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Interview

“Speaking out politically is not just the artist’s right; it is imperative” – interview with Lisa Marie Simmons

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For some people, music is a healing power, for some it is entertainment, and for others it is a life saving shelter. For Lisa Marie Simmons, music plays a role that encompasses all of the above. After a difficult childhood Simmons found solace in music and poetry which eventually led her on a path of art and exploration around the world. She finally settled in Italy where she leads two different ensembles , Hippe Tendencies and NoteSpeak, along with producer and songwriter Marco Cremaschini.

Simmons and Cremaschini released NoteSpeak 12 back in February, an eclectic mix of jazz, hip-hop beats, fusion and spoken word that grooves seamlessly throughout. Simmons’ work is always socially conscious she told me via email. Samia from their first NoteSpeak album was inspired by a documentary Simmons saw about the sad story of Samia Yusuf Omar. Simmons found the author of the book that the documentary was based on: Don’t Tell Me You’re Afraid by Giuseppe Catozzella. Simmons wanted to shine a light on the horrendous numbers of refugees lost to the sea every year, an end to life that she, if not for the luck of a birthplace, might have had to endure herself. Simmons went further in her research for the song and eventually made contact with Samia’s sister, who did make it across the Mediterranean, who gave her blessing for Simmons to share Samia’s story in song.

HK: What’s the backstory here?

LM: I grew up in the U.S., in Boulder, Colorado of the 70s and 80s – hippiedom and counterculture movements. Progressive yes in many ways, culturally diverse, not at all. I was adopted and raised by a Black father and a white mother and I found myself navigating the complexities of race and identity from a young age. My upbringing was marked by a blend of tension and creativity, as I sought refuge in words and music to escape the abuse in our household and the challenges of being a minority in a predominantly white community.

HK: Do you find yourself connected equally to both music and writing?

LM: Absolutely. Music and writing have always been intertwined in my life, serving as both a form of expression and activism. I’ve found solace and empowerment in both mediums. Whether through songs, essays, poems or stories, I strive to amplify marginalized voices and challenge societal norms.

HK: And perhaps an activist as well?

LM: Without a doubt. Activism is at the core of my identity and creative endeavors. I’ve been involved in various social movements throughout my life. My activism manifests through my art, as I use music and writing to advocate for change and do my best to inspire others to join the fight for justice.

My journey as a multi-disciplinary storyteller has been shaped by my experiences growing up as often the only Black person in the room. Through my art, I strive to challenge, among other issues, systemic racism, white supremacy and the patriarchy one song and one poem at a time.

HK: Have you always been concerned about the world around you, the politics of it all?

LM: Growing up in a predominantly white community, and the household I did, there was not much I could find that reflected me. In the town library, though, I found books by people like Alice Walker, James Baldwin and Maya Angelou that showed me another world and how the past informs the present; the institutional racism woven into the fabric of America from its inception. I was keenly aware of the injustices and inequalities that existed in my own home town which helped build empathy for those outside of my experience. I firmly believe that sharing our stories is the key to building compassion. From a young age, I found myself drawn to activism and social justice, whether it was participating in protests or in movements like streaking (Boulder in the 70s!).

Young Lisa Marie, painted by her adoptive mother (used with permission).

HK:  Has your music always been a tool and a voice for the oppressed or the voiceless, or was there a switch at one point?

LM: Music in general has always been a powerful tool for expressing and reflecting the issues of today. From my earliest encounters with literature and music, I was drawn to works that spoke truth to power and shed light on social injustices. I have tried since I began writing and composing to amplify the voices of those whose stories are not in the mainstream’s consciousness. I often use my own intimate and personal experiences to speak to larger issues. From the moment I witnessed the power of protest and expression as a child, I knew that music would be my medium for challenging the status quo. While my approach to activism and advocacy has evolved over the years, my commitment to using stories as a medium for connection has remained steadfast. Whether through songs, essays or poetry, I continue to use my art as a platform for change and empowerment.

HK: Can you tell me a bit about the process of making NoteSpeak 12 and what you wanted to achieve with it?

LM: The making of NoteSpeak 12 was a journey filled with serendipitous encounters and creative synergy. My co-founder, Marco Cremaschini, and I met in Brescia in 2005 after several near misses of crossing paths over the years. Our collaboration began as a result of our shared passion for music, both of us drawn to the others’ artistry. After so many years of working with one another it was an organic evolution from our first band Hippie Tendencies to the NoteSpeak project. The first album was NoteSpeak (Amori e Tragedie In Musica), NoteSpeak 12 was the sophomore offering and we are currently working on the third in the trilogy. We are intent on making sure Marco’s compositions and my words complement each other seamlessly.

Our creative process is collaborative and dynamic. We exchange ideas, trade work, and continuously push each other to explore new territories. The songs on NoteSpeak 12 are a reflection of this shared vision, each with its own story and inspiration. Some songs started from poetry, while others began with the music. Some musical ideas were mine, some concepts for the poems were Marco’s but all were intricately woven together to form a cohesive and expressive whole.

Our goal with NoteSpeak is to create a body of work that transcends traditional boundaries of music and poetry. We wanted to blur the lines between spoken word and music, allowing each to complement and enhance the other. Through this fusion, we aimed to convey a range of emotions and experiences, from introspective reflection to impassioned protest.

With NoteSpeak 12, Marco and I sought to continue this tradition by using our art as a platform for social commentary and protest. Each song on the album carries themes of resilience and resistance, addressing issues ranging from immigration to environmentalism. Through our music and poetry, we strive to spark dialogue, inspire action, and give voice to those who may otherwise go unheard. Through our collaboration, we hope to challenge conventions, provoke thought, and ultimately, effect change.

HK: Musicians that sing about politics, animal rights, women‘s rights and raise awareness about different issues sometimes get backlash and are told to keep politics out of music. What is your take on the connection between music and activism in your opinion? Why can music be such a powerful tool for getting a message across? 

LM: Speaking out politically is not just the artist’s right; it is imperative. In the course of shopping for a home for NoteSpeak (Amori e Tragedie In Musica), an A&R guy at a well-known indie label chastised me when I sent him the project, saying that, “It is not the musician’s job to be political.” I find it pretty much impossible to understand that stance. However, I know many musicians decline to perform for any political party for various reasons, chief among them not to risk alienating any fans who may be across the aisle. But to say that musicians should not voice an opinion on political issues makes me wonder what that A&R dude had been listening to. Famously, Bob Dylan refuses to endorse a political party, but c’mon now, the history of his oeuvre makes it very clear where he stands on a variety of issues. In today’s tumultuous political landscape, it’s more crucial than ever for artists to stand up and be heard, especially when faced with the cacophony of our world order’s rhetoric. I’m keenly aware that we are privileged in our birth countries, more so even by the fact that we can take the time to wrestle with such questions. Exceedingly lucky that we don’t suffer more pressing issues, such as having to take three hours out of our day to fetch water, fight for the right to an education, battle the suppression of free thought, or countless other obstacles. If the artist does not hold up a mirror to injustice we are missing an opportunity to effect positive change.

HK: Are you following other contemporary artists whom you‘d like to give a shout out to? Are you aware of other musicians, perhaps in your local scene or elsewhere, who use their talents in a similiar way as you? (I understand that you are in Italy at the moment, so you might have interesting perspectives on the music scenes there and in your native home?).

LM: So many. Esperanza Spalding, Aja Monet, Saul Williams, Ani DiFranco, Evan Greer, Angélique Kidjo, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Sarah Gee, and on and on and on. As for using their talents in a similiar way- there’s nothing new under the sun, except we are each our own little universe, our experiences form how we see and respond to what surrounds us, so each, if digging deep, is entirely unique. In Italy there’s a long history of musicians working for social change like DeAndrè, DeGregori, Gaber etc. Today there are voices from Afro Italians like writer, journalist, activist Igiaba Scego, whois a fiercely dedicated leader as is author, journalist, activist Cristina Ali Farah, another whom I deeply admire. Director, writer and actor Alfie Nze is making incredible films that inspire dialogue. Model and activist Bellamy has created the digital platform AfroItalian Souls celebrating AfroItalians while simultaneously providing a space to amplify black Italian voices. Afro-Italian queer immigration activist Medhin Paolos is a photographer, filmmaker, and musician whose current project in collaboration with Harvard University, “Mind the Gap” will have far-reaching effects as the heart of the work will be implemented in Italian classrooms. Activist Karima 2G makes music with a message. ARTivist Kwanza Musi Dos Santos is getting national attention with her non-profit work, as is interpreter, journalist, and activist Uche Bridget,  and so many more,  there are way too many marvels disguised as humans to list here. In my own little corner of Italia, I am awed by and honored to work with: Uno Collective, activist Francesca Sanneh is one of the collective’s intrepid leaders whose commitment and tireless energy to the cause inspires me daily – and Afrobrix. Musicians: Osasmuede Aigbe, Eva Fuedo Shoo, Daniela Savoldi, and Anna Bassy are talent and beauty personified while fighting the good fight.

HK: What musicians, authors or activists have inspired you in your life? What kind of extra curricular activism (outside your art) do you partake in, in one way or another?

LM: Again the list is endless. The usual luminaries Angela Davis, Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, Sonia Sanchez, Nina Simone, Audre Lorde, Mari Evans, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Nikki Giovanni, Billie Holiday, Marvin Gaye, Gil Scott-Heron and so many more. Coming of age in Boulder there were also the influences of Joan Baez, Woodie Guthrie, Bob Dylan and, again, so many more. As for extra curricular activism, I believe in living a life of conviction, and demonstrating one‘s ideals in every facet of the path we walk. You can find essays on my advocating for the rights of Black birth fathers, sharing stories on DAWTA the podcast with my co-host Dionne Draper to support the transracial adoptee community, writing about the racism in my adoptive mother’s family.

HK: What is on the horizon for you, musically and in life?

LM: At our artist residency at SUNY Oneonta in November we began writing the new NoteSpeak album in earnest and have begun full band rehearsals, now I’m hunting for the funds to head back into the studio to record it. Then we’ll tour it as widely as we can and perhaps I’ll then have more concentrated time to continue the work on my semi-autobiographical novel.

HK: Anything else you‘d like to shout from the rooftops?

LM: Love love love, always love.

Essay, History

Music Retrospects #3: Elaine Brown, the Black Panther Party and sexism within liberatory politics

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These series were written by Cedric McCoy and republished here with the author’s and publisher’s consent. The 3-part series were originally published on The Michigan Daily webpage on Feb. 8, 21 and 23.

For Black History Month 2023, I will be publishing a mini-series of short music reviews under the title “Protest Music Retrospects.” The aim of this series is to both revisit some of the most pivotal moments in Black protest music history and to shed light on overlooked Black figures and musics, specifically those of Black women, that have contributed to socially-conscious popular culture. The reviews will be a mix of musical critique as well as historical and historiographical analysis of the works and their responses in media. I first highlighted Sister Souljah’s 360 Degrees of Power, and then Tracy Chapman’s debut album; for the final entry, I will finish the series with Elaine Brown’s 1969 album, Seize the Time. 

Brown is best known for her activism in Black Liberatory politics. She served as the leader of the Black Panther Party after Huey P. Newton fled to Cuba in the mid-70s, before leaving the party due to sexist leadership; she was the first and only woman to lead the party, and shifted the standard operations and the philosophies of the BPP towards inclusivity and local advocacy. In addition to her activism, Brown was trained as a musician from an early age and wrote poetry and songs in high school. In 1968, David Hilliard, then-BPP chief of staff commissioned Brown to record some of her politicized songs for the BPP after he heard her perform for some other Panthers — Seize The Time was the result.

Seize The Time exists as a recording (in more ways than one) of the motivations, goals and activism of the BPP. The album contains the party’s unofficial theme, “The Meeting,” as well as various other revolutionary tracks that were often played at BPP social events. Additionally, its cover art was created by Emory Douglas, BPP Minister of Culture. While it is not the only output of music from the BPP (the party also had a funk band composed of active members called “The Lumpen”), it is the only audio album produced by the party that featured exclusively music.

Brown’s Seize The Time is largely unrecognized by scholars and music fans alike; in researching the album for this article, I only found one comprehensive record of it by Michael Lupo of Répertoire International de Littérature Musicale on Smithsonian. From my knowledge of public history projects documenting music of the era, only PBS’s Fight the Power seems to have recognized it (and only in a passing montage of relevant albums). There is no official set of transcribed lyrics either; the original record did not include any with it, and open-source databases like Genius have not tackled the 10 tracks. Fortunately, the album (and its remaster) are available on the major streaming platforms and have not been lost to time just yet.

When I first envisioned this BHM mini-series, Seize The Time was the album I had in mind and most desired to write about. It represents a key shift in the canon of Black protest music in many ways. First, the songs are all composed and performed by a Black woman, one who was often ostracized by her fellow revolutionaries. Second, it predates the move towards overtly political music found in the `70s. Lastly, it demonstrates a unique application of protest music wherein the music serves in a direct-action/political praxis role, beyond “calls to action” or indictments.

Brown was classically trained in both music and dance in her youth, producing a certain restricted philosophy of praxis demonstrated in Seize The Time. Her music leans away from the powerful and raucous funk and soul of the `60s in favor of a more refined, authoritative tone. Though some of her contemporaries resisted this style, higher-ups in the party (namely Huey P. Newton) were fans of her music and supported her songwriting. The arrangements and orchestration were done by Horace Tapscott, pianist and jazz band leader, further solidifying the sound of Brown’s music into existing tradition.

Despite her western-influenced training, the lyricism of Seize The Time consists of a wide range of critiques. In the tracks, Brown addresses systemic racism and oppression, but also engages with the often violent, male aesthetic of the BPP. In “The End of Silence,” Brown includes these lines:

And you can’t go on

With this time-worn song

That just won’t change the way you feel

Well then, believe it my friend

That this silence will end

We’ll just have to get guns 

And be men

Though Brown was known for her ardent anti-sexism stance with the BPP (which often abused and overworked her and other women despite their majority and important contributions), the gendered language of her music leaves much to be desired. See also this excerpt from “The Panther,” which aimed to paint the BPP in a strong, revolutionary light: “He is a hero, he walks with night / His spirit’s beauty, his soul is right … His face is black and he would die for you / To get your freedom back.”

I find that contextualizing Brown’s classical training as well as her high ranking in the party is central in understanding her portrayal of the Black revolutionary. History has often looked upon resistances through the lens of individuals, such as that of Great Man Theory; even today, names like Newton, Bobby Seale, Fred Hampton, Eldridge Cleaver and those of other Black men are used almost metonymically to reference the Black Power movement of the era. Brown met the BPP where it was, both politically and musically, but consistently challenged the party and its leaders to do better and to approach the Black experience with more intersectionality than its founders had originally intended.

Brown’s leadership in the party, and also her musical contributions to the soundscape of Black liberatory politics are key components in the construction of an accurate and holistic narrative of the BPP and protest music. Though Seize The Time never received airplay, charted or earned Brown much compensation, her work as a musician has recently begun to be recognized for its impact on her contemporaries as well as Black protest music as a whole. Records of her activism now often mention her musicianship alongside her politics. Beyond her direct successors, artists such as Alicia Keys have also memorialized her impact on Black music. 

In publishing this mini-series, I hope to recognize and reframe our memory and understanding of Black women artists who have approached, engaged and shaped protest music over the last half-century. It is on their backs that we are able to celebrate the male figures that have come to dominate contemporary narratives of protest music. Through continued efforts such as these, music scholars, fans, archivists and the general public can begin to have a complete understanding of the history of Black protest music.

MiC Assistant Editor Cedric Preston McCoy can be reached at cedmccoy@umich.edu.

Exclusive, Interview

Exclusive Video Premiere: Checkpoint/Dompass/Hajiz by Free Radicals

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By Profula – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Karankawa was an indigenous tribe that lived along the coast of the Gulf of México. Along with the Atakapa tribe these indigienous communities thrived for a few thousand years in the area before Spanish people, under the command of royalty and religion, invaded the land, bringing disease and terror.

Today, ancestors of these people live scattered around northern México as well as the greater Houston area. The city of Houston is the fourth most populous city in the US and now considered one of the most diverse cities in the country. According to the 2020 census Hispanic, Latino, African-American and Asian people make up around 70% of the population.

Where some people might see such diversity of ethnicity and cultures as a positive and enriching thing, others find it bothersome and prefer their life in a monotonous bubble. In the whole of the United States clashes have occurred because of race, gender and religious beliefs. In the melting pot that is Houston, one musical group in particular has been at the forefront of protests and marches against racism, against wars, for equality, against police brutality, support Palestine, et cetera. This is the musical genre soup that is Free Radicals.

The band members have throughout their 20 odd year career mostly released instrumental music and used their voices rather at before mentioned marches and protests. But throughout their career the band has collaborated with rappers, singers and spoken word artists who have lent their voices to various projects. In 2020 the band released the critically acclaimed ‘White Power Outage vol. 1’ which, in a very direct way addresses denazification in the US, or rather the lack thereof. Now, two years later, the band is back with vol. 2 and we could not be more excited to premiere one of the singles off of the new album and its corresponding music video.

I’m honored to have had the opportunity to converse with the band via email and I’m stoked to now share the Q and A with the Shouts audience.

Halldór Kristínarson: Can you tell me a bit about the new volume and in particular the song/video we are premiering, ‘Checkpoint/Dompass/Hajiz’?

Free Radicals: Seven years ago, Free Radicals released the instrumental version of Checkpoint on our breakdance music album Freedom of Movement.  We always knew we wanted to come back to the track and do a rap version, and now finally, the whole project has come together with four powerful and musical voices. We decided we could only do the topic justice if we included rappers from Houston, Palestine, and South Africa. Apparently, having English, Afrikaans, and Arabic lyrics on the same tune is not a normal thing to do, because when we registered the song on YouTube and on streaming services, we could choose to list only one language.

We first invited EQuality, who has been collaborating with Free Radicals since our 2004 album Aerial Bombardment with his insane spoken word piece We All Inhale. He had also joined us to take on Israeli apartheid on Every Wall on our 2012 album The Freedom Fence. He opens up  Checkpoint/Dompass/Hajiz for his fellow rappers with a bang. When we the got tracks from Prince Alfarra from the Gaza Strip, and Jitsvinger from South Africa, we were completely blown away. 

We knew that this song was going to be everything we had imagined for years, but the icing on the cake was the voice of one of our mentors, Lindi Yeni, a South African who taught dance in Houston for many years. Her theatrical experience kicked in and she improvised a skit between herself and a South African border checkpoint guard during apartheid. Lindi is a legendary figure in Houston, who helped arrange political asylum for South African performers during the apartheid years, and is seen here performing for Nelson Mandela.

To say that this was our dream team would be an understatement!

Exclusive Premiere:
Checkpoint/Dompass/Hajiz by Free Radicals

HK: Some protest musicians are subtle and poetic, hiding a bit their messages while others tackle issues very openly in their lyrics. What can you tell me about the evolution of your style of protest music, did you consciously reach this point or was it all a natural happening?

FR: Recently, on social media, someone commented about the album cover for White Power Outage Volume 2, saying “What is this? Some kind of subtle attempt to imply that businessmen, judges, police, and politicians are all white supremacists?” We responded, “We weren’t trying to be subtle!” 

We live in a country that has had no reckoning with our history of apartheid and genocide. In Germany, there are zero statues of Nazis that are still standing, they teach the Holocaust, racism, and genocide in school. The United States has only barely ever started the process of denazification. Here, in the South, every attempt to teach real US history in schools is attacked, statues of slave owners and Indian killers abound. There’s no subtlety, and we’re certainly not trying to be subtle when responding to it.

Our political messaging comes from the street protests that we perform at. Our marching band, the Free Rads Street Band, has marched with Palestinians protesting Israeli oppression, Muslims and other groups fighting against Muslim ban laws in India, janitors demanding a living wage, anti-war protests, anti-corporate greed protests, students demanding gun control, people for women’s rights, etc. 

Sometimes, journalists have mentioned that we were talking about border walls in 2012, years before Trump, and oil wars in 1998, years before the 2003 Iraq War, as if that was somehow prophetic. But there was nothing prophetic about it at all. There were protests against border walls in Texas and Palestine all the way back to the 90s, and of course, there were protests against the earlier Iraq war in 1990. Protests in the streets have been shouting about these issues for decades, and we just try to amplify those messages.

HK: How important is it for you to be able to use your art as a vessel for political activism?

FR: Our albums have always had political themes. Our first release, The Rising Tide Sinks all in 1998 was the beginning of a long collaboration between our musicians, social movements, and visual artist John Kitses. However, 99% of the shows that we’ve played have been just instrumental music, and we don’t make political speeches from the bandstand. We play at parties and clubs, weddings and funerals, street protests and break dance competitions. So, we’re used to just focusing on instrumental music most of the time, with politics only really coming in at the street protests, and when we release an album.

HK: How is the scene in Houston, when it comes to socially conscious music and art? Are there many artists who use their talents to raise awareness or promote a positive message of change?

FR: With the most diverse neighborhoods in the entire world, the Greater Houston area has all kinds of pockets of resistance and art. There are incredible LatinX, Black, Asian, indigenous, African, Muslim, and white musicians, artists, poets, filmmakers, dancers, and comedians who wouldn’t even be capable of leaving off political themes from their arts, it’s too much a part of them.

Just to mention some of the Houston artists who have participated in the White Power Outage albums with us…  Swatara Olushola fought to expose the scandal of the Sugar Land 95. Obidike Kamau was the long time host of Self Determination on KPFT, and is an activist for reparations. Marlon ‘Marley’ Lizama teaches writing to incarcerated youth. Jason Jackson teaches music to refugees and kids in shelters with Nameless Sound. Zack Hamburg blogs about cars and climate change. Henry ‘Hennessy’ Alvarez is part of the local chapter of the Brown Berets. Karina Nistal, Michele Thibeaux, EQuality, 200 Texas Poet Laureate Lupe Mendez, Deniz ‘deecolonize’ Lopez, and Nosaprise all make music about social justice. Brian Is Ze has an intersectional take on gender and health care issues. Akua Holt is the host of Pan African Journal on KPFT.

We didn’t just invite rappers, singers, comedians, and spoken word artists who we like listening to, we focused on connecting with artists who are also activists!

HK: What do you hope to achieve with your latest album?

FR: We hope that the album will be the soundtrack for dismantling white supremacy, corporate capitalism, the military industrial complex, and environmental destruction! Or, if we fail, we hope the album can be an elegy for the dream of a sustainable and equitable world.

HK: What is on the horizon for you?

FR: White Power Outage vol. 2 features 66+ voices of all ages, and right now, we are especially looking forward to our June 7 concert with living legend Harry Sheppard, our 94 year old mentor, band member, and friend.

HK: Anything else you’d like to shout from the rooftops?

FR: On the two volumes of White Power Outage you will hear the beautful voices of the kids from Peace Camp Houston chanting these:

Down Down with Deportation!
Up Up with Liberation!
No Hate! No Fear!
Immigrants Are Welcome Here!
¡Racista, escucha! ¡Estamos en la lucha!
Freedom for All! No Cages, No Walls!