“…As artists, grounding our self-image in military discipline is dangerous. In the short run, discipline may work, but it will work only for a while. By its very nature, discipline is rooted in self-admiration. (Think of discipline as a battery, useful but short-lived.) We admire ourselves for being so wonderful. The discipline itself, not the creative outflow, becomes the point.

The part of us that creates the best is not a driven, disciplined automaton, functioning from willpower, with a booster of pride to back it up. This is operating out of self-will. You know the image: rising at dawn with military precision, saluting the desk, easel, the drawing board…

Over a period of time, being an artist requires enthusiasm more than discipline. Enthusiasm is not an emotional state. It is a spiritual commitment, a loving surrender to our creative process, a loving recognition of all the creativity around us.

Enthusiasm (from the Greek, ‘filled with God’) is an ongoing energy supply tapped into the flow of life itself. Enthusiasm is grounded in play, not work. Far from being a brain-numbed soldier, our artist is actually our child within, our inner playmate. As with all playmates, it is joy, not duty, that makes for a lasting bond.”

5.27 - house with Toyin.

by recording written and video we can see where we are so we can choose where to focus and grow.

think before you dance/speak. what is your intent? what are you trying to say? just like talking, be conscious and intentional in your articulation.

start slowly when learning steps, then increase speed once familiarizing yourself with the movement.

close your eyes - heightens your senses and allows you to tap into the music and the body follows naturally.

the cypher is a sacred place. where we express and honor one another. we are given bodies and voices and ideas to express ourselves. if you feel something you have the birthright to express it.

energy is fluid from internal experience to external expression. from individual to community. open your heart. we are already naked. tap into yourself. y(our) joy and love. be present and honest.

“Another thing I want to talk to you about is this idea of learning. Basically, you have to keep on learning—it will distract you from all the bullshit that we’re talking about. Two years ago, I couldn’t produce [music]; I learned how to do it in literally two years. I found it really difficult to program when I started, then I had this leap of confidence to actually get in front of the computer and learn how to do it. It was a massive challenge, because I am not a very logical person at all. It’s about facing your fears. If you do that, you realize that you can actually do anything you want to do! It’s been the most liberating experience.

Last week, I bumped into a very famous music artist. She started talking to me about her nails and her hair extensions, and how getting this stuff done makes her feel like a woman, and she has to have so much money to get this stuff done because she’s a woman and that’s what being a woman is. I thought to myself, That’s very interesting, because what makes me a woman is when I know I’ve produced a song myself—when I’ve found an artist to work with, given him a beat to work on and told him what I wanted, and he’s given it back to me and it’s what I’d envisioned as a producer. Or when I’ve made a video and released it into the world. That’s what makes me feel like a woman. Like, fuck anything else—fuck how tall I am or how long my hair is! This is the absolute epitome of what makes me feel like an adult, and like I’m handling my business. I’ve sat in front of my computer at three o’clock in the morning and I’ve made something myself that I had to learn how to do that was very difficult. When you find something easy, that’s a talent, but when you find something difficult, that’s when you get to really work and push and challenge yourself. I’m not saying that [that artist’s] image is invalid, because that might be where she gets her power from. Everyone is different. But for me, there’s something about learning that makes me feel the most adult I’ve ever felt.

I’m so happy as well, because I’m not crying about stupid shit! I’m busy, I’m doing things, and it’s an amazing feeling. If someone’s stupid or someone’s mean, I’m just like, OK, love and light, go what you need to do, I’m busy! It feels amazing to be this way. “