By Jamilah King
The definition of blackness is so highly debated that even black folks have a difficult time defining it. Oakland-raised rapper Ise Lyfe looks at blackness and some of these questions associated with the concept in his one-man play, Who’s Krazy? Told through spoken word and monologue and accompanied a ’70s soul and hip-hop sounds, Who’s Krazy? revolves around Victor, a 31-year-old African American man who runs from anything he considers “black.” Victor’s journey takes a staggering detour after he has a mental breakdown and locks himself in his basement. I spoke to Lyfe recently about his work.
SFBG: What have you been up to since the release of your last album?
Ise Lyfe: Mainly I’ve been traveling and performing, teaching a bit. I started an educational company that basically explores the roots causes of violence in our community. It got to a point where I realized that the material being taught in our schools didn’t relate to the realities that a lot of people face at home or in real life. So we created a program that teaches young folks about the history of violence against women, our internal impulses toward violence and the systemic causes of violence in our communities that we may not think about in our daily lives.
I’ve also been working on an album. The project is called Prince Cometh, and it’s probably one of my proudest accomplishments to date. I’m releasing it independently and it should be out in May or June.
SFBG: Now let’s talk about your latest project, Who’s Krazy? Where did the idea come from?
IL: Since I’ve been traveling a lot, I always encounter interesting people. A while back I was speaking on a panel at Smith College, and the guy sitting next to me was this brotha who was a total tight ass and seemed hella removed from his blackness. It was a trip.
