Awate: Pursuing Happiness
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AWATE:
PERSUING HAPPINESS
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Music
Words By: Luc Hinson
Photography: Hubert Klusky
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The phone rings on international women’s day, the conversation begins with us both expressing our thanks to our mums for carrying us for 9 months, and all the other women in our lives. On the other end of the phone was Awate, Awate – which means victory in Tigre, a language spoken in his homeland, Eritrea – and as the conversation progress out of pleasantries I’m immediately engaged and immersed in this conversation. Speaking to this humble, gifted and exciting young man is enlightening, our conversation was very broad in its scope, we talked about North Sea oil, quantum physics, Black panther, the Union Jack and stand-up comedy. As he describes in detail Awate has had expectations piled high on his shoulders from birth, with a name like victory it’s hard to shift your mentality from the continual desire to win.
Before launching into his opening tirade on his upbringing and adolescence he fetches a glass of water, takes a sip, and dives straight in. His name – Awate, is also the name given to the founder of the Eritrean liberation front – Hamid Idris Awate, and with Awate’s birth coming on the same day Eritrea was liberated, on the same day the 30-year war ended in his own words “no way I was growing up and not knowing all that, I’m acutely aware of my heritage, who the fuck I am”. His self-awareness is refreshing; his journey of identity is one he is fully immersed in, and one that’s continually unfolding in front of him.
The conversation naturally flows to his experiences of the UK. As a refugee his journey to, and within this country has been a tumultuous one, before reflecting on his time in the UK so far he pauses, takes another sip of water and then jumps in. Awate’s descriptions of the realities of life in London as a refugee are stark and real, and perhaps not what you would expect from a city we regularly celebrate for its rich diversity and multiculturalism.
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Pictured (Left to Right): Turkish, Awate
Photogapher: Hubert Klusky
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Pictured: Awate
Photographer: Hubert Klusky
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He mentions his first day at school, his first experience of formal education. On his first day, he sits down in class and the girl sat next to him, the first fellow pupil he encounters turns to him and remarks “oh, my dad said I can’t sit next to Muslims”. This was Awates first experience of school in the UK, his first experience of this countries education system, your first day of school is supposed to be scary, supposed to be daunting, but it’s not supposed to be full of hateful prejudices from the moment you sit down.
Sadly, it doesn’t stop there, Awate mentions other troubling tales from his youth in the nation’s capital. His estate Maiden lane in Camden, his flat, two doors down from the house of a known National Front member. He recalls how the estate had a “beautiful family orientated community”. However, for Awate this beautiful family picture is punctuated by instances of hateful racism, he recounts “every time I walked out I’d get stones thrown at me, get names shouted at me, get chased by that families’ kids”. Contrary to the hub of integration we may hold London up as to the rest of the world Awate spoke of the reality he has lived, that London “is not exempt of the white supremacist views that this country was founded on”. He should know, he’s dealt with them first hand on a daily basis, and its feeds into his music, its omnipresent in his lyrics, and it’s what makes them so emotive.
The focus of our discussion shifted to the present day, Brexit specifically. Awate notes how Brexit has “put batteries in the back of a lot of fascists” and has empowered racists to act in ways that they perhaps wouldn’t have done before: “Now some bloke has the confidence to rip someone’s hijab off”, it’s worrying and paints this country as covered in a foggy, pessimistic malaise. But our discussions despite their negativity were full of hope and optimism with what the future will bring, what the power of this generation will bring.
Awate is an extremely talented artist, with a rich and defining narrative. His Debut album Happiness is available on all major music platforms, be sure to check it out. And if you can catch his UK wide tour in the coming months.
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Awate
Illustration: Emily Pearman
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Read our full Q&A discussion below:
What would you personally describe as the biggest contributor to your identity today?
My skin colour because its external, I was going to say something like my mum because my ideals and morals that I hold today come from her, especially as today is international women’s day. But no, it’s my skin colour it’s something that creates a power dynamic before any words have been said.
What do you think is the biggest barrier to integration in the UK today?
Lack of education, about this country and about the rest of the world. Eurocentric white supremacist ideas of history have been the only textbook that we’ve been reading from. There’s enough money in this country to make it into Wakanda, we need to right the wrongs, set up the rest of the world to be better than Britain if you don’t want people coming here.
What does music mean to you, what do you use it as?
Music provides me with the tool of self-expression which is a good form of catharsis, it means I wasn’t beating up teachers and throwing chairs at them. But also for my self-esteem as a rapper, this is a competitive art form, you can write it in your head if you’re jay-z or a pen and paper, its free, its accessible. You get a nice connection with other people, they might be laughing or smiling or might be touched by a line you said. But above all music is a full body visceral experience for me, and it’s always been
If you weren’t a musician what medium of expression would you use for this catharsis?
I did stand-up comedy for a while and then I transitioned that into my sets after a while, its exactly the same as rap, the only difference is your completely naked on stage there’s no music, no instrumental shielding you. With stand up its very competitive like rap there’s a lot of similarities, you can make connections with people and like rap, challenge power. In the words of Mark Twain if you want to tell the truth, make them laugh or they will kill you. And for me, All I want to do is tell the truth
What does Britishness as a construct mean to you in the 21st century?
I think of a flag that flies over loads of dead bodies while people on boats take out the resources from underneath the dead bodies. I don’t know how people don’t. obviously, we have our own realities that are extremely subjective, but that’s my reality, I don’t understand how everyone’s reality isn’t mine.
What’s next, what does 2018 bring for you?
I’m going on tour I’m doing shows I’m writing amazing new music, I’m putting out a short film, and yeah just black excellence man. Getting healthy and staying there, mentally physically, having more healthy relationships with people. I’ve dropped my new album so maybe now I can see my friends a bit more.
Peace.
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Instagram: @awatemusic
Facebook: @awatemusic
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Words By: Luc Hinson, 16th April 2018
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