There are so many ways to be and to be black at the same time, but we're finally seeing that full range expressed much more widely than before.

College is a safe space where it can be hard to truly fail. The institution is rooting for you because your failure makes them look bad, too. New York City has no such mandate. I've had to hone and sharpen and refine my work here at a pace which may not have happened in other cities.

You can call me namastunde or surfatunde. Either works.

Okay, well, if motion is the constant, how can I remain in motion?

I work in comedy, journalism, media, and technology, many of which don't have a lot of black faces in visible positions. I walk through Brooklyn with a surfboard. It's fun to challenge and expand people's expectations.

I am not a yogi yet, but I aspire to have more balance in my life.

As far as hip-hop is concerned, I'm no expert and rarely think consciously about how I "represent" hip-hop.