Pieces of my last 2 weeks on camera: Debo Band x LoveCityLove x Octavia's Brood

On Friday I had the honor of opening up for my extended family, Debo Band at The Triple Door in Seattle. Scott Macklin was there to film some of the magic. Before the show started I said "it's not a Debo Band show if Bruck doesn't jump off the stage at some point and start dancing with people" before the show was over he did just sat, standing up and singing from the top of a table in the process. It's in the video. I love this group. I also got to go up to Vancouver over the weekend with them and sat in during their set at the Folk Festival, where we ran into another one of my favorite groups anywhere, Nomadic Massive! with special guest, our sister Sarah MK. Beautiful weekend.

Also here in Seattle, on Wednesdays there has been some unfiltered, unplugged improvised magic happening every week at LoveCityLove. Viliv Studios caught some of that magic along with conversations about what's happening in the city right now, featuring some of the Town's finest. (Sidenote: I was quoting Royal Alley-Barnes from Langston Hughes in the video.)

The Indiegogo campaign to publish Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories From Social Justice Movements has been going great! We have 15 days left to reach all the stretch goals. My sister Walidah Imarisha and myself went to a park in Seattle that may be named in Octavia Butler's honor, just to envision that possibility, as a part of an ongoing video series her and Adrienne are doing with all the Octavia's Brood writers. Check all those videos out in the indiegogo gallery!

7.5.13: "Children Of The Dragon" sneak preview & special performance in DC!

Friday, July 5th | Washington, DC

Gabriel Teodros & AirMe present "Children Of The Dragon". Beats, Rhymes & Pentatonics: A sneak preview and special performance of a new collaborative project to be released VERY soon. For all of our DC peoples that have wanted a show the last few years, and everyone that's been waiting for this album. This is for ya'll. 6:30pm @ Sankofa. All Ages & Free!

Stay tuned for more info on the album release... and if your in Seattle, tickets are available now for my next show at The Triple Door, with the amazing Boston-based Ethiopian pop/jazz/rock ensemble (and Sub Pop recording artists) Debo Band! That show is Friday July 19th, and All Ages.

Rest In Peace Daga

I can't believe I'm not gonna see the homie next time I'm in Toronto. Last time I saw him he was dropping me off at a bus station, the last time I was up there. I really wish I told him how awesome he is more often. A truly beautiful human being, gone way too soon. It doesn't feel real. Sending love to all the family in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Seattle. Rest In Peace Daga. Even if you didn't know him... bump this.

JONAH

Stunning, brilliant, short film from Zanzibar, directed by Kibwe Tavares. Shoutouts to Studio Ang for the link and continuing to inspire #Afrofuturism

"Mbwana and his best friend Juma are two young men with big dreams. These dreams become reality when they photograph a gigantic fish leaping out of the sea and their small town blossoms into a tourist hot-spot as a result. But for Mbwana, the reality isn't what he dreamed – and when he meets the fish again, both of them forgotten, ruined and old, he decides only one of them can survive. Jonah is a big fish story about the old and the new, and the links and the distances between them. A visual feast, shot though with humour and warmth, it tells an old story in a completely new way."

Why I think Nas & J. Cole's dialogue is brilliant and necessary for Hip Hop

Listen: "Let Nas Down" - J. Cole | "Made Nas Proud" - Nas

I'm surprised I even have to explain this one. On a mainstream level this is the type of conversation between older and younger generations that we never see. In this case, younger generation (J. Cole), when felt dissed by older generation (Nas) instead of getting bitter takes it as advice to step his game up, and writes song with lyrics like "long live your idols, may they never be your rivals". Older generation (Nas) listens and gives younger generation recognition, personal stories and advice... all in the form of music. Take note world: if you want to give meaningful advice, give the same amount of recognition, and come from a personal place. These are the exact opposite of battle tracks (when does that ever happen in Hip Hop?) and a good example of what we need and hardly ever see in the mainstream: older and younger black men in dialogue instead of opposition. Personally, as an artist I felt dissed a lot more than I was supported by the older generation of artists in my time, and most of my peers share that experience... that in so many ways we raised ourselves. I think the little conversation happening in these 2 songs should be happening all the time... as it is i actually got emotional hearing Nas' response. And I still have it on repeat.

Support: Octavia's Brood | Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements

This is the anthology I was talking about in my TED Talk, which also helped inspire the whole concept for CopperWire's Earthbound. It basically changed my life before it was even published. I discovered a love of writing stories because of this. So of course I'd put an exclusive EP on the fundraising campaign to self-publish. Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements is co-edited by 2 of the most brilliant people I know: Walidah Imarisha and Adrienne Maree Brown and includes stories from Climbing PoeTree, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarashina, Tara Betts, Vagabond and more, as well as essays from Mumia Abu-Jamal and Tananarive Due. You can help publish this book by Octavia Butler's 67th birthday on Indiegogo today! I'm so excited. And the video is awesome.

Arise For Assata: An image a day for 365 days, by Alixa Garcia.

This inspires me so much, let it inspire you too.

An image a day for 365 days in support of Assata Shakur. by Alixa Garcia. ariseforassataproject.tumblr.com

Be sure to follow her Tumblr all year long!

Interview with Alison Isaac for Words From [A Writer]

Words From [Gabriel Teodros]

Just did this interview with Alison Isaac for her series on writers at Words From [A Writer]. Check it out!

"I think it’s really important that black people imagine themselves into the future because we so often don’t see ourselves there. I feel like culture and storytelling and media – they are all powerful tools. And sometimes we don’t even recognize that a weapon is being used against us when the only images of us are images that aren’t being scripted by us."

An open letter to Rebecca Walker

Dear Rebecca Walker,

I see you. 

I read your book "Black, White & Jewish" years ago. As someone who is Ethiopian, Scottish, Irish, Comanche, Mesquaki & Cherokee (I love to embrace the complexity) and also someone who is a child of activists, your story resonated with me on multiple levels. I love your work. And it didn't make me hate your mother's writing. She's brilliant, she's human, she's flawed and I love her work too.

However, how someone treats their craft doesn't excuse how they treat people in their life, no matter how great their work may be. I understand this complexity too. I know more children of dedicated activists who feel abandoned by their parents then anything else. Many of us shun the movements our parents were a part of because we associate that movement, whatever it may be, with our abandonment. Personally, even though we're on good terms these days, I still have never read Marx because that was my father's thing. This is another reason why I loved your book. It gave voice to something similar to what I was going through. My friends and I had talked about it sure, but I never read anything like it before. Not until reading about your life, and Octavia Butler's "Parable Of The Talents".

Earlier tonight I went to the premiere of "Beauty In Truth", this new film about your mother. Alice Walker talked a lot about sacrifices she made for her writing, spending time apart from you being one of her sacrifices. The part that bothers me is that this "sacrifice" was a choice she made. It was not a choice you had any part in making, but as a young person I imagine you felt every bit of it. There was a part of the movie where she seemed so wounded, I think someone went as far to say that you are trying to make a name for yourself by talking about your relationship with your mother in the media. This portrayal of you wasn't fair, and isn't true to how I've seen you in your writing. Further, if your voice wasn't in the film, I don't think they should of talked about you as much as they did.

This all feels like an incredibly personal issue between people I've never met, and to be honest I don't feel like I have any business writing this kind of letter... but what I saw for a few minutes on that screen just didn't feel right. So while people around me are talking about how great the film was, this also must be said.

Rebecca Walker, I see you. Your healing in public helps others heal too. And you don't owe anybody an apology for it either.

I do wish your entire family healing. However that might look.

You both inspire me.

with love & respect

-- gabriel teodros

Farrah Burns - New York State Of Mind (A Tribute To Hip Hop)

This has gotta be one of the most creative rap videos I've seen in... well there's really nothing to compare it to. Farrah Burns embodies 7 emcees with 7 different styles in one track. Thank you Davey D for putting me on.