The Rhythm of Rebellion with Taina Asili: Recent Episodes
Taina Asili
The Rhythm of Rebellion is a bimonthly podcast hosted by Taina Asili featuring interviews with some of the leading social change performing artists from the U.S. and around the globe. Every first and third Wednesday of the month Taina will speak with guests from across genres about the ways they are using their art to to bring justice and healing to their communities and our world.
In this special episode, I talk about my journey down to Washington DC to perform at three events in protest to Trump's Inauguration. These events were a inauguration day DisruptJ20 benefit concert, the DisruptJ20 protest on inauguration day, The Women's March on Washington the day after. While down there I spoke briefly with four hip hop artists whom I performed with at the DisruptJ20 benefit concert: Sammus, Rebel Diaz, Tef Poe, and Immortal Technique. I ask them about what it means to them to be performing at an event in protest to Trump's inauguration.
In this episode I speak with Mama Charlotte Hill O’Neal, an accomplished vocalist, musician, poet, visual artist, and former member of the Black Panther Party. She has been living in the village of Imbaseni, near Arusha, Tanzania, for over 40 years. There she is the co-director of the United African Alliance Community Center (UAACC), a center focusing on healing the community by providing a diverse array of art and media projects.
This week we talk with Mama C about her musical history, including her music influences during her time in the Black Panther Party. We also discuss the powerful work she is doing in the UAACC, and her upcoming tour to the U.S.. She offers some inspirational words of wisdom for how to move through this next phase of justice work in the time of the Trump regime.
In this episode I speak with Enmanuel Candelario, a writer, performer and recording artist with The Peace Poets, a collective of artists from the Bronx, NY. Since 2005 The Peace Poets have celebrated, examined and advocated for life through music and poetry, with a stylistic emphasis on lyricism, rhythm and authenticity. In 2014, their song “I Can’t Breath” in memory of Eric Garner received national attention, being sung as a form of protest by activists, artists and celebrities.
This week I talk with Enmanuel about the action his participating to close Guantanamo Bay Prison. And how this work and his protest poetry and music are connected to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In this episode I talk with visionary cellist, vocalist, and community activist Bonfire Madigan Shive. Madigan began her career in the Pacific Northwest Riot Grrrl scene, releasing music with independent record labels K and Kill Rock Stars. She’s gone on to establish herself as a trailblazing performer, blending folk, punk, classical and avant-baroque styles. She is also a founding collective member of The Icarus Project, a progressive, peer led mental health community and support network.
This week we talk with Madigan about transformations she has made during her twenty years as a performing artist. We also discuss her upcoming album, and the soon to be released film Whisper Rapture: A Bonfire Madigan Suite, documenting her journey from traumatized youth to virtuoso musician and pioneering mental health activist.