This article is also a fundraiser for HerStory DAO and Black NFT Art. Any tips you send will be automatically split, with 40% going to HerStory DAO, 40% to Black NFT Art and Umba Daima, 15% to TiKA, and 5% to me to cover my costs. All completely transparent and traceable thanks to the power of blockchain. Cover image credit: @Naskademini

I started down the “web3” (NFTs/DAOs/crypto/blockchain and blockchain-based applications) rabbit hole not knowing that I would find myself in a space that is, as multidisciplinary artist and social activist TiKA calls it, “a place of abundance”. The space is teeming with ideas that are at once revolutionary yet grounded in thoughtfulness, and the kind of hyper-motivated leaders and communities you need to turn them into reality.

The creator economy is now worth over $100 billion, however the vast majority of that value has been captured by the centralized platforms (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) that allow creators (artists, influencers, content producers) to share their content. NFTs and other web3 tools are turning that on its head, and allowing creators to take back ownership and control of the platforms they rely on. Beyond the monkey profile photos and speculative bubble lies a thriving community of artists building intentionally around their work - communities that they can now be fairly rewarded for. TiKA is one such artist, who feels that her art has “been given a second chance” thanks to these innovations, and wants to help make the space more inclusive. She was gracious enough to chat with me about her experience.

Where are you a local, and what images does the word “home” evoke for you?

That's such an interesting question because "home" is something I've had to create in my own body due to displacement. I come from a very strong family but also a dysfunctional one - a lot of the folks in my family kind of do their own thing or prefer to be in solitude. Because of this, I've had to find a sense of home within myself. When I think of home I think a lot about happy memories and nostalgia, which is a part of what I try to cultivate in web3. I think nature also plays a massive part in what feels like home.

How would you describe your art, and what feelings do you try to convey through it?

I would say my genre is definitely called futuristic nostalgia - it's a marriage and juxtaposition of songs that sound reminiscent of the past but still sound very present. I really love that kind of sound - reminiscent of the 80s and early 90s. So like synthesizers, electric guitar sounds, also harps and beautiful things like wind chimes. Anything that sounds like it could be a dream sequence in a film or a television show. I think that those sounds are what I really gravitate towards, and are a part of my branding and my style.

How do you cultivate an audience for your art?

I've come to realize that a lot of people who like my art also like me, or my online persona. I think in web2, I was more behind-the-scenes, and people knew me more personally, whereas in web3 I’m a bit more forward. People gravitate towards my art because I'm communicative and engaging in web3. I try to be gracious and kind, and operate on a higher vibrational frequency. I think people resonate with that energy, then resonate with the things that I'm saying in [Twitter] Spaces, then circle back to my art after. I'm quite the loner type, so being engaging is very new for me. I didn't even have a Twitter in web2, and now I'm kind of omnipresent in the space.

What led you to the NFT space? What made this space 'click' for you?

I was onboarded by Latasha, Naskademini, and Visionnaire. Latasha and I did a decolonization residency together last year, and really got to know each other through that space. So far it’s been a breath of fresh air for me to be in web3. I've found a really beautiful community of people that just get it - they understand art and the science of art, and also the redistribution of wealth to the Black community which is a very important move for all of us. I also appreciate that in web3 people operate on a frequency of abundance rather than lack.

You recently sold your first NFT - congrats! Was there anything that you learned or were surprised by during this process?

I learned that PartyBid is a great resource to use in terms of community/crowd funding. It's a great way to get community involved in selling your work. I also learned to never, ever, ever send wrapped-ETH anywhere without unwrapping it first. I had to learn that the hard way - there's still some money chilling for me somewhere on the blockchain. Some of these technical details are certainly a barrier to entry to the space, but I take those lessons with gratitude because it's an opportunity for me to continue to teach what I've learned to someone that might benefit from that knowledge. The beauty of web3 is that it's so new - we're all gonna make mistakes.

What are some of the things that NFTs unlock for you as a creator?

I would say they allow me to express myself more freely. I don't feel so uncomfortable about self-expression, because everyone else is expressing themselves too - in a way that's intentional, mindful, and courteous. I also appreciate the fact that people have Spaces for talking about your story, rather than just shilling your work. There're Spaces where you can talk about your healing journey and healing practice. We're committed to uplifting one another and doing community work under the framework of Ubuntu, which means, "I am because we are". We understand that we are pioneers in the space and that we're here to support and acknowledge one another. That feels very family-oriented to me, and I really appreciate that.

Was there any pushback you received from other artists on your decision to transition to web3?

Not in the slightest, personally. There are folks that don't understand web3, and there're also artists that have concerns surrounding the environment, but I think they're misinformed or might not have the full picture. I think that folks generally fear what they don't understand, and instead of growing and educating and discovering, they might rather make excuses about why to not enter into the space. I'm learning from my friend Sassy to have compassion for those folks because I think there is a lot of fear surrounding abundance. It's a beautiful and very abundant space.

“There’s a lot of fear surrounding abundance” - I really like that! What are some other barriers you see to entering the space?

I think sometimes folks are just shy. It's kind of a prerequisite for people to be communicative and engaging with the community for it to feel inclusive. There's someone I invited to the space who will show up if I send him Twitter Spaces, but won't show up of his own volition; and it's like I can bring the horse to the water, but I can't make him drink, you know? It's a personal journey and you also have to be self-motivated in a way. Even though I’m naturally a loner, I don't have an issue with being vulnerable - it's where I'm being vulnerable, and whether or not I'm being received. For anyone that's a loner, my friend YahZarah says it's a muscle that needs to be stroked, and challenged. The shyness or apprehension surrounding public speaking or speaking in a group of folks that you don't know can be severely uncomfortable for someone that isn't accustomed to it, but it could also be the greatest thing you could have done for yourself in terms of connecting with people that might identify with your story, and just for making new friends.

Totally! I think community and role models in the space play a big role in making it feel inclusive as well. Who are some people in the space that you look up to, and what are they doing well?

I would definitely say Latasha - I love what she's doing in terms of bringing awareness to Blackness and maginalized people and to a different genre altogether. I think Latasha is brilliant and so important, because historically Black women have always been on the lower receiving end of acknowledgement or respect. The work that she's doing and the money that she's getting, and the fact that she's still advocating for others and is still a community builder is so important and super inspiring.

I also really love what Visionnaire is doing and he’s another person I really admire. He really gets in there with the community and listens to pretty much all of the music that's there, and is a big advocate for independent art and music. He’s also a musician himself, and breaks records on his radio show - he's constantly putting on his community to other musicians that he's been actively listening to. That level of connectivity is so important.

FaithLove is one of the Black women that is straddling the line between corporate and community work, and I really admire her ability to show up in this space and be able to be unapologetically herself everyday, despite being intertwined in these two worlds. Even as an artist and a creative person, her art is so political and so beautiful and magnetizing, and at the same time she has such a warm and engaging energy.

Sassy Black is - oh my god I could say so many things about Sassy - she's such an intellectual. So progressively sound and just necessary to the entire makeup of our community. She just has a way of nurturing other people that is so vital in terms of encouragement and positivity - she's really great at that. I don't know who encourages Sassy, but Sassy is incredible at encouraging other people and is really aligned with her intentions. She's a very intentional and important human.

Iris Nevins is one of the first folks that graciously welcomed me into the space, and was a huge advocate for my art. I appreciate everything that she’s doing with Umba Daima, and she feels like a fairy godmother in the community - she keeps a watch on everyone and makes sure everyone is taken care of. She’s also important because along with Faith, she helped to build the web3 space for our community.

What are some exciting things we can expect from you in the coming months?

New music, more Futuristic Nostalgia for sure - that's going to be my focus for the next little while. I’m also scoring a few things on the side; I'm working on two TV shows and a contemporary dance piece. I'm a multi-disciplinary creative. I feel like I'm aging in reverse; I think creativity and music does that to you.

I also have a non-profit called StereoVisual - I teach marginalized youth to pivot from beat-making to making music for film and TV in an effort to create more equity in the film industry. It launches this fall. I talk a lot about the lack of diversity in the film industry and how it affects our people and society as a whole, and how we can make long-lasting change in an effort for us to have more visibility for BIPOC.

What are the best ways for people to follow along with what you're doing?

It's “withlovetika” on all platforms and my website is also withlovetika.com. You can also follow Futuristic Nostalgia @officialfuno on Twitter.