard De La Soul, that I was like “oh, okay I can relate to these folks” so I definitely listen to hip-hop but I definitely have a certain taste. For one, I’m really into good lyricists and emcees that have a dope flow—Jean is my girl and she’s freaking dope. I really love Invincible out of Detroit, she’s ridiculous. I think that I have a very clear cut taste when it comes to hip-hop artists and in terms of what I enjoy it definitely correlates with my emotional tendencies for music that I think there are definitely a correlation between the type of music I do and the type of hip-hop I enjoy.
Bella: And are you going to be going on tour in the near future?
Tamar-Kali: We’re working on a tour for Spring 2011 right now. I got some dates in the Tri-State area for Fall but 2011 is definitely the focus and we’re working on some things that will be very much along the lines of the previous question that you asked me and that’s all I’m going to say.
Bella: OOHH! You should come here to the Bay Area.
Tamar-Kali: Aw, I played Santa Cruz a very long time ago, but it’s definitely on the radar it’s something that we totally want to do I definitely like the Bay, I was just there in January.
Bella: Well the last question I had is, in five years where do you want to see yourself musically?
Tamar-Kali: I think having some recorded music for the other formats that I record my composition in so, having cut out a clear identity for myself in the recording music industry. Being known for being an eclectic artist who there’s no confusion about in terms of like you have artists like T.J Harvey, or Bjork, or Prince who are artists first and foremost. Nobody questions the format they present their music in they just know that they are artists and musicians with a wealth of talent, that’s how I’d like to be acknowledged and respected in this industry and hopefully that I’m sharing my work internationally on a regular basis and doing what I love which is performing and writing, on a bigger scale that I am now.
You can download Tamar Kali’s latest album, “Black Bottom,” on her Bandcamp here.
