August 27, 2025
Coincident with WWOZ’s Summer 2025 fund-raising to replace $400K in Corporation for Public Broadcasting support cut by the Trump Administration, we present this interview with YASIIN BEY, the former MOS DEF, recorded on May 5, 2013.
Yasiin has a plenty of astute, brilliant and compassionate things to say … About New Orleans; music and musicians and the mysterious dynamism, “truth and beauty” of this city … About ERYKAH and LAURYN … About collaboration with MANNIE FRESH and with text-centered artists BARBARA KRUGER and GLENN LIGON.
Mostly you may hear the grace of his mind and voice.
WWOZ is flourishing due to its supporters’ generous love. $355K had been raised as of yesterday from 1500+ donations!
Services offered by WWOZ.
And:
ON to the Interview recorded in and for WWOZ on the Sunday afternoon following YASIIN’s show with ERYKAH BADE, ROBERT GLASPER, DONALD HARRISON and his Tribe, and the HOT 8 BRASS BAND.
INTERVIEW with YASIIN, May 5, 2013, edited with DPFTC August 26-27 2025
0:00—0:15 YASIIN’s contributions to benefits for New Orleans after the “Federal flood”’
Yasiin with TROY, LENNY and TIM ROBBINs in benefit for Gulf Coast victims of ‘The BP Oil-Spill’, Spring 2010.
0:20 YASIIN that New Orleans’ music has affected people round the world without they’re knowing it.
0:40 YASIIN appreciating Brass Band Music and MANNIE FRESH, ALLEN TOUSSAINT, THE HOT 8 BRASS BAND, THE WILD MAGNOLIAS, L’IL WAYNE. SISSY NOBBY,
1:00 YASIIN on favorite piano-players, including ANDREW HILL, MONK, MCCOY TYNER, and his DAD.
1:30 YASIIN on the Show at New Orleans Sugar Mill the prior night, Saturday, with “such a good mix of people in the room”—BIG CHIEF DONALD HARRISON, the HOT 8 BRASS BAND, ROBERT GLASPER, and headliners ERYKAH BADU.
2:00 YASIIN on ERYKAH and her “artistry from scene to scene.”
2:30 This May 2013 visit YASIIN’S first back to New Orleans “since the last Hurricane.”
2:40—3:20 What especially touches YASIIN about New Orleans. “Dynamic … There’s a lot of mystery and beauty and truth here.”
3:20--4:10—YASIIN tells the joking story of the Husband answering his Wife’s question, “WHY do you love me?” with: “I don’t care! I don’t care why I love you, but I do!” Yasiin says that answer “applies to New Orleans.”
4:10–5:15 YASIIN’s excitement from creating new Tracks with MANNIE FRESH, free of Record Labels’ pressure. “I feel really grateful to be working with Mannie.”
5:15—6:15 YASIIN on loving New Orleans, loving Brooklyn, but “with a young family …. Sometimes you have to move away to make a way.”
6:15—8:00 YASIIN on intending collaborations with the ‘text-based’ artists BARBARA KRUGER and GLENN LIGON so that his “rhymes” can be published outside realms of Record Labels … and DON on how good it would be to have Gallery-like presentations of HipHop lyrics such as RAKIM’S, TUPAC’S, BIGGIE’S, …
GLENN LIGON and his featured repetition of a quote from the Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy.
8:00—8:50 LAURYN HILL’S “Neurotic Society”. YASIIN: “The most challenging, exciting record … in a LONG time … Her command of language … the most earnest thing I’ve heard from an m.c. in a long, long time.”
8:50—10:20 YASIIN’s and MANNIE’S Tracks “Black Jesus”, “Leader of the Gang” and 'Young Love Never Dies” and the possibilities for feedback about them through WWOZ.
10:20—YASSIN is invited to close with whatever he’s feeling and offers “a new piece”, titled ‘Wet Paint’.
“Cold showers don’t bother me none / Neither do staring at the Sun / The Moon in your eyes / Or the business-angle of a loaded gun / Shade / Is just another color of the day / Raw inspection now escape [?] / Two faders one plate / Abandoning strength / Wet paint.”
