Rosé + Thorns
Join Dr. P. Ryan and friends in unpacking the highs and lows of life, culture, and relationships—open conversations with no off-limits topics.
Rosé + Thorns
Gucci or GIRLAAA (feat. @TRAPxBOB)
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
When you refuse to live a lie, you open yourself up to limitless possibilities. I’m so glad I got the chance to sit with Washington, D.C.’s talented visual artist, Trap Bob. She dropped pure gems as she provided her takes on art, representation, the current social climate, woman empowerment, and so much more. This episode has a little bit of something for everyone. 🖤
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and tell your artsy friends about the show.
Want to connect with Trap Bob? Follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Also, check out her work at trapbob.com.
You can follow and keep up with Rosé + Thorns on Instagram and Twitter.
You can also follow and connect with P. Ryan on Instagram and Twitter.
What's your favorite strain?
SPEAKER_03I would say right now it's fruit punch. Fruit punch, it like gets me focused, but still relaxed. So I like that.
SPEAKER_00You ready? Roseanne Thorns. Hey Love Bugs, and welcome to another episode of the Roseanne Thorns podcast. I am P Ryan, and I'm super excited today because I am here with the proud Habisha, self-taught, accomplished, limitless artist Habita Solomon, also known as uh welcome, welcome, welcome.
SPEAKER_05Yes, so excited to be here. Thank you, Patrick.
SPEAKER_00Yes, no problem, no problem. And thank you for taking time out of your packed schedule and everything that you have to do to show up and um join us on the show today. Um so before we jump into anything, I always like to kind of get the listeners acclimated to who I'm speaking to. So just tell the people about yourself.
SPEAKER_03So I am a visual artist, illustrator, and animator in DC. Um I've been taking my art seriously for about five, six years now, and um it's really just my greatest passion. Um, I kind of fell into it after at the end of college studying business and was just looking for like stress relief, and it just clicked for me, and I completely committed to it. So it it really truly makes me happy. Um I'm freelancing currently and I have my own LLC, Trap Bob World LLC. And um I design products, I do partnerships, um, campaigns, any medium that I can really get my hands on. Um, and I am also a creative director of Girla, um, a local woman-centric creative agency that has been around for about two years now, and we just aim to promote women in the area, give a safe space for creatives of color, and offer resources in any way that we can.
SPEAKER_00So before becoming Trap Bob, I kind of knew you just as Timbita. So we met each other in undergrad. But I think when we really clicked is when we started working together. So you and I really paid our dues back in the day by working roads.
SPEAKER_05Oh, Lord, yes, we did.
SPEAKER_00And I remember us just, you know, traveling back and forth from the retail shop to the campus, um, you know, maybe having a little puff on our way to and from, and really just talking about different, um, just different topics related to our lives, you know, being the eldest, being first generation, and like kind of the, I wouldn't say pressures, but just experiences around that. Um, and when I look at your career trajectory and I think about just like the interviews that you've done and all the accomplishments that you've um made throughout your career, I really see that a lot of the topics that we talked about really apply to your journey and have really shaped um who you've become in this current moment. And so, yes, you're a creative director of Gorilla. Yes, you um and co-founder. And yes, you've um you're also an an artist, a creative. But I'm just gonna hype you up for a little bit. Yeah, because you're uh yeah. You've had a residency at the A Creative Studio in 2019. You were a Paps Blue Ribbon contest winner, right? And that took you on tour with Paps Blue Ribbon, so you were able to do work at Art Battle. You've got a I kind of stalk you on the social media, so you got a nod from Sean DeRock.
unknownRight.
SPEAKER_00Oh man, so crazy. Crazy. Your murals were featured on Lena Waite's 20s, you made Instagram stickers for Elizabeth Warren's campaign, your art has been down to the Missy Elliott uh music videos, you've done stickers um for a Giphy, um, you've done TED Talk work, you've done work for the Women's Marts, Broccoli Music Uh Fest, Refinery 29, Apple. The list goes on and on and on. So you're not just the artist, you're not just the creative, but when I say you are accomplished, you are accomplished.
SPEAKER_05It's so crazy to hear all of that. I mean, I like it's it it's like it leaves me speechless, honestly, when I think about everything, because it doesn't feel like I don't know, I don't let it get to my head.
SPEAKER_03It just makes me feel like I'm doing the right thing and like on the right path because a lot of the things that I've done were truly things that I dreamed of, you know, and I I never really even imagined how how it could happen or what was really next for me, but I really am proud of every accomplishment and they've all um they're all very close to my journey and and the things that I stand for.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, girl, I would say I'm proud of you too, especially because when I hear about your journey and how you went from being in the business school, kind of just like not really feeling the vibe of business, and then just finally leaving that, graduating and being like, okay, I'm gonna immerse myself into art. I feel like whenever I hear your story, there's like this moment, there was something that clicked, I feel like, that pushed you into art. Could you talk a little bit more about that?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so that was um, I want to say towards the end of junior year, maybe when I really started um just even thinking about art again. Cause I had kind of been into it when I was younger, but never got pushed toward it or never I really never gave it a second thought. I just thought it was another thing I had to do in school. Um, so coming back to it was kind of very random, and I just thought, you know, it would give me some type of break from everything because I really wasn't into having hobbies or um anything on the side because I wasn't passionate about it, I guess. So I didn't see the point. Um, even in class, like I didn't see the point of extracurricular classes or um just taking anything beyond my course of study because I didn't really care. But at that point I was realizing I was getting towards, you know, real adulthood and finding my future and still felt the furthest thing away from what I actually wanted to do with my life or where I would, you know, go with anything. So drawing and um I ended up taking an oil painting class really just was like this huge relief that came into my life that I didn't even know I needed. And it was just the most beautiful, peaceful connection. And it just felt so great to even feel anything about anything I was doing. So I didn't really understand it, but I I knew how strongly I felt about it, and it just slowly, well not slowly, actually quickly took over my life, every aspect of it. Um I was becoming an artist and always wanting to practice and imagining how I would draw things, like couldn't even pay attention to anything else. I was obsessed. And um I just took every opportunity to make my life become the life that I wanted, the life that I saw of myself just being a creative full-time, um, having direction and having the power to choose uh what I was doing and where my life was going. I didn't want to kind of just fall in line um with a lot of things that I realized I didn't agree with. And what really pushed me into taking it seriously was realizing that in a way I was living a lie. When I would be like at school, talking to people about what I was gonna do after graduation and what I wanted. I was like talking about business stuff and wanting a job and all those things were just lies. I didn't want any of them, and I didn't see the point of committing more time that I already felt I had wasted into things that weren't for me. I'd rather struggle so that in the end, in the long run, I have what I really want. And I think when you care about something, you realize how much you'll fight for it. And like I always say I had a moment when I was really seriously thinking about, you know, how much commitment I had for art. And I asked myself if I would sleep in my car if I had to, if it came to it, to be an artist. And it was like not even anything to think about. I was like, of course, like that that doesn't even touch how much I cared about it. So from then I knew, okay, then I have the drive and I I know I want it enough. And when I want something, I go after it. But you know, when it's something I don't care about, it's easy to get sidetracked or not, you know, have a commitment. But this was something that only I could check myself on and only I could make myself accountable with if I really wanted it. So there wasn't room for excuses or waiting for um somebody to tell me to do something or what to do. So it was like it was all or nothing, really.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. You know, what's really just sitting in my spirit is that part about living a lie. Because I think there are so many of us who, whether or not we go to college, like, you know, once we hit a certain age, we kind of just fall into this pattern. And whether or not it's that pattern or that mold is true to us, some of us kind of just go along with it. We get the job, we do whatever task it is we've been assigned to do, and we just keep it moving. And I think that in a way just takes away at a piece of who you are. And so I love how you um kind of just talked about the intention behind kind of going after that thing that felt true to yourself. And your testament, all that you've accomplished is a testament to how it can take off if you really apply yourself and as you said, hold yourself accountable. Absolutely. Let's go back in time though, because you talked about how you did art as a child and kind of took a break and then fell back into it. Um and you've mentioned before in different um in different interviews. And I want to take this moment to pause and say if you want to hear questions about how Tempita came up with the name Trap Bob and all those other typical interview questions, feel free to Google. You can find those answers on the GRIO, the Washington Informer, okay Africa. It's out there, right? So I'm gonna focus on something a little different. Um you mentioned I love it. You mentioned that you are heavily influenced by Ethiopian Christian art. And we see that in the way that you draw with like heavy lines and bold colors. Um and you talked about when you were younger, you had this painting that you did in like art class, maybe it was fifth grade, if I'm not mistaken, and it wound up like picking up steam, and it was kind of you know put on display in different spheres and things like that. But I was really interested in the content of the picture. So you mentioned that it was a picture of you as a princess, but instead of you looking like you, you had blonde hair and blue eyes. And you saw that you mentioned that a lot of people saw it as like profound and they took like a message away from the art, but I never really heard you talk about the message you saw in that art. And so I'm curious, what did you take from that piece?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so um the assignment was, and it was when I was in first grade actually, um that they needed us to make royal self-portraits. So yeah, picturing myself as a princess. Um, and in my mind, like 100%, I'm like, okay, what do I know about princesses? Everything I've seen is Disney and you know, these white women's blonde hair. But then I'm like, okay, but it's supposed to be me. So I was like, all right, I'm not white, so I have to make my skin black. But in a way, it's like the the blonde hair and the blue eyes is what made me a princess in that piece versus it just being me. And so, you know, in my innocent mind, I truly thought that, you know, I didn't even I didn't think about it for a second. I didn't think it was anything deep. I that's how I saw things. Um, and then the painting was taken and like, you know, they show like kids' art shows and was in Howard County, like touring whatever. For a long time, like I completely didn't even think anything of it. I forgot about it, didn't even really know that I did it, and I got it back in like middle school. And um my my family kept it. I didn't I really still never thought anything of it, but as I got older, and then especially um getting into art, I really looked at it, and I I remember looking at it with my dad because he's an artist and um he really uh molded my creative mind and had me as an artist in a way that I didn't even realize I was. It was so just ingrained into who I was. So we talked about art and um compositions and styles and all that, even before I was an artist. Um, so the more I got into art, the more we would talk about my work, and he'd always kind of point out things in my work that I didn't realize that were defining me. So with this one, he was asking me what what I was thinking, and I'm realizing all the things that it represented in that piece, and he was kind of like, I'm glad you finally got it, in a sense, because he saw this when I was younger and always uh thought it was important to keep it because of that um message he saw within it that I didn't even know was even in my head. And and I actually right now have it hanging over me on my couch in my apartment, um, because it's my favorite piece I think I've ever done. And I and it's crazy that it is still very similar to the style that I draw in and paint in today, which is like I don't know, it's even kind of creepy. Like I don't know how it stuck that strongly, but it's definitely a very definitive piece for me.
SPEAKER_00Listen, you call it creepy. I'm just hearing alignment, okay?
SPEAKER_04And there's certain parts like creepy alignment.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and there's certain parts of our identity and certain parts of our our destiny, I would say, that somehow we just can't escape. And it's so it's so funny how things kind of just come right back around. And I've never seen the picture, but just hearing the story and even hearing you talk about it now. The message of representation really sticks out to me. And how when things aren't like clearly represented in our day-to-day, we kind of have a skewed idea of our potential, our possibilities. So you mentioned, what do I know about princesses? A princess is one who has blonde hair and blue eyes. Kind of taking and pulling from that theme of representation. What does representation mean to you now? And how do we go about creating representation in spaces that perceivably have none? Right. I'm thinking about you as a female artist, and I'm thinking about, you know, myself being this black gay man in like the world of psychology. These are not heavily represented spaces for people with our identities. How do we go about showing up, creating space, making our room at the table?
SPEAKER_03Um, yeah, I've definitely been reflecting on this topic a lot with everything going on as of late, because something that really was making this um current movement hit me a little harder was realizing how much of our history um is just been destroyed and deleted and not documented. And and that really has really been like getting to me in a sense because we can't get it back. You know, we didn't have the technology back then where we can document ourselves or um have, you know, even photos of certain things. And I also in that uh thought process I realized the role that artists play in um everything that we have now and all the history that we have from before any technology existed. We only know of what people looked like or what was happening because artists draw, you know, even like the world map is a is a drawing. And artists are the ones that are holding kind of the tools to documenting any history that we want to still have in the future. And um and and even though I feel sad that we've lost so much, I also find hope in knowing that um I can be a part of making sure that we have history moving forward and creating that history now, whether it's through my actions um and the impact that I create or through my actual artwork. So I've had projects where um I had one for Paps Blue Ribbon that we did uh animation kind of time lapse through hi the different decades since Pabs uh was founded and what fashion looked like in those days. So I had to draw people from like starting 1800 all the way to now and also the future. Um, and as I was going through the references, obviously there's no black people until maybe like the 70s, like 1970s. So I'm looking at all these references from like 1830s and it's just like way back where there's not even it's like they act like black people didn't start until slavery. So I'm looking at all these and I'm like, okay, I draw black people because one, obviously, like that's what I associate with, and my work always stands to be rep to have representation. So again, it was kind of it's funny, it's kind of a similar thought process I had with the self-portrait I did even back then, um, to just realizing what I'm trying to do and what factors play a role in how I depict um certain things. So with this, I'm thinking, I know, you know, I don't have black people back in these days wearing these outfits as my references, but now I have the opportunity to create that history where it wasn't existing. So to be able to create those animations and make all of them black, um, from 1800 until I don't know, whenever we're with aliens or we're robots, whatever was really great because it it feels like I'm taking back history in a sense and I'm I'm making room and I'm playing my role in creating, you know, what people are gonna see a hundred years from now.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_03Um, even even like doing the murals, um, the one that I did for the National Museum of Women in the Arts, which is the only museum in the world that um is dedicated to women artists, they're gonna archive the mural ideas. Um, I'm not exactly sure where, but it'll be saved and you know available to be seen in the future when people look back and see what things were going on during these protests and what was the city looking like and what was um, you know, kind of in our minds at the time. And I just am realizing more and more the impact that artists have in history, and you know, there are historians and there are journalists and reporters, but artists I think get a very true uh view and representation of the feelings of the people at the time.
SPEAKER_00So there's kind of like a pr a privilege and a power there, right? So you can revive history that has been lost, you can chronicle the present, but then you can also shape the trends of the future. Right. Absolutely. That is fab. Yeah, I love that. Now, while I'm hearing you talk, I'm hearing themes of being a woman being black, right? And I actually wanted to double back and apologize for calling you a black female artist because in a lot of your um interviews in the past, you have talked about not being limited. Not being limited in the sense of you're not just an artist, you're not just a designer, shout out to your merch, I'm wearing your hat, right?
SPEAKER_05Yes. That representations.
SPEAKER_00Yes, okay, okay, okay. But then also, you know, you talked about not being um not wanting to be confined to these boxes of black artists or black woman artists. And then after all of those interviews, this season hits where it's like, even though we want to kind of transcend our boxes, our identities seem to be a really important part of who we are, especially when we think, you know, black lives matter, black women lives matter. You know what I mean? Um where's your head at now with this idea of not wanting to be limited, trying to transcend your identities, but then at the same time recognizing that they're really salient parts of who you are?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, um it's it's always a struggle for me with um identities that I kind of identify myself as. Just because, you know, like you said, I for me mentally, if I think of myself as these categories, it limits, you know, where I can see myself or maybe the opportunities that I might step into. At the same time, I can never, you know, pretend I'm not who I am. And I have no, you know, issue, you know, if you with you calling me a black female artist, that is no problem. That is who I am, and that's represented through my work, whether you know it's me or not, you know. So as much as I don't want labels, that is so that I can be in more spaces and represent myself as a black female artist, you know. So it's a way of thinking more so for me, but never to take away from you know my identity as those things, because that is literally what I push myself to do. And times like now, it's like you know, weird because I'm getting like recognition from a big white audience that is just now becoming aware of my work because you know, people are shouting out black creatives and black artists, which is beautiful, and and I love it. And I think I do truly believe we're all better together. So I'd rather see us support each other and find a way to um I don't know, I don't mind making room for others to get educated without that taking away from what we're fighting for and um also not to take away from how long we've been fighting for. So just because you know things are changing now and people are becoming aware doesn't take away from the fact that we've been here and we've been dealing with it. So, you know, dealing with that part of it, I am happy to have my um platform put in more places than where I wasn't represented before. But it also is a weird kind of frustration with the kind of new discovery um that a lot of people are doing now. And it just kind of makes you ask, you know, where were you before? What were you thinking before? And I and I don't want to dwell on you know the past. I think it's better to know and move forward with knowledge than to focus on someone's ignorance in the past. But you know, as a human, I get, you know, certain feelings about those things, but all in all, it's better, you know, than it was before. Yeah. And um we just have to continue to to represent ourselves. And again, that's whether it's the work we do where we don't actually even see the color of our skin or see who we are, um, but also when we are actually able to to show face and to be there and to speak and um to represent ourselves.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Could I encourage you though to not let go of that question? Where were you before?
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Because I think when we even talk about the your journey to getting to where you are now, there was an ingredient that you had to kind of put in in the pot, right? And that ingredient was accountability. And so I think while it's great that you know you've got an increase or a surge in like uh white followers, right, white companies, white whatever you want to call it, I think there has to be an accountability there. And I think that accountability will kind of create a space for longevity, right? So that white people don't feel like, okay, let me just follow these black artists for now because this is the climate of what's going on. And when the climate dies down, then I can back up. Like I think that question of where have you been needs to kind of be a constantly asked in a way to kind of I don't know, keep the fire under people's tails and keep pushing them to kind of educate themselves and you know speak up for black issues and really, you know, impact the system in with the power that they have. So I love that you have that question.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, absolutely. Because it really is about what happens after this. Because clicking follow and liking things and posting things is easy.
SPEAKER_01It's cute.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, but if you as you can see, if that's all it took, who we wouldn't be doing all this now.
SPEAKER_01Heard you.
SPEAKER_03So it has to be a real commitment. Um and it has to be real support, and it can't only be through who you follow. It needs to be in your actions, in your conversations, and in the way that you treat people and call out people, especially using your own privilege to be now representing us in the rooms that we're not in. So it's it's a full commitment.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely, absolutely. Now, switching gears a little bit, I'm I really just want to cover different parts of who you are as an artist because I absolutely stand. But you um had an interview with OK Africa, um, and you provided this quote. I want everyone to see themselves in my art in one way or another. Some people may be able to see themselves in, you know, that picture where it's just like where it speaks to this idea of representation. Other people may see themselves, you know, with your hands or your alien art and be like, yeah, I'm into that, you know, artsy stuff too, right? I can say when I look at your art, I not only look at the work that you create, but I look at your journey as an artist. And I see myself kind of in the first generation experience. And so you mentioned that your um father was an artist and you were heavily supported. You've said this in many um interviews that you've been heavily supported by your family, but you kind of experienced this, you had this twofold experience where it's just like, my family supports me, they believe in everything that I do. But at the same time, I'm going to show you that this can be a success, right? Because it wasn't pursuing art wasn't, I guess, like the status quo the norm. You're you're you're full for business, things like that. And that really resonated with me because there are so many passions that I have where I'm like, yeah, my family supports me, but because I'm this first generation individual, because I'm the eldest um in my family, like I really want to show you that I can make these passions a success. And you have done that. And so do you ever, you know, we talked about reflecting on all that you've accomplished, but do you ever reflect on your journey and how your accomplishments um speak to the youth and the elders of your community?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so um, yeah, my family has always been supportive. Um, and I think a lot of their trust and faith in me comes from, I mean, obviously we're family, but I've always been someone that commits and uh sees things through. So even in times where my parents haven't agreed maybe with the decisions I've made, um I always show that um I make the best decisions for myself. I don't do things frivolously, um, I take things seriously. I am a leader, um and I just truly stand behind who I am and what I stand for even when I'm faced with uh adversity. So starting off, you know, obviously, like you said, they're not really pushing for me to be an artist, never been even talked to me about or even just seemed as an option. But again, my dad was an artist. And I think in a way he kind of raised me as an artist, but at the same time had his reservations about me being able to sustain myself and have a successful future, you know, because it wasn't easy for him um to get into art in this country coming from Ethiopia. He came here and went to Parsons on a full ride. Very talented artist. Yeah, really like he is truly an amazing artist, probably my favorite artist of all time. And he um had great opportunities and I think went very far in his career, but it still never gave him room to fully um commit and sustain himself from it because he got to a point, um, you know, as an immigrant, he had to get a job and he had to focus on work to be able to build a future for himself and then take care of me and my siblings. Um it wasn't it just wasn't available and it was very hard for him to get into at that time. So I think he worried about me, you know, struggling and I of course understand him having to go through so much to even get to this country and then to give me the opportunity to already start um on a higher level than he did. I think it's hard to think of kind of uh risking that. So, you know, I think he wanted to just let me, you know, see where it took me and um from there, you know, getting into art and wanting to take it more seriously. Of course, like we had some arguments and the first couple years were were were tough, but again, like you know, my parents another child, I'm not gonna give up on something if I truly want it. I'd rather just fight every day about it. So, you know, we just kept getting you know having moments and then I would get one more little thing here, a project here, and then you know, the name recognition started, and I knew as soon as it got to stuff that they understood that they'd be less worried about me. Um, and so it just kept going and growing, and they always supported me, but they became more understanding of what I was doing and what my goal was. And um it's crazy to think how it started out to now my entire family has my stickers on their phones. Um when I was having my creative studio um residency, they all came. I had a lot of family in town for uh graduation and they all my aunts and uncles, cousins came to my studio and we had uh traditional Ethiopian Brunna ceremony, just coffee. Um and I had them do coloring book stuff with some of my illustration printouts. And it's just it's beautiful to see my family just being so supportive and um keeping up with what I do. They see every interview and article, and you know, they're like I think they have Google alerts at this point. My dad Googles me like every day. Um, and he even told me like the other day at his job, he works in the city, they had like a morning meeting and there was a presentation and they pulled up my murals that I did because it wasn't far from his job actually that I did the and pizza one. Yeah, so they pulled it up and they were like, This is the daughter of uh one of our team, and I just thought that was so crazy. But you know, of course he was so excited about it. Yeah, that is so dope. Yeah, it's it's it's really amazing. So, um, you know, I think when it comes to kind of gauging success and and how that looks to my community, older and younger, um, it's just more so about the commitment and the consistency, I think. When you see somebody truly committed to what they're doing, um, and really being smart and strategic about it. I think it's most times you are successful when you do that. As long as you don't give up, something will come from it, and people can't ignore that. So um I think it all really comes from the intention and and and what you're actually doing about it.
SPEAKER_00Yes, that was the word that was sitting right in my spirit. I'm glad you said it. And that is uh that is definitely a lesson for those listening. It's not whether or not you can accomplish a dream, it's not whether or not you can see a dream to fruition, it's whether or not you have the intention behind getting what you want. Yes, absolutely. Mm-hmm. Now I'm gonna ask you a handful of questions and um allow you to hang up the phone. But before we um get into those questions, two things about you. You are, as you mentioned, the co-founder and creative director for Girla. Also, another thing about you is you are a Gucci man stan.
SPEAKER_03Oh my gosh, yes.
SPEAKER_00Okay. All right, sorry. I'm an old person.
SPEAKER_01I'm an old person.
SPEAKER_00So I could not have you on Roseanne Thorns without playing a little game with you. And so I created this game called Gucci or Girla, right? It's a weird side.
SPEAKER_05I love it.
SPEAKER_00I have three different song lyrics, and I want you to tell me if these are Gucci or Girla, if it's somebody else.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_04Oh my goodness. Okay, okay, I'm ready.
SPEAKER_00You ready? All right, I got my I got my game show voice on.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I'm the big boss and I got big bread. I'm getting big headed, and I like good head. I'm not cheat baby, and I'm sure not selfish. Shaking like Elvis damn near broke my pelvis. Is that Gucci or Girla? Is that somebody else?
SPEAKER_04I think Girla is somebody else.
SPEAKER_00So this one was a trick was it's Gucci.
SPEAKER_04Oh my god, a shame.
SPEAKER_00Doja Cat has a song called Like That and it's so fire. This is Gucci Man's feature. And so I made that one a little hard.
SPEAKER_03Oh, okay, got it. You got the new one out there for me. Okay, I gotcha, I gotcha. I should have known better though. It's my fault.
SPEAKER_00No worries, no worries. Let's try this next one. Call that bitch your bodyguard. Yeah, that's my bodyguard. Wear a lot of jewelry. Young, don't do security. What's wider than a napkin, harder than a dinner plate? If you want it, come and get it. You know I stay super straight. Oh, come on. Gucci. Girl uh, it's somebody else.
SPEAKER_04Oh my god, I quit this game.
SPEAKER_00That's Jeezy, put on.
SPEAKER_05Oh my god. Wow. That's that's why you have to delete that. That's like that's like illegal what I just said.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so we're down for two, but we got three more. You could come back. Okay, let's try this.
SPEAKER_04Okay, yes. What is going on?
SPEAKER_00This is actually mad fun. I love this. Okay. Got a couple fans that love to do nothing other than lick sucks, show no respect, but I still love a man. Dig it. Lil Pimpin got the mind and the muscle. Stay down on his grind, put the crown on the hustle.
SPEAKER_04Oh my god, I'm so bad at this. Um I'm sorry, can I hear it one more time?
SPEAKER_00Absolutely, absolutely. Got a couple fans that love to do nothing other than lick, suck, show no respect, but I still love a man. Digit Lil' Pimpin', got the mind on the muscle. Stay down on his grind, put the crown on the hustle.
SPEAKER_04Girla, somebody else.
SPEAKER_00Girla, it is somebody else. That is T.I. Rubber Bandit.
SPEAKER_04Oh, thank God. Okay, I look, I couldn't do that. I was like, this don't sound right.
SPEAKER_00All right, let's try this one. Okay, so you got one, two down. All right. Play like you hard, but you sweeter than jelly. Bitch, I'm the shit. It ain't shit. You can tell me. Her stomach on flat, till my dick in her belly. Think I'm a lick, spend a brick on a prezi.
SPEAKER_04That's Gucci.
SPEAKER_00That is Gucci. Big boy Diamond feature Kodak Black. All right, you are two for two. Okay, here we go.
SPEAKER_04Okay. Where's the last one?
SPEAKER_00Tiebreaker. Gucci or girl. Okay.
SPEAKER_04Okay. Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_00She's a big booty bitch showing ass and cheeks. She's a walking bag of money. She's a masterpiece. The way she runs in game on you, she's an athlete. Hot trick gave three hoes three stacks a piece.
SPEAKER_01Gucci.
SPEAKER_00That is Gucci. Big booty featuring Magda Stallion.
SPEAKER_05I love it. I love it. Gucci just has all these collaborations. I just love the versatility.
SPEAKER_00Yes. And I doing all the work for this and having to listen to the song. So you may be a Gucci main fan myself, okay?
SPEAKER_04Yeah. See, look at that. Look at that influence.
SPEAKER_00Thank you so much for playing that. Let's jump into these questions. All right. So you being the co-founder and creative director for Girla. I love the story of Girla because it's basically what started off as a party now turned into this big woman-centered arts collective that incorporates visual art, music, podcasting. This is a whole corporation, okay? Right now, it's really in quote unquote to be a feminist, right? And when I say a feminist, I'm really thinking white feminism. There's so many people who are talking women's rights, there's a woman's march, there's a whole bunch of things going on. And it's not to take away from the validity of women's rights and women's empowerment. But I think feminism as we know it, and again, talking about white femin feminism really marginalizes black womanhood and other women's identities, right? So including black women, uh trans women in general, black trans women, when you talk about like female and femme sex workers, like feminism as we know it in the mainstream really marginalizes though those identities, excuse me, words. Too much fun from the Gucci and Girla game. When it comes to kind of you and how you move with Girla and how you kind of move in your day-to-day life, what is female empowerment to you and how do you think art can be used to empower marginalized female identities?
SPEAKER_03Um, female empowerment for me, I think, really starts with um loving yourself. Um and I think that once you get to a place of peace with yourself, from there you can actually support others and you can um really let your your um let your just love shine through, you know. You're not making everything a competition or um, you know, being choosy with who you want to support because of your own self-projecting. So I think it really starts with um being at a good place with yourself because uh I think most situations where we have um issues with, especially women having issues with each other or you know, all the stereotypical things that people think women fight over, a lot of it comes from just personal issues and insecurities. So I think when you work on that, it makes you more aware of how you're acting and what you're doing, how you're speaking, um, how you treat people. And then when everyone is being self-aware, we can then support and uplift each other because we now understand, you know, I'm realizing things about myself. So maybe this person who's having a hard time or that I'm disagreeing with might be looking at things themselves and trying to figure it out. So once you open those lines of communication, we kind of lose that veil of um, you know, just the just the things that keep women apart or stop them from being there for each other, whether it's because of the groups that they're associated with or maybe the background that you think that they have, or you know, personal issues, stuff like that. It's hard to look past it when you don't take a second to realize everyone's human and just like you yourself realize things about yourself that you weren't doing knowingly, but you know, maybe you were self-projecting or projecting issues that you were having on others. From there you're more open and able to see where you can um support because a lot of times when you're in a hard place too mentally, you're not even you're not thinking about other people. And um just as much as someone might say someone doesn't support them, that person not supporting them might just be dealing with, you know, whoever knows what kind of issues themselves. So just as much as we need to empower each other, we need to think of female empowerment as self-love, and then from there we're stronger because we're all at our best working together to uplift each other. And I think that that that mentality is already naturally within women, especially just knowing how much how much, you know, we're put down and how much opportunity we don't have. So um and that all leads back to, you know, just self-care being such an important part of everyone's lives. Because how do we show up for all these causes and things that we fight for when we're fighting ourselves, you know, over things and we're not yeah, and not dealing with traumas and insecurities and um even to the point of you know, small disagreements with friends when you know, instead of losing friendships and associations, you could talk it out and help each other. Um and then from there I think yes, and it really is like it it truly is a reflection, you know, and I've seen that in my own life. I I really focus on self care and um being my best and what I really love is in meditation. There's an emphasis on meditating to be at your best self, but doing it so you're better for the people in your life. And so the intention of doing self-care to be better for others. So doing it for them versus thinking of it as a selfish kind of pampering thing, you know. Um I think that builds up the strongest communities and individuals that can come together and and do the work. And that's the great thing about girl is that we all um are at those places that we were able to come together and not have egos or have um, you know, bickering over things that weren't about the the cause that we stand for. And that's and that's exactly why I got involved with girl. You know, I never was a part of groups or um really associated with any organization before that because I because of all those reasons. So when it came along, um it was perfect. And and I I really love the girls. We've all become so close um in our group and in friendship. Um, and again, it all comes from I think being at your best personally.
SPEAKER_00That's absolutely fabulous. And I think not only women can take away what you're saying, but those who seek to empower women, right? So that can include men, that can include um people on the non-binary scale, those who are gender non-conforming. I'm even thinking about the work that I currently do with black gay men and the research around um their relationship to femininity. And I love how you pinpointed that it really is a lot of self-work that needs to be done before you can go and uplift these groups. Because that was a main finding, right? The reason why there was a lot of kind of disconnect between um cisgender black gay men and these uh other groups that exuded femininity more was because there was an initial self-work and uh initial self-healing that needed to happen. Oh my gosh, that really shot me right in my chest.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean, it's it's so true. And I even I think while we were talking about it, it it made me realize even more how true it is because um it just if it self-care just feeds into so many different aspects of life, and I and that's why I take it so seriously because I know it's the foundation to every other thing that we deal with.
SPEAKER_00Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Absolutely. I'm not gonna end the interview there. A couple more questions. But that was that would be a good place to end. Um, so not only are you an artist, but you are uh an activist, right? Uh you said that at a when you were doing a panel discussion at one point, someone described you as an artivist. Yeah, which was a cute name. Um recently I mentioned that I stalk you on the social medias. You had tweeted um with everything kind of going on, um unrest due to racial injustice, um, different marginalized groups getting killed, not only um by the hands of police, but by other um the hands of individuals in other unjust systems. Yeah. You tweeted not going back to normal, not going back to a world full of racism, discrimination, and police brutality. Normal is dead. It's time for change. Then pulling from another interview, you mentioned um that when it comes to where you see yourself down the road, you see yourself taking up gallery space in DC, um, and also trying to use you who you are as an artist, but then also use your success to combat gentrification in DC. And so your work, no matter how you twist it, no matter how you look at it, um, is really here to inspire change. And I'm so curious when it comes to the artist community in this moment, what would you say change looks like? And what type of change would you like to see in your lifetime?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think right now change looks like one, obviously representation. Um, I think anything, any change really starts with that. So even just having more artists, more black artists, more female artists, more artists of color, um, more access to the artist to know where they are, what they're doing, to highlight them, um, to see more art physically when you come to the city. And it frustrates me how truly creative this place is and how many talented people there are of so many different disciplines. But when you drive here, you barely see it. There's like beautiful murals and artwork, but it's you know very commercialized and it's very um it's very manipulated for these commercial properties, not as much as for the city. Um, so that frustrates me because I I see the artist and I know um the work that could be here displayed on it, but we kind of get into that issue of intersecting the creative community and then the politics that come with being in the nation's capital. So I want to see more acknowledgement and funding for the arts. Um, especially as we talk about defunding the police, I think obviously those funds could be used to really bring up the arts community and um really just like, you know, support the community that has so much talent that brings so many eyes here that are helping to get DC up to the statuses of New York and LA. You know, if we want it, we have to build it here. We can't just worry about leaving and going and chasing these other things when everything we need is literally here. So um just putting focus on that importance in that. Um and with that, you know, my dream of wanting to have a gallery and studio space um in in the city, downtown or you know, wherever fits best, but just having a space in the community that is um homegrown and built to support the community, you know. So as much as having a space for myself permanently, um, because I don't plan to ever leave DC, I do my best work here, I love it. Um I don't feel the need to go to any other city, but um just to also have a space that I can further my cause and my um my mission of creating spaces for artists, um, giving them resources, highlighting them, and just using my influence and power as I become more successful to um lead whoever's next and to give them an opportunity. A lot of times I look around and I don't feel like there are other there's really anybody else like me, honestly. And that makes me sad, you know. I get so excited when I make new artist friends and I discover new artists because it's it's just it's just too rare right now. Yeah. And I want to see more. And and I see a lot of people that are just kind of trying to like put their toe in and see because they're worried, you know, of all the risks involved. And and I get that, you know, I know a lot of people couldn't have done what I did.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03Um, and even me doing it, I didn't know it was gonna work. So I definitely get like the fear of going into it, but I want to create space where they can um, you know, figure out how to make that transition and feel supported doing that.
SPEAKER_00I absolutely love that because what resonates with me there is kind of what drives me in this world of like mental health and psych, really working to not only create change, but to create space for those who look like me who are gonna come after me. Yes. Let me tell you, I loved having you on. Just complete this sentence for me.
SPEAKER_03Happiness is happiness is deciding to be happy.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_03That's that's like really been something I've been also uh reflecting on because I was made aware of this um kind of phrase of um or question asking yourself if you are eternally almost ready. And that really hit me because I've been just realizing a lot about what my anxieties um come from and and what kind of games they kind of play with my mind and where I see myself. And I've always felt I realized that I was feeling eternally almost ready, and I had this wall of my anxiety or my um, I don't know. I just kept telling myself in the back of my mind that I had to I had one more thing to do before I was really there. And I realized that that thing, this whole time that I've been knowing was there, but not really focusing on, but just kind of having the back of my mind was never really there. And I just had to decide that I had arrived, you know. I had to decide that I am ready and I am where I need to be because it wasn't like I was gonna get to my end goal by being ready. I was being ready to accept that goal when it was time. So um I think even when it comes to happiness, you know, there's never an actual thing you can do. Um, and there are things that make you happy, but to be happy, I think you have to decide that that you're happy with things. If not, you're chasing the things that make you happy versus looking within.
SPEAKER_00I am going to close my laptop and just go sit somewhere because you spoke to me. Okay.
SPEAKER_05That was great.
SPEAKER_00Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness, read me, okay?
SPEAKER_05No, so much to reflect on.
SPEAKER_00Listen, way too much, okay? But I'm gonna do the work and I'm gonna be intentional about reflecting, and I pray that the listeners are the same, okay? Now, I have spent this entire time asking you questions. We are now gonna move into a segment of the show called Let's Spin the Rose Bottle. And so I've been asking you so many questions um throughout this entire interview. You now get a chance to ask me anything and get into my business. It can be juicy, it can be dry, it can be nothing, and we'll just move on.
SPEAKER_03Um I want to know what your views and also kind of where you see things going are on um the current climate with the protests and with the small policy changes that have been happening, and then also the allies popping up, like especially from your perspective. What what do you think of and where do you see it going?
SPEAKER_00Okay, so protests. Protests are necessary um because they bring attention to the issue, yes. Um I were I have an interesting, I think I take up an interesting space because I am working with people who have different opinions on the the extent to which the protest can go, right? So like peaceful protests they're okay with, but when it gets a little too aggressive, then there's an issue. And for me, I'm just like, who are we to tell people how to respond to 400 years plus of oppression and yeah? Um when it comes to the allies popping up. And the the legislation changing. Um and I will even add the statutes being removed. I think I love the symbolic changes. I love the legislation that's being introduced, and I pray that more legislation continues to be passed. When it comes to the allies, um and I think this goes to the trend of our conversation, the theme of our conversation. I want to see intention. Yeah. And I'm speaking about this from the perspective of one who is in an academic program. And um I talked about this in another interview for this podcast, but you know, my deans reach out, or my dean of my program reached out to me and wanted to, you know, express their frustration around like the fact that I have to see the murder of black people. Well, actually, she said black men. I had to correct her and say black people. Right. Um and in our conversation, I highlighted the fact of like, yes, black people are being killed on the street, but when we go into this institution, black spirits are also being killed and are being underrepresented. Right.
SPEAKER_04I mean, facts.
SPEAKER_00Okay, and so I understand and I completely receive um individuals who want to become allies, right? Not individuals who name themselves allies because it is not the position of the oppressor to name themselves an ally. It's the position of the oppressed to identify who's an ally out here, right? Yes, yes, absolutely. But I am open to you wanting to learn more. I'm open to you um, you know, opening yourself up to feelings of discomfort and then figuring out how you use your how you can use your power and privilege to create change. Um, so when it comes to how do I feel about it, right now I I'm feeling observant. Right? I see what's I see what's coming up now when the fire is hot, but like when everything cools down and we're in 2021 and you see less protests and you see um less what people want to call rioting, right? When you see, you know, maybe people not being as vocal on social medias, when you don't see as many Black Lives Matter posts um on your Instagram feed, how will you then act? And I'm I think I'm I'm observing and I'm waiting for that moment.
SPEAKER_03Yes, I a hundred percent feel that. I really like the term of being observant because it is something that doesn't really have an answer right now, right? Like we we don't we can't say if things have changed when time has not moved forward. So yeah, time will really tell in. Yeah. Now go ahead.
SPEAKER_00Well, someone tweeted too, like, change isn't gonna just happen in a week. Yeah, we're not just gonna have a couple weeks of protesting, and then next thing you know, oh, everything is better. Like we are talking about systemic changes, right? And it's not just defunding the police and um getting a hold on um the killing of black light back black bodies, excuse me, through police brutality, but uh what about health disparities? What about um income disparities? What about um voter suppression? What about all these things that we really need to take a fine-tooth comb and go through? Yeah, it's deep. Like it's so deep.
SPEAKER_03It's gonna take a lifetime. I mean, lifetime to really actually get rid of it, you know. Um but you know, all that can't happen without the first steps. So hopefully these are those first steps.
SPEAKER_00Right. And pulling from, you know, now you got me talking, pulling from Lovey Ajay, um, she talks about the difference between it between being an ally and being an accomplice. And I think in these initial steps, what we need are less allies who are just gonna post an Instagram picture and then, you know, go about their daily routine. And we need more accomplices who are willing to be like, mm-mm, we gotta open the door and create room at the table for this black person, we gotta create room for this black trans person, we gotta create room for this disabled person from this person who doesn't come from generational wealth. We gotta really shift the system, right? And that takes the sacrifice of these aspiring allies' um privilege and comfort.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's that's it. That's like it's those moments where the black people aren't around when you're you know, when you're really supposed to be an ally. So they have to actually do it. Yeah, do the work.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, do the work, be intentional, pulling from you. Okay. That's it. That is it. Now, Timbita Trap Bob, I appreciate you for spending time with me. This was a fabulous interview. I'm like on cloud nine, I'm super hype right now. So great. Where can the people find you? And is there anything you want to plug in this moment?
SPEAKER_03Um, you can follow me on Instagram at TrapXBob, and my website's trapbob.com. Um I just want people to support the arts. Um, obviously, like support me, yes, because I'm supporting everybody.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_03But just support artists, like pay attention. Don't just, you know, fall for the hype beast culture of following who everyone else follows. Like those people can't become, you know, famous and and even like have hype beasts if we don't push them to that level. So um, yeah, just support the arts.
SPEAKER_00Support the arts and pay full price for the arts. Okay.
SPEAKER_03Yes. Stop being cheap.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_03Stop buying off white and just buy art instead.
SPEAKER_00Heard you. Heard you.
SPEAKER_04Save those virgins, y'all.
SPEAKER_00Save those virgils. Guys, this has been another episode of the Roseanne Thorns podcast. I'll see you next week. Bye. Thank you for listening to Roseanne Thorns, the P Ryan Podcast. You can find Roseanne Thorns on Instagram and Twitter at Rose and T Podcast. That's R-O-S-E-N-P-T-O-T-F-C. And you can find P Ryan on Instagram and Twitter at I-N-P-Ryan. That's I-A-N-P-R-Y-A-N.