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Long time, No Chat | Jan & Feb Moves
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Happy New Year to you (if you celebrate January as such)! My personal new year is Spring, but I'm down for whatever reminds us that each new day is a new opportunity to try again. Which is why you're hearing from me. It's been a minute since we last typed: TikTok was still scrollable, my name was "Diaspora" (it's now Dyaspara, pronounced the same), he who will not be named was not entering office, there was no Kendrick Lamar vs Drake beef (at least publicly), and who had even heard of a BlueSky app? If you haven't noticed I've been booked with more DJ gigs the past year or so which led me to spend less time on this fun, precious space. As I said in my first newsletter, one of my hopes for this newsletter was to help me stay in tune with myself as a writer. I genuinely want to remain connected to you all, and writing, with Thoughts with Mild Sauce. So I'll be popping in, and out—but still popping in as often as I can—with my thoughts on music & event updates throughout the year, though I have no idea what the future of my favorite section, "TikN'Tok" is. Despite the BS, we move! Find me 🎛If you care about community journalism, join City Bureau for their New Year gathering this Thursday at Whiner Beer Company. I'll be providing the tunes as we reimagine democracy. The next day, on the 24th, I'll be playing my debut set at Chicago's beloved Nobody's Darling bar for Afrobeats & Reggae night, though I can't promise I won't be adding some Dancehall, Shatta, and AfroHouse to the mix. I hope to see all the dahlings there! On Saturday, February 1 I'll be back at The Promontory for The 'Piano Party. It's been a WHILE and I've got ALOT of Amapiano to get out of my system. RSVP for free tickets. It's only January but love is already in the air. My second stop in February will be Love Galore at Never Have I Ever bar on Valentine's Eve (is that a thing?). Experience love beyond the romantic, for free. On Valentine's Day, I'm playing a sweet & sexy set at the Chicago Athletic Hotel for Cosmic Love Skate Night. Slide through! Make sure you're following me on socials (below) for any last minute additions! I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. Was this sent to you by a friend? Make sure to subscribe and read past newsletters.
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Thoughts with Mild Sauce
Subscribe to my newsletter for my musings on Black Diasporic linkages in sounds & cultures.
Remember when I predicted more Afrobeats artists would collaborate with African American ones this year? Well, it's already happening. And quite swiftly at that. This is bittersweet for me. A bit hot and cold, if you will. Hot: Black unity! Y'all know I am here for people of the African Diaspora collaborating and creating entirely new sounds. Something special always happens when elements of our music blend. It's the main way we begin to rebuild the bridges that have disconnected us (*cough*...
For some of us December isn't *really* the end of the year, and for others it's the perfect time to start thinking about and planning for what's to come. Regardless, I do think this season has a way of forcing us all to reflect. The tried + true Taurus in me hates change—which is why it makes sense that I'm scratching my head at the idea of what Afrobeats could sound like in 2024. As a deep lover of the genre, I'm often screaming "bring back 2016 Afrobeats!' It's why I love Davido's "E PAIN...
click to watch In 2018 I joined Party Noire, an events collective centering Black women, femmes, and queer folks in Chicago, after returning home from university. I'll sum up my college sob story by saying college was very lonely and boring for me. I was so excited to return to the city as an adult me; a me more confident and sure of myself than I was when I was growing up here. Since working with the collective, I've learned some important lessons, gained opportunities, and most importantly,...