This track is in response to the initial recording of "Hell You Talmbout" by Janelle Monae. The track, albeit powerful, once again proved to the world that even within the minds and spirits of black people, our black trans siblings are left behind, even in death. This track is a call to those that have forgotten us, as well as a chance to lift of my fallen black trans symbols, who should have been lifted up in the first place.

Hell Y'all Ain't Talmbout

So earlier this year, I was contacted by Steve Mcqueen, a radio personality based out of Yellow Springs, Ohio. He asked me if he could do an interview for the track, "Hell Y'all Ain't Talmbout," which was used in a few places during Black Lives Matter's Trans Liberation Movement. The interview never made the radio, but he did reach out to me to send me the interview itself in an audio file. Thought it might be good to post it here and get some honest criticism on my views, as it's important to the community I serve to get the story straight. 

Thanks for taking the time to listen to this. I'll be working on more music as the year goes on. Peace-Vita E

Vita E Radio Interview

For a little bit there, I was doing some gigging with some amazing cats from this small town in Illinois. We were playing at a  Unfortunately the place we were playing stopped booking us, but I was able to get some recordings from the gig itself. It was a lot fun, and these two are super talented and I really enjoyed playing with them. 

Tyler Seawood: keys, bass
Coby Upton: Bass, Guitar
Vita E: Drums 

217 Trio: Brickhouse Sessions, Soundcheck

Since I've been doing some digging into my older playing, I thought that I would share some music from my senior recital in 2011. I'm getting old yo. Haha. Anyway, my teacher has spent some time studying music in Ghana and Cuba, and his travels inspired his teaching on Afro-Centric music into a world of white composers, not as inferior, but as some of the main influences of music today. If you're mad, cry about it. *sips tea* 

At any rate, I asked if we could play some of this music on my recital, and was given the ok. This recording is from that recital. This arrangement was done by percussionist Michael Spiro, Jesus Diaz, and Dave Giribaldi, the drummer from Tower of Power. The book, "Talking Drums" is the origin of that work.  

A little bit about the Orisha you see here.

"Ochosi (also spelled Ochossi, Oxosi, or Oshosi) is a skilled, stealthy hunter orisha who upholds the highest ethical standards and always hit the mark with his arrow. Ochosi knows the wilderness better than anyone else and has mastered the art of tracking his prey and killing it while being totally undetectable. While he knows the wild parts of the world he does not make his residence there. He lives in Obatala’s palace and hunts on his behalf. He is often times depicted as the force of blind justice in the world, and is said to rule the court systems, police officers, jails and other executors of the law. He is the piercing tip of the arrow, drawn across a bow and launched through the air with purpose. He helps us attain our goals while maintaining an ethical and straight path through life." (http://santeriachurch.org/the-orishas/ochosi/) 

Vita E: congas, Iyá, vocals
Josh Ryan: Drumset, vocals 
William Wedmedyk: congas, percussion, vocals


Ochosi, From  Talking Drums: Vita E's Senior Percussion Recital, 11/19/2011

This track is another one from a gig I did here in Charleston. I'm really hoping to do more music like this someday, but for now I hope y'all dig our version of "The Thrill is Gone," by the legendary BB King. This is one of the only times there were black people in the audience, which is why someone actually cheered. Haha. Hope you dig it yo. Peace. 

Coby Upton, guitar
Tyler Seawood, bass
Vita E, drums 

217 Trio: Brickhouse Sessions: The Thrill is Gone

I think random is a word I'll use to describe this solo. It was originally meant to test out this new microphone because I wanna add some more audio quality to my drum covers here in the near future. It's all improvised, which you'll be able to hear from the times I totally flubbed in parts and swear a little bit during the recording. I like to put parts of me out there that aren't super produced, so that people can see the humanity of it all. Otherwise, what the fuck is art anyway? 

The whole "solo" (a term I use loosely) is based on the idea of variations of clave, which is an Afro-Centric rhythmic key signature of sorts. The solo touches on some grooves related to that, with some different mixes and variations in-between. I hope you like it. Also, if you have any advice on how to better EQ this with a single mic. Let me know. For context, the mic I just got is a Blue Nessie 3 way mic. This is set to the live instrument setting, where as vocals will use the vocal setting it has. Thanks for listening! Peace. 

-Vita E

Clave (Freestyle Drum Solo) - Vita E

Hey y'all!

Putting some more music out there from my percussion recital, and this was probably one of my favorites to perform. 

Radiohead did two versions of this song before I arranged it for my recital. The version I used is from their live recording, "I Might Be Wrong," which is a compilation of some of the live performances they did in Europe. I really lucked out with the amazing musicians on this track, as well as the amazing vocalist who captured the mood perfectly. I hope you like this performance as much as I do. :)

Vita E., Marimba
Jordan Lawson, Cello
Lara Ciacco, violin
Lydia Byard, violin
Anna Risch, viola
Andre Brown, vocals


Radiohead: Like Spinning Plates, Arranged by Vita E.

Long time no post!

Here's some new music for y'all, featuring one of the dopest hip-hop artists in the country, Kat SoPoetic. After months of writing, recording, and circumstances, we have finally come together to make this happen. It speaks to the desire to make changes amidst loss, hatred, and grief, and the overwhelming feeling of being unable to do so. This rests in our minds daily as people trying to get free, and you're not alone. 

Peace.

Human: Vita E. and Kat SoPoetic

Happy Trans Day of Visibility!!!! 

Had to come with a track for this one. It's time we had some hype shit to jam too as well huh? After all #TransIsBeautiful, and there's been too much time since we've been able to feel that out loud and proudly. So let's start today, and keep it going for as long as we can! 

Pay Homage

If there was ever a moment that you could make me feel guilty about the fucked legality that comes along you killin me it's passed, and this task, for you bigots is that you can kiss this ass
I'm through playing polite when I get pulled over, we're tired of bein pawns so we turned into soldiers 
Armed with words, wills and the power to expose ya 
Keeping my lyrical gun left up outta the holster cause yours is your hateful blood courses to the trigger finger so you can make bullets pour in and then you distort shit  so you can get off quick and then have to ask for paid time off, shit!
I'm taking your money with these rhymes and your job with this hands that freeze time
Move mountains and muffle your cryin 
Know that could never do it.
You want me to believe for a second that there's good cops in America? Prove it.
The next time you see a fuckin racist, a rapist, a klansmen that'll be quick to be on NRA shit 
Say somethin.      
It's funny how police will be worried when all of a sudden a protestor got a gun. 
The same muthafuckas who have the nerve to cry second amendment, feel like their rights are being offended?
You can suck whatever you thinks between my legs
It's already got you puttin a price on my head fuck it.
When it's time to take back what is ours you better apologize and start praying to your god cause my ancestors with me and we comin for our shit
So you betta realize who the fuck you dealin wit. 

Tired of being bitter, so I’ma spit it out,
Time to change how you muthafuckas talk about.
Time to pay homage, here’s a better route
Speak our praises, or keep it oucha mouth

Yo, real talk trans is beautiful, 
Black and trans, yo, it’s fuckin musical. 
Once that power hits, ain’t nothing you can you do.
We so dope the haters planning our funerals.
But it’s usual bullshit, still our style kills.
Taking the power back like we run the light bill.
But that’s how I feel, gotta bring the real. 
So I’ll be taking the check, give me a light, BILL!
Even the Hotep fuckas wanna cop a feel.
Acting like all of the magic up in ya crotch ain’t real.
But that shit ain’t gonna bug us.
They holding panels just to world they love us!!!
So you can keep that real woman mess.
I always been a woman, from my dick to my nice breasts!
Bringing the power of a Black Trans Goddexx,
So get you edges right, and show some fuckin respect!!!

What’s the deal with the cis,
Spouting these patriarchal politics?
Always coming for a family members head,
Put our names down and receive grants when we’re dead!
It ain’t nothing for them to be fronting like they wanna do something.
They jumping to the battle ground wearing Clinton buttons,
Telling me feel the bern, when are they gonna learn?
Freedom is ours from birth, now we gon’ watch it turn,
Into some revolutionary rhymes with the eerie beat,
So sweet, gotcha movin to the melinated greatness!
You can never play this, or imitate this,
So just kick the fuck back and watch magic in the making!
 


Pay Homage

A verse that's not quite poetry but not quite hip-hop. Hope you dig it. 


Woke Paralysis

I document the world as best I can, but as real and unapologetic as possible.

Vita E. Cleveland

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