Dreamer Spotlight: SayLotus

Adrian. who goes by the stage name Say Lotus, has been creating conscious songs that you are able to relate to and chill. With growing numbers on Souncloud.com, Say Lotus is definitely an artist to watch. With her silken voice on a track, this Chicago artist has the potential to make it to the top.Her first released single, "Say Yes (Floetry Cover)" is gaining more plays and views on Soundcloud.com, with more than 400 plays to date. Say Yes, tells the story from the perspective of a woman who finds out that a guy who she's had her eye on is not ready  for her. Check out my interview with her below! 

Me: Hi Adrian! How are you?

Lotus: Hiiii! I'm doing awesome!

Me: Thanks for being apart of the first spotlight for my dreamers spotlight portion of my blog SmallPinkDreams. I know we're close friends, but I think I am more of your number one fan than anything. So tell me, how did you get the name Lotus?

Lotus: Well, I was walking down the street with Erin and [Jennifer] and Lotus popped in my head. I was like "Hey guys, what do you think about Lotus?" and you were like "I like it". I started looking into what the Lotus represented. It's like a plant that grows through mud on a daily basis and grows with the sun, and every part of it can be used for a lot like medicine and medical wraps. That's why they were so favored by the [buddhist], even the gurus are considered lotus before their actual name. The plant itself holds a lot of clout. I didn't come from the most pristine background so I am able to use that and to use in my music. It's a reminder of where I come from and it's important. 

Me: Well that sounds melodic or like a dreamer! [laughs]

Lotus: [laughs]

Me: How long have you been writing?

Lotus: I've been writing since I was about eight years old and it started with small stories. Then from there, me and my cousin made a song group. Around 12, I started rapping to some Nicki Minaj songs. Around 16, I began doing LTAB [Louder Than A Bomb] and now in college I continued writing. It went from writing on Green Goblin and Collard Greens instrumental to the music I have today. 

Me: That sounds like a wonderful come up story. Tell me more about your poetry background? What was the content of poems about?

Lotus: Honesty, the poems are really sad. Most of my writing is reflective since I was an only child. I used to sit in my room, listen to dark music, and make dark poems. I would listen to Fly Lead, FallOutBoys, Lady Gaga, and Lil Wayne--it was a good era. 

Me: So I heard your poem, 1920-2014 and it has a lot of deep metaphors about the world and how crazy it is be human in it. Can you tell me more about your writing process with that particular poem?

Lotus: That whole summer, I had been randomly looking at Youtube about the government and I got super mad about it. I was watching one video about the new world order and some really bogus stuff that was gonna happen if [the government] was to shut down. I spent two hours just writing at work and showed it to my boss. She'd asked me if I was writing instead of working and I said yeah [laughs] but she loved it. I was researching about lynchings and I thought it was crazy because people actually had postcards and pictures hanging up with photos of lynchings. Then I had recently read about the incident in Gaza and it was really fucked up, because the same thing was happening in 2014 and it started a wave of consciousness for me.

Me: Wow! That's really deep. 

Lotus: [laughs] Yeah it was. 

Me: So your song Say Yes is really blowing up with a few people in Chicago and as of today has over 400 plays in it's first couple of months released. How do you receive this good feedback from everyone?

Lotus: I think it's really dope that everyone took four minutes out of their day to play my song. The feedback was kinda expected when you're speaking real [stuff]. 

Me: So with that being said, whats next for Say Lotus?

Lotus: Um, well. I'm kinda new to everything so it's really just cultivating my sound and making a statement with my artwork--making more than a hobby with my music; plus more studio time and making moves that's gonna get me out of my mama's house and off the block! 

This artist is on the rise and working towards mastering her craft. Her music is soulful, it's creative, it's reflective, and it's available on Soundcloud.com Posted below is her single that has been circulating! Stay tuned with this artist.

Twitter:@SayLotus

Soundcloud: saylotus

Instagram: @juh_ree

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No Weapons Formed Against Me: Growth After Facing Adversity

"B*tch" "N*gger" "Black c*nt" "Get a job" "Ferguson's Calling!"

These were all the things that I, along with tens of other marginalized people, heard on a college campus following an event that spewed hateful rhetoric and violence amongst it's audience. While protecting the dignity and livelihood of myself and others, I received the most threatening comments from a very large group of angry, bigoted conservative white people (with a surprising amount of Black and Brown bodies). I sat on stage with 10 others soldiers fighting the adversity that our university failed to protect us from--thus leaving us to protect one another.

I find myself struggling with how to write about this event. I didn't know how my story would sound, how captivating it would be to my readers, or even if I would just come off as dramatic and victimized. 

A week after the event, I'm lying in my bed struggling to find the right words to write about the event--only to realize that my narrative doesn't come from the actual events of what I endured but from the realizations that appeared afterwards. I opened my Bible app and the first story that jumped out to me was the story of David and Goliath. In 1 Samuel 17, it tells the story of how David, a young shepherd from Bethlehem, was able to defeat the big bad Philistine that constantly terrorized Israel, Goliath. Goliath would armor himself with bronze and visit Israel every day to challenge to battle. When David visited Israel, he heard Goliath shouting things against Israel and vowed to kill and cut off his head.The Israel army gave David all of this really fancy and protective bronze armor, but David didn't feel comfortable wearing them because he wasn't used to heavy equipment. So instead of all the protective gear, David only took his walking stick, five stones from the stream. and a sling. 

*Pause* While reading this, the entire time I was thinking "David how are you gonna fight Goliath?!" I was so nervous, because poor little David was only a shepherd. He didn't have any experience in fighting but had the biggest balls to challenge this giant dude. I was nervous and shaking like:

But back to the story...

When Goliath sees David, he starts taunting him. Goliath said to David "What is that stick for? Did you come to chase me away like a dog?" (1 Samuel 17: 43) David responds: 

“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17: 45-47)

After Goliath started to attack David, David pulled a stone out his bag, put it in his sling, and swung the sling. The stone hit Goliath right between the eyes and Goliath fell face first to the ground--thus killing Goliath.

At first, the story of David and Goliath meant little to me. Now, I think that God told me to read that specific Bible verse, because he was trying to tell me something. My experience at this event left me with more questions than ever.  In that moment being on stage I felt powerless and weak. What made matters worse. the responses of people that were supposed to support and protect me shamed me for my actions.But after reading the story of David and Goliath, I think that God was trying to show that what I did was necessary and good.

Being in that room, I saw the minuscule amount of what my ancestors and my people have been fighting for centuries. I was outnumbered by hate-- taunted by the white supremacists that believed I didn't deserve any rights or respect. But like David, I didn't need the extra security to protect me or the countless hours of training to prepare me for this moment. 

God told me a week later that everything that I have learned and the personal growth that I had endured before the event prepared me better than ever. I thought that I was in a situation that I couldn't handle. Thank you God for protecting me and shielding me from hate. You showed me I had everything in me to fulfill my purpose in that room.Now look at me--surviving and stuff. 

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