Alex Kasozi

artist

Oakland, CA

5 favorite musical artists of all time?

1. Shaggy

2. Nas

3. A Tribe Called Quest

4. Oliver Mtukudzi

5. James Brown.

How do you keep your creative drip going? 

Creativity is a lifestyle. I try to dress well. I find that looking sharp and comfortable inspires an unstressed & conducive environment for creativity.
 

What is the last thing you learned?

2 Years ago, I started painting using acrylic. It is only this year that I’m fully confident in that skill. I’ve been intrigued by the keyboard a lot these days too.

What advice would you give to your younger self? 

To keep pushing harder and be more wreck-less in my delivery.

What do you do?

I paint, produce music, do some graphic design, among other things. During the day though, I am a physical therapy assistant.

Where are you from?

I was born in Uganda. I moved to America when I was 16 to pursue imminent opportunities in New York. I stayed there for 10 years. Both are places I consider home.

What are you working on right now?

I have been working on a way to connect my art and music into one space visually. I know it’s very vague but I don't want to pick the fruit before it is ripe.

What inspires you?

My culture comes first. It is of prime importance to have an African garment ready for any occasion. Secondly, I must be confident and comfortable in anything I do or choose. If I’m not, it’s time to move on.

Describe your dream job. 

It would be great to be either a Furniture or an Automobile designer.

What skill(s) would you develop of you had more time?

Applying all my various skills (painting, graphic work, audio engineering) into a short web-series or, maybe a film.

 What industry blogs/websites/podcasts do you enjoy?

 My biggest inspiration so far has been www.boogierez.com. A duo of artists that have done incredible work all over the world. Based in Poughkeepsie of course. I salute those guys.

What do you think the future holds for people of color in creative industries? 

The future has never been brighter. It is important that people of color and flavor express themselves in all ways possible artistically. Recently, there has been a surge of actors, film directors and musicians of color. I'm confident that we have a lot of stories to tell and never before seen before experiences to portray. It is inevitable that as those artists get into lucrative places of power, they will offer opportunities and inspiration that would otherwise be unachievable.