Akili Brown and Alexis Peskine

00:04 My name is Alex EP skin 28 just turned 28 in September and today's date is the 12th of December. We are in Brooklyn New York at mokara the Museum of Contemporary African diasporan arts. And this is my boy like really good friend a kitty the kitty. But yeah, so that's me Akili Brown. I am 27. I actually just turned 27 on December 4th. Very very big day. Very big big big big big day. Today is day is the is December 12th 2007. Same location as before as Alexei said Macado's in Brooklyn New York relationship homeboy known him for years now known him for a good couple of years more than actually realize

01:03 So, where do we start our we start here? Okay. So what was your first memory of me? I probably in the finance department at our the song like like I don't have like a

01:33 Yeah, actually my first memory of you was I remember used to cuss a lot of all the time and that was actually cuz we never actually had any classes especially at that point. We never had any classes together, but I remember this is big dude always walking through the hallway and he's perfect cuz all the time and I never actually knew why cuz you didn't seem to be like ignorant. You didn't seem to be like a thug or anything like terrorizing people anything but was there any reason I guess like generally like foreign is like that cuz I don't know.

02:15 On this look like my mom Costco Stella like but I thought you know what after a while after after I got to to know you actually really know who you were actually thought maybe you cuss because you learned a lot of it from music like a lot of rap music. Maybe that was the way you practice a good point because I before I came to the United States, I knew nothing but a G Thang by heart.

03:04 I don't know. Like I was always kind of Class Clown like when I was younger and everything, so I thought I always me and my brothers actually, we always like to kind of like this from the order or like because it's kind of like out of place, you know, an Institutional thing. I thought it was it was amusing to me.

03:25 Was there a

03:28 What what makes what makes I never had a particular point when I didn't like like you or I can't really remember us really having any real issues to speak of that really meant anything to me cuz you it's like no classes together stuff. So there's nobody

04:13 What you you the same question? What makes us such good friends. I personally think it's a mixture of things. I think it's ambition and respect. I think that well, I have noticed that you are an ambitious from the from the point. I actually knew who you were actually met you for myself and I've seen personally how ambitious you are and it's something that I also try to have with me and I recognize that and you and I think it's just respect also in the fact that you know, recognizing the differences and letting the differences be and just so I kind of think that's the same thing. I think we have a very similar sense of humor, and I think that's one of

05:13 Things that kind of that kind of works out a lot and I think just knowing that you know, you can go do your own thing and then come back and you know, it's cool with friends, right, you know, never take anything personal things like you're a cool dude, then like another thing is like you definitely like, you know there whatever, you know, like why I need you and I think and what you might call it, I mean the same thing like you are ambitious and I respect people like that and you know, you got talent and you will travel then we can talk about a lot of things, you know, and it's not like it's funny cuz I am between do some stuff like when you talk like there's always that bravado whatever that you know, the saying like kind of like get you from talking to about a lot of things wrong.

06:13 It's not like I'm your girlfriend. That's true. Did you did you enjoy school? Did you enjoy I guess to start off Howard's house where we actually met each other only like I thought it was really cool like

06:28 I think I mean how it is for the academic but like first definitely for the expression Friday's Fridays at something always remember, it's Friday's no. No, I'm sorry not Fridays most days like on the yard or a fashion show like a lot of the girls will come in if you would like to ask the high heels or so beyond the ratio of men to women. I don't know the number, but I know it's something something like that something around there something very extreme one one man to eight women.

07:28 It is as PG as possible.

07:33 Looks like I mean like the experience was very enjoyable and I Aquino the step in and all that like for like 4:30, even though I got wasn't part of that and like I always kind of liked but it was funny how they all know about you, but I was never like the person that kind of need to be like in a group like that name cuz we might see a whole group of

08:13 View all group of a resume as we walk out of here, but not to download eternity this sorority but you do have to have a particular mentality to be a part of it and it is really not fit. It really doesn't suit everybody is like, you know, like to me like all the things like those in the Institute has ever like for the institution personally like that. I can do anything about the Army and things like that. It's like it's like fraternities. They had a lot of that quality like, you know, the Army like quality and looking at your Superior, whatever I guess like you know in life is in General Lee and General is like that cuz you always got to look up your with got mentors and people that you respect more cuz they do they are they more accomplished than you but it's not as like, you know, Define and like, you know, that's you not like I'd rather give respect to somebody, you know, like from the heart then you know being obliged to give respect is a part of your job.

09:13 Personality to do that. Can you probably going to end up like this picking up person? But I don't know. It's like I don't I don't really like those Dynamics. That's true. That's very true. And I was one of the main things I guess the stereotypes of what it was is one of the main things that kind of kept me away from it also make it through the hallways because of the initiation also saw it like that is like kind of like a continuation of slave mentality leggings for baby face heart of the sea in because of the history and the identity issues that are so prevalent in in the community. I can definitely see why why you would actually take it to that point. I just that be like it was Army slavery in their game to me was very getting like some of this

10:13 It is it is is is the same sort of mentality on the inclusion and exclusion like, you know, if you're part of us because there were there were there was a girl that I was talking to at Howard who is who is going through the initiation process and I remember we were talking and doing that stuff. Imma keep it clean and I asked her how is it going? And she was very upfront with me about so many personal aspects of who she was like, she told me all types of stuff, but when it came to that that's where she drew the line so she would tell me about herself and her deepest darkest Secrets, but she wouldn't tell me about what happened in the meeting at the at the sorority. So I saw that to be a very big sign of just how

11:05 Structured I guess to use a a neutral turn it off free spirit person. I like individual and individual me and individuals and you know people having a free souls or whatever and not having like a party pressure pressure from a party in the USA. That's true. I was very big brother is typing on Google very true. When are when and where were you born if I was born in Paris France in 1979 at 92979 at 7:19 for you like in Paris?

12:05 Like we never like missed anything and you know, I like a real fun the family kind of like not very traditional. So my father is French French and Russian. My grandfather was Russians you but we never would like for the not religious. My mother is from Brazil Salvador. So my family like we were all like with your artistic can we do music was a big part of the house and I don't know I guess like my family a big goofballs. And so, you know, I guess it was fun. It was fun. How about you I actually was odd is I was actually born in Howard University Hospital in DC while my parents were students at Howard and my brother and my older

13:04 Are there my youngest sister actually went to Howard to so I've literally been around Howard like my whole life. I was born December 4th 1980 at 10. It was like 10:59 or something p.m. So like Star Trek was on at that time. I remember that because my father used to watch Star Trek a lot with us. So we it was a family tradition short sort of thing. So I just remember that it was around that time I Star Trek was on but it was started at at at 10 o. Okay. So if it was 10:59 if I'm remembering correctly was like

13:54 But I grew up in the DC Maryland suburbs, which is why is effectively the same place even though there are a lot of differences but at the end of the day, it's the same place. So we moved back and forth a couple of times from like kindergarten until I hit 7th grade and therefore like the eighth grade on throughout. The rest of my high school career actually was in Jamaica cuz my family is of Jamaican descent before you went to Jamaica. You were always in Maryland or you were back and forth in DC. So we would go DC Maryland diesel. So we live in DC for some may have the towers back then.

14:48 You know what? I don't even remember when it was up. If it was up at that time. We fell asleep at like I don't know know they never they if I remember correctly. They never actually lived on campus. They always had like apartments in the surrounding area like on 16th Street off of Meridian was India like in the end Adams Morgan and around so they were just around in that area. So did that in high school? I was in Jamaica and that was that was a very big part of of my formal there was like four years old. It was four years. Yeah for years because the system is British system of education. So after you get out of the 6th grade grades go from it goes from grades to forms. So like let's say Hugo Elementary School is first grade through 6th grade and kindergarten through 6th grade.

15:48 Once you finish sixth grade, you go into farms and it turns back into 1st form.

15:56 1st form so I finished sixth grade and then I went to 7th grade in Jamaica when you finish sixth grade and 5th grader go into know you going to 1st form and that's when you start your high school career at the same age as a 7th grader, but it's called form. Okay, so you do first form second form third form and V for hookah, and then you can graduate at fifth form and do whatever you want to do before you can go on to 6 form which is like it's a little different because of the system and and what they teach you in each stage of it, but effectively in fifth form, you've learned all of the same work if not actually a little bit more. So if you finish fourth like F1 F350 Ford phone, can you go to college directly after you finish V 151 Mingo to college directly or you can go on to 6 or where the work the 6th form is equivalent to like the first two

16:56 Years of college but it just all depends. So some people it depends on what you want to do normally to be honest. Normally people will go to 6 form because within the British system you they take certain types of tests, but at the end of the day, I personally believe it was just sort of more prestigious because everyone wears a uniform of Kaki Kaki Sue everyone wears it but when you go to 6 form you take off the top and you wear a white shirt, so it's more just pretty much exactly exactly but it's it's a particular.

17:35 Title like, six formula is it is it is very British is very like how I'm a 6 form and now so I'm very well respected and I'm smart and even though you could leave and go on to any college that your grades would allow you to get into so what happens is is that the system is faster though. So it fits phone when you graduate the average age of 16, so I graduated from high school at sixteen and actually like my best best good as good as friend was actually 14 when he graduated and came back to the States and I came back to Maryland and I went to PG Community College. George's Community College and you need to trust for like I had to do that cuz I didn't I didn't cuz what happens is is like they look at me and my grades were like my grades were very very whatever mediocre and I was like grade-wise. What up?

18:35 But you don't know her like I'm sure that it's cool like harder than they do and when you come to school and joke and laugh, but you know, they still practice caning that way yet. So I had a lot of friends. I had a lot of friends who actually like literally you go to the principal's office and he has a cane it's not like, you know a kill you type of Chain break your back but it's a it's a stick like I think it was maybe bamboo. I never saw it myself, but I would literally I think he would hit you in your hand or you or you would like Ben Dover turn around and he was literally forcing it in France. I remember I can make my brother. My brother comes right after me he was bad and

19:30 Do you like I mean, we will all kind of by the way this fine, but she was like she persisted next of when he was like hyperactive and I remember they had we had like this teacher. We really didn't play The Beatles remind me to check if you was Betty will bring the Cherry put his foot on the chair you bring somebody like you bring a kid like lamb over as his leg and whoop him pull his pants down. This is a spider. What is his underwear Jamaica day with if it was skin, then you will hold your hand out and then they were just beat the palm of your hand or they will hit you with clothes on from what I remember the story.

20:30 Is is is very is much much different. And I mean now that I'm actually teaching now and I'm teaching high school students and stuff like you feel like I definitely like they push you it's not me. It's nothing to say you're good with teaching cuz I like you kind of like I guess you going to be successful because you're fearful and say or you could just go out and go to that that that that fear fear is strikes different people in different ways. So that's true. Some people can take it and and really shape up or some people can just like run away and then just go completely off the wall. That's that's very true. You could like translate that violence some other kind of violence.

21:28 Who's it by?

21:37 What else what what else marriage when it will not marry you I don't have kids yet. We talked about the what's your favorite kind of music, music? I'm really big like on 70s R&B. I do like I mean, I love hip hop and rap.

21:58 I am going to be like on the song by Bossa Nova in Brazilian music. I like I love everything everything is great and everything is not good, but actually not what I said somebody and Samuel as far as I know and you know, you are Brazilian music.

22:38 R&B hip-hop Jazz a little bit like 60s Jazz. That's about it. Like this the strongest music musical types. I like how much I've I was raised on reggae and dancehall actually went when I was in the mornings. My father will play music as we all got ready and ate breakfast and stuff like he would blast music in the house to kind of get the day started. So we listen to like a lot of Bob Marley a lot of Peter Tosh a lot of Admiral Bailey like a lot of old old artist. So I Know It All by heart because just from hearing it and then secondly would be would be hip hop and I which is getting into other cultures. Actually. I've been listening to a lot of French love songs. I don't know I'm all but actually I've been

23:38 Getting into a lot of us. I believe his old stuff. I believe it's almost like I go back and I listen to him and then when I see real good food to explain right now, but it's a particular mood. It's like a really like let's promote. I don't know. I'm not sure because I know the CDs that I've gotten have been packaged within 2000 year 2000. So I don't know it was called Original is a compilation of stuff. So I don't know what the original dates yet, like really old sounds like it sounds like

24:28 Definitely stuff parents will listen to maybe even grandparents. Yeah, but much further than that. I'm not too sure at the shores, but I'll I'll get it for you. And the main thing I wanted ads for Roosevelt. How would you like to be remembered? Oh, how is he once you once it's all said and done for you. Where would you like to be a how would you like to be remembered?

24:50 Man, like him like I do things for you in my sights for I don't know if I care about like me with me remember being able to talk to people when stuff bother is to my heart or whatever about the issues that you know, that's the mama and how do I want to go on with the kid?

25:16 You know maybe for somebody then I did some some things good for people and hopefully I'll get to you know, that level where I could help people but do you want to be remembered that way or not? And I remember them by whoever I wouldn't want to be remembered. I know how I wouldn't want to be remembered. This is just remember that somebody know that make people suffer or you know, if it was somebody was like bad how fast it isn't anything but I guess, you know, I live on his own principles and I'll try you know,

26:15 I'll be as good as I can the people it's not always you know, how much is a I guess I would like to be remembered as

26:35 Somebody who was helpful, I guess of service like if if you ever had an idea or if you ever need assistance or I like to be remembered as somebody that actually made an effort to to do what he could do.

26:54 I guess I'd also like to be remembered as

26:59 A thoughtful person like I kind of I pride myself on actually thinking about things, you know, some people just go through life and they have no other they just live in my God. I would like to be remembered as somebody who actually thought about things in general if she had a prospective when we talked about the question, you know, whether I liking you is that like when you say something you're honestly say something cuz it's cool to say or is cuz everybody's saying it is you really do think about any of the issue and you know, you don't answer you say something that's popular so you think about it and you know, I guess I'm based on your values and your experiences you just give her the best and so you can give you no scent and I think that's one thing I respect.

27:59 I think this conversation a really funny when you have like with everything playing that character of The Stereotype for the you know, where they can't really say anything. They want to say to just think about this able to say anything that's cool to say or whatever. You have like a really blind. I probably say ya main thing about you. I really now that I think about it even more I respect is just the I guess for lack of a better phrasing of it just sort of the balls to do it meaning if you have an idea just just do it and whatever way it comes out is, you know, it's it is what it is, but just just do it just do it if it's something you have on your mind if it's something you have in your head or a thought.

28:55 Somehow someway just some just put it together just put it together. So it's going to work out. Yeah.

29:07 Or minute have you thought about the next 10 years? Is that our what do you think? Yeah that what I've been like what I think you won't do the next 10 years. Like I definitely think that you or your organization is going to be successful and I know and like I think you're in the right place for that. I told you that before and I really think you'll be going to even be successful cuz you like you believe in it and you'd really truly want to help people, you know, and as far as like me, I don't know what like I think

29:49 Like I always say I think I'm going to be in a voice as far as an artist in the world. That would be a voice and I don't know I might even be teaching but before then like imma be your voice. Yeah, I think so. I honestly and we spoke about it when I when I talk to you about writing and I was talking to you about that a while back. I actually think that that maybe maybe not instead of you can see right now, but I think that when you are as visual as you are that there comes a point in your development that it's going to translate so just like you're into music and you understand what goes into making music and you understand what goes into making our I kind of think that in the next 10 years your natural.

30:37 Incline or growth may actually take you into sort of something. I do put all three together like movies where you actually have to have a script and you have to have your visuals you have to have your music like everything has to be together. So I think it's possible. That's what I that's what I think.