The biggest lies that I see need to be decolonized about Haitian culture is around Haitian Vodou. The fact that most people here think it's evil, you know? They just don't have enough information here. I think the best way to learn the truth is to go to a lakou.
When people want to know how to meditate, they go to India or make a trip. They travel there and they come back. They get something from it and they're not scared, they go with an open heart. I think it's the same. If you are interested, you need to go and introduce yourself. Talk to the people responsible, ask them questions, they will tell you. And if you're genuinely interested, you will get your information. You will get what you need to introduce it to your kids, your children and make it a normal thing.
Not like- “oh my God, what is this?” No, it shouldn't be like that. It's a cultural thing. It's one of the most innocent ways of living. It's a way of being. There's a lot of wisdom in it. For example, when you go into a lakou, in Haiti, where I live, you're not allowed to cut trees. You're not allowed to kill animals and you're not allowed to put trash on the floor. You have to protect the rivers. When you walk inside the lakou, we say hi to everyone. It's all about respect to your environment, respect to nature, respect to people. It's simple, but there's a lot of wisdom in it. There's a lot of things in Haiti you don't see enough, but we still have it. When you go to the rural area in Haiti you still feel it. That's what we have, that's important.
When you have the chance to see many different cultures, it’s a chance to see where humans are connected. When I'm looking at the Haitian culture, American culture, in Brazil, anywhere, I'm looking for the connection. You see it is a human expression of many different places, like a big flower, you know, this is human expression- And it's one to me. I would say my ability to see that and always try to bring that through art, to music, to many different styles of music and bring it together- that would be my superpower. You know, I always try to see that.
The biggest thing from all the cultures in my experience that I want to hand down to my kids is respect. You have to bring respect at the forefront, and compassion. For example, if I go somewhere and I see a lot of people playing music, and I don't know them, let's say I don't know the culture at all, for me, I would say, don't jump in it right away, you know, because you have to let it be respected. Give it a moment. Appreciate what you are looking at first. And then little by little, you will feel yourself into it. And the power will invite you to come in. You’re probably gonna have a conversation with someone. You never know what is going to happen, but always let some things breathe and have respect for everything anywhere that you go.
The evolution of my music- it's always been in my head, but now I feel like I'm mature enough to find it. I'm finally at the point where I can play exactly what I had in my head. And I'm happy about that. That's the evolution for me in terms of the artist that I am today, that I'm able to play what's in my head and I'm able to express myself fully and a hundred percent. I know who I am in terms of a man and in terms of a musician, in terms of a human being, and you will feel that in the music.
I'm working on many different projects right now. I'm working with Michael Brun, he is producing my whole album, my solo album. If anyone doesn't know Michael Brun please go check him out. He is one of the greatest producers and is like my brother too, we are like family. He has a good sense in music, which I love, and we have a great connection. He’s producing the whole album for me, it's almost done. And then I was just in Haiti earlier this year and I did a live virtual show for WXPN in Philadelphia with NPR, which they put out in May. We were also able to record an EP from that show with a good friend of mine, an amazing drummer and musician, JohnBern Thomas and many other musicians. We are putting an EP out together from that show. And then I'm working on a project with someone who's doing poetry, her name is Tico Armand. She looks like a goddess, I'm not joking. We're doing a poetry project together and we did some pictures together. I've never worked on anything like that, it is going to be interesting to finish this project. And then I'm working on a couple singles with GA3TAN and Kabysh. GA3TAN is going to blow up real soon because he's one of the most talented DJs and producers. .So a lot of things happening and things are moving together.
