Vannah Oshun (Music)
Purpose
by Vannah Oshun
Photographed and Interviewed by Steven Jermaine Jones
Who are you? I am Vannah Oshun, Actor/singer/rapper/songwriter
What is purpose to you? Purpose is whatever fulfills you and contributes to the better good of society.
Have you found your purpose? Just when I think I have figured it out, more is always revealed. I’m in a constant state of self discovery.
How is your purpose reflected in your art? It is reflected in the way it makes people feel, think, and reflect on life.
If you could describe your art would you? And if you would, what would you say? If I could describe my art I would say it is true to my life, it is honest even when honesty isn’t pretty.
What inspires you? Life, the impactful artists that have come before me, the artists of my generation, resilience of great people’s character.
What drives you to do what you do? The internal flame of passion, of needing to create the same way I need to breathe or work to pay rent.
Why did you start making art? As a small child I would make up songs out loud, paint pictures, draw, write poetry. For as long as I can remember.
What about the art you make allows you to be who you are? My art expresses my inner desires, my views, my positions on the state of the globe in a way that reaches an audience wider than anything else. Music influences whole eras more than politicians, music is a powerful tool.
Is there something you cannot live without in your tool kit? My library both physical and electronic. Books have taken me all over the world, I’ve seen things in my imagination so beautiful that traveling to these places may someday disappoint me. Imagination is my greatest tool.
What would you tell your thirteen-year-old self? I would tell her this: Hey Savannah, someday you will realize that no matter what comes your way in life that you will overcome it. You will not only survive, but THRIVE. Be gentle with yourself, you are enough. All that you are, you have always been, & you will always be. Reach within yourself in times of doubt or trouble, what you will find is gold. You will learn a lot in life, everything will prove to be your teacher. The main thing for you to know is, the LOVE you possess is your superpower. Sometimes, your love will be misused, but that is ok, love anyway, but always make sure you LOVE YOURSELF FIRST. Your heart is pure and it will touch the world. There is so much beauty to look forward to, don’t rob yourself of the joy of what’s to come in the darkness of the present.
What would you tell your 60-year-old self? I would say to my 60 year old self: Hello, Mrs. Vannah, I don’t know you yet, but I want to thank you for believing in me and following your dreams. What a life worth LIVING! More and more of you is being revealed to me each day. It is a beautiful, scary, worthy journey that I will be taking until I meet you, but I’m devoted to seeing you get to experience all that is coming for me.
Other than art, what else are you passionate about? I am passionate about the financial and systematic freedom and protection of people of color, especially in America. POC in America especially our brothers and sisters of a darker hue are forced to deal with constant mistreatment, being terrorized, being murdered. Our children are scared, our teens fear for their lives at school, and without proper guidance they can be mislead because of the way the media portrays our people to believe that they have less value than other people in society. I am passionate about leading by example, showing our youth that come from poverty stricken environments that they are not what their economic background makes them feel like, that they are wealthy of mind, body, spirit, & soul. Im passionate about sharing what I’ve learned.
Anything you would like to leave us with? (Words of wisdom, advise, etc.) The world is divided. We inherited this division from generations of people fighting to make our lives more livable. It is our moral obligation to continue to pursue our will and not bend it to the will of any system, man, or corporation, but to exercise our authority over our lives.
How important is a space like Late Fee Magazine? A space like Late Fee Magazine is crucial for artists of color like myself because it gives us a chance to be heard by like minded individuals in an industry that by design doesn’t recognize you until everyone does.
