Moor Mother, born Camae Ayewa, is an American poet, musician, and activist whose artistry transcends conventional boundaries. Her belief in poetry as a bridge between the real and the abstract imbues her work with a profound sense of purpose. Camae perceives poetry as the voice, shadows, and light of the people, a medium that cultivates a heightened sensitivity to the nuances of the world.
Residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Moor Mother is a pivotal force in several groundbreaking collectives. She is one half of Black Quantum Futurism alongside Rasheedah Phillips, a project that envisions alternative futures through an Afrofuturist lens. Additionally, she co-leads the avant-garde jazz ensemble Irreversible Entanglements and the experimental music duo 700 Bliss, continually pushing the boundaries of genre and form. Through her multifaceted endeavours, Moor Mother weaves a tapestry of artistic expression that resonates deeply with the human experience.
hube: Poetry, like music, exists between reality and abstract forms. Your dizzying experiments seem to blur these boundaries. Or do they not exist?
Moor Mother: Poetry bridges the real world and the abstract realm, blurring the lines between the two. Poetry is the voice of the people. It’s the shadows of the people. It’s also the light, and it’s about sensitivity. Developing this unparalleled sensitivity that you can tap into what’s going on. We learn to see things but there is a deeper aspect to seeing. In my work, I strive to cultivate this sensitivity, breaking down complex experiences into their simplest, most essential forms.
h: Everything has an aftermath, but not everything is a consequence. Especially when talking about the future. It seems you’re interested in the principle of nonlinearity. Is it true?
MM: In Black Quantum Futurism, we speak about non-linearity and examine different modes of time. For Black Quantum Futurism, boundaries between past, present and future are dissolvable through portal-making and ritual practice. Black Quantum Futurism explores the intersections of temporality, DIY technology and aesthetics, and activism in marginalised communities. Repurposing the language and imagery of science and science fiction, Black Quantum Futurism uncovers counter histories, Afrodiasporic mythologies and Black Quantum womanist futures that challenge exclusionary, mainstream versions of history and future.
h: Your work often intersects with activism and social commentary. How do you see music and poetry as a tool for addressing systemic issues and promoting social change?
MM: Poetry is indeed a powerful tool. However, not everyone can simply pick it up and dismantle complex structures. I believe poetry is the first step, but one must continue the journey to reach the destination. If poetry incorporates an element of ritual, something beyond the mind and the page, it can evoke profound change. The poems must possess a certain alchemy and sensitivity.
Poetry is a valuable activity that can bring healing, but when we consider it in the context of activism, it needs further development. Like a potion or a particular science, it requires experimentation and real-world practice. It involves negotiating with oneself to move the pillars of activism, to advocate for marginalized people. This process is not easy, but it is essential.
h: Art and poetry engage in the exchange of individual emotional experiences with society. Trust, tears, protest, helplessness, love, responsibility… Why is it important for you to share these emotions with other people?
MM: It’s about honesty – how we feel about things and how we share or withhold those feelings. I always tell my students, ‘Don’t be embarrassed about the things you love.’ From an early age, we’ve been conditioned to avoid humiliation when someone laughs at our interests. We end up hiding and cutting off parts of ourselves that we actually love. It’s crucial to trust what you love, trust what brings you joy, and hold on to those things. What we love is our currency; honor and nurture it.
h: Your music has been described as ‘black poetry and music making as freedom’. How do you perceive the concept of freedom manifesting in your work, both creatively and thematically?
MM: Oh, when we talk about freedom and liberation, I like to explore what freedom truly means and how it holds up in different worlds, outside of law and religion. When discussing freedom, I envision it beyond the confines of law and religious doctrines – a kind of intrinsic freedom within oneself. I strive to reach that place of freedom without the constraints of law and religion. This involves a deep negotiation, examining the world and our past to understand where these modes of freedom, like self-determination, originate. Understanding our history and the shaping of our land is crucial. This investigation is very important to me as it helps facilitate a broader message around freedom and liberation.
h: While there is time, there is hope for change. The world is unlikely to be perfect. But humans need ideals. What ideals would you choose for the future?
MM: I’m a positive person, and I often speak about possibilities. I align with the concept from quantum physics that suggests we live in a world of unlimited possibilities. Through this belief, I am convinced that anything is possible.
In our first volume, Black Quantum Futurism Theory and Practice Vol. 1, Black Quantum Futurism is an interdisciplinary creative practice between Rasheedah Phillips and me, weaving quantum physics, Afrofuturism concepts of time, space, ritual, and sound to create practical ways to escape negative temporal loops, oppression vortexes, and the digital matrix. Two critical aspects stand out to me: breaking free from the competitive mindset of one versus the other, and embracing collective effort. It’s crucial to shed the scarcity mentality that suggests only one of us can succeed, and that success must follow man-made business models, ignoring our community’s historical ways of interaction and mutual care. Reexamining these modes of care outside of capitalism is fascinating and beautiful to me.
While competition has its place, it shouldn’t make us feel inadequate or pit us against each other. Gatekeeping, assault, and manipulation often stem from a competitive model. We need to critically assess how competition influences our actions, fosters secrecy, and treats individuals as businesses. It’s essential for humanity to rethink these dynamics.
Images courtesy of MOOR MOTHER, photography by EBRU YILDIZ courtesy of MOOR MOTHER
