Artist Profile: Fat Tony + his Playlist
“lead with your heart
or leave it alone.”
photo from website
We were thrilled this month to catch up with an old friend and the mega-talented artist, Fat Tony (aka Anthony Obi). At The Nelle we are highlighting black artists in honor of Black History Month, but we also hope you recognize we stand with and honor BIPOC every day of the year. This of course included highlighting BIPOC artists through the year at any given time. We hope you enjoy this interview and receive some radical kindness energy from this delightful human.
1. Okay, where are you living? You’re a Houston-born rapper but last time I checked- you were in Brooklyn I think?
Peace. Yes, ma'am, I was born in Houston and raised in Third Ward. Over the past few years, I've been blessed to live in Mexico City, Los Angeles, and Brooklyn, but these days I'm in Tucson, Arizona. I've been here for almost a year.
2. How the f*ck is life?
Life is good. I've had an artistic breakthrough with the music I released in 2020. Exotica and "Gambling Man' (Mariachi Remix) are my best works yet. Change is all around us. I'm rolling with that energy to step up my creativity and challenge myself.
3. How have you been coping and doing during the pandemic?
I've been making the best of things during the pandemic. Luckily, I was still busy most of 2020. I spent the first six months of the year working with my producer GLDNEYE finalizing production choices for Exotica. During the summer, I made two videos and created the "Gambling Man" mariachi remix with Tucson-based band Mariachi Luz De Luna. Plus, I released a live album last summer and the Wake Up album in early February! If it wasn't for those projects, I might've lost my whole mind to despair.
4. Let’s get to Black History Month. I keep reading about performative activism, which of course is total bullshit. What are your thoughts on how people can be authentic activists? Please feel free to share thoughts on performative activism.
First, you must have compassion. You must look at every person you pass on the street and think, "that could be me." When you engage with another human being, especially someone much different from yourself, treat them with respect. Belittling and helping go hand in hand for too many "charitable" people in this world. Honestly, you can be an authentic activist by looking at the community around you. Start from the ground up and make contributions in your area, especially if you're a transplant. Performative activism is played out, and most people see through it. Don't participate in any activism if you're just doing it for the look. Lead with your heart, or leave it alone. Understand that as an American, you have a unique relationship with race. The truth is, because of slavery and the unique ways Black Americans have been treated in the USA, we will always need to address anti-Black bigotry in all forms. In this country, at our core, we're taught to divide. And it affects us all. Don't let its falsehoods corrupt you, even if you think, "I don't have a racist bone in my body." The well-meaning liberal can be equally as dangerous as the right-wing conservative.
5. What do you know now that you didn’t know last year?
I now know that any aspect of my art, and life, can't grow without discipline. These days, focusing is difficult, but that doesn't mean it isn't necessary. Unplug yourself from the bullshit and concentrate. You got to groove too, enjoy your life. Life is rough without any joy.
6. What is your current mantra?
My current mantra is two words: "so what?!" It lets me know I need to dial-in on details in my music and any creative project I work on. If I don't take the time to thoughtfully create and make something compelling, I'm not respecting my audience.
7. Theme song?
E-40 - "Facts Not Fiction" This is the only song y'all need to listen to during Black History Month.
8. If you had to pick a tattoo right now it would be________________.
It would be a "Sonic Youth" tattoo, just the words, like my Bikini Kill tattoo. Great band name.
9. What does Black History Month mean to you?
I feel conflicted about Black History Month. First of all, to be clear, it originates with Black educators at Kent State University in 1970, and prior there was the precursor Negro History Week created in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Unfortunately, I've grown up associating it with the U.S. Government since it is an officially recognized observance. This country has a history of symbolic gestures to the Black community that doesn't represent real progress, justice, or love. I live, make, and learn Black history every day. I celebrate it every day. When I think of the USA, I think of Black Americans and our phenomenal contributions to this country, and it goes beyond art, sports, and entertainment. Despite that feeling, I'm always pleased to see our history and culture at the forefront. Just don't forget to learn about the cruelty Black Americans have suffered too.
10. I remember texting with you during the 2016 election, maybe the election night or the next day. I was really terrified for women, and in tears. I felt really specifically scared for our safety and general wellbeing. You, kindly of course, said something along the lines of- “yeah. That’s how I feel everyday.” You may not remember that but it stuck with me and still does. I guess I’m just curious as to whether or not you think things have improved or have the capacity to improve after this tumultuous year and administration.
Change is constant and happening faster than ever. It seems like each month, we're seeing a new historic moment unfold, for better or worse. Generally, I do not think things have improved. Exchanging MAGA for a neoliberal brigade doesn't excite me, although it will be nice to no longer hear about Trump in every instance of small talk. There remain innumerous people suffering, and the United States is still up to its old tricks. After all of the energy we put into ending racial injustice and police brutality, there continue to be police and more wrongdoers operating unchecked. It's hard for me to imagine an America without injustice, but I will keep trying.
11. It was so much fun to see you perform in Kansas City (I think 2015?) when you were touring. What’s on the horizon for you re: future tour schedule?
Exotica is my latest album and my best work yet. The album is an ode to storytelling in music. In each song, I'm either playing a character or the narrator. For this album, I worked with my longtime producer/composer GLDNEYE fka Tom Cruz. He's based in Jamaica but originally from Atlanta. We've been working together since late 2007, years before my debut album. He produced my first three albums and has contributed to each one since. Many of my most popular songs are our work, including "BKNY" and "Hood Party." We wrote the album in Brooklyn, where I was living at the time. I brought GLDNEYE to New York, and in turn, I journeyed to Jamaica to record Exotica. Each writing session, we spent hours breaking down the characters in the songs. By doing a deep dive into who they are and their motivations, I gave myself the tools to be a proper storyteller.
Also, we stretched ourselves musically. GLDNEYE composed nearly all of the music on Exotica. We set out to make songs that could be appreciated in any musical context. It is such a joy to hear a traditional mariachi band play our song "Gambling Man." Exotica was meticulously crafted from the music to the art direction to the videos to the mariachi remix and more. Zeroing in on the details helped us create a more cohesive, compelling project, and the response has proved it was worth our efforts. You can hear it here and buy the vinyl via my Bandcamp. Peace to Carpark Records.
13. You were f*cking fantastic on Thrift Haul. Any upcoming tv projects?
Yes! We're working on an updated version of Thrift Haul and hope to find a home for it this year. People love the show. There hasn't been a new episode since October 2018, and I still receive messages from Thrift Haul fans every week. I'm ready to have some fun in a Goodwill again.
14. Who is your favorite poet?
My favorite poet is George Clinton, and my favorite collections of his work are the albums Computer Games and One Nation Under a Groove. Read the lyrics.
15. What are you reading?
Right now, I'm re-reading the Strange Career of William Ellis, which is by far the most fascinating book I've read in the last two years. The book is about a former slave who later passed as Mexican and became a wealthy millionaire and world traveler. His secret and circumstances drove him to lead a life of truths, half-truths, and lies. Many of them are uncovered in this book by the historian Karl Jacoby. Check it out if the Gilded Age, the U.S.-Mexico border, race, and the Black experience in America interest you.
by: fat tony
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