Interviewed by I.S Jones @isjonespoetry

Lately the ladies of Oshun have been killing the game. Between making the finals rounds of AfroPunk's “Battle of the Bands,” a successful concert in Brooklyn with Princess Nokia and Mal Devisa, and their first full mixtape, Oshun is quickly becoming a household name in the hip-hop / R&B scene. It goes without saying that anytime Oshun is mentioned, people say, “Yes, of course they’re dope.” I was able to get an interview with Oshun while they were out slaying one fist in the air at a time. Music is a universal language; regardless the genre, everyone can find themselves in an artist's work. In this way, Oshun creates levels of spirituality and connection with their audience. As a Nigerian woman, it is a blessing to see parts of my heritage in music and just as importantly it being accepted by others. If you haven’t heard of them before this then I would suggest some of my personal favorite of theirs like “Stuck” and “Fall Back” before breaking into “Asase Yaa”.

I.S. Jones: Please start off by stating your first names, last names, and the collective you both belong to.

Oshun: Thandiwe Young & Niambi Sala Scott-Murray [of] OSHUN

Jones: Can you tell the story of how you both knew you wanted to make music together?

Oshun: We were singing a lot together during winter break of our freshman year and our harmonies were on fleek. We both really enjoyed the solo music we were making before OSHUN, and our sisterhood was and still is very strong, so it only made sense.

Jones: It’s incredibly refreshing how different and original Oshun’s sound is. Where do you ladies draw inspiration from?

Oshun: We draw inspiration from our everyday experiences. From spirit, from nature, and from our friends. We also are inspired by our ancestors, our culture, and the future that we know we must work hard to manifest.

Jones: I notice a few of your fans have compared the both of you to Floetry and a bit of Erykah Badu. Do you agree with these comparisons?

Oshun: We definitely feel a connection to these women. Obviously they are our elders and have cleared a path for us in music. It’s an honor to be compared to them, and we’ve learned from them. We are a reflection of these artists and their influence on the general public. But now, we have taken their influence and every day we are working on continuing their legacy and continuing the journey of the Black woman in the music industry.

Jones: How do you feel the climate for independent women artists or women groups is fairing as they try to make a name for themselves or navigate the hip-hop world?

Oshun: We’re for sure in a time of transition and shift when it comes to accepting music with substance, and that has been beneficial for female artists like ourselves. It’s exciting to be on the scene at this time of Hip-Hop history, and we’re thankful that the creator has blessed us with this climate. There are obviously still some obstacles and there’s still a lot of sexism in the game, but we are truth. Our music is truth, and truth prevails regardless of what the climate is.

Jones: So your mixtape “Asase Yaa” is a stunning first mixtape. Can you both go into the meaning of the its name, the concept behind it, and its production…?

Oshun: Thank you! Asase Yaa is a traditional Ghanaian deity. She is Mother Earth herself, so the project is homage to the planet we live on. In addition is a testament of how the Black Womban is Earth. So overall, its celebration of the Black Womban and her self-realization as a reflection of Planet Earth.

Jones: All of your music videos are filmed by O Chelsy Productions and a lot of your music videos especially “Gye nyame” draws from African traditions. How does the concept of this music video reflect its name? By producing music which draws from African symbols and traditions, what is the message Oshun is trying to translate to their audience?

Oshun: Gye nyame is a Ghanaian term meaning “the supremacy of God,” and in the video we embody West African deities because we find our God in our ancestors, in our African deities. With that being said, we’re trying to illustrate the power of knowing where you come from. We were empresses in that video, and it has everything to do with our African heritage, our African blood. We want people of African descent to see and know that we are divine.

Jones: You both are a breath of fresh air for women in the music industry because you both appear deeply spiritual, you love your bodies and everything they come with. If you could send a message to young black girls, what would you both say?

Oshun: Little Black girl, you are the closest thing to God that we can see in this physical realm. You are beautiful, you are the foundation for the next generation. We are reflections of you.

Jones: What’s next for Oshun? Features? Projects? Singles?

Oshun: We’ll always be creating, and you’ll hopefully get some new music in the next few months. But right now, we are just living, experiencing and learning. We are taking each day at a time, playing a lot of shows, and trying to practice what we preach.

Connect with Oshun
www.oshunnyc.com
Facebook.com/OSHUNNYC | Twitter.com/oshunnyc
Instagram.com/oshunnyc