People of Northwest Arkansas
The People of Northwest Arkansas is an award winning podcast celebrating the power of storytelling by providing a platform for individuals living in Northwest Arkansas to share their unique and inspiring life experiences. We believe that every person has a story worth telling, and through our podcast, we aim to amplify these voices through thoughtful interviews and engaging storytelling.
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People of Northwest Arkansas
Beyond the Mic: How Rapper BAANG Stays True for a Living
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Baang’s musical voyage, a tapestry of diverse influences, reflects a deep-seated love for the art form that has become an inextricable part of his identity. There's something about the unexpected paths life takes us on that both terrifies and excites us, a theme we heartily explored with our guest. Baang's philosophy of "Believe, Aspire, Achieve, Now Go," delves into the beauty of embracing the unforeseen, the power of 'yes,' and the thrill of venturing beyond comfort zones.
We discuss genre evolution and the newfound respect for the artistry within alternative rap, and the vulnerable chapters of grief and the solace found in therapy—all interwoven with Baang's personal narrative of loss and healing. His memories of live performances and connections forged on stage left us yearning for more, while the musical legacies of icons like Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill reminded us that music isn't just entertainment—it's the medicine that runs through our veins, soothing and inspiring in equal measure.
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The Journey of a Musician
Speaker 1Hey Daniel , how are you today ? Good , we've got Bang in the studio , so excited to have you here .
Speaker 2Thanks , happy to be here .
Speaker 3Yeah , thanks for coming in today .
Speaker 2Thanks for having me .
Speaker 3When he came in . He came in with a mason jar .
Speaker 1And that actually made me Of water .
Speaker 3Well , we think it's water .
Speaker 2I don't know . I can confirm that today it is water . It is water today , no .
Speaker 3I love that because we're talking about how , from the South , people like to drink out of mason jars .
Speaker 2Yeah , it's just a thing .
Speaker 3Is it ? People of North don't drink out of mason jars .
Speaker 1No , I don't think so I don't know , maybe in Iowa , maybe in Iowa , perhaps my husband's from Iowa .
Speaker 2So I think they have adopted the trend , but it's true to us . It's true to the South . Yeah , I think it became viral or something on TikTok and it was like oh , maybe we should drink out of mason jars because it's cool .
Speaker 1It is cool . It is cool , I'm from California . We only drink out of plastic bottles . Sorry .
Speaker 3Plastic bottles ? I'm just kidding , I'm kidding , I'm making a joke , I'm making a joke . And plastic straws ? No we .
Speaker 1Yeah , no , we turn our nose up to all the plastic things , although I haven't lived there for a long time . Speaking of being from somewhere else , what brought you to Northwest Arkansas ? Tell us a little bit about that story .
Speaker 2Yeah , so my Arkansas got through and through . I'm originally from Central Arkansas , so my family's in North Little Rock , and then I moved to Texarkana , arkansas , which is Southwest around junior high , high school , and then my brother came to school here and when he got here he was like man , I promise this is the promised land of Arkansas . Yeah , like you know , I agree with that . I mean , it's kind of true for all intents and purposes . There are regions that have a lot to offer that I love for those specific reasons . But when it comes to opportunity and resources and just development , upward mobility , all of these different things , northwest Arkansas almost feels like it doesn't belong in the rest of the state . If you come here first , admittedly , you kind of get a false representation of what the rest of the state is . Don't get me wrong . Like I said , a lot of really dope stuff in other parts of Arkansas , but this part is unique for a thousand reasons .
Speaker 1It really is . I would agree . I've been to Central Arkansas , Eastern parts of Arkansas , but I've never been to Texarkana or just that kind of stuff .
Speaker 3I've only been to the Texas side of Texarkana , the Texas side . What does Texarkana ?
Speaker 1like . Yeah , I like Texarkana it's cool .
Speaker 2It's cool , you go and you get a lot of culture . I mean , it's kind of .
Speaker 1You get a lot of culture . What kind of culture ?
Speaker 2I'm saying like it's country , you know what I mean . So like it's not foreign to see a car ride down the street and then a horse , literally Like , especially in my neighborhood .
Speaker 3Do you mean like a horse pulling a cart or like someone riding a horse ? I mean somebody's riding their horse , it's kind of in traffic .
Speaker 2You know what I mean . Like seriously . I love that so much . Like what in the YY West do we got here , you know what I'm saying , but yeah , you see , stuff like that .
Speaker 3That's kind of amazing , though , like I want to be on a horse in traffic .
Speaker 2Yeah , like you just , but you wouldn't see that . Like if you from Texarkana , you wouldn't see that and be like what's going on ? That's just normal . You know what I mean and it's just . You know , a lot of cool people like sports are a big thing there you got a lot of athletes from . So you got Arkansas High that's the high school on the Arkansas side , Texas High that's one of the schools on the Texas side , Big Rivalry , and then you have some Serb Herbs , Liberty , Allo , Pleasant Grove , going and so forth . But , like you know , they produce really crazy athletes and a lot of which have come to school here at the university .
Speaker 2Then you know I've gone on to play professionally and so it was just like I don't know . It's not a ton to do in terms of like not many malls , not many , you know , like nightlife I wouldn't say it's thriving , but a lot of good people out there .
Speaker 3Yeah , so you're a musician . And about how young did you were , you , when you realized you were interested in music ?
Speaker 2Yeah , from a musical family , excuse me . So like we're open church , you know what I mean . So naturally you got like the church choir influence and my family's just like I mean just musical . So my mom raised us on everything from Motown and Bob Marley , lauren Hill , eric Obado , like just music . Oh , wow , yeah , you know , and I would go to my aunt and she's listening to Billy Joel and the Temptations , just everything .
Speaker 3Okay , so your family's into all kinds of music . Oh yeah , like across the board , they raised you right then , so you know all kinds of different music from long spanning like years of time .
Speaker 2Oh yeah , yes , so for us , like when people ask me what type of music I make , I'm like the good kind , you know what ? I'm saying Like that's all we know is just like you know . So really young the influence was there . I used to see stuff on TV , whether that be like BH1 , mtv , bet , and I'm like , okay , this is cool .
Speaker 2Like you know , I remember one of my first big influences was like the hot boys and Lil Wayne and what they were doing in Louisiana , like that movement was so infectious to me because I'm like dang , okay , I want a nice car and shining teeth and you know what I'm saying Like all of the things that come with . And so at a young age I mean probably like I don't know like seven or eight , I was trying to start writing music . Wow , literally like I have a memory of laying down on the floor while my mom is burning my sister's hair and I'm like mom , what rhymes with Cadillac ? Cause I'm seeing like the rappers driving Cadillac . You know what I'm saying . So I'm like my mom was like wait , what are you talking about ? I'm like you know .
Speaker 3That's a hard one to write . I'm really trying to think right now .
Speaker 1I'm drawing blanks completely . I can't what . Yeah , so what does rhyme with Cadillac ? What did your mom say ?
Speaker 2She didn't say anything at that moment . She's the mom , she's like nope , she's still thinking right now .
Speaker 2Like you still trying to figure it out and so , yeah , really , really young , I used to kind of want to rap , I think , and then got to about age by 12 years old I was like recording songs in studios and like really , really and it was dope . But it kind of gets to like a shift because at that point it was just something that I thought was really cool , really fun , and that was like before I became conscious of like attention and pressure . And I feel like once I started to notice like the attention of everything it kind of made me not as interested in pursuing a career in like entertainment . Okay , like it feels like the desire and its purest form was like something that I thought was fun and cool . But like the second that I noticed , like that it was a chance for me to be a star or like be a focal point for people is like okay , I don't like that type of attention because I'm introverted .
Speaker 2So you know , I got a big personality and I'm charismatic and I can get along with people . I'm not afraid of attention , but I would rather just be in the background , in my shell , if I can help it . So , like I said , once I started to notice , I think around like age 13 or so I started getting good at making music and really even beyond rapping . It's just like writing . Before rap it was like poetry , and before poetry it was just like writing short stories . And I remember in third grade my teacher , ms Haven , shout out to her wherever she is .
Speaker 3I love that you remember her .
Speaker 2Yeah , like she impacted me for sure , but she used to make us write these creative writing and then she would compile them at the end of the year , and so she wanted to publish my writings and I'm like you got a lot of kids , like I wonder what was it about mine that ?
Speaker 2but it was at that point where I was like oh , maybe I write good , like maybe there's something here , and so then naturally , like I said , that kind of graduated into writing poetry and poetry came about when it was like I might have an experience that I can't effectively articulate , but it's easy to like put it in a poem , like it's easier to make sense and process emotion when you can kind of write it down as opposed to like say so that's kind of how that happened , and then poetry is just wrapping with a beat behind it , and so that was the same .
Speaker 2You know what I mean . So that's kind of the natural progression of the talent , the skill or whatever the case may be . And yeah , once I started getting good at it and people were like viewing it as the spectacle , I was like , okay , I don't , I don't want no parts of this , I don't want to be on the front stage , I don't want to be center stage . And so then it got to a point where I was just like , okay , I'm going to do it because it helps me and it's like this , you know , almost like therapy mechanism for me to be able to , you know , but I don't want to share it with anybody .
Speaker 2And then it got to like okay , I'll share with the people that I trust and the people that I'm close to , but I don't want to put it out in the public . Like , I don't want to perform , I don't want to , I don't want to be an artist . And by age like 16 , I just made the decision to never . Like , I didn't know what I wanted to do , but I knew I did not want to be an entertainer .
Speaker 1Wow .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1And here you are today .
Speaker 3So you've come full circle
Embracing Life's Unexpected Twists and Turns
Speaker 3.
Speaker 2They say if you want to make God laugh , tell them your plan , because you know what I mean .
Speaker 1That's so true . I said I would never move to Arkansas .
Speaker 3I know yeah .
Speaker 2You could just think about your life and the things that you are like . Okay , I will not do this and I guarantee it .
Speaker 3There's so many that I did It'll come back . Yeah , it'll come back .
Speaker 2Oh yeah .
Speaker 3I know I said I was not going to have kids and I have to , did you really ?
Speaker 1say that .
Speaker 3Well , I just didn't like think that I would . I wasn't like good with kids . Like I liked kids .
Speaker 1I just thought I was going to work , work , work . Now we're moms and we don't like kids . I'm kidding , no , we do .
Speaker 3We love our children Most of the time . Most of the time . No , it is funny how you say you're not going to do so . I'll never do that .
Speaker 1I'll never do that . I think it's interesting that we sometimes say both ends of the spectrum Like I will never do that , and then we end up having to do it or it just ends up being a part of our story . And then there's also things where we say yes to . You know , we've talked about that with other guests . Is that we say like being the yes person , like I'm going to say yes and I'm going to see how this goes and I'm going to learn from it and I'm going to grow from it ?
Speaker 3And .
Speaker 2I'm going to do that , and so at some point you had to say yes , well , my grandmother literally like is she's one of my biggest influences . Yeah , love her to death . Shout out to your grandma .
Speaker 1Oh , grandma , shout out to grandma bang .
Speaker 2You know what I'm saying .
Speaker 1Where's grandma ? Is she in Central Arkansas ?
Speaker 2Well , she was in El Dorado for the last like you know what I mean . And she just recently moved to Wright'sville , which is like right outside of Little . Rock . She's a pastor , been pastor at my home . Yeah , she's amazing , she's a beast Like she's crazy .
Speaker 1But I want to meet grandma .
Speaker 2Next time I'm here , we got to bring grandma .
Speaker 1I love it . What did grandma do ? How did she inspire you or push you ?
Speaker 2to do . So , you know , it got to a point where people would like ask me to speak because , like , music is one kind of facet , but , like I'm kind of like my boy Brock here , I'm just like an entertainer of sorts , like I host and I speak and I MC and I do all of these different things . You know what I mean . But , like I said , there was a point where I just wasn't a fan of the attention that came with all of that stuff and so I would just say no to everything that people ask me to do . Like , hey , I'm hosting this event , I would love , or I'm putting together this event , I would love if you would come and host . I'm like , oh my gosh , thank you . No , you know what I mean . They're like we're doing this .
Speaker 5We're doing this youth event for the kids Like were you coming ?
Speaker 2Oh my gosh , I love children . No , you know what I'm saying . Like everything was just because I didn't want that type of you know what I mean , like attention or pressure , and so one day I'm having a conversation with my grandmother and my grandma was like stop saying no kind of cutting drama grandma's orders . Like if you're available and you're able and you can do like if you physically can do it , and don't say no because you never know like what opportunities and is that the switch that ?
Speaker 2was the switch . I can't , I can't say like . That was like , oh , let me find everything I can do right now , let me dive right , but that was at least like don't shut the door before you even yeah .
Speaker 2And so , yeah , it was just like . I mean , that really is one of the pivotal moments in the story of just okay , just be open . That's really what she taught me is like , don't don't have your mind so made up and like what you won't do , that you're not even open to some of these opportunities . Because , again , that conversation that happened over a decade ago now is literally what has me sitting in this chair . You know , it's just like the mental shift of okay , you can lean into these things instead of life . You know , and I think it's important to know too , it was just fear for me , like it was all like .
Speaker 2you know , I've seen some of my favorite entertainers and I've seen how like fame and just being in that position of influence can sometimes be like the most draining and daunting and like unforgiving , Like people don't have no respect for you or grace for you when you on that level .
Speaker 1They really don't ?
Speaker 2You know what I mean . Like you just that , crucify you at this . They don't care about your feelings , they don't care . You know what I mean . And so I'm like who would willingly subject themselves to that ? Like , if you could choose , like who would choose to be that you know what .
Speaker 2I'm saying , and so I think for me that was kind of a big motivator of why I wasn't wanting to or willing to . But then it got to a point where it was like , okay , at some point your life isn't your own and you really can't control you know what I'm saying Every single stop , for every single . And it got to a point for me where it felt like it was harder to not do than it was to just kind of submit to what I felt like you know , god's overall plan was and just go with the flow .
Speaker 2Really , you know what I'm saying . Just be the flow , don't you know ? Set your stake in the ground and be like . This is the hill that I'm going to . You know what I mean . It's like yeah nah , just open your palms and see where life takes you .
Speaker 3And just stay like rooted right Totally . So I was reading his bio and I really like how he focuses on uplifting Even
Believe, Aspire, Achieve
Speaker 3your names . Is it an acronym ?
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah , good question . What bonus points , if you know what it is ?
Speaker 3I am going to fail the bonus points .
Speaker 2Okay , cool , no worries , no you know it's an acronym and that's this dope , because not even a lot of people know that .
Speaker 3But I read it . I have terrible memory .
Speaker 2Yeah , it's cool , it's cool .
Speaker 3So tell me . But I wanted to ask you so you can share it with your listeners .
Speaker 2So bang is B-A-A-N-G and it stands for believe , aspire , achieve . Now go Like that's the whole you know what I'm saying , and it's cool because it started just as a nickname . Like I said , just my brother , family would call me bang and then I noticed that , like the nickname in and of itself started gaining some like momentum and it started to feel like , when I was in high school , like there were pep squads that called themselves team bang . Really they were going like dance and sports that I didn't play .
Speaker 1Oh wow , you know what ?
Speaker 2I mean , Like it was , it was crazy , but , like you know , they wanted to be represented across . You know the various sports you know and , like I say they would , they named themselves team bang . That's some mean .
Speaker 2And so I'm like , okay , this is something that clearly has some type of reach , yeah , and so I want to try to give it a mean like , if it's if this nickname you know what I'm saying . At that time we just like it was fun and silly , like if something like this is a rallying point for people , then let's give it a positive . You know what I'm saying ?
Speaker 2like meaning message , and so that's where believe , achieve , never give up came from . And then we started thinking about this from a more of a okay , it's our job to be confident in ourselves and go on to achieve whatever it is that we want to , and then , once you're able to do those things , then it's your job to pull somebody else along . So that's where we switched it to believe , aspire , achieve , now , go , like now you go and show somebody that you can move to Arkansas and like , build a music career .
Speaker 3Yeah .
Speaker 2Like you can start whatever you know , you can , go to college you can . Whatever the case may be , you know what I mean you can absolutely start here in Arkansas , absolutely .
Speaker 1I think I will be surprised if our listeners are not inspired by these words .
Speaker 3I am so inspired right now , yeah , and just thinking through and your music is really good , by the way .
Speaker 2Thank you .
Speaker 3So I listened to one of his songs called is it mansion talk ? Okay . And he says I'm not into astrology but I'm a be a star . Wow , and I really love that because I actually am into astronomy and stargazing and all that . And I was like , and then you talk about , like Chardonnay , I was like ooh wine astrology stars Like I love this song .
Speaker 1This song is good .
Speaker 2I appreciate it .
Speaker 3It is , no , I think it is actually my theme song , I appreciate that , and then I love that you talk about your rap about your family , your mom , like getting her out of the bricks into the sticks , yeah , yeah . See I .
Speaker 2I , you , you do got a good memory Like seriously I little bit yeah , she has an incredible memory with audio .
Speaker 3Audio . Yes , yes , it has to be audio reading . I'm the person that I read the instructions and I throw it away and then I cook it wrong , then I keep pulling it out of the trash Like I cannot read something and retain it Like I am not that person .
Speaker 2But if I hear it . It like I have to put you on the spot one more time . What's your ? What song did you just listen to ? What would you take away ?
Speaker 3Mansion talk and you said I'm not into astrology , but I'm a biggest star . That was like my , that's my favorite . And then getting your mom out of the bricks into the sticks yeah , I love that . Like I want to get my mom the same . She lives in the city , yeah , and I want to get her out here too , and you want to take care of your mom , your family .
Speaker 2I think for me across the board , like no matter what song you're listening to , that was a really fun song and it came at the end of a , an album that I was making just about like the journey and the struggles of entrepreneurship and trying to figure out . So I worked for a nonprofit for almost five years , loved it . Shout out to Potters . I started doing great work in the community yes , they do Right , but I stopped working for them in 2021 and started working for myself full time . And the transition from going from I mean a wonderful community and consistent pay and all of these different things to like kind of the wild , wild west .
Speaker 3It's scary , it's scary , it's an understanding .
Speaker 2You know what I mean , and you got kids , so it's a it's a feast or famine Literally feast or famine .
Speaker 3You know what I'm saying ? You eat what you kill .
Speaker 2And I heard this gentleman who is a very now well established realtor , among other things , and when I was first starting my entrepreneur journey , I sat down with him and I was like man , how do you , how do you get to a place of like comfort ? And you know , and he's talking to me about some of these things , just like their myths , you know what I mean . Like he's like you're a month in , I'm 20 years in and our floor feels the same , and so he gives me this analogy right , like , again , entrepreneur life specifically , and I guess in some ways you can extract just life in general , you know what I mean from , from this .
Speaker 2but he says you know it's entrepreneurship is like this like you jump out of a boat and hope you can swim and he kind of starts it like that and I'm like , okay , cool .
Speaker 2And then he says and if you can swim , you hope you can find land . And so I'm like , okay , and I'm just expecting it to end , like I'm really ready for the analogy to stop . And then he says and if you can find land , you hope you can find shelter , and if you find shelter you hope you find food , and if you find food you hope it's not poisonous . And he just he draws it . You know what I mean . But what he's saying is you never get to this place , this imaginary place of like , okay , I got my footing under me , a super stable everything . You know what I mean . I think you can get to a place of like inner peace and contentment in your life , but just the nature of entrepreneurship and , like I say , in some ways life in general is variable , it's up and it's down and you just can't always forecast what's next . You know what I mean . Sometimes , like mansion talk is a great example that wasn't going to be on the project .
Speaker 3Really no , it just that's like one of my favorite songs on your album too . A lot of people love that song .
Speaker 2Like .
Speaker 3A lot of people love that you know that's funny and that ended up that way .
Speaker 2If it was up to me , then I just maybe wouldn't have put it on there , Not because I didn't like it , but because it was a deadline . I made that the day I had to turn my project in .
Speaker 3That's so funny . I love this that .
Speaker 1I love that to the whole like I'm not going to do it . Right , it's at the end of the album . I'm doing it . Yeah , yeah , that's so funny .
Speaker 3I mean , I've heard that so many times from artists or just other , like radio or podcasting people like your least favorite or maybe least memorable , Sometimes like no people will love it .
Speaker 2Oh yeah , like you just never really know what , because something about me made that song right and so , like there's something in somebody that's going to resonate with it , even if it's you , daniel , or you know what I mean . I got a brother named Daniel . He loves that song and it's just like you .
Speaker 3Just you just never know how it sounds or speaks to somebody else . Yeah , oh yeah , beauty of art .
Speaker 1It is the beauty of life , whether it's poetry or writing or music or film or fine art , you put yourself out there , you put your work out there and you might have an interpretation of it . But how it touches somebody else's life , yeah , I think about . Even as silly as this might sound . I have gotten to a point where , on social media , I try to balance . This is my highlights but , then I want to be real , you know .
Speaker 2Totally .
Speaker 1I've walked through a lot of experiences with grief and losing my parents and losing friends , and also going through different things with like body image and body shaming . Yeah . And I've become more transparent in the things that I post yeah . And it's really interesting because sometimes I'm like why am I posting this ? Like why am I posting this ? Maybe it might be a quote , or maybe it might be a personal story , and it's so fascinating how people will resonate with that when you didn't expect that to happen .
Speaker 1And so the fact that you're willing to put yourself out there and say , hey , I don't really want to put this song on the album or in this project . I'm going to , I'm going to put it on anyway . And you have all . These people are coming up and saying this is great . I love this . This is my favorite song and , yeah , that is fantastic .
Speaker 3Sometimes the scariest things to put out end up being people's favorite because everyone's kind of scared to show their real , like we all like wear the different masks especially if you're like kind of , I would say I'm an introverted extrovert , I can turn it on , but I get like she knows me .
Speaker 2I'm like , I'm drained , I have to go be a little for a little , while I've reached my people quota .
Speaker 3Right now , sometimes , it's by like 11am and then she's hanging out with an extrovert and I'm like let's go , let's keep going , let's keep going . I'm just like I'll turn her . Really , I got to go . I got an Irish goodbye . I got to get out of here right now .
Speaker 3I can't see and I listen to music . I love music . I'm kind of like I was raised kind of like you , where I was raised in a church and like I love , you know , christian music , but my parents were all about all different genres of music . She knows , I'm like just a music person . I love and I love like all kinds . Maybe country is my least favorite , but now that you know , I accept that a lot of people around here love country and some of it's good . It's a good country out there .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah .
Speaker 3It's just not my number one . I feel that but I love hip hop , I love rap . I'm trying to exorcise my kids to all different and but I try to always . I feel like John Mellon came . I heard something about him that he's an artist that literally listens to every album that comes out . He listens to like every artist Like . He wants to hear everything .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 3And so like I don't think I'm as good as him , but I try to listen to everything . Yeah , I just want to know what people are going through in different perspectives .
Speaker 2Totally .
Speaker 3And so . But I love hip hop and rap . I always tend to go back to the 90s , but I'm trying to be more current .
Speaker 2I mean . A lot of people consider that the golden era of rap , though . Like it was a good time . You know what I mean . Like you get some of the most classic albums of any genre . Like you know what I mean In that time frame . So I get it .
Speaker 3It makes sense , but a lot of the artists from them always like to dog on , mumble rap and I think , like you know , every like generation is always going to say they're better . Oh yeah , for sure , you know what I mean .
Speaker 2I mean it's across the board . Like you know , now my dad watches basketball with me and it's a bonding moment for sure , but it's also like one of the most annoying things ever , because he despises how the game is played , right now he does . Oh my gosh . Like he can't sit through a quarter without saying like and you know , back in my day this will never happen .
Speaker 3Back in my day , no just like pops you dating yourself .
Speaker 2Stop film , but . But but yeah , like in any , or fashion is another thing . Like you know , if you know people that are in the fashion , they'll kind of look at today's garments and they'll say , like you know , we did that 20 years ago . Or like , this isn't as good as and .
Speaker 2So , yeah , I think there is a responsibility for us as people who are , like you know , maybe a little bit more advanced in , or older in certain respects to embrace and at least just be mindful , because even the people who are bashing or hating on mumble rap , at one point they were doing something , I know that somebody else was looking at , okay , one of these kids . That's how I feel .
Speaker 3I'm like I don't know if I call it mumble rap . I just like every decade has its sound and I like a lot of it . So you know that's great .
Speaker 1So for our listeners and myself , can you describe what mumble rap is ? Yeah , so , sitting here feeling like a complete idiot , saying I don't know what they're talking about .
Speaker 2This is a safe space .
Speaker 1That is a safe space .
Speaker 2For Daniel and the listeners out there . Mumble rap is a term popularized in the mid-2000s to describe a style of rap that a lot of artists employed at that time that was characterized by bass-heavy , like instrumentals , and speaking in a way that wasn't super articulate . It's quick yeah . In terms of where they weren't . If you didn't know what they were saying , it might be hard for you to pick up on what they were saying Right .
Speaker 2But I mean , for somebody like me who understands the lingo or , like you , know what I mean , knows what they're talking about , then you can get it . But it and also different cadences and patterns and rap styles that were newer at the time that somebody could hear and be like what the heck is this ? So ?
Speaker 2mumble rap was just a I'm not gonna lie a very cheapened term that people who weren't willing to dive into the art just kind of slap this label on oh , this sounds new , it sounds different , they're rapping fast , it's mumbling , it's like no , actually it's just a different way to do what has already been done . Yeah .
Speaker 1So if you were given the chance to rename mumble rap , yeah , what would you name it ? What would you ?
Speaker 2name it . I'm gonna call it
Grief, Therapy, and Music
Speaker 2alternative rap . Oh , Like that's . I didn't coin that . That's a term that has been circulating .
Speaker 1Okay .
Speaker 2You know what I mean , but like that's all that is . It's just a different way to do what's already been done .
Speaker 3Maybe that's why I like it , because I like alternative everything . I like alternative rock . I only like alternative country if I do listen to country I just like alternative things , just other than mainstream Totally .
Speaker 3I like mainstream too , like I , like Drake , you know , and I mean he's like one of the most mainstream . Now , when you say you're Kendrick Lamar , travis Scott or Nicki Minaj , if you want to get female or I-spice , my kids like , well , I don't let them listen to all I-spice . They did a song on the Barbie soundtrack , so now they like Nicki Minaj and I-spice . But yeah , I mean .
Speaker 1That's why I say , like all I'm over here letting my kids listen to Sir Mixlots .
Speaker 2You said something earlier that I wanted to speak back on , if I may . But like just the courage to like be bold and put real stories out there . Like you know I talk a lot about grief and you know I've gone on a therapy journey these last couple of years and like therapy is for me literally top three life-changing experiences I've ever had . And just a quick plug to therapy you know , in certain cultures , particularly black culture , like therapy is just kind of there's a negative connotation on it , I think in culture in general .
Speaker 3I think it is too . You know what I'm saying . Yeah , I think it's changing , though , because I mean I've seen a therapist . I think , we all have to be honest about like mental health . So we're all not like hiding that right , like just be honest .
Speaker 2But see in the same way that , like you frame mumble wrap like alternative wrap , I think the framing of therapy has to be different . You know , I think instead of feeling like oh , I'm so messed up , you know what I'm saying , I need somebody to fix me . It's like , nah , we all are going through certain things and everyone deserves to be heard . Yeah Right , Like you just deserve to have somebody . It's not like you sit down on the couch and somebody changes your life in 30 minutes .
Speaker 2It's not like that , but you've gone through a lot right , and just kind of getting through a day is a full-time job sometimes , yes , and so , like you deserve to be in a space where you can be just fully seen , fully heard . And so all of that to say , daniel , when you like , put some of those things out that you're dealing with like grief or like , you know , sadness . Those are the things that , like , connect people . Those are the things that , no matter your shape , size , color , creed , like we all can understand . Like , for you , a broken heart might look like losing your job . For you , it might look like , you know , losing your team losing I don't know . For me , it might look like anything losing a parent , a loved one but like it's grief and we can all understand that emotion at its core . And so I just want to shout you out and say , like , continue to do the hard work of just you know , allowing yourself to be seen , heard , and like that's where we , that's where we're able to meet people , is in those spaces .
Speaker 3Yeah .
Speaker 2You know we all got those friends where it's like we go out every weekend but you don't even know their middle name and what ? They're afraid of or how they see themselves , and it's just like you know , if you can get to that real talk , that core , then that's , I think , the character . Yeah , I love that , yeah .
Speaker 1And for the first time ever , I might cry .
Speaker 2I'm not going to . No , I like what you I'm holding it in .
Speaker 1I really am holding it in , but like that , this whole topic of grief is very real to me . Actually , this weekend I lost two people a friend from high school and my coach . I played water polo and was a swimmer and my coach found out that he passed away . And just processing that is a lot . And for that to happen with two people in one weekend , to find out that news in one weekend , just it was completely overwhelming .
Speaker 1And I think having that space to grieve and having a husband and kids who are attentive and who know me well enough to give me that space , to grieve and when I was sitting on the couch and I got the news that my coach had passed away , and I just started crying and my daughter she's eight years old and she's looking at me and she's like are you okay , mommy ? And I'm like , no , I just found out that my coach had died and she's sensitive to a lot of things and she just gets up and comes over and just wraps her arms around me and hugs me and just having that sensitivity that she has and she knows in that moment that I needed a hug . And I think that we give other people that space , whether it's through therapy , whether it's through friendships , whether it's even through art . We get an opportunity to grieve and to talk .
Speaker 1And I've shared a little bit about my work . I do documentary film and I'm finishing up a documentary film about stage four breast cancer , which is terminal breast cancer , and I had the opportunity to film one of my film subjects in hospice and the hardest thing I've ever done , hardest thing , just having to process that but knowing that I have the opportunity to share her story and other stories in a way that is hard but is so profound and powerful and helps us to understand more about this disease is so completely rewarding and it's giving me space to be like I was invited .
Speaker 1I was invited into incredibly hard spaces for people and I get to use those opportunities to share that with the world and I think that that's really cool and you know , the fact that you're taking your music and using that to bring people into those spaces whether it's your personal experience or a reflection of experiences within this society is beautiful thing . I don't want to get too off topic because we want to focus on you .
Speaker 2I know I appreciate it .
Speaker 1I think I would love to hear a little bit about your transition from when you didn't want to have attention on you to now being up on stage and being at format festival and what was that like ? And tell us a little bit about what is it like for you up on stage when you're performing and putting yourself all out there .
Speaker 3As an introvert , totally , absolutely as an introvert , do you pretend everyone's naked or not there , or like what do you do ?
Speaker 2I will say this first my condolences for your losses .
Speaker 1Thank you very much , I appreciate that , absolutely .
Speaker 2Thank you . It is fun being on stage . Okay , like I'm not up there hating my life or yeah , like no , it really is fun
Being on Stage
Speaker 2, and I think it allows me to tap into a like a space where I mean , before we get out of here , I got to show you our video . There's home videos of me at like seven years old , like wrapping for the camera .
Speaker 3Oh my God , we need . Well , we're going to have to get that clip and patch it in Y'all .
Speaker 2it is crazy , but it just speaks to like I didn't care about like Instagram at that time or who was paying attention to me . It's just like a pure expression of joy or self right , and so when I'm on the stage I'm able to kind of tap back into that .
Speaker 3I love your merch too , by the way . Thank you , I need a shirt .
Speaker 2I'm an event planner and promoter and artist , so there's so many hats that you wear . But when you on the stage just like , you're just mindless , like you're just in the moment enjoying it . You know there's some stuff that , like I take my shirt off a lot on stage and jump in . I mean I broke my leg back . Yeah , we'll get into that , he's committed . I did five shows on a broken leg and like I'm in a mosh pit getting pushed around . And I don't realize it until after the fact where I'm looking at video of me like and I'm like , oh wait , I could have just really hurt myself .
Speaker 2But it's because in the moment you're just like the adrenaline and music you can like you're lost out of body experience , and so that's how it feels on to answer your question . Like that's how it feels on stage . It feels like the most fulfilling , energizing . Like you know , I'm just one with the people , I'm one with like the moment , and it's cool , it's really a fun .
Speaker 3You connect with your crowd . I love that . Like everyone's energies all gets like symbiotic right .
Speaker 2It's like oh for sure . And for me , what helps me is like to answer your question like no , I don't see everybody naked , but I do see everybody .
Speaker 3Yes .
Speaker 2And so like you know what I mean , like you're connecting with your audience , every single like . There's going to be times where , like you know , I'm just staring directly at you when I sing a song or you are like you know what I mean and I want it helps me to experience , you know , being on stage with like every single person , because , like , a big crowd might make me nervous or uncomfortable , but this doesn't .
Speaker 3Okay , so like a single , oh yeah .
Speaker 2So if I can feel like , even if it's , I think last year we performed at the momentary for 5000 people when a big boy and run the jewels came through here and I was able to like big boy you know what I mean . Like outcast is just classic . But childhood dream accomplished , you know what I mean . Like I got to open up for him .
Speaker 3Did you listen to the dungeon family ?
Speaker 2Absolutely .
Speaker 3I was really into like the deep cuts and all that .
Speaker 2I will say like this right now growing up younger I was kind of the more like outcast , but like , as I got older , definitely had to go back and do my research and got because , like they birthed some of my favorite artists now .
Speaker 3And so they brought the South to the map .
Speaker 2Literally , literally .
Speaker 3I mean yeah , I mean , yeah , I got to play you some .
Speaker 1You're so fun to watch Southern playlist and Cadillac music One of my favorite albums , yes .
Speaker 3We talked about Southern rap ? No , okay . So in Dallas I lived sidebar . I lived in East Alice , near where Erica Badoo lived , and my husband I'll
Influential Artists and Music as Medicine
Speaker 3never forgive him for this went to Whole Foods one day and saw Andre 3000 . That's his stage name in Whole Foods and like said , hey , what's up , you know ? Like started talking to him and he's like asking what he's doing . He's like oh , I'm visiting , you know , my kid , obviously with Erica Badoo . No , and he never got his autograph for me , he just like , or even a picture .
Speaker 1Oh , he did take picture . Okay , yeah , and he did like he never got me an autograph .
Speaker 3I'm like . You know that I listen to the dungeon Like I . This has like been like my favorite group forever . It did not get me and he said he didn't because then he would not have felt this way .
Speaker 2What's your husband's name ? Elliot ? So I got to shout Elliot out , though , because , as an artist , yes , this is a special shout out to Elliot , because I'm too ways about it . So , daniel , I'm like you where I'm like , I see my favorite artists and I'm geeking you know what I'm saying , like I'm losing my mind but I'm also the artist , that's like . You know . Sometimes it's cool to just be a Whole Foods shopping for produce .
Speaker 3Yeah .
Speaker 2And like , and somebody comes in and acknowledges your work you know what I'm saying and then leaves you and just leaves you , like you know what I mean ? Because what I'm learning now , just as I like , I say , watch some of my favorite artists and even kind of myself be on this stage , those people want more than anything to be normal . Yeah , Like that's all you know that's why he didn't ask him .
Speaker 3He's like I didn't want to cross over that boundary , and that means a lot to like .
Speaker 2That means a lot to Andre 3000 . You know what I'm saying . They're like now . This is not me saying don't ask for your favorite artist out of you .
Speaker 3You know what I mean . Like I respect what he did , you feel me like I do , I'm just so sad .
Speaker 2I think two things can exist I think you can be sad and I think we can tip our hat off to Elliot , and Andre is secretly out there .
Speaker 3No idea who I am .
Speaker 1He's like super happy it wasn't bothered that day , and what we're going to do for produce what we're going to do with this autograph . I didn't mean it , but I have his autograph Look at it every day .
Speaker 3No , you're right , my kid would have probably sneezed into it , or something and never know something .
Speaker 1So , anyway .
Speaker 3no , we got off track that was a good sidebar .
Speaker 1I enjoyed that . I'm just 2000 is my top .
Speaker 2He's my Mount Rushmore artist . My top artist of all time . I'm glad you said that , because I was going to ask you that top Andre 3000 is like cemented as one of my biggest artists influences of all time .
Speaker 1I get that , you know , I appreciate that . Yeah , where are some of your other influences ?
Speaker 2I love Bob Marley . I think his music was just like so . When I think about music , I think about it in terms of healing too . You know what I mean . So there's a lot of music that we listen to because it's fun and it's entertaining , and then that's just great too . I got songs like that . But when you can have a song that transcends culture and time and just invites you into a spiritual experience and I think a lot of his music was that it was just healing , you know what I mean . So I love him .
Speaker 3Good . It just makes you feel good .
Speaker 2Totally .
Speaker 3He brings up when he talks about mind control , not letting the government control your mind . And they're always trying to basically get rid of the good people that are trying to play in the good scenes . And it's funny thing , when my kids were babies , our pediatrician always said to play Bob Marley . Really it's supposed to calm . Yeah , they say reggae and anything with drums is calming for babies , so I would play Bob Marley .
Speaker 2That's fire , but same for us . I don't remember what that was playing when I was a baby , obviously , but some of my earliest memories is Bob Marley .
Speaker 3Yeah .
Speaker 2It was just like my family at that .
Speaker 3I can't even remember Everything was just so tranquil and peaceful , and I think some of that is Don't worry about a thing . Yeah , I mean , I love that .
Speaker 1That is so smart to play for babies . Yeah yeah , you keep playing it , don't worry .
Speaker 2Music is medicine , I mean . I mean that in every way , me too it's so important . So what we're listening to and what we're consuming is literally part of what comes out of us . You know what I'm saying . And so Bob Marley , for sure . Andre 3000 , for sure Lorne Hill , another big influence .
Speaker 3Like that thing .
Speaker 2You know what I'm saying ? That album is just but her voice is so smooth and beautiful , you can listen to it on an hour loop and just let it play and let it yes totally , but she's of that same vein of like it sounds really good , but it was also so potent and substantial .
Speaker 3I mean , what was the name of the song where she's talking about ? She goes to the poetry . He sings a song Strowman , my pain . Yeah , killing , me softly Killing me softly Okay , that song is like you , just feel it .
Speaker 2Everything you know , wow , but I don't know . I think every artist that I name , they understand the responsibility of being an artist sharing . You know what I'm saying . Storytelling , yeah , telling stories and allowing , yeah , they talk about having mimosas and champagne and their music , but they also talk about systemic oppression and internal struggles with grief . You know what I mean ? Like , they cover a wide array and I think one of the marks of a good artist is that is being able to lean into each and every space .
Speaker 2Like life is beautiful and it's fun and it's great , but it's also one of the most challenging . You know what I mean . There's a lot of darkness and pain that come , and so to encapsulate the full human experience in a way that is sounding good , right , yeah , I'm saying , but also just like not reducing , not just saying like , hey , let me highlight this one part , or let me highlight this one part , is like nah , how do we get the whole entire picture ? And so these artists that I'm naming , I think they all do that very well .
Speaker 3I think you really touched on it , because while you were talking about that , I was thinking you have chosen well those three artists and kind of the way I hear your music is . You touch on all that , but your perspective is a positive one , I appreciate that . Yeah , I feel like all those artists have ultimately , through all of these things , like to have a positive outlook on life .
Speaker 3And just to be real about it . So I appreciate that so much because some artists like you were talking about they get so beat down . You can just tell on their music they've gone dark and they're staying there and they're not like coming out of that . So I love that about who you've chosen as your influences your music specifically .
Speaker 2I appreciate that . Yeah , I like that . I also have the neighborhood love dealer oh that's our episode title . Okay , so we've got the neighborhood love dealer .
Speaker 1He's bringing positivity in his music . He's making eye contact with the people watching his concerts . So no wonder why people are creating groups that are named after you .
Speaker 3I know Van Girl's Galore . Okay , so performing a song on the show , did you want to do that ?
Speaker 5Yeah , I want to do it .
Speaker 3All right , thanks for being on the show . We're going to end it with a song . We're going to go out with a bang . This is Yo Kierrow , all right .
Speaker 5Go on in this shot though this shit is so hot . Man Check , okay . Thank you so much for having me on this little podcast . Yeah , yeah , how about you ? Because you check , check the way you shining like a girl , you , girl , you look . Come here . Like that you ain't got a man . I could tell if you did , he won't let you come around by yourself . Like that she say well , I'm grown better go and pay my bills on my own . I can't do what I want . No facts . I ain't trying to be rude or nothing . Look , I like your attitude . I'll be watching how you move , baby , you don't need no dude for nothing , look . But we can kick it and be cool . Look , babies , as you want to win the night of a dinner , I type a text like I'm a Avenger , I'm a Cindy Shawty working on her ender . Don't want to hinder I know we caught another lima , cause I can feel it . Yeah , yeah , look you okay at all . Mama seat . The mutual want to see you like your vibe . Let's fly to Puerto Rico . Long , get you down for the ride .
Speaker 5I buy you Gucci and a designer because you it's my little brother singing , by the way , the way you shining like a diamond Girl , you , girl , you , look , come here , come here , come here , let's fly to Puerto Rico . I buy you Gucci and designer , yeah , but baby Finney , and a product , you know I got it . Check , expensive fabric , automatic , got a lot of love . Girl , you know , ballon is a habit that we proud of , told you . If you ever need me , you could download so you will call me every time when you get round up . Fix your face on like this Roundup . Only way I know is build it from the ground up , you and me against the world . How that sound love one more time .
Speaker 5Look , I buy you Gucci and designer . One more time . Look , I buy you Gucci and designer because you gorgeous , gorgeous , yeah , the way you shot it . Like a diamond girl . You , flawless , flawless .
Speaker 5Look , look , come , get all these eyes say go bang , go , go bang , go go . That's what you say in your car when you listen to this . Yeah , look , we're very finniana . Okay , clap , clap , clap , clap . Oh , let's go . Yeah , clap , oh , watch this movie , baby . Oh , that's how we doing . We want to get a little rhythm in here . We dance a little bit . Sweet B , you going crazy right there . Yeah , yeah , go crazy . Southwest they are .
Speaker 5I'm a North Side baby , either you can't dance or you scared of you . Lazy , I ain't come to drop . No , miss Daisy , I put my hands up on your hips . When I dip , you dip , we dip . Let me offer one more tip . Let your mind go on a trip . You know , life is like a movie girl , and you could write the script . We was chosen for this moment . I don't want to let it slip like that Girl . If it looks like you will be walking with an open case , y cell Kelowna , my aroma like an open vase . If I'm running game , that's news to bang , cause I don't know the play , I just want to know if we gon' see it through the hope and phase . I downplayed my demeanor , but she see right through my poker face . You got all them curves . Listen here . I don't want to race . Baby , if it's mine , bring it here . I don't want to chase . We could let the hours turn , the years we could run away . That's the end of the song . Yeah , you know what I'm saying . Woo , woo , is it ?
Speaker 1crazy if I clap for myself . No Woo , alright , bang . Well , thank you so much for coming on , people of .
Speaker 3North O'Circansaw .
Speaker 2Thanks for having us , yeah that was so fun .
Speaker 3Thanks so much for listening today . If you liked what you heard , please consider subscribing to the podcast so you never miss an episode . You can also follow us on Instagram at PeopleOfNWA . Thanks so much .