Queen GodIs: Inspiration With Words
By Toleya Kamara
A phenomenal inspiration with words of wisdom and detail, she displays her gifts through various avenues of dance, song and poetry. These are only a few of the special attributes she delivers to those around her. Queen GodIs is what she speaks and delivers earnestly as she listens to the energies that surround her.
Toleya Kamara: Who is Queen GodIs?
Queen GodIs: Queen God-Is... a sincere, passionate and intense...closet comedian. She is an old woman child, ancient baby and NEOld soul - a grand dichotomy, complex in her thoughts, simple in her actions very raw yet refined. A powerhouse that embraces her illusions of fear and weakness and often faces them head-on. A BE-Girl ninja. A lyricist who loves hard and often speaks soft when off-stage. A slim home-girl queen with big-boned southern roots. A giver of goose bumps. A humble spiritualist who practices mastering solitude while dancing with the "in-crowd." She is the eldest daughter with a phenomenal mother and an ancestor daddy. An auntie, a little-big sister, wonderful friend, excellent listener and a great speaker who hears better than she speaks. A true non-conformist with a shoe fetish. A lover of strong hugs, cryptic language and Revelations. Often extremely patient, sometimes short-tempered and obviously long-winded. A proud child of the Most High. Queen God-Is...an all around fly-ass nerd.
TK: Where are you from originally?
QG: I always dream of placing some of my original roots in Egypt or Nubia, but I was born and raised in Brooklyn!!! (I am however, convinced that there are pyramids hidden somewhere beneath the Projects in East New York). Both of my parents are from the Dirty South...before 'dirty' was trendy.
TK: When did you realize that you had the gift of spoken word ?
QG: My mother always says that I had a big mouth as a little girl. Literally...my crying and screaming was ear-piercing and in between rolling her eyes at my antics, she would say that my loud mouth was going to help make a difference in the world... and make us rich. She partly meant it as a joke, but she says that she knew early on that I would be a powerful speaker. I listened. I could write since I was two and was really into learning as much as I could and being creative. The evolution into what I do now was inevitable in many ways.
TK: What was your first creative piece?
QG: "I can rap, dance, sing...Do anything!/ You can't stop me or sever my wings/ FLY like a butterfly - sting worse than a bee/ I call it like I see it, that's why my name is Queen." ...It went something like that (one of many). I was seven years old. But other than writing rhymes and songs, I would force my friends to be in Hip Hop dance groups with me so that we could dress in matching outfits made by my mom and win talent shows. I would choreograph the routines and sometimes incorporate singing and poetry. I was tough . My mom used to call me the drill sergeant.
TK: What makes your words so unique?
QG: The sincerity. The rhythm they carry. The rawness. I never force myself to write. I let my words and ideas flow.... I listen to how a idea/piece suggests it needs to be expressed and I go with it. Sometimes this means the difference between writing a rhyme, what I call a marathon poem or a haiku. But sometimes it just means singing, painting the words, designing them into an outfit or keeping still, being quiet and just holding them as a private thought. I acknowledge that my work is bigger than me, but the creativity and packaging (so to speak) has my fingerprints all over it.
TK: Who has been a source of inspiration for you?
QG: My parents for sure! Maya Angelou, Nina Simone, Alice Walker, whack rappers, pimps, thousands of fierce black and brown girls in all white schools with like 5 male students of color who are all wack (no offense), people who get on my nerves, X-boyfriends who think the "x" stands for revolutionary, single fathers, everybody I love, people forbidden to speak their souls, preachers, practitioners, comedians, my siblings, my nieces, kids from elementary school who used to talk junk and instigate, spiritually evolved dudes who pretend to be gangsta, gangstas who pretend to be spiritually evolved (and those that truly are), liars, cheaters, prophets, Renee Cox, Basquiat, my students, roaches, lions and giraffes, corny people, phony people, Les Brown, Anna Deveare-Smith, Lauryn Hill and Bjork, guys who tell me they are feminists as a pick-up line... women who tell me they are feminists as a pick-up line, racist white girls who "love" tans, black men and "vacation cornrows", monks, priestesses and other sexy people, my ancestors, characters from my childhood, my inner voice, people who are long-winded but dope, people who can get to the point a lot quicker than I can...who are dope, people who cope without dope. The list goes on and changes every day.
TK: Where do you tap into your creativity and what prompts your written and spoken expressions?
QG: Wherever and whenever the time is right, ripe and necessary. Dreams, trains and bathroom stalls included. I can and will write and talk in my sleep if I have to.
TK: You wear many hats as a choreographer, dancer, co-producer, lyricist and vocalist. How do you infuse these talents into poetry?
QG: I don't have a choice not to...really. My spirit doesn't seem to give me the option not to use my skills...no matter how raw or untrained my abilities may be. I work with what I have...it's an honor to just go for it. Thus, everything I do, can do, try to do or want to be able to do divinely shows up in my work and words at some point. When I started working on my current album, I thought that I was going to just pay for studio time, record it in a booth somewhere and be finished in 1-3 months. Through a series of challenges, my life revealed to me that the process needed to be more intricate and hands-on than that. One day I woke up and realized that it was crucial for me to know how to engineer, to sing the various harmonies myself, to produce and arrange some of the music, to help write the treatment for my video and choreograph for the songs. When I accepted this fact, I realized that I could do all of these things...and I did them. I do them. I am learning to know when to accept help, but I also know when and how to be that which I need. This acceptance and knowing affects all areas of my life...including my style of poetry and performance.
TK: Tell us about your upcoming projects.
QG: I am currently still deciding exactly how I want to release and share my creative work, but a multi-media performance tour, plays, art exhibits, a book and speaking engagements are all definitely on my radar. I shall leave no stone unturned...unless of course I just ain't feeling the stone. From Bat Mitzvahs to Pajama Jammy Jams...if they will benefit the power and intent of my craft, I might just rock it! I am often very selective about collaborations with others. I want to work with great artists, but there has to be a love and a creative energy already there. I plan to do more of these in the near future though. I am currently featured on a project produced by the group Les Nubians entitled: Les Nubians Presents Echoes Chapter 1 - in all major record stores. It is slated to be re-released as a book cd soon.
TK: What is the meaning behind your debut album ‘Power U’?
QG: This album...of a lifetime (that's how it feels)...is both candid and cryptic. It's a lot! It says a lot, means a lot and has room for even more significance depending on the listener. As the title suggests, there are some specific and deliberate messages (i.e. relating to womanhood, love, growth, identity, change, politics and sex ), but I am still discovering what this album truly means to and for me. I want to leave room for others to do the same. So for now, I will leave it at that. Some will 'get it' while they nod their head and dance. Others will just dance...or fall asleep and be brainwashed. Whatever the case, it's all good. Maybe I am trying to be mysterious. Everybody buy the album and find out!...OOOHHH the suspense!
TK: Who are some artists and producers that you worked with for this album?
QG: Mostly some new and emerging artists that I have known for a while from situations that have very little to do with the music scene (i.e. college, my household, my hood). Even though many of them are new and raw, they each have an ear for truth and music that I respect. They each have inspired some of my greatest lines and ideas whether they know it or not: DJ Pursuit, Shaka King, James Brown of Peace Pipe Productions (yes, that's his real name), Belief (who has worked with many Hip Hop artists) - These producers trusted me with their tracks and generally gave me free range to change some things around to fit my often unconventional style of writing and recording. Then there is this artist dude named Mercury from a multi-media Hip Hop group called The Dugout. He is family in many ways...like a stubborn brother, old-school uncle, annoying friend. He is a hilarious, intelligent and all around good person. He worked with me on a few tracks from scratch. I would take a thought, hum it and he would help me lay it down as a full-fledged beat. He even gave me the keys to his recording studio so that I could go in and finish things on my own....for two years. I have special love for all of them. They have been patient and generous with me. They are a core part of this album's greatness and power. I also worked with musician/friends Gabby Callender of Mahina Movement, guitarist George Aslaender, musicians from a Pittsburgh group called Eviction Notice who came in to help save the day at the eleventh hour. My little sister Solo Star and a dude named Jarrod who happened to be frolicking in the studio one day hooked up the background vocals on one of my favorite songs. My twin nieces (who were 4 at the time), offer snippets on a special song dedicated to my dad. Finally, another great musician/friend Raviv, a Craig's List angel named Ian Bouras and the oh so loveable and highly respected, DJ Evil Dee hooked up the mixes.....We all did a lot of 'hat switching' to help this project. I am proud to say that I had the honor of working with people who love and believe in me beyond measure. I worked with family.
TK: How do you implant your heritage into your poetry?
QG: With great joy and ease...
TK: What do you want people to gain from your poetic statements?
QG: A charge. A re-fueling (of sorts) to gain momentum to do what they are here to do...to be the greatness they are here to BE. I want people to memorize my most powerful and uplifting words so that they can repeat them back to me whenever I forget.
TK: You’ve traveled the world over, where do you envision yourself five years from now?
QG: IN (healthy, requited, unconditional) LOVE beyond imagination. Helping others, being happy and chillin' for a living. I am going to TRULY LIVE (reparations and early retirement included) in honor of my ancestors who worked their fingers to the bone up until the moment they passed away. I envision building a strong family while on the road, seeing the world and recreating the parts of it that I'm not feeling. I am studying several languages now and plan to be fluent enough to incorporate them into my work. I am also preparing for a few more albums, doing productions with young people and facilitating workshops using the creative arts as therapy and for community building. Other than that, God and I are still drawing up the rest, so maybe I will have to get back to you with more in a minute. For now, I want to express my gratitude for the invitation to do this interview for your site. Tachelle and I have been in contact off and on for quite a few years, and I am excited that we have officially linked up to make this happen. Femmixx.com is a DOPE site that is super necessary. I look forward to staying in touch. Thank you for the love and support. I want you to know that it is reciprocated....sincerely. Stay in tuned for the release of "Power U!" In reflection, QG*******
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