MAPPAMARCELLINEMANTRA04: Pulling Out Red From Her Sexe is the score that accompanies a performance of the same name, both of which premiered at the #BlackGirlLit exhibition organized by Dell Hamilton at Five Myles Gallery. The sound foliage is an exercise in suspending time with sequences of gestures accurately matched to points of transitions within the mix in order to amplify the moods that the choreography evokes. Informed by Audre Lorde’s text “Uses Of The Erotic: The Erotic as Power” MAPPAMARCELLINEMANTRA04 deals with the subject of the erotic as “deeply female and spiritual” untapped resource of energy and power for womxn and non-binary femmes. Its predominant function is to enhance our knowledge of ourself beyond superficiality, giving more intentional room to richer feelings such as joy and pleasure. It’s a way to be more sensitive to our own inner truths and how we can use our personal experiences to form more productive bonds with each other.

My desire to build and experiment with soundscapes developed out of a necessity to have more control over the atmosphere I create during performances. Back in January 2015, after feeling frustrated with my school administration’s lukewarm response to the Baltimore uprising, I made a conscious decision to be even more disruptive in the art spaces that I exhibited by bringing what was happening in the street right into the ivory tower. AS AN ARTIST working with the body as my primary medium, one of the impulses was to make a lot of noise so I fabricated a series of sculptures that would also function as homemade instruments. Those objects felt really impotent once combined with my own vocals and at that moment I realized how slow I am for not initially taking an easier route: Music.

“Edge Control” which is a quarterly function organized by BALTIGURLS

ATMDATA. I technically djed for the first time at ATM back in August, which was also my first time attending the party. A week before I formally met SCRAAATCH and Dj Haram after performing at ROCKERS, a longstanding DIY/underground festival in Philly that was organized by Moor Mother. In keeping up with the momentum of having introduced some of my work to folks in Philly, I reached out to them asking to get put on the bill for the next party with intentions of doing a straightforward DJ set. The night of the party I ended up not only doing a dj set but also a brief performance that accompanied the soundscape BEARCAT COMPOSED to honor the late Sandra Bland.

My boo ISABEJJA, I remember a period of time right after she began DJing two years ago in Baltimore where she was booked for like 10 weekends back to back cause she always delivered really fire sets.

My friend JARED BROWN JUST RELEASED A “TECHNO MYTH” a week ago that everyone should check out, including an interview I conducted with them about the production of MYTH 0:001.

People not enjoying my set then subsequently coming up to the DJ station to make a request that I’d play something they like.

During a performance series curated by Whitney Vangrin at Company Gallery at the end of May, I read and performed some of the personal writing that informs the MAPPAMARCELLINEMANTRA tracks project. Afterwards, Skyshaker who I had just seen perform alongside NON at RBMF came over to congratulate me on the performance even commenting that he was impressed with the selection of tracks I had mixed to lay vocals on top of.

Not a place per say but my parents have never seen me perform live so that would be a major accomplishment, you know, just to muster up the courage to face them in that way or for them to become open enough to see me that exposed.

One of my life goals is to perform at a queer wedding so whoever can make that happen should definitely, lol, she’s available for bookings.