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sleepafrofuture · 4 years

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Why Schleepy? Why Afrofuturism?

Afrofuturism addresses themes and concerns of the African diaspora through technoculture and science fiction, encompassing a range of media and artists with a shared interest in envisioning black futures that stem from Afrodiasporic experiences.

This is what Wikipedia gives you when you search Afrofuturism. But Afrofuturism means so much more to me. My first introductions to the concept of Afrofuturism came from encountering TLC’s No Scrubs video, Missy Elliott’s....MANY videos, Aaliyah, Timberland’s sonic production, and most recently, Janelle Monae. (There are many more but they stick out the most in my memory at the moment.

All of these artists at some point created artistry that spoke to a desire to see, hear and ultimately envision Black people in an advanced state that hasn’t been, and/or cannot be conceptionalized in the existing paradigms of the contemporary. Their infusion of science fiction, techno-infused sonic music, and the Black experience made for a new space of coping in the oppressive reality of Blackness.

When one critically looks at the state of the world, particularly that of Black people in it, it requires a deep sense of knowledge of history as well as a “victorious consciousness” in order to remain sane and not in a state of panic about our people.

I must be cognizant and aware of how things are but must always believe, strive for, and convince others that we gon be aight.

I call myself Schleepy because I long to dream of a better world of tomorrow. I remain in the adjective form because I must remain awake to the trials of today.

Up until this point, I’ve been schleep on my own opinions, thoughts and creative expressions. But I want to get this dream off the ground dammit! Silence is violence, and I will harm myself no more.

I’m Schleepy. Welcome to my blog of creative dreams.

#Schleepy Speaks #about me

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