I tend to focus less on genre as a starting point and more on idea or intention and let the idea dictate genre.

Despite the fact that I'm not highly skilled in any visual art, aesthetics have always played a strong role in my art, including my first albums.

I have always considered the aesthetic of a project, including press photos, as a means to further the message of the art itself.

I am more likely to get paid for my art if it's presented alongside a white artist, so the questions around value and agency arise: What choices should I make, or do I have to make, if I want to be compensated for my work? Why isn't my art valued on its own?

When I do book readings, I always incorporate music or singing.

I didn't want to give the white reader an opportunity to think of racism as imaginary - a sentiment that is already a central barrier in addressing the problem.

As a person of color, I know race can't be stripped from admiration or preference.