Aduunyo.com’s exclusive interview with ‘Starchild’

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

In brief, introduce yourself to the Aduunyo family? Define who ‘Starchild’ is?

I’m basically just a musical artist who has a strong love for his people and has a strong love for music, so I try my best to put the two together. I wish I could define myself with more detail, but I am, just like most other people, on a journey of self-discovery and self-definition, but at the end of the day, I would like for who I am to be synonymous with African unity, pride, freedom, equality, strength, prosperity, justice, peace, and all-around good music..

You are a rapper, singer, poet and song-writer, which do you feel most comfortable doing and which artists have inspired or influenced you in each area?

Honestly, I have never been able to separate the four. They have always been inseparable in my eyes, and have always come hand-in-hand, one leading to the other, or all four being indestinguishable. I believe that’s why my music sounds the way that it does, because it takes all of them into equal consideration. In my opinion, you need all four to really make exceptional music.

What is the driving force behind your artistic journey?

I would say I have numerous driving forces and motivations behind what I do. In the begining, being an African, especially Northeast African, I couldn’t help but notice that we didn’t have much representation in the Hip-Hop industry, especially the Western Hip-Hop industry. Many young Africans are fans of Western Hip-Hop artists, but at the end of the day, many of the subjects these Western artists rap about, and even the backgrounds of these artists are in no way relative or similar to the life and struggle of the average Continental African living witin the United States. I set out to provide my community with a Hip-Hop artist who was just as good, if not better than today’s Hip-Hop acts, and at the same time touch on subjects and issues that are relevant to the plight of the immigrant African communities, Africans in the continent, and even touching on the issues plaguing the African-American community, because in my eyes, we are one, and these issues effect us all. It started as something for Continental Africans, and turned into an effort to unite the Black communities all over the world. My love for Hip-Hop, and my love for music in general being my method of unification between Africans of different regions within Africa, as well as the unification of Africans on an international level.

How did your upbringing affect your choice in music and the path that you have taken?

I was born in New York Tri-State area, Jersey City, into an almost exclusively Egyptian immigrant community, and was raised in the Washington DC metropolitan area within a predominantly Northeastern African community. A mixture of Egyptian, Somali, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Sudanese, Djiboutian, and Nubian communities, most of whom were either Muslim, or Eastern Orthodox Christian, and most of whom were immigrants who were either refugees, naturalized citizens, or both. Many of these people, particularly those of whom were Egyptian, Nubian, or Sudanese were family of mine; cousins, uncles, aunts etc.

This was basically an environment that existed within one of the most politcially, culturally, and racially charged areas in the United States, the DC metro area, which not only was suffering from the worst drug problem and murder rate in the U.S. at the time, but was also, and always has been the center of American politics. I was exposed to both the struggles of the average inner city African-American, but also the struggles of the average African immigrant. All of these things, plus the fact that my mother was politicaly and socially active on a humanitarian and activist level, pretty much shaped me into who I am today, and is undoubtedly the reason for the content of my music.

We are in age where artists write songs that sell rather ones that make a difference or touch the soul, what is it that made you want to be different?

Being who I am, and being from the background that I’m from, it would be almost a form of neglect not to touch on the issues that our communities face on a day to day basis. You don’t have to be a scholar, a politician, or a philanthropist to get involved and try to make a difference around you. I’m just a student who decided to pick up a microphone and say how I felt about what was going on. Everyone should make their voice heard and try to make a difference anyway they can. It’s our responsiblity, and these situations aren’t going to get any better if we don’t take up these issues ourselves and bring the proper awareness to them.

What do you hope to achieve with your music?

I would like for my music to either be the reason for, or have something to do with the prosperity of Africa, the African Diaspora, and the betterment of the Third World in general. I am here to represent the African community in the music industry, and I would like, when it’s all said and done, for the African world community to have felt that I represented them well.

We know you believe in a united Africa, can you shed some light on the concept of a ‘united Somalia’.

First and foremost, I strongly believe in the concept of Soomaliweyn, meaning that in my eyes, I view NFD, Ogadenia, Djibouti, and Somaliland, and all territories wrongly taken away from Somalia, as apart of Somalia and and the greater Somali Nation. NFD was wrongfully taken from Somalia by the British Monarchy and is now administered by Kenya, Ogadenia was taken from Somalia by the British Monarchy and is now administered by Ethiopia, Somaliland was a former colony of Britain, wrongly taken from Somalia, which was known as British Somaliland, and Djibouti was a French territory taken from Somalia known as French Somaliland. So there’s no way I could acknowledge or recognize political lines, boundaries, or divisions that were created by oppressors and colonists who weren’t suppose have been there in the first place.

Secondly, because I believe in African unity, it is a given that I believe in the unity of all of the ethnic groups of Somalia, ethnic Somalis, as well as Coastal Somali ethnic groups; Barawani, Reer Xamar, and Hatimy. Though there are differences in appearance and language with the Barawani, Hatimy, and Reer Xamari from the rest of the Somali population because of some mixing with Persian and Portugese settlers and colonists, they still maintain mostly Somali blood, they are still Black people, and they are still African, and share the same struggle. These reasons are reason enough to be united. Genetically and culturally, these communities have more in common than they do differences. I also strongly believe in the unity of these ethnic groups with the Bantu tribes of Somalia. I believe in the equal rights and fair treatment of the Bantu people of Somalia and I believe, even though they are not indigenous to Somalia, they still have strong roots in Somali society. The ethnic Somalis, Hatimy, Barawani, Reer Xamar, Bantu etc. are all Black people. They are all African. They all share the same Blood, the same African origin, and they all face the same struggles at the end of the day.

Last, but definitely not least, I believe in the unity of all tribes, clans, and sub-clans of Somalia. Qabil has been commonly sited as a problem in Somali society, and I believe that emphasis on tribal differences is counter productive to the Somali plight. Tribes will always exist, but what I believe needs to be taken away is the emphasis on their importance. There are many places on Earth that have had worse problems with tribalism than Somalia, most notably, Saudi Arabia and Japan, so contrary to common belief, Somalia is not doomed. I will always have hope in Somalia and the people of Somalia will always have my support.

How can your dream of a united Africa be realised?

I think people generally look at unity as an emotional, intrinsic, or spiritual idea, and it can be, but unity it is also strategically, economically, and politically what is best for Africa. Once we as Africans realize as a whole, that unity is our only way to freedom and prosperity, then I think we’ll be on our way. We have to realize that unity is what’s best, whether we love each other or not. The love will come eventually once we start to work together, and realize that we are all the same people in different variations. Essentially we all share a common origin, and now we all share the same struggle.

We know you like the acclaimed Somali artist Maryan Mursal, what kind of influence has Somali music had on you? And will we see any Somali influenced tracks coming out soon?

Maryan Mursal and Magool are the prototypical socially conscious artists. They are pretty much the empitome of what a socially conscious artist is. Their love for their people, their community, and their willingness to speak out against tyranny and oppression was ahead of it’s time. It’s obvious that their ability to combine great music with a strong message is really what every socially conscious artist strives to do. So it’s needless to say that their music as well as their life stories are inspirations for what I do now, but I feel that the young Somali artists making conscious music today are just as much of an inspiration to me. I love to see my people do their thing, it brings an uncontrollable smile to my face.

I’ve done some Somali influenced tracks in the past while collaborating with local Somali artists in the Twin City area of Minnesota, but I have some Somali influenced solo tracks on their way that I think people will enjoy as well, God-willing.

What is your favourite Somali song and why?

Soomali Udiida Ceeb is always the song I site as my favorite. The song is so powerful, I could pretty much tell what it was about before I ever learned the meaning of the lyrics. It’s a song for Somalis, directed at Somalia, but all Africans should hear it, learn what it means, and take the message to heart. It’s real talk, the Somali way.

Lastly, a lot of your music is about African women, why do you make so many songs about African women?

Because, I believe, that African women are the epitome of what it means to be a woman. Strong, Beautiful, Dependable, Caring, Loving, Motherly, Sisterly…You name it, and I guarantee you, an African woman has got it. No doubt in my mind.

Thank you so much for your time; it’s been a pleasure to have you bless the Aduunyo website! Please keep us updated with the projects of your journey.

I appreciate the interest in my music, and I’m very thankful for the Somali community’s, and the entire African community’s support of my music and my cause. It was a pleasure sharing this much of my journey with you and I look forward to sharing more in the future. Africa Up.

If you would like hear Starchilds music please visit his myspace or facebook page: http://www.myspace.com/thelionofthedesert http://www.facebook.com/pages/Starchild/86973607018

Written by :

Administrator