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An interview with Philly artist and activist Camae Defstar
/ by Katy Otto
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One of the most important things that happened to me when I moved from the DC metro area to Philadelphia was that I met Camae. She is exactly the kind of person I wanted to meet by journeying to a new city — a fierce musician, a passionate community activist, a curator, a poet, and an all around badass. She is a Renaissance woman, kinetic, inspiring and filled to the brim with energy in creation.
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Camae is also at the helm of some of the most exciting punk, art and community projects going on in Philadelphia right now. As a musician, she records under the name Moor Mother Goddess, drawing inspiration from experimental, punk, rap, and noise to make songs she self describes as “blk girl blues, witch rap, coffee shop riot gurl songs, southern girl dittys, black ghost songs."
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She’s also works with the groups Black Quantum Futurism and Afrofuturist Affair, and is a driving force behind the Philly show series ROCKERS. “It’s always been a needed platform for marginalized artists," she says of the series.
I have learned from Camae and I am better through knowing her. I was happy to take some time to sit and ask her about her . . .
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The no-genre Oakland trio on identity, politics, and rejecting easy definitions / by Jason Brownstein
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I find myself from time to time falling into bouts of fiercely pessimistic views about punk/diy/playing in bands. On more than one occasion SBSM has been the means for shaking me out of that head space.
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Maybe it is the juxtaposition between their jovial on-stage persona and their ferocious sound that re-frames my brain. Or maybe it's the things they say on stage and the thoughtfulness of their actions. Or maybe it's
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because they are just a really good band that doesn't fall in to conventions of modern hardcore or noise. Whatever it is, SBSM (Rosie, Sep, and Rola) is a band that I truly appreciate and I feel lucky to be in proximity . . .
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Artist and illustrator Annie Mok / by Katie Alice Greer
Annie Mok is an illustrator, writer, musician, and broadly inspiring artist currently based in Philadelphia. Some of her work can be read online at Rookie Mag and her band See-Through Girls will soon be on the road with newly released material.
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First, have you always drawn in some kind of way? Your style looks like it just pours out of you finished, like I assume you've sort of drawn stories your whole life and it's the easiest way for you to communicate.
I've always drawn, yeah, but developing this style that looks relaxed was a long struggle. I always loved loose, sketchy-looking artists who used a strong observational foundation to cartoon and extrapolate from illusionistic reality. But for years in and after art school, as I talked about in my piece for Rookie, "Stars in Your Pocket," I held onto an idea of comics that derived from a white boy's club, old-school cartoony slickness. I drew how I thought I should, not how I wanted to in my heart. It feels synchronous that around the time that my drawings changed, I started to identify as trans, and deal with childhood sexual abuse that I'd repressed.
Illustration by Annie originally in Rookie Mag.
I'm wondering how your creative output is informed by the way you're feeling emotionally and mentally. Like did you ever watch Sex And The City? Do you relate to Carrie's work style, where her writing is totally informed by what's currently happening . . .
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WEEKLIES
"Creep Gold" by Blood Club
Liana's new tape "Unattack."
by Kerry Cardoza
Jessica Hopper's The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic
by Quinn Moreland
I WISH ANA MENDIETA WAS STILL ALIVE.
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