Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joshua Gillespie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Joshua, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
How did I learn to do what I do:
Both my Grandparents are African Americans blessed in as Paramount Chiefs of the Ga people in Ghana West Africa. My Grandmother – Nothando Zulu is a grandmaster storyteller who recently passed on to the ancestors. My Grandfather – Vusumuzi Zulu is also a master Storyteller & historian who was like the brains behind the operations. I grew up around Griot culture my whole life, learning the history in the folktales while striving to bring them new life. It is an obligation I owe to my family and community that I do with Joy rather than a daunting task. Through my Spoken Word Poetry, Art, Music, & Djembe Drum I resonate my Nguvu (Power) across my hometown streets, classrooms & from city to city called to the will of Ubuntu (I am because we are).
Knowing what I know now,:
what would have sped up the process for me was understanding my Nyamakalw – a person born into one of the four groups that use Nyama (Power). Nyama is similar to Chi, Mana, Ki, or what some would call spiritual energy. Jelikan – Griot language – is a way Storytellers use this energy to impact audiences, however, knowing this information is not enough. You gain this strength through the pain you experience in life and through the strength of the bloodlines you come from so while I wish it sped up the process I know I learned it at just the right time.
The most essential skill of being a creative:
is studying your history & studying yourself. Most of my art is created as an ode to the trials, tribulation, & transformation I go through everyday. Every detail learned through hours of concentration and observation of not only my growing artistic perspective, but also life itself. The divine experience that we have as we learn to comeback to who we were called to be all along is a powerful and sacred one. The more one learns to be more self reflective the more the dormant skills reveal themselves. it’s our job to develop them and see how far we can take them.
The obstacles that stood in the way of learning more was myself. I did not know what I did not know. The elders do not want to give you all the answers, they want you to seek out the answers for yourself so that you build and create your own perspective. There are definite truths that guide us all, but within those confines we have the possibility to seek out infinite realities. Indoctrination slows down progress and the more we look outside ourselves for the answer, the less we tend to find.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Joshua Gillespie (Brotha Asè) was brought up within an Ancient Griot practice known as The Art of Oral Storytelling. The Griots were responsible for knowing the history of their community, the stories of their people, and the wisdom from times immemorial to be shared to motivate, inspire, and protect our communities. My grandparents started Black Storytellers Alliance (BSA) in 1990 (previously known as the Black Theatre Alliance from 1976 until the 90’s). Today, BSA is one of 15 national affiliates of (National Association of Black Storytellers) NABS.
We share ancient African folklore, spoken word stories, the art of djembe drumming, & music with High Schools, middle schools, elementary schools, Community centers, programs, and much more.
We perform all year round for Black creative Expos, Black History Month Events, Libraries, Women’s history month events, Celebrations, Kwanzaa, & much much more.
We use this work as an opportunity to share with the world who we are, where we’ve been (our history), our contributions, and our legacies. We believe these traditions have to be protected and passed down from generation to generation.
This work gives our community (Minneapolis, MN) a baseline to build from, a stepping stone to walk on, & a foundational brick to build on. Many of our children come from broken families damaged by the systematic circumstances they many times may not have been able to control. Carrying the principles of the ancient traditions creates the village mindset that we hope for, the ideology that the village is more than just our immediate family but the community family that surrounds us.
What sets BSA apart and me Particular:
This is a legacy for me. This was an organization started by my grandparents over 30 years ago that I intend to help thrive another 30+ years.
I bring a new lens that marries the knowledge of the ancient oral traditions and rhythms of Griots and Djembefolas with the urban spin of an African American who grew up on the northside. I bring H.I.P.H.O.P in a spiritual knowledgable way that feeds the mind and soul of the listener, pushing them to study more and encouraging them to learn more on their own. I bring ancient symbolism into my artwork, and I create new symbolism to represent the modern stories being told each and everyday.
I am most proud of how far I’ve come. The relationships I’ve been able to build in a variety of areas is what shows the validity of my vision. Black Storytellers Alliance, We Win Institute, The Cultural Wellness Center, The Legacy Building, Proverbs Christian Fellowship, Urban Ventures, The Midtown Global Market, Voice of Culture, W.I.S.E Charter School and much more. But more importantly the souls behind these institutions that believe and trust my vision.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
The particular goal driving my creative journey is community and communal support. As African Americans, we often can seem as if we are fighting over one piece of the pie when there is still a whole pie that we can all share. My hope is that my community can break this mentality, that we can build with one another, support each others endeavors, and ultimately respect the grind that it takes to build an institution. I do this through carrying the principles of KWANZAA and seeking to live that out in my daily life.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I believe the most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is freedom. In a world full of laws, rules, and ever changing regulations there is one thing that is not regulated or controlled and that is the soul. Being creative gives you a chance to know your soul in an intimate way that no one else can take away from you and that in itself can assists you navigate any battle you may face. I believe our souls are like seeds from the divine tree of life, helping to guide us and grow us into divine trees of our own.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://blackstorytellers.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brotha_ase?igsh=Z2YzajQxMzRxcjlh&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.s.gillespie?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-gillespie-169998133?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@Brotha_Ase?si=cceL-3GPp-WGoEtq
- Other: New Album: https://open.spotify.com/album/2w2QTE7gL0aux7T3U10sqA?si=XCMZ2GEOTmiklm7Puqk31Q
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1JvMnhQDG84S6eAppuc4et?si=JAR03e4oR8yt7bHt_21CiQ
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/241AIUvcqZjh6oHO8IDnlp?si=mvkolfteQ7-NSqAnz79_Iw