radiohere-transcribed-blog

[radiohere-transcribed-blog]

Eclectic Sound: Danami

DJ KAM: Welcome guys to radio here! I'm here with the Danami, a local artist, a rapper, who is originally from Detroit.

Danami: Yes.

DJ KAM: And, he's going to be talking to us about his journey through music. And, his inspirations, and how he came to the Twin Cities. So, would you introduce yourself?

Danami: Yeah! As you said, my name is the Danami. I am a solo and hip hop recording artist, originally from Detroit, like I said. I moved to the Twin Cities back in 2007, straight out of high school. Came up here to go to McNally Smith College of Music. Studied Music Business for four years. Graduated with my Bachelor of Arts 2011. From 2011 to 2012 I was like a full time musician, just doing graphic design and teaching and speaking. Went on tour in 2012. Then, Americorp in 2013. And, then I’ve been like just hitting the ground running ever since 2013 up until now. That year was the year that I started performing with my band The Blue, which is a seven piece group of individuals who I met through McNally. And, we have been rocking. I went on tour last year. So, a lot of cool things has been happening.

DJ KAM: So cool. You're one of the many vocal R&B and hip hop artists that I was looking at to interview. And, you sort of struck me as a really good person to interview because I saw that you had music that really touched me because I'm originally from Atlanta Georgia.

Danami: Oh yeah? 

DJ KAM: Yeah. So, being from there, where it's really a lot of soul music, soul food, and a lot of like good vibes. And, I saw that you had a you have a song called “Hip Hop Isn't Dead?”

Danami: Which one is that? Oh, you're going way back!

DJ KAM: Yeah, way back. I did a lot of research.

Danami: That's cool. That's cool. Yeah, I don’t remember the title of that song, but it was the first project that I released Successes Is Intentional.

DJ KAM: Yeah. So, with that song, you sort of just proved that hip hop is an art form that isn't dying and it's really hard to find because more like mainstream. Music is leaning more toward indie and more like eclectic sounding music. So, you don't see a lot of hip hop artists who are tackling everyday issues. So, when I saw your music, that's sort of what drew me to you know.

Danami: I appreciate that.

DJ KAM: So, can you tell me growing up in Detroit, what was your first introduction into music? For me, it was Patti Labelle Like, the first thing I ever heard was Patti Labelle. And, it just sort of like struck me. I was like, “I want to sing like her.” But, I am tone deaf, really badly. So, I always loved listening to music like old school, like jazz. So, what was your first introduction to music?

Danami: My first introduction . . . I would say, it was really all around me just growing up in Detroit aka Motown. And, having the Motown catalog played throughout my household and it be the soundtrack of, you know, my friends parents, and just all around you. You know? It's like being here and not hearing Prince. So, Motown artists was always playing. And, so, I felt like that was kind of the the backdrop or the setting. But, I didn't really recognize music in a context of like, “this is what I want to do,” up until 1996 that's when I saw Puff Daddy and Biggie driving backwards in this music video. And, I was like, “yeah, that's what I want to do.” And, every since then I've been trying to pursue that, and learning what that was, and learning, “oh, this is rapping and this is a career.” So, I've been literally writing since 1996 1997 when I was like in the third grade. So, that was the foundation really.

Danami: As I grew as an artist, my sound started to be more influenced by the music that was playing. Like I said, in the background which was the Motown. So, a lot of my music is inspired by soul music. You know, that's why I always say I'm a soul and hip hop artist first. Soul comes before the hip hop piece, I just happened to rap. And, that's how we classify things. Like if you rap, we are going to label that as hip hop, you know? But, to me, rapping is just a tool for me to communicate my message and what you said that you was drawn to, my message. And, I feel like in my journey of life and the things that God is putting my heart to even share and even write, these are like personal things and I want to make sure that I'm connecting with the specific individuals to change their lives. So, soul music, to me, is one of the greatest forms of music that might change people's lives. And, if you really do the research and really go study, you can actually see how soul music back in the 1960s was also a part of the civil rights movement. And, how music was also helping break down color barriers. You know, in the south when these artists like The Temptations or Diana Ross will go down there perform. You know, one month, there was a line separating the blacks from the whites, and then they come back six months and they're all intermingled. So, music, and especially soul music, is at the forefront of what I do.

DJ KAM: So, when you moved to the Twin Cities, was it hard to get into the Twin City music scene?

Danami: Because I moved here in 2011, I've been recently just getting into all the different genres of music that are in the Twin Cities. Do you do music yourself?

DJ KAM: No, but I like local artists. In Atlanta, I always listened to local artists, not just always the mainstream artists, because local artists are people in your community you know them personally. Or, you don't. Or, you see them in the subway. They're like normal people that you can interact with and see, but are also influential. So, that's how it was in Atlanta. And, here it sort of is the same way. So, when you came to Minnesota, was it hard to get into that scene? Was it already established or was it all inclusive?

Danami: Right. I would say it was all inclusive. You know, the Twin Cities just have a history of being in this large community of musicians, writers, actors, and, you know, just the Arts here in general is very big. And, by me going to a music college, that put me in the circle of musicians and other artists. And, actually, the individual that really helped me get my break in the Twin Cities music scene was Sean McPherson, who's the bass player of one of the most popular hip hop bands in town, which is Herisupecs. But, he also he does on-air stuff for the current now. But, he actually put me on a bill with Sims and Paper Tiger of Doomtree at the Turf Club. And, this was like 2008 or whatever 2009. And, you know, ever since then, that was like my foot in the door. And, meeting other artists who were bigger than me and being able to share stages with them. From there, you realize that this scene is very small. You know, everyone knows everyone. Or, at least, if I don't know you, I know my best friend knows of you. So, very all inclusive.

DJ KAM: What is some advice older artists like yourself can give younger artists? I know a couple of girls on campus who want to be artists and go into the music scene.

Danami: What do they want to do?

DJ KAM: Some are into rock, some are into other music. But, when I do interviews they always ask for me to ask the artists what advice would you give they can give someone who isn't in the music scene yet, but wants to get their foot in the door.

Danami: Yeah. It's challenging to give general advice, you know, because everyone is different and everyone has their own unique journey and is in that unique place. So, some general advice that I would give is the same thing people hear all the time. I'm not going to try to reinvent the wheel. You know, work hard, really work on your craft, and be passionate about what you're doing. And, discover your “why.” I'm going to say that. Discover your “why.” Like, “why do you want to do music?” Or, “why do you want to dance?” Or, “why do you want to act?” And, really hone in on that. And, promote that, promote your “why.” Because, as I'm learning on my journey, the people who you want to connect with are going to connect to your “why,” you know? People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Martin Luther King [Jr.] said, “I have a dream,” not, “I have a plan.” So, people were identifying with his dream because they share that same value. So, even as an artist, hone in on your “why” and don't be afraid to say, “this is what I believe, this is what I'm standing on,” and just continue to move forward. I think that will really help separate you and set you apart from a lot of other artists. And, once again, put you in this category of finding your lane and finding your specific audience. So, not trying to go and cast a wide net and get everybody to listen to your music. No, just only get, you know, that that few who's going to support you 100 percent. Versus, getting the thousands who going to support you half the time.

DJ KAM: Yeah. What sort of message do you try to convey in your music? Or, is there a not a message, you just want to give people hope in what they are looking for?

Danami: My messages are very different in my music, but I think ultimately, like you said, it is to give hope. It is to inspire. It is to change people's lives. You know, I want people to feel greater than what they did prior to listening to my music. And, when you come to a show, I want you to feel greater leaving than what you did when you entered the show. I truly believe in the power of music. And, I also know that that is my calling that God has had has on my life or has on my life. So, I have a responsibility to make sure I'm not leading his people astray. There's people out here that need love, man. They need the hope that you speak about. They need to feel connected to someone, to something, to be a part of a community. And, I remember music, and especially soul music, did that for me. When I would listen to these artists like Marvin Gaye, and I’d be going through what I was going through, a breakup or whatever, and these songs would really speak to me and speaking to my soul, and help me through that time. So, I want to change people's lives through my music. And, that's what I'm passionate about. And, that's what I'm moving toward. That's like, that's my “why.” You know, I'm here to uplift the people, you know, for Jesus sake.

DJ KAM: So, when you got into rap and hip hop, what would you say are the top five artists that inspire you? It could be the greats or someone who is not that well known.

Danami: Now, are we only speaking hip hop?

DJ KAM: Yeah. Or, you can do hip hop and soul.

Danami: So, I'm leaning more towards the soul. I would say I don't really listen to a lot of hip hop these days. Once again, because I'm focused on my lane, which is soul music. But, when I started off rapping it was DMX, Jay-Z, and Nas. Like those were my top three. Later on, Lupe Fiasco became a big influence on the music that I create. And, nowadays when I listen to hip hop it's like . . . I'm liking artists for a specific reason. Like, I like J. Cole because he's very transparent in his music. I feel like he's capable of writing a song and being so honest about the everyday things that we're going through. And, he just puts it into a song and it just seems so tangible, that we can just truly relate to it. So, I like J Cole. You know, obviously Kendrick. He's one of the greats. Nas is still one of my favorites. We'll leave it there on a hip hop standpoint.

DJ KAM: How about soul artists?

Danami: Soul artists . . . 

DJ KAM: !t's very difficult, I know.

Danami: Nah, man. You know, when it comes down to soul artists that inspire me . . . Like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder is a big one, like his whole catalog of music. I think he's someone that truly inspires me, especially when it comes down to song writing and writing songs with concepts. The temptations. I love those guys just because I like their style and grace. And, they're just like just true men, you know. And, with professionalism and being gentleman like on stage. I love that. Who else? Oh, Otis Redding. You know, Al Green. The Dramatics. The list goes on. I listen to a lot of soul music.

DJ KAM: What is one thing, that if someone met you, wouldn't know about you? Like, something that they wouldn't necessarily guess from your parents or your music?

Danami: I think if you just meet me . . .

DJ KAM: Yeah. Like I just you.

Danami: This is this is a great question to flip on you. But, I think a lot of individuals when they first meet me, you know, they think I'm like I'm very quiet, and it's true that I am an introvert, but I know when to be an extrovert. And, I guess it’s like a light switch for me, I turn it on and off. You know, you can’t be introvert on stage. 

DJ KAM: Yeah.

Danami: That just looks whack. You know, the stage gives you, you know, you have this power and you got to know how to use that power. You know, for the good of the people in a room. So, for me, I'm very much the introvert. However, I know how to be an extrovert when it's time to. So, I think that's one of the biggest things that individuals wouldn't be able to grasp when they first meet me. “Oh he's quiet,” but nah. I do a lot of talking, just asked my wife. Yeah, I will leave it there.

DJ KAM: Okay. You wanted to put the question back on me? 

Danami: Yeah. What was your first impression?

DJ KAM: For me, my first impression about you was . . . 

Danami: Because you heard the music first, and then you met the man.

DJ KAM: Um, for a lot of artists . . . You don’t get to know someone through email real well.

Danami: Yeah. 

DJ KAM: Yeah. So, when I listen to your music, I was thinking more of someone who was like super extrovert, like high energy. But, when I met you, you're really chill and then I was like, “Oh, that's how people see me too.” Because I, outside of when I'm on the radio, if you come up to me in real life and say, “hi,” like I'll say, “hi,” back. But, I'm not the person who can like hold like a 20 minute conversation, or can be like the super outgoing person all the time. Like, the one hour a day that I do my radio show is the time that I can use all that energy, but still be in a really calm environment.

Danami: Yeah. So, is it draining for you?

DJ KAM: Yeah.

Danami: Yeah, I understand. 

DJ KAM: Even though I'm in a lot of clubs and activities on campus, I'm just not the person who will be like, “hey let's go to a party, let's do it.” I'm not that person. And, yeah. So, I can see where people would see that. But, I just knowing myself, I didn't actually just think of you that way off the bat.

Danami: Gotcha. 

DJ KAM: Because, I met a lot of artists last year. So, some of them were really quiet. And, some of them were really extroverted, and the music was very like somber. So, you never know.

Danami: Yeah. Yeah. You know, it’s interesting because you know, as artists, you can create in your room by yourself. So, you have the opportunity to explore like a whole different side of yourself, and expose that sort of world. But, when you meet them in person, it's the opposite of what you might of thought, like what you just said. So it's cool. I know. . . I can't remember who said this but, I've heard it where individuals loved the music, met the person, hated the person. Or, like, “You're wack. I think I'm just going to only listen to your music, I don’t want to hang out with you as a person.”

DJ KAM: It's just, if you meet the person you may not like them, but if you like the music that's the most important part of the person. Because that's what they give their time and their energy to, to like give you that music. So, that's how I judge a person sometimes. Like, what content can you give out? It is more important than, sometimes, how you react. Because some people are just really quiet, and maybe not able to express themselves.

Danami: So, what are your thoughts on like separating talent versus the human being? We're speaking about that a little bit, but more so in the context of, like, social dynamics. You know, you take for example, someone who has released like really great music or released release great films, but they're a jerk in real life. What are your thoughts about separating talent versus the person?

DJ KAM: If you made a great film, I appreciate the film. But, if you're a bad person, I just don't like you as a person. So, that's the line that I have.

Danami: So, you're able to separate.

DJ KAM: I'm not the person who . . . if I don't like you as a person, it doesn’t affect how I look at your work. So that's why, usually, I just try to see the person for what they can do. Like, I see the talent before I judge the person because what you're passionate about, sometimes, speaks volumes about who you are, more than how you act.

Danami: No doubt. Now, I’m going to throw a curveball. What about Bill Cosby?

DJ KAM: He's a great comedian, but a really bad person.

Danami: Okay. That's cool. It's cool that you're able to separate the two.

DJ KAM: Like, I still watch the Cosbys. It's a good show. I let my nephew watch it. I'm raising him, and I let him watch it because it's a good quality show.

Danami: Right.

DJ KAM: But, I'm not going to let him emulate the person that Bill Cosby actually is. 

Danami: No doubt.

DJ KAM: I’ve always told him, “this is the person that they're portraying, but they might not be the person who you'll meet.” So, always have that divide. 

Danami: Yes, I like that.

DJ KAM: There are some people who can’t do that, and that's how the brain operates. To each their own. 

Danami: True.

DJ KAM: Yeah. And, you know, you and me have a mutual point of connection, which is BrandLab.

Danami: Yes, yes.

DJ KAM: Yes. So I never actually got to ask you. How did you know about BrandLab, and Brian, and how do we connect in that way?

Danami: Yeah. I mean, I’d be curious how the connection happened as well. But, I know I didn't share this with you in email because it would have been a whole bunch of typing.

DJ KAM: Yeah.

Danami: In short there's an organization called the YNPN, which is the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network. So, I'm a member of that. And then he [Brian] was on the board of YNPN. So, we met through that organization. Fast forward, the company I'm working with, Community Blueprint, he came into our office one day was chatting about BrandLab, because we're a marketing agency. And, for those who don't know about BrandLab, what they do is help young people, especially young people of color, get into marketing agencies in town, which is predominantly white. So, he was coming in to speak to our organization about what they do, you know, and the internship program. So. I like was like, “hey, you’re Brian! You’re that guy.” 

DJ KAM: And, Brain is high energy. He tires me out most of the time.

Danami: So, that's how we reconnected and stayed in contact, through Brand Lab.

DJ KAM: And, I met Brian through BrandLab when he came to my high school. He, actually him and my teacher, sort of like, not bullied, but sort of convinced me to apply for the internship. Because I didn't think I would be fit for it. So, I did it. And then they . . .

Danami: Where were you placed? 

DJ KAM: The Mia, The Minneapolis Institute of Art. 

Danami: Oh!

DJ KAM: Yeah. And, I still work there. Which is nice.

Danami: Sweet!

DJ KAM: And, I'm an artist instructor with little kids. 

Danami: Dope! Congratulations.

DJ KAM: So, then they he connected me to them, and then I figured out that I liked art, I liked music I liked. . . Well, I always liked music. But, through the Mia they host a lot of local artists and musicians, so it connected me more to my creative side. Which, I never knew I had done. 

Danami: Dope. Self-discovery.

DJ KAM: Yeah. Like, I never knew that I had more of a creative side than I already did. So,  that's how I met Brian. And then, he he also taught me about his gelato bike.

Danami: Heard about it, but I don't know too much about it.

DJ KAM: He has the only food bike in the Twin Cities, which is just like a gelato bike he rides around in the summer. It's really adorable. Yeah, he's always in, like, the parks.

Danami: Okay.

DJ KAM: Yeah.

Danami: Does he ever make his way to St. Paul?

DJ KAM: Yeah, he does. And, it's really good gelato.

Danami: Oh, man.

DJ KAM: Yeah. So, that's how I met Brain. And, he told me about you because I told him that I host a radio show for a local artist. And, he connected me to you. And then, yeah. That's how I reach out to you.

Danami: Well, thank you Brian for making the connection. Sweet.

DJ KAM: Sometimes you don't know. You may not know that you know someone through someone else, unless you actually try [to reach out].

Danami: Yeah. That was pretty cool.

DJ KAM: So, you finished all my questions and answer them all thoroughly. 

Danami: Does that make me a good interviewee?

DJ KAM: Yes, you are.

Danami: I'm actually like trying to get better at being a an interviewee because I feel like in the past I've been short with answers. Like, “what inspired you?,” and I just give you, “blah blah blah.” But, I will never expound on the answer. So, I'm learning to like just give you as much as you need.

DJ KAM: Which is nice because the audience also gets to hear more of you. It is not me talking 95 percent of the time. Because of my voice on recording is horrible. 

Danami: Ah, you're not used to your own voice yet?

DJ KAM: No, I'm not. I just started DJing last year. I'm still getting used to hearing my voice on recording.

Danami: I mean if you want, you can always run it to Auto-Tune.

DJ KAM: We have it on the sound, but I don't think I can do that.

Danami: Hook it up, Rocky.

DJ KAM: *laughs*

Rocky: *laughs* Can you talk about that?

Danami: Yeah. I can only, once again, I can only speak from my experience. I think that my first recordings, they sound wack. After I recorded them and listened to them back [that’s what I thought]. But, I think it's just a matter of just continuing to record, and getting used to your voice, and just accepted it. Like, “hey, that’s what I sound like,” you know, “that's just my voice.” But, one of the things that I've noticed, like for me, is when you have a recording of your voice you're able to, in a future, make changes about how you want to project. It is basically just like that homework assignment, and you just get the look at yourself objectively. And, like, “oh, I don't like that, I can tweak that, I can make that better.” So, listening to yourself is always helpful because then you get to critique it and make better. But, at the end of the day, you’ve just got to accept it.

DJ KAM: Yeah. I'm learning to enunciate more.

Danami: Yeah, that's a big one. Me too. You heard me earlier. That's a big one for me.

DJ KAM: I'm learning to enunciate my words more. And, since I’m from Georgia, I had really bad really bad accent. Like really bad. So, when I talked on the phone people expected someone else [in contrast] to the way I looked. 

Danami: Can you give us an example of that?

DJ KAM: Yeah. I came up here and you say “pop” and I just kept saying “Coke.” Because in Georgia, you know, everything is a coke even if it's like a Pepsi.

Danami: For real?

DJ KAM: Yeah. 

Danami: Like, an orange pop?

DJ KAM: Yeah, Fanta is a Coke. 

Danami: Oh. I never knew that.

DJ KAM: So, in the south they are like, “what kind of coke do you want?” And, they don't mean actual Coca-Cola. So, when I came up here I was like, “can I get a coke?,” and they get me a coke and I was like, “I didn't want a Coca-Cola.” So, it was like getting used to like a regional thing.

Danami: Okay. So that's like regional slang.

DJ KAM: Yeah. But, I also couldn't [talk about] a male significant other without sounding like I just came straight out of a western. So, I just avoid it because I still can't. So I can't say husband [”husband” said with an overemphasis on the “u” sound] like correctly.

Danami: *laughs*

DJ KAM: So I’m like, “husband,” and they are like, “what?” It doesn't work out right. So I don't even. Like, I just try to avoid the ones where my accent just comes out. And, if I meet another person from the south it just comes out. 

Danami: It just comes out naturally?

DJ KAM: Yeah. 

Danami: I can dig it.

DJ KAM: And, my family is from Africa. So, when I'm with them my English turns into African English. So, it’s like a broad spectrum. So, it's sort of like . . . 

Danami: A chameleon.

DJ KAM: Yeah.

Danami: You know, you blending in, which makes sense. I mean, let’s just keep it real. When I'm around my white friends, I definitely got to talk a certain way. You can’t be speaking in certain slang because they just don't know what it is. And then, I find myself being the human dictionary or something, you know. And, it’s the same thing, you just speak to different folks. You speak multiple languages, without it being like Spanish or something like that.

DJ KAM: Yeah. In Somali there is no word for cousin. There's just brother and sister.

Danami: That's dope to me, because I call everybody brother and sister. Like, “what’s up my sister?/ what’s up my brother?”

DJ KAM: I had a bait of calling people . . . So, in the south they always say “sweetheart” or “honey.” And, people actually, like in high school, guys thought I was flirting with them when I wasn't. It was just like a form of speech. 

Danami: Yeah.

DJ KAM: And, I was like nope, that's just how I talk.

Danami: Has anyone ever thought you was being condescending?

DJ KAM: Yeah.

Danami: For saying “honey.”

DJ KAM: Yes. [And,] “sweetheart.”

Danami: Yeah.

DJ KAM: They were like, “why are you being condescending?” And, I'm like, “I'm not.” They are like, “are you belittling me?” I'm like, “nope, that's how we talk.”

Danami: I feel like . . . Rocky, this doesn’t go to you. But, I feel like a lot of white people speak that way, in Minnesota, in a condescending way. Not all! I didn’t say all. I said a lot.

DJ KAM: But, Minnesotan people are way more friendly than a lot of people I've noticed. Like when . . .

Danami: Fill me in. Like, in what contex?

DJ KAM: I mean, like in the supermarket.

Danami: *laughs* Only in the supermarket they are friendly.

DJ KAM: Like, in the supermarket, when you walk past someone they say, “hello,” when you make eye contact.

Danami: Word?

DJ KAM: Yeah! Or like, when you are at the supermarket and the cashier has a conversation with you

Danami: Which supermarket do you go to?

DJ KAM: Cub Foods.

Danami: Oh.

DJ KAM: *laughs* I don't know. I think it’s just what I've experienced, but people have just been really friendly. Not like your face, like, “we'll be friends.” But, just like, “hello.” And, in Georgia, Southern hospitality is, if I know you we're going to be hospitable. But, if I don't, let's just move on with our day.

Danami: See, I feel like I passed people who don't say hi often. I mean, cause I catch the bus. So, I'm always seeing different people. And, sometimes I want to just say, “hi.” Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

DJ KAM: Yeah. I always say, “hi,” to my bus driver.

Danami: You’ve got to.

DJ KAM: Yeah, because he’s always there every morning. And, he picks me up and I’m like, “hey, how are you?” And, I know everything about him. I don't know, I'm just super friendly.

Danami: And, your life is in his hands.

DJ KAM: Yeah. I’m just like, “might as well be friendly to everyone.” But, I'm not like the person who goes up to everyone and says, “hi, how are you?”

Danami: There's this guy gets on a bus. And, as soon as he get on he says, “great morning everybody.” And I'm like, “man, I want to do that.”

DJ KAM: Me too!

Danami: And then, I get on the bus, my next my connected bus, and then I chickened out. Or, I’ll be like, [mumbles] “’Morning Everybody.” *laughs* Just say it so myself. 

DJ KAM: Yeah. I always want to do that, but then I think about maybe someone's having a bad day. Or, I just think of the worst case scenario in my head, and I'm like I can't.

Danami: Well, we should do it. Are you catching a bus this evening?

DJ KAM: No, I'm getting a ride.

Danami: Alright, the next time you catch the bus, let's make this a personal challenge to vocally, enunciate . . . 

DJ KAM: Say hello to everyone. 

Danami: Not individually, but . . . 

DJ KAM: Just in general.

Danami: You know, just “what’s up?,” head nod, however you want to do it. But, “sup, everybody?”

DJ KAM: I want to do that.

Danami: Let’s do it.

DJ KAM: I'm going to try. That's going to be on my bucket list.

Danami: I going to do it after we finish our interview. I’m going to go catch the bus.

DJ KAM: So, what are some of the things that you want to achieve in your career? Like, goals. They don't have to be like really big goals. I had a band that said they want to sell out the U.S. big stadium.

Danami: Oh, sweet!

DJ KAM: And, I'm like, “that's a really good goal!” But, let's not go that far ahead yet.

Danami: I mean, they are shooting for the moon.

DJ KAM: Yeah,

Danami: Can’t knock that.

DJ KAM: I'm like, “you should go for it, but let's just go one step at a time.” Because, in my head, I’m like, “let's go for, like, in the in the next 10 years.”

Danami: Right. No doubt. Um, so much of my goals are changing. Especially like, just with my faith, and as Jesus is working on me, and I'm really learning to submit more of myself to him, and what he wants for me to do. That’s sort of changing and a lot of different things. But, ultimately, it is always for the upliftment of his children. So, I want to tour more. I want to be able to tour two times a year. You know, 30 days each. Travel overseas and perform and tour. I think that's where my heart lies right now. Just touring and being able to get in front of new people, meet new people, exposed to music to them, and then, you know, changed their lives. So, that's where I am right now. I think super long term, these are more so like personal goals, being able to leave a legacy for my grandchildren. I have a daughter, she's six months now. So down the line, I want to make sure that I’m able to give an inheritance to my grandchildren. And, pass on financial inheritance and then pass on this legacy of who we are as a family. Those are some of the personal goals that I'm really focused on, in addition to that music stuff. Yeah. I can go on about that kind of stuff, man. You know, just different aspirations.

DJ KAM: Those are some amazing goals. I wish I had some very specific goals. My goal is just to graduate, at this point. 

Danami: Nah, that's that's very specific.

DJ KAM: My mom says I always think to short term. Like, I just go try to get to the next ring up, and then just go from there.

Danami: Nah, short term it's great to me. I'm an individual who . . . I don't like doing a 10 year plan. Just so much can happen within 10 years. So, five years is like, like I rock with that. But, I think where you are right now, the biggest thing in your life is probably school. And, that's a huge undertaking. School is like a full time job. 

DJ KAM: Yeah.

Danami: Then you work in there as well, man. Much props to you for having it just be a goal, and knowing, “I accomplish this, scratch this off, and then move on to the next thing.” So . . . 

DJ KAM: Thank you. We're coming to the end of our time together.

Danami: This is like the “good night” portion of the date.

DJ KAM: *laughs*

Danami: Like, [yawns] yep I’m ready. 

DJ KAM: I have never had the end of an interview referred to in that way. 

Danami: *laughs*

DJ KAM: But, it’s coming towards the end. 

Danami: You’ve got to rub it back up in my face.

DJ KAM: What? *laughs* Do you have any events or shows coming up? Or, an album release or anything you want to plug?

Danami: Yeah. This Saturday, my band The Blue and I, we are performing at the Cedar Cultural Center. And, we're opening up for this Sweden hip hop slash swing band. They're on their U.S. tour, so we get to open for them. So, that's going to be really dope. Outside of that, you know, you can just go to my Web site danamionline.com to learn more about my graphic design work, my music and then more upcoming events.

DJ KAM: Well thank you for coming. I really appreciate it.

Danami: I appreciate you for having me. Great chat!

Aired September 20th on Eclectic Sound, DJ KAM interview local Soul and Hip-Hop artist Danami.

[radiohere-transcribed-blog]

Students Sisters and Sustainability: Composting

Underdahl: My name is Jill Underdahl, a Sister of St Joseph. And, tonight I’m mainly going to talk about waste reduction and composting. 

Pierson: During National Catholic Sisters Week 2017, a panel of Sisters of St Joseph of Carondelet gathered in the St Catherine University Ballroom to share with students their efforts and missions centered around sustainability and food justice, covering the topics of activism, food justice, gardening, and composting. These sisters talk about the issues on both micro and macro levels, sharing their work and how students can join in the efforts to conserve the environment and food resources. 

Underdahl: So, a few years ago, when the CSJ community was considering our sustainable practices, we watch a video in which a environmentalists asked: When you say you are going to throw something away, where is away?

Underdahl: Food is the largest single source of waste. More food ends up in landfills than plastic or paper. So, composting organics, which includes the food waste, but also any material: the paper cardboard rolls, the tissue, the Kleenex. By composting any of those organic waste food wastes, we are considerably down sizing the landfill waste. And, the landfill waste, why we want to reduce as much organic material as we can is that food and organic waste in landfills generates methane gas, a greenhouse gas, and that greenhouse. Gas has become the third largest source of human caused greenhouse gases in the United States. So, just by becoming mindful of our consumption and our food waste, we can considerably decrease greenhouse gases by composting organic materials. We're enhancing our air quality, but we're also enhancing our soil and our water quality as well. 

Underdahl: So, I live in St. Paul. This is my landfill waste in a given month. This is what I used for my compost to waste as a one person living, an ice cream bucket. My BPI compostable bag, 2.5 gallons, in a one gallon ice cream bucket. I’ve found what works really well is to use that paper, organic waste at the bottom. Sometimes compost is just simply messy. But, if we can find ways to have it work well for us. So, if I have a carry out container from food, I save those to use up the bottom of my compost waste. And, then, when I put the more liquid wet compost waste on top from the coffee grounds, from the tea bags, from the fruit and veggies peels, it prevents the messiness of any leakage. So, for me it's about a week's worth that I collect in my ice cream bucket before I take it then to the compost site here in St. Paul.

Underdahl: Unfortunately, we don't have curbside organic pick up. But, in the neighborhood we can drop off for our organic waste to a receptacle that is on Grand Avenue in the Patagonia parking lot. Or, at any of the yard composting sites. There's eight sites in Ramsey County that collects yard waste. They also collect organic waste. And, when you take it there, they also give you a free bag And, there's the backyard composting which is a little bit more limited, in that it can't be the cooked food waste but simply the raw food waste: the veggie fruit peels, the tea bags, the coffee grounds, but minus the paper products. Sometimes people can compost eggshells in their backyard composting. We haven't had as good of luck with that.

Underdahl: So, the Sisters of St. Joseph, you've seen a picture of the bins perhaps in the loop. We have what's called a three bin system in the garden for the backyard composting. And, the idea is that you fill up one bin and then turn it to the second bin and to the third bin, by that length of time of the turn and the stay to the third bin, there you extract the quality black soil to then put back on your garden.

Underdahl: I'm grateful for the ways composting has opened my eyes to the connections that we have in the web of life. And, I'm grateful for the innovation and macro levels. And, I'm grateful for your attention and your commitments in these areas.

Pierson: Thank you for listening. In honor of Earth week at St. Catherine’s University this has been Students Sisters and Sustainability. For more info on the work that the sisters do and to learn how to join them, go to CSJStPaul.org.

This is the fourth episode of a radio here original series titled Students Sisters and Sustainability by Rocky Pierson.

[radiohere-transcribed-blog]

Sisters Students and Sustainability: Gardening

Shriver: Well, going from the macro to the micro. I’m Sr Angela Shriver,   Sister St. Joseph. I'm a gardener and a preserver. And, I work out of two principles basically the first principle is the connectedness of all things. And, the second is waste not want not.

Pierson: During National Catholic Sisters Week 2017, a panel of Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet gathered in the St. Catherine University ballroom to share with students their efforts and missions centered around sustainability and food justice. Sharing this insight, I have compiled some of these topics into a four episode long series covering the topics of activism, food justice, gardening, and composting. These sisters talk about the issues on both micro and macro levels, sharing their work and how students can join in the efforts to conserve the environment and food resources.

Shriver: The first principle connectedness of all things. It took me a long time to really come to some understanding of that. And, it happened in the garden.

*BREAK*

Shriver: I was out in my garden some years ago now, working out there, and there were two Cabbage Moths flying around my cabbages. I do not like Cabbage Moths. They lay their eggs in the cabbages and in the larvae come out. And, they eat the cabbage. Not my friends. So, I went to the house and I got to flyswatter and I hit them. And, I hit one of them. It flew off onto the street in the alley. I had killed it. But, what got me was the other moth I went out there and flew around the body of the first one. I was so taken aback. I had no idea. I never thought of Moths being related to each other. Of course they are! But, not in my world. So, I had to change some ways of doing my gardening so that I could permit the moths to be there, and they would let me have my cabbages. One of the tricks I learned is if you take an old section of pantyhose nylons and tie it tight around the bottom of the head of cabbage and tied around the top of the head of a cabbage It expands with the cabbage. And then the moths can't get in there. So, I have to do that if I don't want those mobs getting into my cabbages. If Moths can have that kind of relationship with each other, then clearly everything is connected in some way.

Shriver: So, with my gardening, I don't use chemicals. I have a compost pile in my garden, and I use that to mend the soil in my garden. Also, I use compost that comes from the city or the county. I try to use heirloom heritage or organic seeds or plants. And, I say try to because my brothers sometimes give me plants and I don't know if they're the right kind but they work so I use them. And, I rotate crops, just like any good farmer does. And, what I've enjoyed a lot in my gardens is what I call comeback plants. Plants that I did not plant put there, but they are up and they come out of the compost. So, for example, last year I had four pumpkins that I did not plant. They came out of the compost. One year I had strawberries here and there throughout my garden. I did not plant strawberries. Now I have a big strawberry patch that I did not plant and it produces very good strawberries.

Shriver: Flowers are another thing. I like to sprinkle flowers here and there among my vegetables. Makes for beauty. And, they also attracts bees, butterflies, moths and little birds. I've seen little birds working their way around my garden as well. I've noticed that the finches, the goldfinches, love the Brown-Eyed Susan plants that are in front of my apartment, not part of my garden, but there. And, they sit right on the top of the seed component and pick the little seeds out of there. It's wonderful to watch them doing that.

Shriver: And, I supplement the crops from my garden by going to the farmer's market, because what I need to do, and like to do, is preserve the thing that are in my garden that I can't use right now. I share them with friends, but I also preserve them and I freeze a multitude of things. Anything, peppers, onions, beans, peas, broccoli, whatever. Through my gardening and through my preserving, during the winter I do not need to purchase a whole lot of vegetables or fruits. Things that you can't grow here: oranges, citrus fruits. I have to buy that. And, when buying medicines and things like that, that you can't preserve. But, a lot of things I do preserve, and they carry me through the winter to the next growing season. So that's what I do.

Pierson: Thank you for listening. In honor of Earth week at St. Catherine’s University this has been Students Sisters and Sustainability. For more info on the work that the sisters do and to learn how to join them, go to CSJStPaul.org.

This is the third episode of a radio here original series titled Students Sisters and Sustainability by Rocky Pierson.

[radiohere-transcribed-blog]

Students Sisters and Sustainability: Food Justice

Kerwin: I'm Liz Kerwin, and I've been a CSJ for 65 years this week. And, for me, living sustainably has been a lifelong journey. It's just never finished.

Rocky: During National Catholic Sisters Week 2017, a panel of Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet gathered in the St. Catherine University ballroom to share with students their efforts and missions centered around sustainability and food justice. Sharing this insight, I have compiled some of these topics into a four episode long series covering the topics of activism, food justice, gardening, and composting.

Kerwin: Things are always changing. There is always more to learn. There's always needing to make the best decisions, the best choices that we can at the time, the best choices for ourselves, the best choices for our families for all people, and also for the earth. Everything is interconnected as we've already heard tonight. So, the choices that we make affect the whole. For me, living sustainably is a commitment which takes time and energy and awareness.

Kerwin: I grew up in a family where my father would have been called a wonderful environmentalist, before the word was ever in our vocabulary. So, it came naturally to love the country, to take good care of things, to turn off the lights, to do those things to keep things in repair. And, then, for the first 25 years of my religious life I studied and taught the biological sciences, and particularly loved ecology and evolution.

Kerwin: I became a member of our Earth Partners, a founding member of our Earth Partners Working Group, and I was on our justice commission for two six year terms. Then, about eight years ago, I was asked to be on the board for Women's Environmental Institute. So, I was thinking about, “what do I do personally?” Well, during this time when I've been on all of these boards and committees and partners and so on, I learned to garden, and I learned to can and preserve and freeze food. And, I learned to cook vegetarian because someone at our house said, “I'm going to be a vegetarian.” And, I said, “I'm going to cook so that everybody can eat.” And, I’m grocery shopper. I started looking at: How am I purchasing things? How am I going about this? 

Kerwin: I want to share with you some of the principles that I have come up with as I go shopping: I look first for organic. So, it's free from all the things I mentioned, pesticides and growth enhancers and all of those kinds of things with meat. I look for a range fed meat as much as possible. So, the animals are humanely treated with antibiotics and hormones and pens and so on. I look for non-GMO. In other words, it is not genetically manipulated. And, that's hard because so many things have corn syrup and, of course, all of our corn, or almost all of it, is GMO corn these days. I look for non-processed food. And, I look for local. So, I go to the Co-op. In the summer, I go to the farmer's market. We have the CSA. And, I try to buy locally. I look for local for a number of reasons. One is, things that are grown locally are usually fresher. They aren’t treated so that they can be transported. But, the other thing is we have not been adding carbon dioxide to the environment because it isn't shipped for miles and miles away. And, things that I do have to get that aren't local, I do look for things that are fair trade. So, that the workers who produce that food are getting the benefit of their work. A couple of other things that we try to do is eat lower on the food chain, eat more vegetables and more chicken and fish rather than beef. It's all part of a process.

Kerwin: If you want an interesting book about eating locally . . . if you know of Barbara Kingsolver. She is a wonderful novelist, but she and her family decided to live locally for a year. And, she wrote about it in a delightful book called Animal Vegetable Miracle. So, if you want a fun book and a lot of good things that you can learn.

Pierson: Thank you for listening. In honor of Earth week at St. Catherine’s University this has been Students Sisters and Sustainability. For more info on the work that the sisters do and to learn how to join them, go to CSJStPaul.org.

This is the second episode of a radio here original series titled Students Sisters and Sustainability by Rocky Pierson.

[radiohere-transcribed-blog]

Students Sisters and Sustainability: Local Activism

Pierson: This is the first episode of a radio here original series titled students sisters and sustainability and Rocky Pierson.

Steffens: Thank you. I'm Cathy Steffens, Sister of St. Joseph. Before people get into the individual projects that we can each do in our local area, I want us to always keep remembering the bigger possibility and remembering other people and how we are in this together we're all on one earth.

Pierson: During National Catholic Sisters Week 2017, a panel of Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet gathered in the St. Catherine University ballroom to share with students their efforts and missions centered around sustainability and food justice. Sharing this insight, I have compiled some of these topics into a four episode long series covering the topics of activism, food justice, gardening, and composting. These sisters talk about the issues on both micro and macro levels, sharing their work and how students can join in the efforts to conserve the environment and food resources. Kicking things off is Sr Cathy Steffens discussing topics of government policy and local activism.

Steffens: How many are from a rural area? Anybody one up here? Well, that's interesting to me because I've always said when when there's an article or an action for the farm programs or the farm bill or something like that, I think, “why don't they call it the food bill?” Then they would get us city folks roused because we need to pay a lot of attention to what's happening. If we're not paying attention to it, things end up being just voted in and then we say, “how did that happen?”

Steffens: This is just one example: Some of us went to the Land Stewardship Project Breakfast. Then, went to the legislature. After that, they gave us information that we all need to be attentive to because pretty soon we're saying, “well that doesn't concern me.” There were things about young farmers, new farmers trying to get land and how can that happen. That if you can't even inherit it from your father, there's got to be some possibility of being able to start yourself to buy land. So, there is an incentive that the government will offer to the seller to be able to have a tax credit if they sell to a farmer that hasn't been practicing for more than 10 years. So, we might think well that doesn't really concern me. I couldn't buy a farm. But, you never know maybe you would want to.

Steffens: But, the other thing is, where are we getting our food? This concerns all of us. And, if we think about the factory farms where animals are just kind of stacked up together, there's a bill right now in the legislature that says that the owners of the biggest farms can, if this passes, go from 1,000 head of animal to 2,000 before there needs to be any inspection. So, when you count, what does the term animal mean? It does not mean that the pigs and the cows and the chickens get counted the same one animal unit or 1,000 animal units. If you're talking, about hogs, there would be 3,300. So, if you have a farm right next to yours that can house 3,300 hogs with no oversight, how are those animals living and does it matter to me? And, does it matter to to the neighbors in the country. And, if they move that to 2,000, so then you can have 6,600 hogs next to your farm without anybody checking. So, it makes a difference that the city folks here care about some of these things.

Steffens: How many have heard about the oil pipelines coming across Minnesota? Has that on your radar? That oil is not going to even be here. It's crude oil from Canada that wants to just go from Canada somewhere through Minnesota onto something else. And of course, the big, noticeable problem right now that came to light, was that the pipeline was going to go under the river which was right near the lake that is the basis of drinking water. So, that's just one pipeline we know about. One area that we wanted to say, “is this the only way we can do things?”

Steffens: When we talked about wind possibilities, solar possibilities, another bill that's in the legislature is credits for solar. There are things called farms solar farms where, for instance, if St. Kate's put solar panels on the flat roofs on let's say three buildings, the people around here could buy into that without having themselves to put up solar panels on their roof. So, if something like that passes, if our legislators think that people want this . . . and, you know send them an email or send them a text. So that's all. I just wanted to give you some background here to say, “let's pay attention to the whole to the bigger picture of yes our city, yes Minnesota, and also the U.S.”

Steffens: Thank you.

*BREAK*

Steffens: May I throw in one legislative piece? St Paul doesn’t have curbside composting, because the choice was to get people engaged who were really going to use it. Minneapolis just did it. So, it happens in Minneapolis. But, the question is, “are people really doing it?” “Do they know that the trucks go by?” “Do they know what day they're supposed to do?” You know, “are they are they part of the system?” And, St. Paul wants people to vote for it and it has lost twice, I think. So, when you see that come up again . . . you know, that if there is going to be a percentage of a small part of tax that goes to homeowners to have these trucks come by and pick up your compost, we might be able to influence other people to say yes we want to do that. So, watch for it in your newspaper or legislative action.

Pierson: Thank you for listening. In honor of Earth week at St. Catherine's University this has been Students Sisters and Sustainability. For more info on the work that the sisters do and to learn how to join them, go to CSJStPaul.org.

This is the first episode of a radio here original series titled Students Sisters and Sustainability by Rocky Pierson.

[radiohere-transcribed-blog]

Eclectic Sound: New Platform Same Mission

Pierson: You are listening to Eclectic Sound, a podcast series produced on behalf of radio here by Rocky Pierson with the assistance of Pa Ying Vang. *BREAK*Pierson: The development of the Eclectic Sound series started in the spring of 2016, lead by DJ KAM. DJ KAM joined the radio here team with the goal of connecting the St. Kate’s community with the vibrate art community in the local twin cities area, and with the creation of Eclectic sound she did just that. *BREAK*Pierson: The series began as a weekly live morning show, in which DJ KAM sat down with artists from the twin cities to talk about their work. The artists from that first semester include Want Slash Need, Calvin Heights, Harbor and Home, and Saving Vinyl City. In addition, she had played blocks of local music and keeped the St. Kate’s community up to date on all local art events. Since that spring semester DJ brought in another artist, Danami, and continued to bring us important information and news from the local art communities. DJ KAM gave us a great semester and started a great project, and excited by it’s great possibility we are going to pick up where she left off.Pierson: Starting this semester we at radio here will continue DJ KAM’s efforts through the rebranded Eclectic Sound. Now a podcast, produced by myself, Rocky, with the assistance of Pa Ying. I aim to bring you exciting interviews with artists from around the Twin Cities that talk about what they do, highlighting some of the incredible work happening right in our community.Pierson: So be on the lookout for releases of these upcoming episodes. We’ll be kicking things off with an interview with our third time visiting guests, the guys of Want Slash Need. To keep up to date on releases and announcements follow us on Twitter @radiohere and on Tumblr at radiohere.tumblr.com. And, be sure to check out the other radio here podcast, including special interviews with the performers of the O'Shaugnessy Women of Substance series on SoundCloud, iTunes, and Stitcher. Eclectic Sound is a podcast series dedicated to highlighting artists local to the Twin Cities. Produced by Rocky Pierson.