This one is for Hip Hop.
I felt heavily inspired by the lineage of Hip Hop and how it contributes to who I am today. This is my first self choreographed performance and one of the most important things I wanted to highlight was my connection to black women through Hip Hop. With the help of hair artist Malcom Marquez, we were able to make this symbolic art performance come to life in just a short week.
A special s/o to some of my inspirations; the incredible @solangeknowles @carlota_guerrero and @mfdoom (rip)
A special s/o to my stylist @sam__woolf for nailing this look and translating my take on hip hop through clothing !
This is my take on the future of Hip Hop. This is blackness. This is luxury. This is history.
Thank you to the @colbertlateshow team for having us on your show! And thank you to my true fans for always showing up to every performance and sharing my music 🐊 SWAMP4L
The idea came from (not very good) photos I took of El Morro when I first visited Puerto Rico in 2017. I imagined a larger-than-life child using her imagination to play among the history as if it’s her personal playground.
Buffalo Soldiers
48”w x 30”h
Acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas
…
In the 19th Century, the U.S. Army formed all-Black regiments to assist in westward expansion and imperialism… (1/4)
Their role was downplayed for years as they were forced to work alongside known racists, Southern militias, and white generals. The U.S. Army leveraged years of trauma to build an empire on the backs of these men. Mark Matthews, the last surviving Buffalo soldier, died in 2005.