I LOVE LGBT Indie Artist!!!!!!!

Being that I began the process of “coming out” at the tender age of 9 which would rewind us into the late 80’s/early 90’s around the time that the only images of anything queer in mainstream society was Rupaul and “the gay cancer” HIV/AIDS. Positive reflections that hinted any representation of me weren’t very accessible let alone easy to find in nature. This left me in a further state of confusion as to who I am as a person because if the society that I am a member of did not recognize me and others like me in not just a positive light, but in any light beyond the shadows of depression and disease was my life even worth living!?

In finding myself at a crossroads of sorts I began writing and becoming an active member of my community: open, queer, & proud! I am capable of utilizing many forms and genres of writing but my preference is poetry. It is my poetry which has thrust me into the limelight of my community and has made me an artist in my own write *WINK*…….

However, this blog is not about me *wink*……. Through my artistry, in a sense I am often looked upon as a voice for my community. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, appreciating, & building relationships with some of the most intelligent, beautiful, and talented women within our community and I’m taking the time to highlight their skillz:

I met Angie evans around 2005, a gorgeous woman suggested that I attend the open mic that she hosted in Long Beach, CA at Viento y Agua café every Tuesday. Angie, equally gorgeous herself and eclectic in nature had a very “R0kr chik” vibe with a great spirit and an amazing aura. Assisted by guitar she opened her show up with a Mary J. Blige cover which blew the crowd (along with me) away. Upon introduction Angie is very personable, eventually she invited me to feature at her spot in which I eagerly & happily obliged. Though we have lost touch over the years as our paths no longer cross on a regular basis with my move to Georgia and her constant touring which has brought her probably to a city close to you, I will forever cherish the memories of artistic comradery that we created…

Having been introduced to the BLU retreat (formerly sistahfest) also around 2005, I was very blessed to have met Afia Walkingtree. A professional drummer whose presence enamored all of the youth at the retreat. In this generation the word “swag” is heavily used but if you really want a formal introduction then you need to meet Afia because she will teach you what it really is through her presence. Afia, has this smooth confidence because she truly “walks to the beat of her own drum” and it is conveyed through her calm spirit and positive attitude. Through her music she offers affirming lyrics that offer healing and as a woman & a stroke survivor they are not only appreciated but needed because with all of the chaos in the world we forget:

“I am ALIVE!

I am BEAUTIFUL!

I can do anything I put my heart & mind into!”

Thank you Afia, because of you I will always remember this *SMILE*

Being an avid twitter user I was approached by J. Holloway of  USE OF FORCE ENTERTAINMENT in 2009. Upon listening to her MySpace music page an exchange between us immediately began. The track that caught my attention is titled “Queen” not a ladies anthem but an anthem for the real women in the universe. The lyrics which are savvy and witty take a defiant stand against blatant disrespect of women and the disregarding of our feelings that often take place not just on the streets but in the media as well. It also is a reminder across the board of our capabilities and stature as not just women but black women as well. Among being a great lyricist and vocalist J is also a producer and videographer to watch out for because she is definitely a force that you want to reckon with!

In 2009 when I was assisting with an online radio show I was introduced to the music of Anye Elite, an openly male gay indie artist. I immediately fell in love with his song “Love It Up” a sassy tune that declared his love for another man. A bold move in the bible belt but one that was definitely loved by me. I played tag with Anye through various social networking sites until we were able to have a quick exchange through Facebook about my appreciation of his artistry. It is not often that black gay male artist come with the type of confidence to be themselves that Anye conveys through his music.

Nefertiti A.K.A nefTUNES was also another artist that I ran into during my stint with the online radio show that I assisted. I was actually at a former associates home reviewing video from a performance of a recent feature spot that I did at Left Eyes UNI Studios which was produced by Cambridge Jenkins IV (a local artist extraordinaire himself) in which I had taken a great risk of growth on my part by exercising my lungs through singing (I have never believed that god gave me the gift of song though I love to sing but I was about to learn who he did bless with that gift…)as I watched myself bluff through pseudo confidence and belt out hooks that I designed specifically to outline certain poems I swelled up with excitement and exclaimed the self pride that I felt. Nef, standing behind me in a calm tone sharing that experience with me simply said “me too”. What an endearing moment that would be the foundation of a friendship to be pursued… Later on that evening Nef was easily convinced to share her talent with what had turned into a group of us all hanging out and being creative with one another and for eachother. She retrieved her guitar from her car, sat in a chair, strummed a few chords and then she opened her lips which led rhaspy smoke hazed vocals dripping in blues origins with a hip vibe that took us on a ride through our favorite song on the radio… After that night it would be months before I saw Nef again but I was very determined and eventually I would find out of her performance at our local Malcolm X Fest where I would make my presence known, which is easy when you’re offering your support because every bit has value and quite frankly you never know exactly who you’re networking with and how they may be able to help you. The best part of learning Nef throughout this last year has been finding out how reciprocating she can be when it comes to support which is a foundation that she set forth upon our first meeting and has remained consistent with. Nefs’ very humble nature is extremely refreshing and though I have no criticism of a non-constructive nature for her I do know that if I did that she would really think about it and take my feelings into consideration and try to understand where I was coming from. There aren’t many artist like that in the world which makes her very embraceable.

Also in 2009 while researching another indie artist that I had seen at a recent pride performance, upon landing on her MySpace page I learned of an event called MONDO HOMO which is a Queer Artist Music Festival located in Atlanta, GA. Upon going to their website I learned of a group called KIN4LIFE, I found out that they would be moderating a workshop that was perfect to help me assist in gaining focus for a project that I was embarking on for my job on the behalf of indie artist in our local area. I also found out that I could stay “in the know” by following both them and the event on twitter which I did. No further research on them had been done and I attended the events workshop eager to meet them, usually this is not my typical approach but the project I was organizing was huge and had it been allowed its success would have been the first of its kind so I was willing to accept help from any angle since I had a million ideas with no guidance from my “superiors” since I would be the first to pave the way. I had a big pseudo green light that I eventually realized was blazing red (but that’s a story for another time)……. I sat down with them and mapped out this event and as industry insiders they were able to give me insight and advice that helped me realize the direction that I wanted the project to go in if I were to be the sole organizer. What I learned during that time is that KIN4LIFE is a duo made up of 2 college educated women both named tiffany, to kill all confusion one goes by nor and the other IQ but I never questioned those pseudonyms deeper meanings. Upon graduation they found that their love for music was still strong and they came together to turn their dream into reality (well, that’s the jist of it anyway)… Nor is quite the playboi but don’t let the charm fool you and IQ is truly a lioness though quiet she maintains a striking eye catching appearance that leads you to inquire about her presence. However, neither of them are to be toyed with. Their first nature is being business women, being artists comes next. Jointly they own their own record label –> NORIQ (there goes that deeper meaning, I guess *WINK*…….) in which they manage their own artist. Being artist themselves, as a duo they compliment eachothers vocal styles very well. I would liken them to a hip-hop/rock lesbian version of Floetry but somehow I still don’t feel like that’s any type of justification for their vocal talent. They are definitely one of a kind, receiving notoriety within our community through various media outlets such as LOGO TV, Southern Voice (SOVO is an LBGT newspaper), landing the title track for the second season of The Lovers and Friends Show, etc. You may not see or hear them coming but you better get ready because they are arriving whether you like it or not!

My break out artist for 2010 is Jimmii Montana! One night a few months ago I received a text from a friend telling me to check out this chicks youtube channel, her name was interesting enough plus the refferer is a trusted source of good information so not long after I checked her out. Though Jimmi does a lot of covers twisting the lyrics to suit her and has yet to release anything original except maybe a few freestyles……. Let’s just say that I can’t wait for the mixtape! This chick is a beast on tracks that aren’t even HERS! WHO DOES $#!T LIKE THAT? Jimmii! What’s even more attention grabbing is that she covers mainstream artist work that I don’t typically support but because she kills THEIR TRACK it makes me wonder what they did when normally I wouldn’t care……. Again, I CAN NOT WAIT FOR THE MIXTAPE! I want to know what she is going to do with tracks that are her own and I want to blast them throughout my household but until then I’ll enjoy her recent feature in IKONS magazine!

For the most part please notice that I did not mention age or education levels throughout their profiles because they all vary. These women (and Anye *SMILE*) recognized the passions of their dreams and worked diligently to turn them into reality, some of them are still in the process as you read this. Please support them by visiting the links that I provide on their behalf and enjoy the music as well because just as much as it is for them, it is for you too……. ~Thank you!